Koyo Ceramics Factory Tour + Painting/Transfer Experience + Local Lunch [Toki, Gifu Prefecture]
Overview
Koyo Toki, known for manufacturing ceramics for professionals, has been "planning, manufacturing and improving vessels, and creating new encounters between vessels and food" for more than half a century.
KOYO BASE, which was created in a corner of the manufacturing plant, is an experience facility where visitors can experience with all five senses the things that Koyo Toki has been accumulating since its foundation.
Visitors can see up-close the production process from clay to tableware, and experience traditional painting first-hand. This experience also includes lunch made with local Gifu ingredients, so you can enjoy the vessels from all angles.
Highlights
- Lunch is included to enjoy Gifu's local food as well as vessels
- Enjoy a pottery-making experience with painting or transferring
- A Koyo Toki factory tour exclusively offered when the factory is open
Key Information
Important Information
- Number of people: 2–5
- For safety reasons, the minimum age is 8 years old
- Please arrive 10 minutes before the start time
- Note the content of the experience differs depending on the day of the week
- The pottery made during the workshop can be picked up at KOYO BASE at a later date or sent home by post (postage payment required, pay onsite)
- If you come by car, please note that parking is limited Notes on visiting the factory
- Please follow the instructions of the person in charge when inside the factory
- Please leave luggage in the lockers
- Photography is not permitted inside the factory; staff will inform you on the day where you can take photos
- Please wear clothes suitable for walking around a factory (little exposed skin, no loose clothing, ok to get dirty)
- Sandals, high heels, and thick-soled shoes are not permitted
- Those under the influence of alcohol will not be admitted
- Please note that there are stairs, steps, and areas of uneven footing in the factory
Description
What to Expect:
1. Participants Assemble
2. Factory Tour (about 50 mins) You will be taken on a tour of the production line at the manufacturing plant of Koyo Toki, the operator of KOYO BASE, where skilled craftsmanship and state-of-the-art automation are combined. The staff will give you a detailed explanation of how the production of ceramics and porcelain is carried out, which is normally difficult to experience.
This is a guided tour that will help you become more familiar with manufacturing, by seeing it for yourself. The more you know about it, the more you will fall in love with ceramics!
3. Meal and Drink of your Choice (about 60 mins) + Break (about 60 mins) Choose your lunch from three choices offered on the day of the tour. Enjoy lunch at the KOYO BASE café dining room, which uses local ingredients from Gifu and offers "slightly luxurious, everyday cuisine." All dishes are made by Koyo Ceramics.
4. Experience (about 60–70 mins) This is an experience to enjoy making things such as mugs, tea cups, or small plates. On Mondays and Thursdays, painting is conducted (about 70 mins). On Fridays, transferring is conducted (about 60 mins).
Painting experience (Mondays and Thursdays): Paint your favourite images and characters freely on unglazed dishes, mugs, and rice bowls using special paints. If you find it difficult to paint with a brush, you can use a pencil to make a sketch!
Transfer experience (Fridays): Cut and paste over 20 different types of transfer sheets (paper copperplate) to create your own original tableware. Choose from dishes, plates, mugs, rice bowls and more to create your own unique tableware.
The finished pottery can be picked up at KOYO BASE at a later date, or can be delivered to your home (postage payment required/paid locally).
5. End.
How it works
At the time of your visit, please tell the staff the name of the person who made the reservation.