Make Hand-Coiled or Slab Pottery in Kunitachi, Tokyo
Overview
For a calming but hands-on escape from the hustle and bustle of urban life, try this handmade pottery experience in suburban Tokyo's Kunitachi! Your experienced instructor will guide you as you make your very own hand-coiled or slab pottery souvenir.
Highlights
- Make your own hand-formed or slab pottery to treasure forever
- Learn new skills with a teacher with an eye for detail
- Choose from seven colors of glaze for your work
- Great for families — suitable for children aged 3 or older
- An opportunity to see a different, more laid-back side of Tokyo
Key Information
Important Information
• After the activity, firing and finishing your work will take about 1.5 months • When firing is complete, you can return to collect your pieces, or have them shipped to you for an additional fee (please pay on-site). We offer both domestic and international shipping; for the latter, we will use EMS • The activity price includes 700 grams of clay, which should be enough to make 1 main item and a smaller one; you can buy more clay for 300 JPY per 100 grams, if you wish Activity Rules - Participants must be aged 3 or older - Children aged 3–6 must be accompanied by an adult
Description
Try your hand at traditional pottery-making in Kunitachi, in the calm of Tokyo’s Tama area. Join a class at the Kunitachi Pottery Studio for an experience that reconnects you with an older, slower way of life. The studio is a 15-minute walk from Kunitachi Station, so you can enjoy a leisurely walk along a tree-lined main street and take in the area's laid-back ambiance. Once you step into the studio, which is underground, you'll be welcomed by friendly staff. Get ready to immerse yourself in pottery for an hour and a half! Guided by an experienced teacher, you’ll make your own hand-crafted treasure to remind you forever of your time in Japan. With 700 grams of clay, you can make a plate, bowl, tea cup, or other item of your liking — why not try making traditional Japanese tableware? To make your pottery, choose among three options: hand-coiled pottery, slab pottery with coloring, or slab pottery without coloring. Whichever you choose, you can create unique designs and patterns with stamps and textured cloth. For hand-coiled pottery, start by kneading the clay, then roll it into rope-like shapes. Then, make the item of your choice by coiling the clay into your chosen form. Mugs and bowls are popular choices, but the only limits are your imagination — and the laws of physics! Alternatively, if you choose the slab pottery course, you’ll flatten the clay instead of coiling it, allowing a whole different range of possibilities. Slab pottery is recommended for beginners and families. It’s easy with this method to make small plates, small bowls, flat plates, and so on. All you have to do is cut out a plate-shaped piece of clay, and gently press it into a mold — even young children can do it. One option allows you to add color to the clay, while the other will just involve shaping the clay. You can choose from seven different colors for each piece, and the studio staff will glaze it for you, as well as firing it after the workshop is done. When the finished piece is ready some weeks later, pick it up or have it delivered straight to your home!