Hasami in Nagasaki Prefecture opens the doors to a different side of its famous pottery town with Open Hasami, an event that invites visitors to discover the people, work, food, culture, and everyday life behind Hasami ware.
With a pottery-making history stretching back around 400 years, Hasami is one of Japan's best-known ceramics-producing areas. Around 14 percent of Japan's everyday tableware is produced here, supported by a local division of labor involving mold makers, clay workers, kilns, and trading companies.
While the town's famous pottery festival attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors, much of the work behind the finished products remains hidden from view. Open Hasami offers a chance to see that side of the town, with pottery studios, workshops, and manufacturing sites opening their doors to visitors.
Guests can meet artisans, watch demonstrations, tour workshops, and experience traditional craftsmanship firsthand. The event also looks beyond pottery, with restaurants and other businesses offering special food experiences and opportunities to discover Hasami's agriculture, history, culture, and daily life.
Based around the Hasami Town Auditorium, a nationally registered tangible cultural property, the event encourages visitors to explore the town at their own pace. Recommended routes can help visitors choose experiences based on their interests, but wandering between workshops, restaurants, cultural sites, and other local attractions is part of the experience.
Rather than simply visiting an event, Open Hasami turns the town itself into one, offering a chance to see, learn, play, and taste your way through a lesser-seen side of Hasami.
