Treasures await at Yomitan Yachimun Pottery Market

NO DATA

For the 10th year pottery and glass artisans from the Yomitan area gather their wares on display and for sale at the annual Yomitan Yachimun Pottery Market this weekend at Gala Aoiumi facility in Yomitan.

The fair features plenty of hand-made everyday-use pottery items.

This year’s market features ceramics and glass from more than two dozen makers, including three new studios that bring their wares to the event for the first time. All products at the event are sold at a discount price. Besides being a chance to discover a treasure for sale, this is also a chance to meet a variety of skilled pottery makers and young artists of popular studios in person.

For the past few years, glassware has been included in the fair.

The products on display and sale are dishes for daily use, traditional art craftworks and shisa. As Yomitan is famous for its numerous active kilns, Yachimun market is one of Okinawa’s most famous pottery fairs. After the war, pottery makers from Naha’s Tsubogawa district that had been destroyed in the war moved to Yomitan, and re-started the production of their wares.

In addition to the two-day sale, there’s a charity auction on Sunday that starts at 16:00.

At a restaurant in the Gala Aoiumi facility, visitors can have a meal from a hand-made Yachimun vessel. There’s so much pottery, many visitors say they feel like they’re in an art museum, surrounded by nature.

The fair is held outdoors and gives an excellent opportunity to meet the artisans in person.

The fair is held outdoors and is an excellent opportunity to meet the artisans in person.

The fair is open from 10:00 to 19:00 on Oct. 17th and 18th at Gala Aoi-Umi at 915, Takashiho, Yomitan Village (https://goo.gl/rHrxMn) Gala Aoiumi has an English language homepage at http://www.gala-aoiumi.com/en

Admission to the event is free and free parking is available.

To get to the Gala Aoiumi drive north from KAB on Hwy 58. Turn left on Route 6 towards Torii Station, and then continue past it. Follow signs to Nikko Alivila, and then drive past the main entrance and the wedding chapel of the hotel. Gaia Aoiumi is 300 meters south of the entrance.