Visit Mashiko to immerse yourself in Japanese ceramics traditions, visit the studios of innovative new artists, and enjoy a slower side of Japan with some of Tochigi’s most unique experiences.

Mashiko-yaki Ceramics & Mashiko the City

Mashiko, Tochigi has been a center for ceramics and pottery-making since the end of the Edo period (1603-1868), with the industry growing alongside nearby Ibaraki’s Kasama-yaki to become the “Mashiko-yaki” (益子焼), or Mashiko ware, that is so popular today.

Thanks to Mashiko’s high-quality clay and the relatively close distance from Tokyo (and the historic Edo region), the region rapidly became a production area for everyday ceramic objects, like bowls, pots, and jars. It was only later that Mashiko-yaki earned its current artistic reputation, thanks to Showa-era potter Shoji Hamada, a key figure in Japan’s mingei folk art movement who was once designated a “Living National Treasure.” Throughout the years, Mashiko served as the venerable artists’s home base, making it a destination for generations of potters and ceramic artists to come.

Mashiko-yaki: Practical, Unpretentious, and Varied

The clay made from Mashiko’s local soil is relatively high in sand and low in viscosity, which means that local pottery technique tends towards thick, simple shapes with a cozy feel. Many people’s image of Mashiko-yaki also includes earth tones and a mellow palette, perfect for everyday dishes.

But despite being one of a handful of regions around Japan known for ceramics, the restrictions placed on “Mashiko-yaki” artisans in Mashiko are actually extremely light, which has allowed local pottery culture to grow freely and welcome new artists and styles of all kinds. Potters from around Japan (and even from abroad) have contributed to the local Mashiko-yaki scene, making it a wellspring for young ceramic artists with fresh ideas.

The variety that now embodies Mashiko-yaki can be seen all over the city, especially inside the studios of young ceramics creators like Karin Nakamura. Nakamura has been working in Mashiko for over ten years, and her unique style has found a warm welcome in Tochigi and beyond, earning her solo exhibitions in Tokyo and in art galleries overseas. Delicate patterns, matte glazes, lively animals, and a rainbow of pastels – it’s hard not to be enchanted with the picture-book style of Karin Nakamura’s unique works at first sight, each one a far cry from the stereotype of Mashiko-yaki.

Nakamura has said that she finds the inspiration for her work all around her, in picture books and throughout the stacks at libraries, in TV shows and magazines, in comments from fans, and perhaps most of all, in the nature right outside her door. When the Japankuru team visited her studio on a blustery fall day, Nakamura mentioned that when she was starting to feel tired, a quick breather outside was all she needed to get back to work feeling refreshed and relaxed. Nakamura told us that when she graduated from her ceramics course in Mashiko, she’d seriously considered leaving the area to study elsewhere in Japan. When it turned out that the pottery expert she had contacted wasn’t taking on any new apprentices at the time, Nakamura realized she was actually relieved, thinking “I don’t really want to leave Mashiko – I want to try to make it on my own.” Mashiko is truly fertile ground for ceramics artists looking to learn and grow.

➡︎Page 2: Mashiko Ceramics Workshops and Traditional Japanese Lodgings