Arts and Crafts in Kasama
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Only half an hour of so from Mito on the JR Mito line is Kasama (笠間). It is famous throughout Japan for its ceramics, which have been produced in the area for more than 200 years since the Edo period. Over 400 potters still live in the area.
Along with a pretty shrine called Inari Jinja dedicated to Fox-gods, a chrysanthemum festival where they dress up dolls in dresses made from the flower, some castle ruins, and a huge granite quarry (the largest in Japan), the main attraction is the "Geijutsu no mori" or "Art Forest Park" in English.
The Forest Park is made up of a huge garden, the Ibaraki Ceramic Museum, the Craft Hills complex, and the Master's Studio school for those who are serious about learning the art.
When I visited, we took a tour of the Museum and then went over to the Craft Hills to learn how to make our very own ceramics.
Ibaraki Ceramic Arts Museum
Sadly when I visited the museum, it was in the process of being set up for the next exhibition, so I was only able to see the permanent displays, but I was given a catalogue of what was coming up and it looks pretty good. I recommend checking out some of the funny English translations on the labels of the art works. The view from the museum over the park is also spectacular. We spent the whole time trying to figure out how they made the art works and pretended we knew what we were talking about.
From Nov 19 to Dec 21, the "World of Living National Treasures" Exhibition will be on display. It will include not only ceramics but also laquer ware, kimonos and inlayed wood boxes among others.
Entry into the permanent exhibition costs 300 yen for adults, 250 yen for high school / university students and 150 yen for primary / junior high students. Entry into the special exhibition costs 500 yen for adults, 350 yen for high school / university students and 250 yen for primary / junior high students.
The museum is open from 9:30 a.m. ~ 5:00 p.m. everyday except Monday. It will be closed between the 29th December and the 1st January.
For more information,
Ibaraki Ceramic Arts Museum
Gejutsu no Mori, 2345 Kasama, Kasama City, Ibaraki
TEL 0296-70-0011
FAX 0296-70-0012
Craft Hills Kasama
At Craft Hills, you can try your own hand at ceramics. I was a complete beginner but with the help of the instructors, you can end up with quite a nice piece of art.
There are 2 choices, one is to make your pottery on the wheel or the other is to just use your hands. We tried the potter's wheel. As expected, its not as easy as it looks on the movie Ghost. . . .
The Craft Hills complex, in fact the whole Forest Park, is only 5 years old. It is a really amazing looking place. The Japanese do a very good job at designing these kinds of places.
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As you walk toward the complex from the museum, you can see the huge wood fired kiln that you works will be fired in when the time comes. There are many people working there feeding the hungry fire with pieces of red pine. It was getting dark when we got there so the glow from the kiln was inviting.
When you arrive in the classroom you are given an apron to wear, but I warn you, it is not big enough to cover your legs and you will get clay all over your pants. At the start an instructor explains how to use the wheel to everyone, and then you sit down at your own wheel to have a play.
As I said before, it is not as easy as you think. I don't know how many of my bowls and plates that I was trying to make fell over half way through and I had to start from scratch. In the end I managed to make a vase (with a lot of help).
If it survives the drying, firing, glazing (they glaze it for you but you can choose from 12 colors) and re-firing process, I will get my vase in about 3 months in the post. A friend who went a while back got theirs the other day and it looks very cool. We joked that the reason it takes so long is that our works will be so good them want to put them in the gallery to display for a while.
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It is not a cheap experience, but it is lots of fun. I would love to have another go some time soon. Maybe when I go back to Australia I can convince my mum who is an art teacher to get her wheel out of storage. The Craft Hills also offer classes that run over a few months in potters wheel and hand molding.
You can take part in wheel classes every day from 10:15 a.m. ~ 12:00 p.m., (except Thursdays and Friday), 1:00 p.m. ~ 2:45 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. ~ 5:00 p.m.
It costs 2100 yen to take part in the lesson and prices for firing are on a sliding scale from 840 yen to 2625 yen depending on the size. Postage is separate.
Craft Hills itself is free to look through and is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and is closed Mondays, New Year's Holiday from December 28 to January 1.
For more information
Craft Hills Kasama
Gejutsu no Mori, 2388-1 Kasama, Kasama City, Ibaraki
TEL 0296-70-1313
FAX 0296-70-1311
Other attractions in the area
Apart from arts and crafts, there are a number of other attractions to fill in a day or more in Kasama.
1. Inari Shrine
2. Castle ruins
3. Shinjoji Temple
4. Ryogonji Temple gate
5. Monzen Street shopping
6. Izumo Taisha Hitachi Annex
7. Pottery Street
8. Stone Museum
9. Kasama Prefectual Natural Park
10. Wagakuni Atago Prefectual Natural Park
Kasama also has many festivals throughout the year.
1. Chrysanthemum festivals
2. Kasama Festival
3. Gion Festival
4. Yabusame Horseback Archery Parade and Display Fetsival
5. Rice planting festival
6. Gishi Festival
7. Stone Festival
Pottery related festival a-plenty.
1. Masters Festival
2. Himatsuri Festival
3. Pottery Fair
Art galleried galore!
1. Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum
2. Nichido Museum of Art
3. Kasama Inari Art Museum
4. Shunpu Banri-so (Old style house)
5. Sports car museum
6. Kazo Tanaka Commemorative Hall
Food, glorious food. Kasama is blessed with many specialties.
1. Soba
2. Inari Sushi
3. Mushrooms
4. Rice
5. Nattō
6. Miso
7. Sake
8. Milk
9. Apples
10. Grapes
11. Jam
12. Strawberries
13. Manju
How to get to Kasama
How to get there by public transport: From the Jōban line, change to the Mito line at Tomobe Station. Kasama is only one stop from Tomobe (8 minutes).
How to get there by car: From the Jōban Expressway, at the Tomobe Junction take the Kita-Kanto Expressway and exit at Tomobe Interchange. Follow Route 355 to Kasama City Center.
Getting around Kasama
There is a free "Retro" bus service in and around Kasama. It leaves from Tomobe Station(友部駅), visits the Ibaraki Ceramic Arts Museum (工芸の丘陶芸美術館), the Nichido Museum (日動美術館), the Inari Shrine (稲荷神社), Kasama Station (笠間駅), Shunpubanri-so (春風萬里荘), Yakimono Street (やきもの通り), Ibaraki Ceramic Arts Museum (工芸の丘陶芸美術館) and then back to Tomobe Station(友部駅).
The time table for the bus can be found on the Craft Hills website