Here in Tono Gifu Prefecture, with the creativity of the artisans, the pot has been created to represent Japan, such as the leading Japanese pottery, Kiseto, Shino and Oribe. In the Momoyama period during when the culture of tea pottery flourished, Minoyaki continued to be improved upon and has been loved as an art. With the passing of time, the need for the pottery decreased. At the lowest point of its decline, the Minoyaki artisans, in order to pass on the tradition and to make a living, started to produce ceramic ware for daily use. The artisans succeeded in mass-producing a variety of ceramic ware by continuous trial and error. With this achievement Toki city rose to become Japan’s highest ceramic pottery producing city, and revived the industry.

Minoyaki followed along with the trends of the time. Now, once again it is faced with changing trends. The changes in lifestyle and the decreased appreciation of ceramics for daily use have resulted in the decline for its need. Also, cheap mass production of goods coming from overseas has pushed them aside and will continue to occur. Withstanding the situation, Minoyaki will continue on the path to change.

Minoyaki is a timeless art passed on through its tradition and technique. With passion, creativity and challenge, artisans work to make a smoother, high-quality and enhanced design, better for practical use. The uniqueness of Minoyaki will lead to the creation of the next generation of pottery.

With love for the City of Toki, the possibilities of Minoyaki are as infinite as the number of artisans and their pottery.