A good place to start a tour of Tokoname kilns is Marutatu Isomura Shouten. It’s a warehouse full of Tokoname bonsai pots from different makers. Upstairs in the Marutatu warehouse Marutatu warehouse Most of the smaller pots are downstairs. Small pots at Marutatu Bonsai pots Bigei pots From there, you can visit nearby kilns like […]
Tokoname
A visit to the Gyouzan kiln – the creative containers of Yukizyou Nakano
The Gyouzan kiln is well-known for producing some of Japan’s best contemporary bonsai pots. Why are these pots so well respected? Clean lines, solid builds and attention to detail could be a starting point for describing Gyouzan pots. For me, it’s their handmade character that makes them stand out. Straight lines are essentially straight but […]
A visit to the Koyo kiln
One highlight of my recent visit to Japan was a day trip to Tokoname where a group of us visited several well-known kilns. Our first stop – the Koyo kiln. Koyo – the kiln established in 1970 by Kouichirou Aiba, is best known for its glazed pots. Today the kiln is run by Aiba’s son, […]