Summer Memories 2019 - a day trip to Tamba
Before we went back to England, we took a train and a bus to Tamba. Tamba is not just a small village surrounded by rice fields and small mountains but also one of the six ancient kilns of Japan. The village is home of the 800 year old Tamba pottery!
First we visited the Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo in the village to gain some knowledge of Tamba pottery. The special exhibition was Ko(old)-Imari collection. It was very interesting.
The village was packed with about 60 pottery studios that stood along the main streets in the village side by side. In the center of the village, an approx. 120 year-old Noborigama or climbing/rising kiln sat on the slope of a mountain. The Japan's oldest climbing kiln in use was pretty long - 42 meter (about 140 feet) long!
According to City of Sasayama's website, "Certainly the most distinguishing feature of Tamba ware is the use of the “climbing” kiln. Due to the extremely high temperature, the ash made from burning the pine firewood dances all around the inner part of the kiln, mixing with the glaze covering the pottery, which then results in various extraordinary patterns appearing on the surface of the ware." Made with the area's clays with rich iron, typical characteristics of traditional Tamba potteries are simple, natural and robust in the colors of black and dark brown while today various colors, textures and designs of Tamba potteries are created by both old and young local potteries.
Right next to the kiln, there was a little shrine for the old Chinese cork oak. The tree was about 500 years old and the largest Chinese cork oak in Japan.
Our original plan was to walk down to a Soba noodle restaurant that was located just outside of the center of the village and then walk back while visiting dozens of pottery studios on our way. However, it was too hot and humid to be outside. We, well, at least I gave up. After visiting the kiln and 4 or 5 studios, we went to Tachikui Sue no Sato (Tamba Traditional Art Craft Park) that displayed and sold Tamba potteries made by local potters.
The place was like a one-stop market where you could browse various Tamba potteries. Walking around the peaceful village, visiting individual studios one by one could be enjoyable, but not on a super hot summer day. The air-conditioned Art Craft Park was very convenient for us.
Since we didn't go to the Soba restaurant we were originally thinking of for lunch, we stopped by at a restaurant in the Art Craft Park. We both had chilled Udon noodles with savory beef. It was just ok. The noodles and sauce were fine but the beef topping was too fatty and less flavorful. We were served a big jar of free chilled Japanese tea and the restaurant was cozy and quiet, which was very nice. All tablewares used at the restaurant were Tamba potteries, of course!
It was a nice opportunity to introduce Japanese countryside and craftsmanship of Japan to J.
