Travel from Nagoya to Tokoname, one of Japan’s Six Ancient Kilns, with a pottery tradition spanning approximately 1,000 years. This intimate tour reveals the artistry behind the Tokoname kyusu, a traditional Japanese teapot prized for both its elegant form and exceptional brewing qualities.
Begin with a stroll along the atmospheric Pottery Footpath, where brick chimneys, old kilns, workshops, and ceramic-lined slopes evoke Tokoname’s industrial heritage. You will then visit three working studios, each offering a distinctly different perspective on teapot making.
At Gyokko Toen, discover how skilled artisans combine traditional craftsmanship with an efficient, collaborative production process. Meet veteran potter Yoshiki Murata, whose imaginative, one-of-a-kind teapots reflect more than 60 years of experience. At Kenzangama, explore the functional beauty of flat teapots designed to help tea leaves open fully and release their delicate flavors.
The experience concludes with a tea-brewing demonstration by fourth-generation craftsman Junzo Maekawa. Taste carefully prepared Japanese tea, speak directly with the artisan, and discover how the right teapot can transform every cup. Through personal encounters, workshop visits, and tea, this journey brings Tokoname’s living tradition vividly to life.
Meet your professional English-speaking guide at the Nagoya City Tourist Information Center. Your guide will accompany you to Meitetsu Nagoya Station and travel with you by train to Tokoname.
Travel by Meitetsu train from central Nagoya to Tokoname, a historic pottery town near Chubu Centrair International Airport.
Walk through the heart of a pottery town shaped by more than 1,000 years of ceramic production. Follow atmospheric lanes past brick chimneys, traditional workshops, galleries, and Dokanzaka, a distinctive slope lined with ceramic pipes and shochu bottles. The historic streetscape reveals how pottery remains closely woven into everyday life in Tokoname.
Travel by taxi to the first pottery studio.
Visit Gyokko Toen, a leading Tokoname teapot producer headed by third-generation traditional craftsman Yukitaka Umehara. Learn how specialists work together across each stage of production, from preparing the clay to shaping, decorating, and firing the finished teapots.
Discover distinctive Tokoname techniques such as tobikanna, which creates rhythmic patterns using a specially designed tool, and mogake, which produces unique markings by wrapping seaweed around the pottery before firing. Observe how the studio balances consistent quality with traditional handcraftsmanship while passing its expertise to a new generation of artisans.
Continue by taxi to the private studio of veteran teapot artisan Yoshiki Murata.
Meet Yoshiki Murata, who has devoted more than 60 years to crafting Tokoname teapots. His studio is filled with inventive pieces in unexpected shapes, colors, and designs, each expressing his playful creative spirit.
Examine the teapots up close and hear about the ideas behind his work. You may even discover a one-of-a-kind teapot that feels as though it was made especially for you.
Walk through the local neighborhood to the final pottery studio.
Visit Kenzangama and meet fourth-generation craftsman Junzo Maekawa. He is particularly known for his flat teapots, designed to give tea leaves room to open fully and release their natural umami and aroma. He also continues the impressive tradition of creating large ceramic jars inherited from the previous generation.
After exploring the workshop, learn directly from Maekawa-san as he demonstrates how to brew Japanese tea. Taste tea carefully prepared in a Tokoname teapot and enjoy a relaxed conversation with the artisan about pottery, craftsmanship, and tea culture.
Return to Tokoname Station on foot. Guests who wish to have lunch or explore the Pottery Footpath independently may choose to end the tour in Tokoname.
Travel back to Meitetsu Nagoya Station with your guide.
The tour concludes at Nagoya Station.
Nagoya Station Tourist Information Center
This experience is booked on request. We will respond to the request within 5 days
| Cancellation Date | Cancellation Fee |
|---|---|
| No-show or cancellation after tour departure | 100% of the tour price |
| On the tour date | 50% of the tour price |
| 1 day prior to the tour date | 40% of the tour price |
| 2 to 7 days prior to the tour date | 30% of the tour price |
| 8 to 10 days prior to the tour date | 20% of the tour price |
| 11 or more days prior to the tour date | Free |
Tokoname City
