[A Pottery Walk in Tokoname]

Tokoname ware is one of the six oldest kilns in Japan. In the late Heian period (794-1185), anagama kilns were built on the hills of the Chita Peninsula centering on Tokoname, and the production of Tokoname ware began. By the Muromachi period (1333-1573), most of the products produced in Tokoname were large-sized pots such as jars and potteries. Tokoname faced Ise Bay on the western side of the Chita Peninsula and was convenient for transportation by sea, so these products were distributed throughout Japan from Tohoku to Kyushu.

In the Edo period (1603-1867), the production of vermillion-dyed kyusu (teapots), which Tokoname ware is known for, also flourished. After the Meiji period (1868-1912), production of earthenware pipes, brick tiles, terra cotta, and other building ceramics began, and terra cotta made of Tokoname ware was used in the former Imperial Hotel. Incidentally, Tokoname also boasts the top share in the production of beckoning cats, and cute beckoning cats greeted me upon my arrival at the Central Japan International Airport. I took a pottery walk in Tokoname, one of the most famous pottery towns in Japan.

Arriving at Meitetsu Tokoname Station, I headed for the "INAX Live Museum," which I was most looking forward to visiting this time. This museum consists of six themed buildings, where you can learn about clay and pottery through hands-on experience. When I was there, I saw some children polishing glowing mud dumplings very hard. One of the most impressive exhibits was the "World Tile Museum. The museum houses about 6,000 tiles collected by tile researcher Masayuki Yamamoto, who has traveled to more than 50 countries. I learned that the exchange between Eastern and Western cultures, which admired each other's culture, adopted each other's culture, and created their own, is well expressed in the tiles, which are not only beautiful in appearance, but also in the background of their birth.

Afterward, I strolled along the pottery trail on foot. The path is marked with signs that indicate the route to follow, so you can either follow the route carefully or just visit the main points of interest. The earthen pipe slope is lined with earthen pipes from the Meiji period and shochu bottles from the early Showa period on both walls. The reddish-brown color of the Tokoname ware gives a nostalgic and warm feeling to the scenery. I found Tokoname ware one after another on the walls of private houses and in gutters. I never got tired of walking around the area.

Finally, on the road to Tokoname Station, I met a beckoning cat titled "Travel Safety," in the style of Tora-san, and thanked him for the fun I had on this trip and asked him to keep me safe on future trips.

Our store offers kyusu (teapot) made of vermilion mud in Tokoname. The beautiful design is easy to use, and the clay of Tokoname has a soft color. Please take a look.

Susumuya's Teapot
https://www.shokunin.com/en/susumuya/kyusu.html
Azmaya's Teapot
https://www.shokunin.com/en/azmaya/kyusu.html
INAX Live Museum
https://livingculture.lixil.com/ilm/

References
https://www.tokoname-kankou.net/spot/detail/7/
http://www.tokonameyaki.or.jp/about_tokonameyaki.html
https://sixancientkilns.jp/tokoname/