A Rare Japanese Pottery Experience in Kyoto
Make your own Raku ware tea bowl under the guidance of an artisan at the Shoraku Kiln
The Shoraku Kiln is nestled in the hills of Kameoka City on the outskirts of Kyoto. It specializes in making Raku ware, the stylized tea bowls used in the tea ceremony. Raku ware artisans mold the clay rather than throw it, raising the edges a little at a time until the bowl fits comfortably in the hand. The slightly uneven shape of the completed bowl embodies the wabi-sabi aesthetic, and they are a favorite of tea ceremony practitioners.
Artisans at the Shoraku Kiln offer lessons to aspiring potters, teaching them to make their own Raku-style tea bowl using the methods passed down over the centuries.
The three-and-a-half- hour workshop teaches participants to shape the clay into a bowl-like shape, and—after drying it for about one hour—cutting it into the final shape. Workshops are limited to one group per day, and participants can also take part in a traditional tea ceremony.
Contribution to Sustainability
The potters at Shoraku Kiln in Kameoka, Kyoto are dedicated to preserving traditional techniques by introducing new methodologies that help to refine them. Now, you can join an immersive pottery workshop and experience this highly skilled, traditional practice firsthand.
Shorakugama
Address |
2-4 Dogatani Higashibetsuin-cho Kamihara, Kameoka-shi, Kyoto-fu |
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Duration |
3.5 hrs. |
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