Private Traditional Craft Experience From

$500

Pottery of the Tenryu Gorge

-天竜峡焼物-

    • What will you do during this experience?

      • Enjoy a pottery workshop with the Miwa’s, a family of potters going back many generations.

      • You will take a piece of local clay and form it into an artwork of your choice.

      • The Miwa family fire the kilns around 4 times a year. So your artwork will likely not be ready for a long time. Once the kiln has been fired and your art work baked, the shop will send your piece to you in your own country of place of residence. The price of delivery will be covered by you.

    • Time: This is a half day experience requiring about 2-3 hours.

    • Prices (USD):

      • Around $50 per person (not including a translator guide)

        • Guide price:

          • $400 for 1-2 people

          • $100 per additional person

          • $50 per additional child (4-18 years old)

          • FREE (kids under 4 years old)

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Combine a pottery workshop with a mini-hike and a boat ride on the Tenryu Gorge!

Really Rural Japan highly recommend combining this half day experience with a half day at the Tenryu Gorge! The full day is nicely based in a small local area!

Pottery of the Tenryu Gorge:

According to the Miwa family who run the pottery shop Miwa Rakugado, the origins of their family business come from Mino. The famous minoware potters are amongst the most prestigious in Japan. The Miwa family migrated away from Mino to the Tenryu Gorge and founded their shop in 1919. Then Tenryu Gorge had then just recently begun the touristic use of its traditional boats and the area was developing a new budding tourist industry. Tenyu Gorge also has lots of red pines and clay ideal for minoware pottery. Their plan worked out great! Until it didn’t. The boom days for tourism in the Tenryu Gorge are long gone. But that quiet calmness is what we love about it!

What will you do during this experience?

  • Meet and greet the master craftsman: During this experience you will be taught by the Miwa family.

  • Pottery experience: You will be guided and helped in making pottery by a master, but what you make will be up to you. You will get a piece of clay to work with and the guidance of a master. The design and the rest is up to you.

  • Firing up the kilns: Miwa Rakugudo only fire up the kilns around 4 times per year. This means that your piece will likely take a long time to be complete. When it has been finished, your artwork will be sent to you wherever you are. The price of shipping will be paid by you in advance.

  • Shopping and farewells: Finally you can peruse their shop freely and say your farewells.

Combinations:

This tour can be combined with a hike and/or boat ride along the Tenryu Gorge to make a full day of it.

    • An English and Japanese speaking translator/guide - possible without.

    • Pottery workshop with a master craftsman.

    • Shipping.

    • Transportation.

    • Souvenirs and any other personal costs.

    • Lunch.

    • Prices (USD):

      • Around $50 per person (not including a translator guide)

        • Guide price:

          • $400 for 1-2 people

          • $100 per additional person

          • $50 per additional child (4-18 years old)

          • FREE (kids under 4 years old)

  • To lock in a booking, payments must be made at least 30 days in advance of the tour. If you are booking within 30 days of your tour, the total price of the tour must be paid immediately. Once the tour has been agreed upon, we will send you a credit card payable invoice. Our cancellation policy is as follows:

    • 30 days prior: Free

    • 29-15 days prior: 30%

    • 14-7 days prior: 70%

    • 6 days prior and beyond: 100%