Minoyaki Traditional Craft Cooperative

The Minoyaki Traditional Craft Cooperative is based in the Minoyaki Traditional Industry Hall in Toki City, Gifu Prefecture. Inside the hall, visitors can learn about the history and traditional techniques of Mino-yaki through displays of historical materials and ceramic works, and can also experience hands-on pottery and painting in the studio corner. The cooperative introduces its member kilns and craftspeople, many of whom are officially recognized traditional craftspeople, and provides information on their activities.

Mino-yaki has been produced in the Tono region for more than a thousand years and has developed a variety of styles over time. The 15 types designated as traditional crafts under the Mino-yaki name demonstrate this diversity, from the soft white surfaces of Shino to the vivid greens of Oribe and the warm yellow tones of Kizeto. Each style reflects a different combination of clay, glaze and firing, and together they form a rich and varied ceramic culture.

Through its website, the cooperative shares news about special exhibitions, events held at the Minoyaki Traditional Industry Hall, and solo and group shows by member artists. The information covers a wide range of activities, from large-scale festivals to small exhibitions where visitors can meet the makers and see their latest works.

The “Craft Shop” online store allows customers to purchase selected items created by member kilns, including tea bowls, sake ware, everyday tableware, vases and incense burners. Many pieces are sold as single works, and the shop provides an opportunity to encounter the individuality and craftsmanship of each potter, even for those who cannot visit the region in person.

By combining on-site exhibitions at the Minoyaki Traditional Industry Hall with online information and e-commerce, the Minoyaki Traditional Craft Cooperative plays an important role in passing on the culture of Mino-yaki to future generations and sharing its appeal with people in Japan and abroad.

A cooperative supporting traditional “Mino-yaki” pottery

Mino-yaki is pottery produced in the Tono region of Gifu Prefecture and is known as one of Japan’s major ceramic traditions. The Minoyaki Traditional Craft Cooperative brings together potters and kilns that produce Mino-yaki designated as a Traditional Craft of Japan. Located in the Minoyaki Traditional Industry Hall, the cooperative works to preserve and promote this heritage through exhibitions, events and information about its member artisans.

Fifteen designated styles that show the diversity of Mino-yaki

One of the key characteristics of Mino-yaki is its diversity. Rather than a single style, it encompasses 15 different types that have been designated as traditional crafts, including Shino, Oribe, Kizeto, Setoguro, Haiyu (ash glaze), Sometsuke (blue-and-white), Tenmoku, Akae, Celadon, Tetsuyu (iron glaze), Kohiki, Ameyu, Ofuke, Mino-Iga and Mino-Karatsu. Each type has its own combination of clay, glazes and firing techniques, resulting in a wide range of textures and expressions in tea bowls, sake cups, plates, bowls and vases.

“Craft Shop” – an online store for member works

On the official website, the “Craft Shop” section offers an online selection of works created by cooperative members. Many pieces are one-of-a-kind items such as Shino tea bowls, Oribe plates, Kizeto sake cups, Sometsuke rice bowls, ash-glazed vases and more. Items can be browsed by kiln or by style, allowing customers inside and outside Japan to discover Mino-yaki pieces that suit their lifestyle and taste.