Kasama Yaki Pottery Class in Ibaraki: Hand-Form Clay

Shape clay with your hands, fire it yourself

A 90-minute pottery class at a historic Kasama kiln where you hand-form a bowl, plate, cup or vessel using tehineri, a technique passed down since the Jomon period. Your instructor demonstrates the method, you make your piece, and the studio glazes and fires it over two months before mailing it to you.

The experience

Ninety minutes at the kiln gives you time to learn tehineri (the hand-forming technique that has survived roughly 3,000 years) from an instructor who shows you the method on clay before you try it. You pick what to make: a bowl, a plate, a cup, or another vessel shape. The instructor watches as you work the clay, and the studio handles everything after you finish: glazing, firing in the kiln, and packing the piece for shipment.

The kiln itself dates to 1796, so you're working in a space built for this craft. Kasama-yaki pottery is the regional tradition, and this is where it's made. Your finished piece arrives by mail about two months after the class, wrapped and ready. The studio covers all firing costs, so what you pay is what you see upfront.

What’s included

• Instruction from a live guide in English or Japanese.
• clay.
• all glazing and firing costs.
• two-month completion and mail delivery of your finished piece.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00, 10:30, 13:30 and 15:30

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (18 to 95 years) · Child (under 18)

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish and Japanese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 16 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by 六代目

Is this one for you?You do the forming yourself with hands-on instruction, so you leave knowing how the piece came together. This suits anyone who wants to make something rather than watch it made, and who's willing to wait two months to hold the finished result.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Japanese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 18).

What is tehineri and why is it special to Kasama pottery?

Tehineri is hand-forming clay without a wheel, a technique handed down from the Jomon period roughly 3,000 years ago. Kasama-yaki uses this method as its foundation, and learning it directly connects you to that long tradition of the region.

Do I need pottery experience to join the class?

No. The instructor shows you the technique on clay first, then guides you as you make your own piece. The class is built for beginners.

What happens to my piece after I finish shaping it?

The studio glazes and fires your piece in the kiln, a process that takes about two months. Once it's complete and cooled, they pack and mail it to you by surface air mail.

Can I choose what shape to make?

Yes. You pick from bowls, plates, cups, and other vessel shapes before you start forming the clay.

Is the kiln accessible if I use a wheelchair?

Yes. All areas and surfaces at the studio are wheelchair accessible, and the facility is suitable for all physical fitness levels.