Gifu's Ceramics Capital for A Millennium
Situated on the southern border of Gifu and Aichi prefectures, the town of Tajimi is best known for being the center of production for Mino-yaki ceramics for the past 10 centuries. The whole place is devoted to shaping and firing distinctive plates, bowls, containers and serving ware. The springtime Tajimi Ceramics Festival draws tens of thousands of visitors.
In addition to museums about ceramics, Tajimi has a lovely temple, Kokeizan Eihoji, and a Catholic monastery that produces its own wine. Both are fine places for spiritual contemplation. A 10-minute walk across the river on the south side of Tajimi Station brings you to Honmachi Oribe Street, a shopping district devoted entirely to ceramics. From reasonably priced souvenirs to jaw-droppingly expensive works of art, there is something for every taste and budget here.
Tajimi has been synonymous with ceramics, specifically Minoyaki, for well over a millennium. The popular deep-green copper glaze used is something of a signature design. There is a small information center, antique shops, and some delicious spots for lunch along the street. If your lust for ceramics is still unsatisfied, Ceramic Park Mino is just a 10-minute bus ride from Tajimi Station. You can shop and try your hand at making your own pottery here, which can be shipped to you after it's fired. The park is home to the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art and the Gifu Prefectural Ceramic Museum.
Tajimi Mosaic Tile Museum takes the visitor on a tour of tile production throughout history over the course of 10,000 exhibits. While the museum may be fascinating, the building itself is perhaps an even better reason to visit. Designed by Fujimori Terunobu, it is a triumph of blending architecture with nature. The museum is 20 minutes by bus from Tajimi Station.
In addition to museums about ceramics, Tajimi has a lovely temple, Kokeizan Eihoji, and a Catholic monastery that produces its own wine. Both are fine places for spiritual contemplation. A 10-minute walk across the river on the south side of Tajimi Station brings you to Honmachi Oribe Street, a shopping district devoted entirely to ceramics. From reasonably priced souvenirs to jaw-droppingly expensive works of art, there is something for every taste and budget here.
Tajimi has been synonymous with ceramics, specifically Minoyaki, for well over a millennium. The popular deep-green copper glaze used is something of a signature design. There is a small information center, antique shops, and some delicious spots for lunch along the street. If your lust for ceramics is still unsatisfied, Ceramic Park Mino is just a 10-minute bus ride from Tajimi Station. You can shop and try your hand at making your own pottery here, which can be shipped to you after it's fired. The park is home to the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art and the Gifu Prefectural Ceramic Museum.
Tajimi Mosaic Tile Museum takes the visitor on a tour of tile production throughout history over the course of 10,000 exhibits. While the museum may be fascinating, the building itself is perhaps an even better reason to visit. Designed by Fujimori Terunobu, it is a triumph of blending architecture with nature. The museum is 20 minutes by bus from Tajimi Station.
