Tokoname, the Ancient Pottery City

とこなめ招き猫通り Tokoname Manekineko-dori

About the Hojo-Mukoyama Line Retaining Wall Landscape Improvement Project

Objective
This project is being implemented to realize the vision for Tokoname’s central urban area— "A town open to the world where the spirit of ceramics and craftsmanship thrives." It aims to improve the access route from Tokoname Station to the "Ceramic Footpath" (Yakimono Sanpo-michi) while highlighting the town's appeal as a production center for *Maneki-neko* (beckoning cat) figurines.

Implementation Year
Fiscal Year 2006

Implementing Body
Tokoname City

Planning Committee
Tokoname City Central Urban Area Revitalization Promotion Council

Project Details
● Ceramic Lucky Cat (Maneki-neko) for Good Fortune – Maker/Artist: Indicated on the nameplate.
● Tokoname-style Giant Beckoning Cat (West of Kitayama Bridge; 3.8m high, 6.3m wide)
● Ceramic Cat — Creators: Takehachi Ina, Tomoo Saito, Isamu Morita

Coordination
Hisaya Kojima

Granting Organization
Japan Lottery Association

Copyrights for all works belong to their respective creators.

– Text from three signs on the retaining wall, translated using Google Translate.

It was established in June of the 30th year of the Showa era. The character of "常" in Tokoname City was designed by the painter Kenkichi Sugimoto, and represents the unity of citizens and the development of the city.

– Text from Tokoname City’s Summary of the City page , translated using Google Translate.

Tokoname Ware
Tokoname is known as one of Japan' s "Six Ancient Kilns," all areas with pottery-making traditions dating back over 1,000 years. Consequently, the city' s history and economic development are closely linked to its pottery (Tokoname ware).

Conditions around Tokoname were excellent for pottery production. High-quality clay was in plentiful supply, and the soft soil and gentle hills made it easy to dig anagama (tunneled sloping kilns). In addition, its location on the Chita Peninsula allowed easy access to the ocean to transport finished goods.

Tokoname ware originated in the early twelfth century when potters began producing large storage jars and cooking utensils that soon found their way around the country. In the nineteenth century, techniques imported from China led to the creation of Tokoname's signature kyusu (teapots) made with iron rich red clay.

The arrival of noborigama (climbing kilns) around 1830 facilitated the energy-efficient mass production of pottery. When Japan started rapidly modernizing in the second half of the nineteenth century, Tokoname produced roofing tiles and pipes for carrying water and drainage. Large-scale ceramics production peaked in the 1950S.

In recent decades, changing lifestyles and rising interest from overseas have led to further diversification of Tokoname ware. Artisans adapted to new tastes, embracing both traditional techniques and modern innovation to ensure that local ceramics continued to flourish. Maneki neko (lucky cat) figurines, bonsai pots, and red-clay kyusu are among today' s most popular products.

Visitors can learn about Tokoname ware in detail at the Tokoname Tou no Mori Museum (part of Course B on the Pottery Footpath).

– Text from a sign.

Pottery Footpath
Walking the Pottery Footpath (Yakimono Sanpomichi) is one of the best ways to learn about Tokoname' s heritage. There are two routes, both of which begin here at Tokoname Tojiki Kaikan (Ceramics Hall). Course A is 1.6 kilometers long and includes several of Tokoname' s most popular and scenic attractions. Course B is 4 kilometers long and outlines the city' s pottery history. Suggested walking times are around one hour for Course A and two-and-a-half hours for Course B, but visitors may wish to spend longer to experience the many attractions. Pick up a map and look for the signboards in English along the way.

The Pottery Footpath centers on the Sakaemachi district, where many well-preserved homes and kilns remain. The narrow, winding streets retain a traditional atmosphere and pass by historical sites. Residents have added to the area' s appeal by beautifying the streets and gardens with Tokoname ware, while new generations of artisans and entrepreneurs have transformed vacant buildings along the route into pottery studios, art galleries, and cafes.

The Pottery Footpath was launched in 1972 and has contributed to the preservation of the historical townscape and Tokoname's emergence as a tourist destination. As you make your way along the footpath, please respect the privacy of residents, and take care during wet weather, as the route may be slippery.

– Text from a sign.

Tokonyan, the Guardian Cat of Tokoname
Tokonyan is the giant maneki neko (lucky cat) figure that peeks over an embankment halfway along Tokoname Maneki Neko-dori (Lucky Cat Street). The name "Tokonyan" is a combination of "Tokoname" and the meowing sound made by a cat (nyan) in Japanese. Since its creation in 2008, the statue has become a beloved symbol of the city and a popular subject for photographs.

Tokonyan is 3.8 meters high and 6.3 meters wide, making it one of the country' s largest maneki neko. Even though Tokonyan is only a head and a raised left paw, it welcomes everyone from its prominent position. A careful search along the wall near the statue reveals that Tokonyan is accompanied by 11 small and realistic figurines of cats.

Tokoname Maneki Neko-dori, which connects Tokoname Tojiki Kaikan (Ceramics Hall) and Tokoname Station, is lined with 39 modern interpretations of maneki neko made by artists with links to Tokoname. Each cat is said to offer a specific blessing, such as a happy marriage, good health, or the successful completion of a task.

– Text from a sign.

Service Route
1. Tokoname Station
2. Pottery Walk (Ceramics Center) *9:00 AM – 4:59 PM only
3. Rinku-Tokoname Station / AEON MALL Tokoname
4. Airport Island Hotel Cluster
5. Under the airport connecting walkway
6. Aichi International Exhibition Center (Aichi Sky Expo)
7. Rinku-Tokoname Station / AEON MALL Tokoname *5:00 PM hour and later only

○ This shuttle bus service is funded by the accommodation tax.
○ Bus services (26-passenger capacity) and van services (8-passenger capacity) operate alternately.
○ Please note that if the vehicle reaches capacity, you may be required to wait for a subsequent service.
○ Guests traveling with children under the age of 6 must use the bus service.
(Due to Road Traffic Act regulations, the van service cannot be used.)

– Text from the Tokoname Shuttle information sheet above, translated using Google Translate.

Smile & Peace
Love & Music

Production
リベロ Ribero
陶房杉 Tōbō Sugi

Cooperation
冨本人形園 Tomimoto Ningyōen

– Text from the bottom left corner of the back of Tokonyan, read using Google Gemini and translated using Google Translate.

Tokotoko Tokoname 5th Anniversary
Hometown Domino Challenge Team

1994 Tokoname Junior Chamber
July 9–10 Youth Development Committee

– Text from the top of the tiles above, read using Google Gemini and translated using Google Translate.

The Takita Family Shipping Agency
Tokoname is a town renowned for its pottery, but from the Edo period through the early Meiji era, it was also a thriving hub for coastal shipping. Many shipping merchants resided in the Tokoname, Hojo, and Taya districts, all located near the Tokoname port. Their vessels connected the regions surrounding Ise Bay—Owari, Ise, Mino, and Mikawa—with the Kamigata (Osaka-Kyoto) and Edo areas, playing a vital role in supporting the lives of the people at the time.

The Takita family was one of the most prominent shipping merchant families in Tokoname.

The "Takita House" standing here is the family's residence, built shortly after they launched their shipping business. The property has been restored and preserved, and is now open to the public as a place where visitors can experience the history of Tokoname's shipping trade.

– Text from the sign above, read using Google Gemini and translated using Google Translate.

Structure of Bezai-sen & Sailors
The ships belonged to the Takita Family could carry a load of 105- 150 tons and were built in Ohminato, Ise or Tokoname. However, the size of the crew was small ... only 9 crew members for the 120-ton freight ship. Sendo, the captain, was the top and there were three key positions under the captain, such as Makanai as a purser, Oyaji as a boatswain, and Omoteshi as a mate. The sailors were working under them.

– Text from a sign.

Karakuri Mechanical Giuemon Mujinto (Automatic Refueling Lamp Stand)
Mujinto is a lamp stand by using rape-seed oil and was used in the 19th-20th century. It was an epock-making invention, such as the flame lasted for a long time by pouring out oil and adding pressure, the flame was light and high enough to illuminate wide area, and it's a precision machine with beautiful shape by using copper and brass. It was disappeared because of the domestic production of oil lamps and increasing of supply of imported oil lamps in the late 19th century. However, the creativity was highly important.

Mr. Hisashige Tanaka (1799 - 1881) is a maker. He was born in Kurume as a remarkable talented child for craft and devoted himself to study in younger days in Osaka and Kyoto. He created Mannendokei (the masterpiece perpetual clock), now property of the National Science Museum, Tokyo. The Mujinto was made when he established a shop called Kikou-do(the Hall of Automata) in Kyoto. He learned western cutting-edge technology at the naval training center at age of 55 and founded the firm, Tanaka Engineering Works, the telegraphic instrument factory designated by the Ministry of Technology, in Tokyo at age of 75. The factory in Shibaura, extended by his successor, Hisashige Tanaka II, was merged into today's Toshiba group by the Mitsui Zaibatsu.

– Text from a sign.

Voyages and Cargo
The Takita family's ships made an average of five voyages per year. Most of these were round trips between Ise Bay and the Edo region, though they would also sail toward the Kamigata region (the Kyoto-Osaka area) about once a year.

For voyages to Edo, the ships would first enter a port near Toba; after checking the weather, they would sail directly toward the Izu Peninsula, stopping at ports such as Shimoda and Mera. From there, they passed through Uraga—where a maritime checkpoint was located—and proceeded into Edo Bay. Under favorable conditions, the voyage between Toba and Shimoda took about one day, while the trip between Ise Bay and Edo took roughly a week to ten days. Voyages to the Kamigata region followed the coastline along the Kumano-nada Sea.

The cargo carried by Tokoname ships was known as *hiroi-ni* ("collected cargo") and consisted of a wide variety of goods.

From the Ise Bay region, they transported items such as rice, Tokoname ware, sake, rice bran, vegetable oil, roof tiles, and dried daikon radish to Edo. All of these were specialty products of the Owari, Ise, and Mino provinces; the operations of Tokoname ships were supported by the high productivity of the area surrounding Ise Bay. On the return leg from Edo, they transported goods such as fish fertilizer and miscellaneous grains (soybeans and wheat) from the Kanto and Tohoku regions to the Ise Bay area and Kamigata.

There were two methods of managing the shipping business: *unchin-zumi* (freight transport) and *kai-zumi* (trading/speculative transport). *Unchin-zumi* involved transporting cargo owned by others in exchange for a shipping fee, providing a stable income. *Kai-zumi* involved transporting and selling goods purchased by the ship operator themselves; the difference between the purchase and sale prices determined the profit or loss. This method carried a greater risk of profit or loss fluctuations depending on market trends. Tokoname ships utilized a combination of these two methods.

– Text from the sign above, read using Google Gemini and translated using Google Translate.

City Directive No. 99
Designation Certificate

Name: Former Takita Family Residence
Quantity: Three buildings (main house, storehouse, and detached building)
Special Notes:

The above is designated as a Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) of Tokoname City pursuant to the provisions of Article 4, Paragraph 1 of the Tokoname City Ordinance on the Protection of Cultural Properties (Tokoname City Ordinance No. 22 of 1976).

April 3, 2000
Tokoname City Board of Education

– Text from the certificate in the photograph above, read using Google Gemini and translated using Google Translate.

Harumi Hanayagi and the "Modern Girl"
Ishi Kasuya, who married Eiji Takita, was an actress known by the stage name Harumi Hanayagi. She was born in 1896 in Toyotsu-machi (now part of Kashima City), Kashima District, Ibaraki Prefecture. In 1918, Hanayagi starred in the films *Sei no Kagayaki* (The Radiance of Life) and *Miyama no Otome* (Maiden of the Deep Mountains). These marked the first instances of a woman appearing in a Japanese film, and she became known as Japan's first film actress. Later, she shifted her focus to the stage, establishing herself as a leading actress at the Tsukiji Little Theatre, which was rebuilt following the Great Kanto Earthquake.

Hanayagi was characterized by her passionate acting style and was described as an actress who projected a strong female presence. Raicho Hiratsuka, an advocate for women's liberation, took note of Hanayagi, who defied the conventional norms expected of women at the time. In her book *Genshi, Josei wa Taiyo de Atta* (In the Beginning, Woman Was the Sun), Hiratsuka wrote: "Harumi Hanayagi was what was known then as a 'Modern Girl'—or rather, a person with a strong 'flapper' personality; she was, indeed, a new type of woman."

The 1920s saw Western culture permeate daily life, giving rise to the "Modern Girl"—a cutting-edge woman influenced by Western lifestyles. A hairstyle that became popular among Modern Girls was the short bob. It is said that Hanayagi adopted this hairstyle around 1923.

Hanayagi met Eiji Takita, who was studying theater at Tokyo Imperial University and was a frequent theatergoer. She retired from the theater world after her final performance in *Isamashiki Shufu* (The Brave Housewife) in July 1929 and went on to live in Nagoya with Takita. She gave birth to her eldest son, Fumihiko, in 1930 and her eldest daughter, Ayuchi, in 1932; in 1939, the family moved to Tokoname, where Eiji’s family home was located. After leaving Tokyo, she had little contact with her former theater colleagues, and consequently, the name of the actress Harumi Hanayagi faded from public memory. She passed away in October 1962 at the age of 66. Her posthumous Buddhist name is "Kaku-shunshitsu-bishin-daishi."

– Text from a sign in the last photograph above, translated using Google Translate.

Maritime Disasters and Faith
In an era when navigational technology was still rudimentary, voyages were fraught with the constant danger of maritime disaster. The waters off Enshu-nada and Kumano-nada were particularly treacherous. Sailors faced risks such as running aground or drifting ashore; in some cases, they lost their lives far from home or found themselves adrift in the vast Pacific Ocean. The Takita family, too, experienced three such maritime accidents between the final years of the Edo period and the early Meiji era.

Believing that deities and Buddhas would guide ships that had lost their way, sailors prayed for safe passage at various shrines and temples, dedicating offerings such as *joyato* (stone lanterns that burned all night), *ema* (votive plaques), and *goma-fuda* (consecrated prayer tablets). Among these sites, Kotohira-gu Shrine in Sanuki and Sumiyoshi-taisha Shrine in Osaka commanded the devotion of sailors from across the country. In the Ise Bay area, Mount Aomine in Shima served as a vital landmark for passing vessels, and Shofuku-ji Temple, located at its summit, was a focal point of sailors' faith.

– Text from the red sign in the photograph above, read using Google Gemini and translated using Google Translate.

Take a peek!
The Cat's Room
Shine your smartphone light inside.

Please
Do not put money inside. 🐾

– Text from the label in the photograph above, read using Google Gemini and translated using Google Translate.

海老天せいろ (Ebi Ten Seiro) — 1,780円
Shrimp Tempura Seiro Soba

穴子天せいろ (Anago Ten Seiro) — 1,780円
Conger Eel Tempura Seiro Soba

海老天おろし (Ebi Ten Oroshi) — 1,800円
Shrimp Tempura Soba with Grated Daikon

穴子天おろし (Anago Ten Oroshi) — 1,800円
Conger Eel Tempura Soba with Grated Daikon

山かけ (Yamakake) — 1,200円
Soba topped with Grated Yam

鬼おろし (Oni Oroshi) — 1,200円
Soba topped with Coarsely Grated Daikon

たぬきおろし (Tanuki Oroshi) — 1,200円
Soba with Tempura Bits and Grated Daikon

鴨汁せいろ (Kamo-jiru Seiro) — 1,680円
Seiro Soba with Warm Duck Dipping Soup

鴨鍋せいろ（冬季のみ） (Kamo-nabe Seiro [Tōki nomi]) — 1,980円
Duck Hot-Pot Seiro Soba (Winter Season Only)

– Text from the menu, translated using Google Gemini.

The kiln
This is a diesel oil-fired down draught type, square kiln, which has six burners, three to each side. During firing the flame at first shot up to the top of the kiln, on both sides, and then down through the stacks of pots, saggars etc, before exiting the kiln through the floor and finally via a short tunnel to the chimney.

This type of kiln started to be used in the late Meiji era-late 19th century-replacing the older Noborigama style kiln. During the Taisho era (1912-1925) the building of this type of kiln spread rapidly, and by 1929 about 86 of them had been built in Tokoname. This particular kiln was built during the Taisho era, rebuilt about 1950, and was in use firing mainly bonsai pots and hibachi, large pots used for warming hands, until about 1982.

– Text from a sign.

Climbing Kiln (Noborigama)
Nationally Designated Important Tangible Folk Cultural Property

This climbing kiln was established in 1887 by a group of 33 potters and remained in use until January 1974. It is known as the "Toeigama" (Toei Kiln), named after a company with which it had close ties. It is a "multi-chamber climbing kiln" featuring eight firing chambers arranged in a stepped formation on a slope of approximately 20 degrees; with a total length of 22 meters and a maximum width of 9.6 meters, it ranks among the largest climbing kilns in Japan. The ten chimneys—tall on the sides and shorter in the middle—were designed to ensure even firing throughout the kiln.

While firewood and pine needles were initially used as fuel, the kiln was modified in the late Meiji era to a hybrid type that utilized both coal and firewood. Later, as coal-fired kilns became widespread, the climbing kilns that once numbered up to 60 in the city were demolished, leaving this single kiln as the sole survivor. It has been preserved and designated as a Nationally Designated Important Tangible Folk Cultural Property (1982) and a Heritage of Industrial Modernization (2007).

– Japanese text from the sign on the right, translated using Google Translate.

Nationally Designated Important Tangible Folk Cultural Property
Noborigama (Toei Kiln)

About the Climbing Kiln (Toeigama)
The introduction of the *noborigama* (ascending kiln) in Tokoname is said to have begun in 1834 (the fifth year of the Tenpo era) during the Edo period, when Masasuke Koie—father of Katahisa Koie—introduced it to enable the efficient production of *mayake-mono* (high-fired stoneware).

The introduction of the ascending kiln was a groundbreaking development, as the "teppo-gama" (gun-barrel kiln or *o-gama* / large kiln)—which had been the mainstream type during the Edo period—made the efficient production of *mayake-mono* difficult.

Records show that an application to build the Toei-gama kiln was submitted to the Governor of Aichi Prefecture in 1887 (Meiji 20), indicating that the kiln was constructed around that time. While the kiln was initially fired using firewood and pine needles, coal began to be used for firing the first chamber in the latter half of the 1890s (late Meiji 30s), and the "hybrid-style" ascending kiln became common in Tokoname.

It is presumed that the Toei-gama was also converted to this hybrid style during that period; consequently, the kiln that remains today preserves the form it took at the end of the Meiji era.

Built on a slope with an incline of approximately 20 degrees and featuring a series of eight firing chambers, the Toei-gama—measuring 22 meters in total length, 9.6 meters in maximum width, and 3.1 meters in maximum ceiling height—falls into the category of large-scale ascending kilns. Records indicate that there were once around 60 such kilns in Tokoname during the late Meiji era.

Subsequently, as the use of coal became widespread in the local industry, the number of ascending kilns declined rapidly, leaving the Toei-gama as the sole survivor. Operations at this kiln ceased following the final unloading of fired ware in January 1974 (Showa 49), and in 1982 (Showa 57), it was designated as an Important Tangible Folk Cultural Property for preservation.

Tokoname City Board of Education

– Text from the sign in front of the kiln, translated using Google Translate.

If you walk up this path and circle the climbing kiln, you can see distinctive features such as the chimneys.

– Text from the sign, below the larger sign in the previous photograph, pointing in this direction, translated using Google Translate.

Firebox
While the original climbing kilns relied on firewood and pine needles for fuel, rising demand in the latter half of the Meiji era led to a shortage of these materials, prompting a shift toward coal as an alternative fuel source. However, constructing dedicated coal-burning kilns required significant capital; consequently, potters sought to cut fuel costs by adapting existing climbing kilns for coal use. This modification involved replacing the single firebox of the first chamber with multiple fireboxes—each equipped with a grate to facilitate coal combustion—thereby creating a hybrid firing system: the first chamber was fired using coal, while the subsequent chambers utilized firewood and pine needles. The firing process for the first chamber took approximately four days and nights, with the entire kiln cycle spanning about eleven days.

– Text from a sign, translated using Google Translate.

A Promenade Featuring Ceramic Sculptures...
Tokoname
Central Shopping District

– Text from the sign in the photograph above, read using Google Gemini and translated using Google Translate.

"Day of Ceramics and Lights" Monument
The thousand-year history of Tokoname ware has been continuously passed down through the spirit and dedication of our forebears, beginning with the founding potter, Hōju Koie. In 2010, we designated October 10th as "Day of Ceramics and Light" (Tō to Akari no Hi). This initiative aims to reflect on the history of Tokoname’s ceramic industry—reaffirming the achievements, great deeds, and artisan spirit of those who came before us—and to serve as a driving force for passing on the traditions and culture of Tokoname ware to the next generation with renewed resolve.

As a commemorative project, the Tokoname Ceramic Sculpture Association (comprising 17 members) created a series of monuments. Three of the four monuments are installed here in front of Tokoname Station, while the fourth is located at the Karakuri Clock Plaza in the Tokoname Central Shopping District (Ichiba-cho, Tokoname City).

[Established December 2010]

– Text from a photo posted to Google Maps of the same sign at Tokoname Station, translated using Google.

Title of Work: Komainu
Artist: Keiko Haneda [Sabaidee]
Installed: February 17, 2006

– Text from the plaque below the sculpture above, translated using Google Translate.

Message
We aim to create products that inspire and move people.

Ceramic Career
1970: Born in Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture
1990: Graduated from the Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Technical School
1992: Built an *anagama* (tunnel kiln) in Kuroyama, Tokoname City
Held two solo exhibitions at Gallery Reina
1993: Held three solo exhibitions at Gallery Okata
1996: Completed a large kiln in Shibayama, Tokoname City
Held two solo exhibitions at Tobien Gallery
1997: Held twenty solo exhibitions at Hōenkan Gallery
1998: Held two solo exhibitions at Gallery Akane
Held a solo exhibition at Gallery Aji
1999: Completed *anagama* kiln No. 3
Held a solo exhibition at Gallery Ashikawa
2001: Held four solo exhibitions at Gallery Tsuchidorobo
Participated in numerous group exhibitions

Tokoname-yaki Kiln: 石水窯 Sekisui-gama
稲葉安信 Yasunobu Inaba
91-7 Chiyo, Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture 479-0041
090-4232-3465

– Text from the sheet above, translated using Google Translate.