Explore Japan’s Ceramic Valley

Tajimi in Gifu Prefecture has produced Mino-yaki ceramics for over 1,300 years, spanning everything from early unglazed earthenware to refined porcelain tea bowls. The Mino Ceramic Art Museum gives a detailed bilingual history, while the Toshin Mino Ceramic Art Museum is free and on select days serves matcha in a Mino-ware bowl. The Mosaic Tile Museum in Kasahara, in an unusual building by architect Fujimori Terunobu, displays salvaged mosaics from bathhouses and schools. The Kobeigama kiln, run by the eighth-generation Kato family since 1804, is open for visits and shows antique research pieces alongside current production.