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Sights in the Echizen Togei
Koen Park and Its Vicinity |
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Echizen
Togei (Pottery) Koen (Park)
Featuring various unique zones such as a nature-rich lawn
zone, a pottery and sculpture zone displaying as many
as 15 works such as a monument "Tsuki-no-kao (Face
of the Moon) " by the late internationally-famous
artist Taro Okamoto, a recreation zone, where you can
relax comfortably, and an entertainment zone. Around the
park are pottery-related facilities and potters' workshops,
making it attractive especially to people interested in
pottery. |
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Tsuki-no-kao (Face
of the Moon)
[1988]
Taro Okamoto (Tokyo)
Born in 1911 in Kanagawa Prefecture, Okamoto is one of representative sculptors
in Japan, especially noted for his work "Taiyo-no-to (Sun Tower)" presented
at the Expo'70 in Osaka. He is known to have continued his work with much enthusiasm
until his death. |
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Rain
Mountain [1992]
Isamu Noguchi(U.S.A.)
Born in 1904 in Los Angeles, Noguchi is an internationally famous sculptor noted
for his works of highly social nature, which have won great admiration worldwide.
Until he died in 1988, he produced many great works now existing in various places
throughout the world, among which is the one displayed in this park. |
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Traverse [1988]
Kyubei Kiyomizu (Kyoto Prefecture)
Born in 1922 in Aichi Prefecture, Kiyomizu graduated from Tokyo University of
Fine Arts and Music and thereafter pursued his study in Italy. He received awards
from various exhibitions including the 13th Antwerp International Outdoor Sculpture
Exhibition. 1988, he presented his work at the Seoul Olympic Outdoor Sculpture
Exhibition. |
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No-ni-tatsu
monument
(Standing in the Fields) [1992]
Mitsuo Kasatsuji (Echizen Town)
Born in 1947 in Echizen Town, Kasatsuji is a representative potter in Fukui
Prefecture. In 1992, his work "Tatakimon Utsuwa" presented at the 30th
Japan Contemporary Crafts and Arts Exhibition was selected for presentation at "Tradition
and Avant-garde - Present-day Japanese Crafts" organized by Frankfurt Museum
of Crafts. |
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Kon-nichiwa (Hello)
[1992]
Mitsuo Oya (Echizen Town)
Resident in Echizen Town, Ohya opened his own "Furai"
kiln in the town when it established what is called a
pottery village in it, including this pottery park, to
revitalize Echizen ware. He has since produced works featuring
the characteristics of the "Old Echizen" style
- earthiness and natural glazing. He received awards from
Fukui Prefecture and Miyazaki Village for his excellent
works. |
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Ten-ni-mukau (Toward
Heaven)
[1991]
Kosuke Kanashige
(Okayama Prefecture)
Born in 1943 in Okayama prefecture to a reputable family of "Bizen (present-day
Okayama Prefecture) yaki" ware, Kanashige graduated from the Tokyo University
of Fine Arts and Music and has developed his artistic activities by producing
works of formative art using clay as their material, taking the lead in creating
a new stream in the tradition of "Bizen" ware. He received an award
from the Japan Ceramics Society in 1994. |
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Chikurin (Bamboo
Grove) Garden
Constituting a conspicuously peaceful and restful part
of the pottery village, the Chikurin (bamboo grove) Garden
is a traditional Japanese garden designed in a go-round
style with bamboo as its theme, featuring the beauty of
bamboo of 29 varieties collected from all over the nation
that you can appreciate under a tranquil and profound
atmosphere. (Admission is 100yen for adults.) |
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Fukui
Prefectural Pottery Museum
Built in a godown style, the Fukui Prefectural Pottery Museum, constituting
the center of the village, displays many works of pottery from the Old
Echizen style to the contemporary Echizen style. The museum is also equipped
with a workshop to offer visitors a course in pottery, providing them
with an experience of making their own Echizen pottery pieces. In addition,
the museum has a teahouse named "Chaen" attached to it, where
you can enjoy the traditional Japanese tea ceremony, actually touching
Echizen ware. To sum up, the museum is complete with the three essential
elements required for appreciation of Echizen pottery - "See, Make
and Touch". |
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Teahouse "Chaen"
Adjacent to the main hall of the museum across a gate roofed with
cypress bark shingles, followed by a passage in a traditional
Japanese dry landscape garden, is a teahouse named "Chaen",
where you can actually use a tea bowl of Echizen pottery to appreciate
the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. (Powdered green tea preparing
service fee: 300yen per person) |
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Echizen
Potters' Village Ceramic Art Center
The Ceramic Art Center is not merely a place equipped
with a hall and a gallery for exhibition of Echizen ware
works, but also is a place designed and planned to provide
more people with an opportunity to learn the culture of
pottery and ceramic art and carry out various activities
related to it in a beautiful natural environment. |
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Ana-gama (Cave
kiln)
The firing normally lasts for as long as six days at a
maximum temperature of 1,300℃, consuming as many as 1,000
bundles of firewood to maintain such high temperatures. |
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Nobori-gama (Climbing
kiln)
(Etsunan Kiln built in Echizen Town for common use)
This kiln, a type of kiln only available in Hongyo of Seto (Aichi Prefecture)
and completed after the potter's great efforts to cope with a fuel (firewood)
shortage, is a reproduction of such a kiln achieved under the direction of Tokuro
Kato, a famous potter of Seto. |
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Echizen town Miyazaki Tourism Association／Address:7-8,
Ozowara, Echizen-cho(town), Nyu-gun(county), Fukui-ken(prefecture)
TEL.0778-32-3200 mail to:echizenyaki@town.echizen.lg.jp |
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