Welcome to the web site of The Mashiko Tourist Association!
Mashiko’s main industry, pottery, attracts over two million visitors every year.
There are as many as 250 potteries and about 50 ceramic shops.
We are very pleased to introduce the fantastic works of various potters, who try to exert their individuality and uniqueness through their works, in this site.
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益子焼TOP

Collection Museum

The Mashiko Reference Collection Museum was established by
Mr. Shoji Hamada, wishing to share the crafts he had collected
and referred, with general people so that the collection would be
good ‘reference’ for them.
Founded in 1974
Opened in 1977
Shoji’s World---his eyes and hands

Mashiko Pottery is the origin of folk pottery.
Mashiko has known to the world since Shoji settled in this place.
Using Mashiko’s clay and glaze, he had made lots of pottery to express his ideal,
soul of ‘mingei’or folk crafts.
At the same time, Shoji collected lots of folk crafts from all over the world,
old and new alike and got inspiration from them and made use for his production.
At the museum, the collection is displayed together with the works of himself, and of his close friends, Barnard Leach and Kanjiro Kawai.
The large farmhouse with a thatched roof where he lived, the studio where he worked, the climbing kiln------they are open to the public and you can see and feel the spirit of the Folk Crafts Movement.


A Large Platter by Shoji Hamada (Cultural Asset of Mashiko Town)
■Profile of Mr. Shoji Hamada
1894 He was born in Shiba, Tokyo, as the first son at a stationary shop.
After graduating from Furitu Icchu School, he went on to Tokyo Industrial High School(Tokyo Koto Kogyo Gakko) and learned from Hazan Itaya, made a lifelong friendship with Kanjiro Kawai.
1916 He entered Kyoto Pottery-testing Center and learned about pottery.
1920 Accepting Barnard Leach’s offer, he went to England. He and Leach made a climbing kiln at St. Ives, Cornwall and started making pottery there.
1924 He returned to Japan and settled in Mashiko, adopting a serious stance on making pottery.
He got involved in the Mingei Folk Crafts Movement with Soetsu Yanagi and Kanjiro Kawai.
1930 A large farmhouse was moved to his place, which he used as his main house.
From that time on until 1942, he kept buying old houses and had them moved to his place.
The Hamada residence consisted of those buildings.
1955 He was designated the first Important Intangible Cultural Heritage (Living National Treasure).
1968 The Order of Culture was given to him.
1978 He died at the age of 83 years old.

Information

■Hours Open
9:30 am ~5:00 pm ( entry by 4:30 pm)
■holiday
Monday(except holidays)
28 of December~4 of January
Early February(closed for one to two weeks due to change of exhibition)
Please be aware of temporary closing.

■Admission Fee
Adults(individuals) \800  Adults(group for over 20 people) \700
Junior high school students(individuals) \400 
Junior high school students(group for over 20 people) \300
Children of elementary school and under are FREE.


The Mashiko Reference Collection Museum

3388 Mashiko, Mashiko town,
Haga-gun, Tochigi-ken, 321-3388

TEL0285-72-5300
FAX0285-72-7533