Top Kanto Pottery Classes

Turn something old into something new during this lesson in the Japanese art of "Kintsugi," the practice of repairing broken pottery. Stemming from a Japanese belief that breakage and repair are part of the history of an object, rather than a reason to throw them away, your class involves repairing damaged items with lacquer mixed with gold. Don a "samue" as you refinish one traditional pottery item, leaving with a newfound appreciation for Japanese aesthetics and a unique souvenir.

Craft the perfect Tokyo experience during this 60-minute Japanese pottery lesson in Tokyo’s Omotesando neighborhood. Don a ‘samue,’ the traditional garb of Japanese craftsmen, as you learn to make a hand-crafted pottery item with the help of your professional instructor. Choose between making a chopstick-rest or a ceramic cup, learning the clay mixing and painting process for these artisanal objects in the process. You'll leave with new knowledge of Japanese culture, plus the perfect hand-made souvenir.

Kintsugi is a simple restoration technique that uses gold or other metal powder to repair broken, chipped, or cracked pieces. Kintsugi has been handed down in Japan from ancient times, and the culture of taking good care of things has attracted attention worldwide. Kintsugi lacquer comes from the poison oak tree or black tree of the poison ivy family. When dried, lacquer is a natural adhesive that is harmless to the human body and has a hardening effect. Using a vessel made by Nakano Taku-sensei, a master of kintsugi, he will teach you how to kintsugi using traditional and authentic materials. Join us for a special lesson using genuine lacquer and pure gold powder! Cracks are considered a landscape in kintsugi, and the joint is decorated with gold, silver, or other metal powder. Kintsugi is based on not pretending that the cracks have never existed but considering them part of the item's history and breathing new life into it.