Bizen Pottery Village, Red Brick Chimneys Still Standing Tall
If you admire pottery, then you will definitely want Bizen City to be on your itinerary. Bizen City in Okayama prefecture is made up of all types terrain; from the sea to the mountains. Further inland is Imbe, an area where the famous Bizen pottery was born and still produced today. Bizen ware, which originated in the village of Imbe in Okayama Prefecture (formerly Bizen Province), boasts over 1,000 years of history and is produced using Japan’s oldest pottery-making method, which is one the country’s six ancient pottery styles. As one of the six oldest kilns in Japan, there is even a shrine that is mostly decorated with locally produced ceramics.
Boasting a history going back 1,000 years, Imbe is the hometown of Bizen pottery, one of Japan’s oldest forms of pottery, and features more than 100 potteries and galleries. In 1982, the Japanese government declared Bizen ware a traditional Japanese craft and now preserves the area and its 300 operating kilns. Thanks to its revival efforts, the streets of Imbe now consist of countless Bizen ceramic shops, artist homes, and even ceramic classes to teach visitors how to make their own piece of Bizen ware. Bizen ware is neither glazed nor painted, and its color is expressive of the earth from which it comes. It is created by using either a mixture of two kinds of clays with different densities or rough reddish brown clay rich in iron.
The histric old townscape of Imbe is a one-of-a-kind sight filled with old wooden buildings made with Bizen pottery roof tiles and if you look up at the skyline, you’ll see dozens of red brick chimneys still standing tall. You can easily spend a whole day strolling through all the pottery shops scattered around JR Imbe Station. At the Bizen Pottery Museum, visitors can experience the charm of Bizen pottery not only by learning how to make Bizen pottery but also by viewing about 250 masterworks ranging from modern pottery to pottery crafted in ancient times. Imbe Station also has Bizen pottery on display and for sale. We are sure that you will find some exquisite pieces of artwork that you would like to own.
Boasting a history going back 1,000 years, Imbe is the hometown of Bizen pottery, one of Japan’s oldest forms of pottery, and features more than 100 potteries and galleries. In 1982, the Japanese government declared Bizen ware a traditional Japanese craft and now preserves the area and its 300 operating kilns. Thanks to its revival efforts, the streets of Imbe now consist of countless Bizen ceramic shops, artist homes, and even ceramic classes to teach visitors how to make their own piece of Bizen ware. Bizen ware is neither glazed nor painted, and its color is expressive of the earth from which it comes. It is created by using either a mixture of two kinds of clays with different densities or rough reddish brown clay rich in iron.
The histric old townscape of Imbe is a one-of-a-kind sight filled with old wooden buildings made with Bizen pottery roof tiles and if you look up at the skyline, you’ll see dozens of red brick chimneys still standing tall. You can easily spend a whole day strolling through all the pottery shops scattered around JR Imbe Station. At the Bizen Pottery Museum, visitors can experience the charm of Bizen pottery not only by learning how to make Bizen pottery but also by viewing about 250 masterworks ranging from modern pottery to pottery crafted in ancient times. Imbe Station also has Bizen pottery on display and for sale. We are sure that you will find some exquisite pieces of artwork that you would like to own.
