Mashiko Pottery Market & Tochigi Highlights 2-Day Sightseeing Tour

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Usually, visiting these locations on a day trip would require two days. While the price is slightly higher, this new product makes it possible to see everything in one day by staying overnight, resulting in high customer satisfaction.

Held annually around Golden Week and November 3rd, the Mashiko Pottery Fair features about 50 permanent shops and over 800 tents. You can enjoy searching for your favorite treasures, from traditional Mashiko-yaki pottery to everyday cups, plates, and even art pieces. Autumn offers pleasant weather for strolling through Mashiko, enjoying local produce, specialties, and food. Choose between a 07:00 or 10:00 arrival at the venue! Plus, enjoy a full day of sightseeing the day before! The first day is a greedy, satisfying plan visiting the Oya History Museum, outlet mall, an endless bamboo forest, autumn 'floor maple', and illuminations combining light and flowers! Accommodation is in a single room in Utsunomiya City.

Mashiko-yaki, attracting global attention as pottery that fits into daily life. You are sure to find a piece you love!
 The history of Mashiko-yaki is relatively new, dating back about 170 years to 1853, when potter Keizaburo Otsuka, who trained in Kasama-yaki (Ibaraki Prefecture), opened a kiln in Mashiko. Initially, it mainly produced everyday utensils based on Kasama-yaki techniques. From the Meiji to Taisho eras, demand grew both inside and outside Tochigi Prefecture for simple pottery needed for daily life, and it grew as a regional industry. Shoji Hamada, a central figure in the Mingei (folk craft) movement who found value in handmade daily items and pursued beauty, moved to Mashiko in 1930. Based on the Mingei philosophy that 'beauty exists in daily life,' Mashiko-yaki began to be appreciated for its artistic quality as well. Since the late Showa era, young artists have moved to Mashiko, increasing the number of unique and contemporary designs. Today, there are about 160 kilns and pottery shops, offering a wide range from everyday ware to art pieces. It is also appreciated overseas, and pottery experiences are popular. The clay around Mashiko is rich in iron, giving the finished product a unique flavor, with many simple and natural colors (beige, black, green, amber, etc.) perfect for daily use. Nowadays, there are more unique and modern designs by young artists, including pastel colors and matte textures, which are popular among young people and women. It is used as pottery that blends into daily life and enhances the food served on it.