Track B:
Tamba Pottery
Studio Hopping & Shopping Tour

Included in the Fee

• Professional English-speaking guide service

• Private chauffeured car

• Admission fee to Sue no Sato

• Lunch

Not  Included in the Fee

• Optional 30-Minute Pottery Experience (Rakuyaki): additional JPY13,200 per person. Available for a minimum of 2 participants and must be reserved in advance.

• Accommodation

• Personal expenses such as souvenir purchases

Tour availability is subject to the operating schedules of the Tamba Traditional Craft Park Tachikui "Sue no Sato", and the pottery studios visited. 

Typically, tours are available on both weekdays and weekends, except Tuesdays (note that some Tuesdays coinciding with National Holidays may additionally be available).

Please let us know your desired dates (multiple dates are best) as early as possible and we can check availability and get back to you. While we will do our best to respond to last minute inquiries, we are more likely to be able to schedule successfully with 4-week or more advance notice. 

As part of this tour, we’ll customize to your personal taste which of the many working studios you’ll visit.

Please note that times may vary slightly depending on your pickup location.

08:50 AM Meet your guide at a designated pickup location

09:00 AM Depart for Tachikui Village

10:30 AM Arrive at Tachikui Village

10:30 AM Visit Tamba Traditional Craft Park Tachikui "Sue no Sato".
The Kamamoto Yokocho Shopping Area is a co-operative representing more than 50 local studios (kilns and local artisans) belonging to the Tamba-yaki Potter’s association. This shopping area showcases the wide variety of objects and styles (from traditional to modern) that make Tamba pottery so unique and special, with each studio displaying some of their finest pottery available to purchase. As you stroll and shop, you can compare the entirely different styles offered by each studio to find your favourite studios.

12:15 PM Lunch.
Enjoy a homemade lunch at the welcoming local restaurant “Koharubiyori”, located a short drive from the museum. The menu highlights fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced from the surrounding area, with a particular focus on local vegetables. All dishes are served on handcrafted Tamba pottery, allowing you to appreciate not only the flavours of the region but also its ceramic traditions. With advance notice, vegetarian and gluten-free options can be accommodated.

01:30 PM Climbing Kiln Visit.
Experience “Saiko-no-Nobori Gama”, the region's oldest actively used climbing kiln. Note that the Kiln can be enjoyed year-round, but will only be in active use during a limited period in late April to early May, typically as part of the annual Haru Monogatari event held around Japan’s Golden Week.

03:00 PM 30-Minute Pottery Experience (Rakuyaki).
A fun hands-on potteryexperience, suitable for people of all ages and skill levels! Apply a glaze of your choice to an unglazed sake cup, which is then fired on the spot (You’ll take your finished piece home).
Note: This experience is optional. If you’d rather spend more time visiting individual studios and shopping, this section of the tour can be dropped.

03:30 PM Pottery Studio Hopping (Kamamoto Meguri in Japanese).
There are 60+ active pottery studios in Tachikui village. At “Sue no Sato”, you have found your favourite studios. As time permits, we’ll visit some of those studios directly. You can enjoy shopping there, converse with potters, and even commission a unique piece for yourself.

04:30 PM Depart from Tachikui village 

06:00 PM Arrive at your drop-off location / Tour end

Chauffeured Vehicle (Private Driver)

A private chauffeured vehicle will be arranged based on the number of guests. Please note that specific vehicle models cannot be requested.

• Sedan: For 1–2 guests
  (Example models: Toyota Crown Sedan FCEV, Crown Crossover, Crown Hybrid)

• Minivan / Wagon: For 3–4 guests
  (Example models: Toyota Alphard Hybrid, Vellfire Hybrid)

If you have a special request—such as preferring a larger vehicle even for 1–2 guests—please feel free to contact us in advance. We will do our best to accommodate your request, subject to availability.

Pick-up and drop-off can be arranged at the following locations:

• Major stations or hotels located in central Kyoto City, Osaka City, Kobe City, or Takarazuka City

• Kobe Port or Osaka Port

If your preferred location is outside these areas, please contact us in advance. We will be happy to advise whether arrangements can be made. Please note that pricing may vary depending on the location.

For guests who prefer a more independent style of travel and are comfortable using public transportation on their own, this private tour is available as an alternative.

This option is generally more budget-friendly than the private tour with a chauffeured vehicle. Please note, however, that this is a rural area with limited public transportation. Travel logistics and timing would therefore need to be managed independently.

👉 Details of this option. [PDF]

Cancellation Policy (Summary)

• Free cancellation up to 15 days before the tour date (by midnight Japan Standard Time).

• After that (14 days or less before the scheduled tour date), 100% of the tour price will be charged in the event of cancellation.

• No-shows (failure to attend on the scheduled date and time) will also be charged 100% of the tour price.

• No refunds after the tour has started.

• For full details, please refer to our Booking Terms.

Tour Cancellation by Us

• If the tour is cancelled due to bad weather or force majeure (such as typhoons, earthquakes, or major transportation disruptions), 100% of our guide fees will be refunded.

• Other tour-related expenses will be refunded in accordance with the cancellation policies of our service providers. As a result, the majority of tour fees are typically refundable, though some expenses — including the reservation and arrangement fee — may be partially or fully non-refundable.

• For full details, please refer to our Booking Terms.