Mashiko Pottery Market (Toukiichi)| Mashiko City, Tochigi
Mashiko Toukiichi 益子陶器市 is one of the largest pottery market held in Mashiko in Tochigi prefecture, famous for its pottery production called Mashiko-yaki. During the event, more than 500 pottery stalls line along the streets and various types of potteries are sold, such as tea cups, rice bowls and Ramen bowls, designed in a traditional or modern Japanese style.
Mashiko Spring Pottery Fair 2024
April 27th(Sat) - May 6th(Mon), 2024
9:00 - 17:00 (5:00PM)
Pottery town Mashiko
Mashiko 益子 is a town located in the south east area of Tochigi prefecture, about 140km away from the central Tokyo. Producing quality clay, Mashiko has developed as a pottery town and potteries created in Mashiko are called Mashiko-yaki Potteries. Many potters have studios in Mashiko and their works are sold at stores in Mashiko. The number of the pottery studios and the stores in Mashiko reaches nearly 350 in all.
Mashiko Pottery Market 益子陶器市
Sushi plates, Ramen bowls and Sake bottles etc., stylish, authentic Japanese Tableware can be found there.
Since 1966, Mashiko Pottery Market is held twice a year, for about 10 days in spring, and 4 or 5 days in autumn. Not only from Mashiko town, pottery artists and vendors from all over Japan also join the market to sell various potteries. This popular market is so large that it takes all day long to look all around the stalls there. Also, the market gets crowded in the afternoon. It is recommended you visit early in the morning (It starts at 9:00AM).
The best market to get "Mai(My)-Ochawan", a personal rice bowl
While staying with a Japanese family, having dinner together at their house, you will soon notice that the Japanese have her/his own chopsticks and rice bowl (Ochawan), and it is almost like a taboo to use those of others, even people in the family. It seems Japanese people have a strong attachment for their everyday dinnerware. Whatever else it might be, finding a very favorite ones at pottery markets is an attraction for Japanese people, and it will of course be fun for anybody.
Getting there from Tokyo
By Train | From Ikebukuro 池袋
About 2 hours 50 min, 2298 JP Yen in total.
From JR Ikebukuro station, take the Shonan-Shinjuku Line train (1hr 16min ride) bound for Oyama station 小山駅 (1hr 16min) and then change train there to take the JR Mito-sen Line 水戸線 to get to Shimodate station下館駅 (23min ride). From Shimodate station 下館駅 of Mooka Tetsudo Railway 真岡鐵道, take a local train for Mashiko station 益子駅 (41min.). It is about a 15-minute walk to the street market from the Mashiko Station.
* Mooka Testudo Railway operates locomotives (SL) once a day on weekends and national holidays.
Mooka Testudo Time Table - Mashiko (Japanese)
https://www.moka-railway.co.jp/timetable/
From Ueno 上野
From Ueno Station, you can take the JR Utsunomiya Line 宇都宮線 (1 hr 20min ride. 1980 JPY) to get to Oyama, the transit station. You can also take a Kodama Shinkansen train for Oyama, which takes only 34 minutes, but the fare will be about double.
By Train and Bus | From Ikebukuro 池袋
By Train and Bus | From Ikebukuro 池袋
About 2 hours 40 min ride, 3330 JP Yen in total.
From JR Ikebukuro station, take a train on the Shonan-Shinjuku Line or Utsunomiya Line and get off at Utsunomiya station 宇都宮駅 (1hr 31min. 1980 Yen). From Utsunomiya station (West Exit), take Kanto Jidosya Bus 関東自動車バス bound for Mashiko station 益子駅 (1-hour ride 1350 Yen). A 15-min walk to the market place from Mashiko station.
*The bus runs every one hour or so.
Time Table by Noya bus service
http://blog.mashiko-kankou.org/access/tb_timetable.shtml
By Bus from Akihabara 秋葉原
2 hour 45 min 2250 Yen
* It runs only once in the morning (departs at 8:20. (As of 10. 2023)
* Book in advance for thebus at 8:20 to Mashiko market and 16:00 back to Akihabara.
The bus departs from the bus terminal in front of Yodobashi Akiba Building
Take the bus Kanto Yakimono Liner 関東やきものライナー bound for Mashiko Station. Get off at "Tougei Messe Iriguchi 陶芸メッセ入口" (next to the last stop "Mashiko sta".) so you don’t have to walk from Mashiko station. There is a tourist information office near the bus stop.
Yakimono Liner Bus (Japanese website)
http://www.ibako.co.jp/highway/kasama/
Timetable (Between Akihabara and Mashiko Station) | Ibaraki Kotsu Bus Services
http://www.ibako.co.jp/highway/kasama/from_akihabara_highway.html
Related Info/Websites
Mashiko Location Map by Mashiko town tourist association
http://www.mashiko-kankou.org/access/ (Japanese)
PDF Maps (Maps and guide books in English)
http://www.mashiko-kankou.org/pamphlet/index.shtml
Mashiko Town
http://www.town.mashiko.tochigi.jp/ (In Japanese)
