400 years of history! Japan's three major tile production areas: Onigawara craftsmen on Awaji Island: Experience the craftsmanship of the Onigawara craftsmen up close and be moved by the beauty of the smoked silver tiles while observing the manufacturing process. Awaji tile kiln tour experience (Minami Awaji, Hyogo)

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Awaji tile has been around for 400 years since the Edo period. As one of the three major tile production areas in Japan, tiles are still manufactured today. Among them, the craftsmen who handcraft onigawara (demon tiles) and decorative tiles, which are indispensable for temples and shrines, are called "onishi" and their numbers are dwindling, with only about 10 on the entire island of Awaji (about 50 nationwide). Tatsumi Co., Ltd., which you will visit on this plan, has five onigawara (demon tiles) on its staff.

The factory tour is a private plan limited to one group per time slot. With the guidance of the potter's president, Okitsu Yusuke, you can observe the tile manufacturing process and the techniques used by the onigawara craftsmen to create the onigawara tiles. You can also talk to the onigawara craftsmen, who will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Afterwards, in the exhibition area, valuable works made during the Azuchi-Momoyama period are on display, giving you a glimpse of the changes in this traditional craft that has continued for 400 years. Another attraction is that all the onigawara craftsmen's works from the Azuchi-Momoyama period to the present day are on display in one place. After the experience, you can choose from several types of aromatic tiles to take home as souvenirs.

[Demon Master]
A craftsman who makes onigawara and decorative tiles by hand is called an "oni-shi". Oni-shi, whose job is to know the soil, are becoming very few in the country. Onigawara made by hand go through various steps before being completed. The first step before facing the soil is to draw a blueprint. This step of determining the dimensions based on the shrinkage rate has a large effect on the finished product, so it is one of the most important steps. First, a base is made with clay according to the blueprint, and then clay is piled on top of it many times to form the oni mask. Using a variety of tools such as metal spatulas and wooden spatulas, as well as fingertips, clay is added and removed many times, and the oni mask is made over several days, and then dried over time. It takes three months for large ones to dry, and even in normal cases it takes half a month to dry slowly. Once completely dried, the tiles are baked at a high temperature of over 1000 degrees and smoked to become the crisp smoked tiles that are unique to Awaji tiles. While inheriting traditional techniques, they incorporate new modern sensibilities. The oni-shi's passion for the clay never stops.

Onigawara manufacturing process

[Why tiles on Awaji Island?]
Awaji Island was originally the bottom of a large lake. Later, the center of the lake rose up, and a layer of clay suitable for making roofing tiles that had accumulated at the bottom of the lake appeared near the surface.
By taking advantage of this to steadily produce high-quality tiles, Awaji tiles have developed into one of Japan's leading production areas.
The origin of Awaji tiles is said to be when Tadao Ikeda, the lord of Awaji Sumoto Domain, invited master tile craftsmen from Harima Province to make tiles when he constructed Sumoto Nariyama Castle in the early Edo period.

[There are other places like this nearby!]
Taniike Kenji Tile Works Ltd. is located a 3-minute drive from the Kawara Dojo. Here you can have a unique tile experience! Anyone, regardless of age or gender, can become a karate expert by trying out tile breaking. At the experience area, which is set up like a dojo, you can rent out karate uniforms and Chinese clothing, and try your hand at breaking tiles while dressed in cosplay. Transform ➪ Break the tile ➪ After finishing, you'll have a hero interview on a platform! You can also take a video. Why not relieve stress by breaking a tile after witnessing the skills of the Onishi?

The experience schedule is as follows:
1. Manufacturing site
2. The work of the Onishi
3 Onigawara Collection (Exhibition Hall)