6 Galleries and Shops Where You Can Buy Modern “Mashiko-yaki” Pottery
Mashiko pottery has been popular for daily use since the kilns were established at the end of the Edo period. There are about 250 kilns and 50 pottery stores. The styles are diverse, from young to experienced potters. In Mashiko Town, you can purchase a wide variety of Mashiko-yaki, from pieces with a rustic, folk art appeal, to those with a strong design, to those with a modern, humorous feel.
We will introduce some of the many Mashiko pottery galleries that we recommend.
<Recommended Mashiko Pottery Galleries and Shops>.
1Pottery Gallery Touko
A full lineup of original brands and unique works by artists.
Located on Jouchizaka-dori, the main street of Mashiko Town, the Artists' Hall displays a variety of Mashiko pottery, mainly works from its own kiln, "Dosodo-Wada Kiln".
The atmospheric building from the late Taisho period (1912-1926) was converted from a merchant's Oyaishi warehouse into a gallery and other facilities based on the concept of "Modern Mashiko. The store also sells the works of about 30 artists working in the Mashiko Town area.
An atmospheric gallery that can be enjoyed just by looking at it
The spacious interior is as exciting as touring a museum. The shop offers a wide variety of handmade ceramics, many of which can only be purchased here.
Dosodo Wada Kiln features both handmade pieces using a potter's wheel and molded pieces. The wide variety of pieces that can be produced at Dosodo Wada Kiln makes it popular among a wide range of people.
In addition to pottery, there are also accessories and miscellaneous goods, so just looking around is enjoyable.
Local Guide
Supporters
The restaurant features a large selection of highly original pottery made by Mashiko-based private artists. Exhibitions of their works are held at all times, allowing visitors to experience a wide range of works.
- Ceramic Gallery Touko
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2 Jonaisaka, Mashiko-machi, Haga-gun, Tochigi Prefecture MAP
15 min. walk from Mashiko Station of Moka Railway
10:00-18:00
Year-end and New Year's holidays
0285-72-2081
Free of charge
2Moegi Jonouchizaka Store
Many up-and-coming works by young artists
The store is located on Jouchizaka Street, near the Jouchizaka intersection, where Mashiko pottery stores line Jouchizaka Street, and has about 1,000 registered artists.
Pottery that changes every two weeks
The galleries are located on the first floor, where seasonal exhibitions are held, the basement, which mainly features solo exhibitions, the mezzanine floor, where many works are displayed, and the second floor, which mainly features solo exhibitions. All of them change on a two-week cycle, so you can enjoy unexpected encounters or visit the gallery according to the artist you are looking for.
A popular event is the "Maneki Neko Exhibition" held every year during the New Year's holiday. This exhibition gathers artistic cat works from all over Japan and is especially recommended for cat lovers. In addition, workshops are held on an irregular basis, so it is a good idea to check in advance before going.
Local Guide
Supporters
The layout of the store is excellent, and the selection of vessels and the use of lighting make each floor very easy to see.
- Moegi Jonouchizaka Store
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- 150 Jonaizaka, Mashiko-machi, Haga-gun, Tochigi MAP
- 15 min. walk from Mashiko Station of Moka Railway
- 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. (Winter months: December–February, open until 5:00 p.m.)
- Thursdays (both the Jonaisaka store and Base)
- 0285-72-6003
- Free of charge
moegi Base holds solo exhibitions and special exhibitions on a monthly cycle. The café is also available for visitors to relax and enjoy Mashiko's relaxed atmosphere.
3Yamaniootsuka Main Store
A popular spot with a café and pottery classes
Yamani Otsuka Main Store has two galleries introducing young Mashiko pottery artists and a floor where visitors can enjoy seasonal fashions. The shop also operates a pottery class, a restaurant, and a café on the premises.
One-of-a-kind, high-priced items and works by living national treasures are sold at the adjacent Craft Yamani and Gallery Midorito-ri.
A wide variety of traditional and up-and-coming works
Works by popular potters "Wakasama Pottery" and "Yoshizawa Kiln" and popular ceramic artists "Sakon Fujimoto" and "Kotaro Okabe" are also available, and there are about 100 works by a wide range of artists from traditional Mashiko pottery to up-and-coming young artists. Many customers purchase tableware for daily use or for interior decoration.
Local Guide
Supporters
Mashiko Pottery is a Mashiko pottery store with the theme of "See, Eat, Play, Relax, Find, and Remember. A café and restaurant are also located here, so you can enjoy yourself without losing track of time.
- Yamani Otsuka Main Store
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- 88 Jouchizaka, Mashiko-machi, Haga-gun, Tochigi MAP
- 24 min. walk from Mashiko Station on the Moka Railway
Take a bus from Mashiko Station on the Moka Railway and get off at "Tokogei Messe Iriguchi" (entrance to the pottery fair). 2 min. walk from the bus stop.- Open 10:00-17:00
- 0285-81-6363
- Free of charge (1,000 yen during the pottery market)
4pejite
A select store of Mashiko tableware, old furniture, and apparel items
Entering the main street of Mashiko's old city center, you will see a stone warehouse with ivy tangled around it, which is "pejite".
The owner of "Nihira Old Furniture Store," which has stores in neighboring Moka City and Mashiko Town, fell in love with the atmosphere and space of this warehouse and opened the store selling old furniture, tableware, and clothing. The selection of tableware is centered on contemporary artists from Mashiko. The lineup is easy to use in daily life and reasonably priced. The shop also carries a full lineup of tableware by Tadao Akutsu (pictured above) and Akiko Tao, whose tableware is popular for its soft, pliable texture.
Items are tastefully displayed in a former rice warehouse.
The 60-year-old building, a former rice warehouse made of Oya stone, is spacious, with an area of approximately 70 tsubo. The building has a unique history, having been used as a practice field for the local youth baseball team and as a sculptor's studio after it was no longer used as a rice warehouse. It is worth taking the time to look around the gallery-like space, where antique tools, vessels, and knick-knacks complement each other in a quiet and relaxing atmosphere. It is located in an easy stopover during a pottery market or city tour.
Local Guide
Supporters
The products are all sophisticated. The inside of the atmospheric building is spacious, quiet, and relaxing.
5Enokida Kiln Main Store
The charm of the shop lies in the three distinct styles of the fourth and fifth generations of the couple.
From Mashiko Station, drive east on Route 230 for about eight minutes, and you will find Enokida Kiln's main store. The kiln has been in business for more than 100 years and has a long history, especially in kyusu (Japanese teapot) making. The works of three family members, the fourth generation and the fifth generation husband and wife, who have inherited the traditional techniques, are on display. The store's first floor, a two-story building, was originally used as a workshop, and the second floor is the family's three-person pottery studio.
A full lineup of daily-use utensils such as tea sets and mugs
The fifth generation's works are pottery with patterns such as polka dots and latticework, created by the Enokida Kiln's traditional wax coating and glaze bouncing method (wax removal). The gentle feminine colors are inspired by nature, such as the soil, greenery, and sky she sees on her walks, and are very popular because they brighten up the dining table. The fifth-generation owner expresses the jumping plane technique, which was directly handed down from the fourth generation, with a modern sense. Pasta, Asian food, and of course Japanese food all look great served on the table and go well with other tableware.
Local Guide
Supporters
There are numerous simple and easy-to-use vessels. Each family member has a different color, shape, and atmosphere, making it hard to take your eyes off the pieces.
- Enokida Kiln, main store
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- 4240 Mashiko, Mashiko-machi, Haga District, Tochigi Prefecture MAP
- 8 min. drive from Mashiko Station on the Moka Railway
- 10:00-16:00
- Tuesday-Thursday
- 0285-72-2528
- Free of charge
- Please check our social media for details
6Tsukamoto
Mashiko's largest kiln with over 160 years of history
Founded more than 160 years ago, Tsukamoto is about a 7-minute drive east from Mashiko Station. The main building, gallery, and pottery school are located on a spacious site in the mountains, making it a Mashiko pottery spot where visitors can enjoy a wide range of activities from shopping to leisure. If you are looking for casual daily use, visit the main building. The shop offers a wide variety of reasonably priced original products and artist's wares, including tableware and vases with the warmth typical of Mashiko ware. The containers for the "Tougenokamameshi" sold at Yokogawa Station on the Shinetsu Main Line (also known as "Kamakko") are made by Tsukamoto. The miniature earthenware pots that cook one cup of rice, reminiscent of the "kamakko," are ideal as souvenirs.
Gallery Tsukamoto, featuring works by living national treasures and up-and-coming artists
For those who want to find a special gift or a favorite item, we recommend the "Gallery. The Gallery displays and sells works by Mashiko's leading artists, including Shoji Hamada, a living national treasure, and Shoji Kamota. In addition, pottery classes for both children and adults are popular, including "Experience" (advance reservations required).
Local Guide
Supporters
This is a spot where you can learn and experience various things related to ceramics. The pottery experience is quite difficult, but I was able to experience the depth of pottery making.
- Tsumakomoto
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- 4264 Mashiko, Mashiko-machi, Haga-gun, Tochigi MAP
- 7 min. drive from Mashiko Station on Moka Tetsudo Line
- Open 10:00-17:00
- Thursdays, Year-end and New Year holidays
Experience of pottery making: 4,500 yen / Experience of hand-hinning: 3,000 yen / Experience of painting: 800 yen and up (tax included)- 0285-72-3223
- Free of charge (may be subject to a fee during the pottery market)
MAP
- <Recommended Mashiko Pottery Galleries and Shops>.
- Hoshino Resorts facilities nearby
Local Guide who was in charge of this article
- Keisuke Watanabe Nikko Attraction Explorers
Hoshino Resorts KAI Kinugawa
Kinugawa hot spring, Tochigi
A hot-spring hotel in the forest along the Kinugawa River, where Tochigi folk art shines through the trees
Access by bus 5 minutes by cab from Kinugawa Onsen Station on the Tobu Railway
- Example of Accommodation Rates
- 1 person per night From 30,000 yen