What other travelers are saying about Shigaraki Pottery Village
Very impressive place for ceramicist and ceramic artists! They have studio with facilities for ceramic, traditional wood kilns, and the museum, all in one beautiful park!
lovely hilly walk filled with fine art sculpture by many artists you may know. stream and many labeled plants snd trees. a wonderful cafe with traditional Japanese lunch. great coffee and tea. cakes and friendly staff…museum and shop .. the real deal.
It was great and happy got a chance to explore the museum. Unfortunately the time was limited thus can not visit the souvenir shop. I really wanna buy the stuffs with tanuki design on it. Hopefully can visit again soon ~
So cute ceramic shigaraki in sights warms your heart even in chilly weather. Welcoming and friendly service with good food served in brown rice and water (restaurants) , keeps your body temperature checked 😜 plus nice hot cup of coffee with ginger.carrot cake. It will a great place to visit during spring and summer —my opinion! Because right now it’s almost the end of December, so there is only the naked trees and dried brown grass😃 . But if you are a kind of person like me and my friend to ~LEts Go any way then you can. You will have fun like any other day. We had ours today 21/12/26. #Memories of the day❤️
Shigaraki pottery is distinguished by its natural, unglazed aesthetic that showcases the iron-rich reddish clay native to the region. The traditional wood-firing process creates natural ash glazes and scorch marks called bidoro (glassy spots) and kogeshi (scorch marks), giving each piece an organic, rustic character. Unlike the refined porcelains of Arita or the precise glazes of Kyoto ware, Shigaraki embraces imperfection and earthiness, which made it particularly valued for wabi-sabi tea ceremony aesthetics during the medieval period.
Most studios in Shigaraki offer hands-on pottery experiences including wheel throwing and hand-building sessions. A typical session lasts 60 to 90 minutes and costs between ¥1,500 and ¥3,000. However, you cannot take your piece home immediately—pottery must be dried, fired, and sometimes glazed, which takes 4 to 8 weeks. Studios will ship completed pieces to domestic or international addresses for an additional fee. Some shops offer painting experiences on pre-fired pieces that can be taken home the same day.
A thorough visit to Shigaraki typically requires 4 to 6 hours. This allows time to browse 2 to 3 pottery studios, visit the Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art (which takes about 90 minutes), participate in a pottery-making workshop, and enjoy a meal at one of the local restaurants. If you're primarily interested in shopping and browsing galleries without doing a workshop, 3 hours may suffice. The compact layout means most attractions are within a 10 to 15-minute walk from the station.
Shigaraki is pleasant year-round, but the most popular time is during the Shigaraki Pottery Festival held annually in mid-October, when over 50 kilns and studios open their doors with special exhibitions and sales. Spring (April-May) offers comfortable weather and fewer crowds, while autumn (October-November) provides beautiful foliage in the surrounding hills. Weekdays are generally quieter than weekends. Winter can be cold but atmospheric, and some studios have warming kotatsu tables. The rainy season in June may limit outdoor exploration but doesn't significantly affect indoor studio visits.
