Kasama-yaki: The Oldest Pottery Town in the Kanto Region

Kasama ware (Kasama-yaki) is a traditional craft of Ibaraki Prefecture that originated in the mid-Edo Period. Known as the oldest pottery-producing area in the Kanto region, it is celebrated for a creative freedom so total that having no fixed style is said to be its defining style. Free from the constraints of tradition, this culture welcomes an extraordinary range of artistic expression. Many kilns and ceramic artists have gathered in Kasama City, each producing uniquely individual works. For pottery enthusiasts, it is a town that can fill an entire day of leisurely exploration.

The Diverse World of Kasama's Free Artistic Style

The greatest characteristic of Kasama ware is its freedom from any fixed form or style. The range is genuinely vast, from humble everyday tableware to contemporary modern designs and highly sculptural artistic creations, with each artist expressing something entirely different. This is precisely what makes browsing through kiln after kiln and gallery after gallery so exciting: the joy of unexpectedly encountering that perfect piece that seems made just for you.

Himatsuri (Flame Festival): One of Japan's Largest Pottery Markets

The Kasama Himatsuri (Kasama Pottery Flame Festival), held every Golden Week at Kasama Geijutsu no Mori Park, is widely known as one of Japan's largest pottery markets. More than 200 kilns and ceramic artists gather to exhibit and sell their work in tents. The joy of talking face-to-face with the creators while searching for your favorite piece is the festival's greatest draw. Events that everyone from children to adults can enjoy, such as a wheel-throwing corner, are also well provided.

Pottery Workshops for Beginners

Many kilns and pottery studios in Kasama offer hands-on workshop programs. Experiences such as wheel-throwing, hand-building (pinch or coil methods), and painting designs onto bisqueware are all beginner-friendly. Creating your very own unique piece while enjoying the texture of clay in your hands will become an unforgettable travel memory. Many studios will fire your piece and send it to you afterward, so you can participate hands-free.

Nearby Attractions Worth Combining

Kasama Inari Shrine, counted among Japan's Three Great Inari Shrines, offers enjoyable street-food browsing along the approach and makes for a classic combination route with the pottery village. Sights related to ceramics and art are scattered around, including the Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum, the Craft Hill, and Shunpu Banriso, a villa associated with the artist Kitaoji Rosanjin.

Access and Basic Information

The base stations are Tomobe Station on the JR Joban Line or Kasama Station on the JR Mito Line. Within the city, the Kasama Sightseeing Loop Bus runs, connecting Kasama Station with Kasama Inari Shrine, the Michi-no-Eki Kasama roadside station, the Ceramic Art Museum and Craft Hill, and Shunpu Banriso, so you can tour the main spots even without a car. Because the facilities are spread out, the loop bus, a car, or a rental bicycle is convenient.

Practical Travel Notes

• Recommended season and time of day: The Golden Week Himatsuri draws the largest crowds. If you prefer a relaxed kiln-browsing experience, weekdays in the comfortable weather of spring and autumn are recommended. The Kasama Chrysanthemum Festival is also held in autumn.
• Workshop reservations: Many workshops require reservations, and it is especially reassuring to book early during Golden Week. Check in advance on sources such as the official Kasama tourism website.
• Estimated time needed: Allow half a day for touring kilns and galleries, and a full day if you add a pottery workshop, to enjoy it with room to spare.
• Nearby dining: The approach to Kasama Inari Shrine is lined with shops serving the local specialty inari sushi and soba, perfect for a meal between rounds of pottery browsing.

A Word of Advice

Ceramics break easily, so once you buy a piece, have it wrapped securely in protective material. While the kilns cluster within walking distance, the city as a whole is large, so checking the loop bus timetable in advance makes for a smoother trip. A handmade cup or small bowl makes a practical souvenir that recalls your journey every time you use it.

📚 Sources

This article is based on information published by Kasama City and the Kasama Tourism Association, guidance from Kasama-yaki kilns and pottery studios, and general published details about Kasama Geijutsu no Mori Park and the Himatsuri. Pottery experience reservation methods, Himatsuri dates, and the loop bus service may change. Before your visit, please confirm the latest details through official Kasama tourism information or facility notices.

Visitor Checklist

• Approximate time: About half a day for kilns and galleries; allow a full day if you add a pottery experience
• What to bring: Purchased wares break easily, so ask for cushioning; a pottery experience gets your hands muddy, so wear clothes you do not mind soiling
• Suggested route: Starting from Kasama Station, use the sightseeing loop bus to link the kilns and galleries, the Ceramic Art Museum and Craft Hill, and Shunpu Banrisou
• Seasonal tip: Golden Week and the Himatsuri are busiest; for a relaxed kiln tour choose a spring or autumn weekday, and note the autumn chrysanthemum festival
• Reservation tip: Many studios require reservations for pottery experiences, so book early, especially during Golden Week

Practical Information for Your Visit

• The Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum: Open 9:30-17:00 (last admission 16:30). Closed on Mondays (open when Monday is a public holiday, closing instead on the following weekday) and from December 29 to January 1. Located at 2345 Kasama, Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture (inside Kasama Geijutsu no Mori Park), tel. 0296-70-0011.
• Admission (as of April 1, 2026): For special exhibitions, 950 yen for general visitors (770 yen for groups), 470 yen (380 yen) for those aged 70 and over, 710 yen (590 yen) for high school students and equivalent, and 360 yen (290 yen) for elementary and junior high school students. For collection exhibitions and thematic exhibitions, 360 yen (290 yen) for general visitors, 180 yen (140 yen) for those aged 70 and over, 290 yen (240 yen) for high school students and equivalent, and 180 yen (150 yen) for elementary and junior high school students. Group rates apply to parties of 20 or more. While a special exhibition is running, the ticket covers all exhibition rooms.
• Parking: The north parking lot of Kasama Geijutsu no Mori Park (300 spaces) is normally free of charge. It becomes paid parking during large events such as the Himatsuri pottery festival.
• Kasama Kogei no Oka (Kasama Craft Hill): Open 10:00-17:00. Closed on Mondays (the following day when Monday is a public holiday or part of a long weekend) and over the New Year period from December 25 to January 1. Located at 2388-1 Kasama, Kasama City, tel. 0296-70-1313. Pottery-making sessions are held from 10:30-11:40, 13:00-14:10 and 14:50-16:00. Finished pieces are delivered after about three months, the time needed for trimming the base, firing, glazing and inspection. Groups of 10 or more cannot book online and must apply by telephone or e-mail. Parking is free of charge in the regular season (paid during large events such as the Himatsuri pottery festival).
• The Kasama Himatsuri pottery festival: The 45th edition was held from Wednesday, April 29 to Tuesday, May 5, 2026, 9:00-17:00, at the event plaza of Kasama Geijutsu no Mori Park; check the Kasama Himatsuri official website for the next dates. Admission is 500 yen per day for general visitors, free of charge for those aged 18 and under (through high school), and free of charge for holders of a disability certificate including one accompanying person. Payment is accepted in cash, PayPay and AEON Pay. More than 200 ceramic artists, kilns and local retailers exhibit. The official website recommends using public transport. In autumn, the "Kasama-yaki Autumn Market" is scheduled to be held from the end of October.
• Kasama sightseeing loop bus (from April 1, 2026): Two routes: the "loop route" starting and ending at Kasama Station and circling the sightseeing facilities, and the "connecting route" starting and ending at Tomobe Station and linking to the Kasama roadside station. The transfer point is the "Michi-no-Eki Kasama" roadside station. Fares are available only as a one-day unlimited-ride pass, costing 300 yen on weekdays and 500 yen on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and during the spring and autumn tourist seasons. Preschool children and holders of a physical disability certificate or equivalent ride free of charge. The stops "Kasama Geijutsu no Mori East Gate" and "Regional Medical Center Kasama (municipal hospital)" have been added, while "Yakimono-dori" has been discontinued.
• The basics of Kasama ware (Kasama City): It originated in the An'ei era (1772-1781), when Kuno Han'emon of Hakoda Village began making pottery under the guidance of Choemon, a potter from Shigaraki. In 1992 (Heisei 4) it was designated a national traditional craft. Today about 300 ceramic artists and kilns are engaged in the craft.
• Access to the museum: From Tomobe Station on the JR Joban Line, 40-60 minutes by the "Kasama sightseeing loop bus" or about 15 minutes by taxi. From Kasama Station on the JR Mito Line, about 5 minutes by taxi. By car, it is 10 minutes from the Tomobe IC on the Kita-Kanto Expressway, 15 minutes from the Kasama-nishi IC, 25 minutes from the Iwama IC on the Joban Expressway, and 30 minutes from the Mito IC.

Note: For the fees for pottery-making sessions at Kasama Kogei no Oka, please check the booking system or call 0296-70-1313. (Sources: Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum official website, "Opening Hours and Admission" and "Access"; Kasama Kogei no Oka official website, "Visitor Information," "Pottery Experience" and "Experience Reservations"; Kasama Himatsuri official website; Kasama City official website, "Kasama Sightseeing Loop Bus" and "About Kasama Ware")