Nishijin is the center of Kyoto's proud textile culture. Here, you'll find rows of traditional Kyoto wooden townhouses, known as "eel beds," with narrow frontages and deep depths. Among them, the "oriyadate" houses, which have an open ceiling space for placing weaving machines, are a distinctive structure unique to this area.

Located in a quiet alley lined with such houses is "Yonezawa Kobo", which makes use of the traditional structure of a traditional Japanese weaving house. The place where Nishijin artisans once poured their souls into weaving has been infused with the spirit of pottery, and has been transformed into a space where you can experience making "Kyoto ware" using techniques such as pottery wheel throwing and hand building.

A workshop space where artisanal skills and history come to life

Passing through the noren curtains at the entrance and down a narrow corridor, you will find yourself in a spacious space that is much larger than you would imagine from the outside. Natural light pours in from the atrium ceiling, designed to house a tall weaving machine called a "takahata," brightly illuminating the work space that has been turned into a workshop.

In this space, Takeshi Yonezawa continues to create while preserving the traditions of Kyoto ware. He is the third generation of his family, whose grandfather started the family workshop in Higashiyama Gojo, Kyoto.

After an acquaintance asked him to teach them how to make pottery, Yonezawa began offering pottery experiences for the general public.

Kyo-yaki production used to be dominated by "joint firing," where local studios would bring their works to one climbing kiln, but as times changed, each studio began to have their own electric kiln, making the studios too cramped. This was one of the reasons they decided to move to Nishijin 25 years ago.

"We decided on this location because we thought that the customers coming to experience the Oriya building's appearance, which has a Kyoto-like atmosphere, would be well received," Yonezawa recalls.

The charm of Kyoto ware, created one by one by hand

"Unlike traditional pottery from other regions, Kyo-yaki has no set rules regarding the clay or techniques used," says Yonezawa.

Unlike famous pottery production areas such as Arita, Seto, and Shigaraki, Kyoto hardly produces any "china clay" suitable for pottery.

However, in Kyoto, which had long flourished as the capital, there was an increasing demand for tableware to be presented to aristocrats and tea masters, and potters collected clay from all over the country and adopted various techniques, developing a pottery culture.

For this reason, Kyo-yaki has a wide variety of molding techniques and designs, and is characterized by the strong individuality of each artist and kiln.

"The fun of pottery is that in the end it's all up to the kiln," says Yonezawa with a smile. He says he is fascinated by this "unpredictability," of not knowing what the piece will look like until it comes out of the kiln.

The uneven coloring of the glaze applied to the pottery and the distortion that can only be caused by making it by hand are transformed into a warm texture through firing.

To help customers appreciate the depth of Kyoto ware, they are encouraged to take photos of the piece before it is fired.

Create special memories with a pottery experience in a rented studio

The pottery experience at "Yonezawa Studio" is reserved for each group, so one of the attractions is that you can spend private time with your family, friends, or a couple while fully enjoying the atmosphere of Oriyaken. Yonezawa supports each person in creating their own piece with the desire to "enjoy the experience and leave with a smile on their face."

The experience of shaping pottery using an electric potter's wheel is popular because "even beginners can experience the feeling of being a craftsman." With hand-shaping, you can make a wide range of items, including teacups, plates, and ornaments.

There is also a "Stamp Plate" course so that even small children can participate, where you can create a shape with a stencil and stamp your favorite pattern on it, which is popular with families. After shaping, you can choose your favorite glaze to color it. You will end up with a one-of-a-kind original piece.

The piece will be completed in about a month after drying and firing and can be delivered to your home, so the time you spend waiting for your piece to arrive is an exciting extension of your trip.

Bring back memories of your travels in your everyday life with your very own Kyoto ware

Enjoy a luxurious moment experiencing the traditional culture of Kyoto ware in a historic Kyoto townhouse.

The space where the sounds of looms once echoed is now filled with the feeling of kneading clay and the creative process of producing one-of-a-kind shapes.

You can use the one-of-a-kind pottery you made to drink tea, serve food, or display it in your favorite place.

Making Kyoto ware filled with your own story is sure to be a special experience that will give shape to the memories of your trip and be relived over and over again in your daily life.

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米澤工房 
電話：075-467-3935 
住所：京都市上京区御前通下長者町東入三助町280-4 
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