Do you know “Kutani ware”? It is one of Ishikawa’s traditional crafts, and its history goes back to the early Edo period, around 1655. Although there was an unknown period of unavailable for about 80 years since the early 1700s, various styles full of features such as Kootani, Mokuba, and Iidaya have been born to this day.
If you want to know more about history, please see here.
The characteristic of Kutani ware is said to be the beautiful painting technique using the five colors (blue, yellow, red, purple, and navy blue) that appear in each style.
In modern times, there are many Kutani ware works that have been created using the original free ideas that are not bound by the existing framework while following the technique.
Kutani ware is a traditional craft, but also has a face as a contemporary art by young and up-and-coming artists.
Here are some recommended spots in Ishikawa Prefecture where you can fully enjoy the charm of Kutani ware.
Big sale once a year! Kutani Tea Bowl Festival
Copyright:石川県観光連盟
The “Kutani Tea Bowl Festival” is a famous festival held during the consecutive holidays on May 3, 4 and 5 every year. It is a big event unique to Kutani ware, where more than 200,000 visitors come from all over Japan.
By the way, it is said that the first was held in the precincts of Sano Toso Shrine, the birthplace of Kutani ware near the venue. Although it seems that the venue has been fixed at the current location in recent years, it has already been held more than 100 times.
At the festival, potteries in the area are lined up in a special venue in Kutani pottery village, and all Kutani pottery products are lined up, from luxury goods to everyday items. Various events are held at the same time there, and there is a local gourmet corner.
If you want to find a favorite among many products, we recommend that you go there in the morning of the first day. It’s the busiest time and popular items will sell quickly.
If you have a spirit of “fortunately leftovers”, we recommend the end of the 5th day. The price may be even lower. It’s a little difficult to access without a car, but it is one of the festivals that you should visit once at the right time.
Kutani Tea Bowl Festival
Venue : Special venue in Kutani pottery village
Address : No. 22 Izumidai-cho, Nomi-shi, Ishikawa
Traffic access :
By train
Take the JR Hokuriku Line “Kanazawa Station” bound for Fukui and get off at “Nomine Negami Station” (about 30 minutes)
→ Take the only bus (community bus) in the direction of Nomine Negami Station Higuchi, and get off at Kutani Pottery Village (about 30 minutes)
By plane
Take a taxi or a rental car from Komatsu Airport (about 25 minutes)
By car
About 20 minutes by car from the Hokuriku Expressway “Nomine Negami Smart IC”
Kutani pottery village surrounded by greenery
Image source : https://www.city.nomi.ishikawa.jp/www/contents/1554432056038/index.html
At Kutani Pottery Village, you can fully experience the charm of Japan’s traditional craft “Kutani ware”. It is a spot that can be enjoyed even outside the festival season introduced earlier.
In the pottery village rich in nature, you can learn about the production process and history of Kutani ware. There are the Kutani Ware Museum, where you can appreciate the masterpieces up close, the Asakura Gojichi Museum, and the Kutani Ware Ceramics Museum where you can easily experience the production of Kutani ware, and about 10 Kutani-yaki stores.
Each store has a wide range of works from young artists to human national treasure-level veteran artists, depending on the sensitivity of the owner. Depending on the store, it is also attractive that you can buy Kutani pottery souvenirs at affordable prices.
“Gallery 結(Yui)”, which has a store at the entrance of the shopping street, also has a café with a great view, where you can enjoy delicious coffee (and many other menus) in the artist’s handmade cup.
In the back of the pottery village, there is a training workshop for learning about Kutani ware making, and a support workshop for new artists who have produced many Kutani ware artists.
There is also a gallery in the workshop, where you can see the works of new artists and their creations through the glass. You may meet artists who may be big in the future.
If you are tired of seeing Kutani ware, we recommend the painting experience at the Ceramics Hall. In addition to general dishes and cups, you can also paint white characters such as Ultraman and Hello Kitty here. Why don’t you create an original work for your memories of your trip?
Kutani pottery village
Address : 22 Izumidaicho Minami, Nomi City, Ishikawa Prefecture
Opening Hours : 9: 00-17: 00 (Admission to the museum / museum is up to 16:30. Reception for the ceramic art experience is up to 16:00)
Closed : Open all year round (The Museum Museum is closed on Mondays and the year-end and New Year holidays. However, if Monday is a national holiday, it will be closed the following weekday.)
Parking : Free
Official website : http://kutani-danchi.org/
A new hot spot, Kutani Ceramic Laboratory
Copyright:石川県観光連盟
“Kutani Ceramic Laboratory (CERABO KUTANI)” is a new spot that just opened in Komatsu City on May 24, 2019.
Kengo Kuma, a world-class architect who worked on the “New National Stadium”, designed the building with a stylish exterior that suddenly appears in the countryside landscape with private houses and rice fields.
CERABO KUTANI is a complex type Kutani pottery creation studio that combines a gallery, a clay factory, a hands-on workshop, a rental workshop, and an outer soil.
Compared to other Kutani ware-related facilities in the prefecture, it is especially characteristic that you can see the process of producing porcelain earth, which is the raw material for Kutani ware, up close.
This is the only factory in the country where you can see the process of stone crushing and becoming clay.
It is a new spot where you can learn about the Kutani ware manufacturing process from the raw material manufacturing stage, appreciate the up-and-coming artist’s work, actually try to make it yourself, and experience the traditional “stone culture” casually.
Even if you have never experienced pottery, we recommend that you visit there.
Kutani Ceramic Laboratory (CERABO KUTANI)
Address : 91, Wakasugicho, Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture
Tel : 0761-48-4235
Business Hours : 10: 00-17: 00 (Last entry 16:30)
Closed : Wednesday / New Year holiday
Entrance fee : Adult: 300 yen, High school students and younger: 150 yen
Traffic access :
By train
Take the JR Hokuriku Main Line “Kanazawa Station” bound for Fukui and get off at “Komatsu Station” (about 40 minutes)
→ About 10 minutes by taxi from the Komatsu Station East Exit
→ About 15 minutes by bicycle from Komatsu Station
By plane
Take a taxi or a rental car from Komatsu Airport (about 20 minutes)
By car
[From Kanazawa]
・ National Route 8: 5 minutes from Sasaki IC
<Turn left at National Highway No. 360 “Wakasugi Nishi” → “Kichitake East” → Go straight>
・ Hokuriku Expressway 15 minutes from Komatsu IC
<Turn right on National Highway 360 “Wakasugi Nishi” → “Kichitake East” → Go straight>
[From Fukui]
・ About 15 minutes from Hokuriku Expressway Komatsu IC
<Turn right on National Highway 360 “Wakasugi Nishi” → “Kichitake East” → Go straight>
・ Hokuriku Expressway, get off at Kaga IC
→ Go to prefectural road 111 at the intersection of National Highway 8 “Yawata Onsen Nishi”
→ About 3 minutes
Web site：https://cerabo-kutani.com/
Summary
Kutani ware is a popular craft not only for appreciation as an art work, but also as a container for everyday use that will make your daily dining table more colorful.
Supported by young artists who inherit that history, nowadays solo exhibitions and sales cities have been opened around the world, and you can actually touch them.
For those who have never seen Kutani ware, please come and experience the deeper world of Kutani ware.
