Even in Kyoto, the world of Kyoyaki and Kiyomizuyaki ceramics is not something that one often has the opportunity to experience. This time, we went to Zuikogama to experience the world of this traditional craft with the “Standard Plan Electric Wheel Course”.

The first step is to decide on the shape and color for the type of pottery you want to make.
All the colors were beautiful and lovely, and after much hesitation, one of us decided to make a bronze-colored plate and the other decided to make a amber-colored rice bowl.

I was worried about whether I would be able to make a plate out of this lump, but I was assured that the artisan, who is the teacher, would make the first shape and then teach me how to make it.

I was both anxious and excited to see how the dish would turn out.

Using the tips of our fingers, we gradually expanded and shape the bowls. If we exert too much force, the bowls will spread too wide or, in the worst case, lose their shape. On the other hand, if we did not apply enough force, we would not be able to shape the bowl properly, so it was very difficult to find the right amount of force.

With the teacher’s advice, we continued to apply force little by little for about 20 minutes.
Finally, at long last, our first ceramic artwork was completed!

The rest of the coloring is left to the professional craftsmen. The pottery is sent to your pre-registered address by mail, so you can go there and finish empty-handed, which is one of the charms of the pottery experience at Zuikogama. No need to worry about lugging it around and potentially breaking it!

The store is located right next to Yasaka Pagoda, so you can easily stop by on your way to Yasaka Shrine or Kiyomizu Temple for a hands-on experience, which I felt was perfect for a trip to Kyoto, where luggage tends to increase.

A month and a half later, we received the finished product!
What do you think? Aren’t they pretty good?

This was our first pottery experience, but both of us were so fascinated by the world of ceramics that we want to go back again soon!

The Zuikogama pottery experience is a quick and easy way to experience traditional crafts. It will definitely make your trip more memorable as you get to know Kyoto more deeply through the experience!