🗺️ Asahi Yaki Pottery Studio朝日焼 作陶館

Located at the foot of Asahiyama, across the Uji River from Byodoin, is a pottery workshop. This workshop is one of the "Enshu Seven Kilns," favored by Kobori Enshu, a tea master active from the late Matsuyama period to the early Edo period, who followed the tea ceremony tradition established by Sen no Rikyū. It has been passing down this tradition for about 400 years through 16 generations. Today, the workshop primarily produces tea utensils used for tea ceremonies or sencha, and also offers pottery experience courses. Particularly recommended are three types of experience courses that can be completed in one day. All courses use Uji clay. The "Electric Wheel Experience" allows participants to freely create bowls, tea cups, vases, and other items using an electric potter's wheel; the "Hand Building Experience" uses molds to help beginners easily make tea cups or mugs; and for those unsure about making pottery, there is the "Painting Experience," where participants can draw or write on pre-made pottery using painting tools. The completed works are fired in the kiln by staff and will be shipped to the designated location about two months later, with the option to send them internationally via EMS (Express Mail Service). For those who wish to learn traditional pottery more freely, a "Free Class" is also available. All experience courses require a reservation one month in advance, and for same-day registrations, inquiries should be made at the shop and gallery attached to the workshop.

The Uji kiln, established during the Keichō era (1596-1615), has a history of about 400 years. Various pottery experiences are held in the workshop. The three experience courses that can be completed in one day are the most popular. The finished works are fired in the kiln by the staff and will be sent to the designated location two months later. International shipping is available.