“Tsugaru-yaki” is a traditional craft of the Hirosaki and Tsugaru region.

We’ve prepared a special package that allows you to fully immerse yourself in its charm.

Move beyond a typical sightseeing trip that feels like a stamp rally, and embark on a journey where you can deeply experience the region’s traditional culture.Why not try a special “Tsugaru-yaki” experience that lets you connect with the traditions of Hirosaki and Tsugaru?

■What Is Tsugaru-yaki?

The Tsugaru Plain—a “paradise of the north”—is surrounded by the sacred Mount Iwaki to the west and the peaks of the Hakkoda Mountains to the east. When the long, harsh winter ends, beautiful cherry blossoms bloom in full splendor, and as the drums of the Neputa Festival ring out, people pray for a bountiful harvest of apples and rice.Tsugaru-yaki is the pottery created by the people who live there—the “Tsugaru-shu”—which has withstood the rigors of daily use while incorporating their unique aesthetic sensibilities. Its history began in Genroku 4 (1691), when Lord Tsugaru Nobumasa, the fourth lord of the Tsugaru Domain, summoned potters from Edo and established kilns throughout the domain. While in many other domains, pottery was produced as a luxury item, Tsugaru-yaki was, above all, an everyday utility. The characteristics of Tsugaru-yaki—its simplicity and the way it blends seamlessly into daily life—were cultivated from this very beginning.

(Source: Tsugaru Chiyozou Kiln Official Website)

■ About Tsugaru Chiyozou Kiln

We carry on the tradition of Tsugaru-yaki without pretension, allowing it to blend naturally into the lives of people living in the modern world.Just as organic food gently permeates the body, it blends softly and gently with your hands, eyes, and heart.Tsugaru Chiyozou Kiln continues to create such ceramics, while remaining committed to using local materials.After the workshop, you can purchase souvenirs at the attached gallery, “Yokyuan.”

(Source: Tsugaru Chiyozou Kiln Official Website)

■ Introducing the Artist

Gaku Sato

Born in Sendai in 1983. Since 2001, he has studied under Haruhisa Oyama at the Tsugaru Chiyozou Kiln. He has held numerous solo and group exhibitions.He has also collaborated extensively with artists from other genres and is gaining attention as one of Hirosaki City’s rising young craft artists.While driven by his passion to “raise awareness of Tsugaru-yaki,” his hobbies include movies, reading, music, and video games.

(Source: Tsugaru Chiyozou Kiln official website)

■ Experience Schedule

Day 1: Check in on the second floor of Guesthouse ORANDO.

*Since this is a room-only stay, please arrange your own meals. The downtown area is nearby, and there are many restaurants just a short walk away,so we recommend enjoying Tsugaru’s local cuisine. If you’d like recommendations, please ask the staff when you check in.

Day 2: 10:00 AM: Check out from the second floor of ORANDO

　　　 10:30 AM: Arrive at Tsugaru Chiyozou Kiln

Upon arrival: Explanation of Tsugaru-yaki & hands-on workshop

At a later date: Firing and mailing of your pieces

■Items You Can Make (Examples)

Pots, rice bowls, mugs, etc.

Color: White or black (The blue shown in the image above is an additional option; you can change the color.)

■Pricing and Options

Workshop Fee: 3,500 yen

Available Options

① Glaze Color Change (Blue/Green)

Per person: 1,000 yen

You can change the color of your finished piece from the standard white or black to blue or green.

② Firing a Second Piece

Per person: 2,000 yen

While you can make 2–3 pieces per person on the electric potter’s wheel, only one will actually be fired and take shape.

If you’d like to have a second piece fired, please select this option when making your reservation.

*Both options can also be added on-site.

■ Highlights

・Enjoy a pottery experience using an electric potter’s wheel while receiving one-on-one instruction directly from a master artisan.

・You can create your very own piece using “Tsugaru materials”: clay from Akudo in Hirosaki City and other parts of Tsugaru; a straw ash glaze blended with apple wood ash from Aomori Prefecture, made from straw provided by local farmers; and Tsugaru pine wood for firing in the kiln.

■ Booking Period

Early July 2026 – End of November

■ Other Information

・Reservations are made on a request basis; your reservation is not confirmed until you receive a confirmation email from the inn.

・The experience is available for a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 4 people per day.

・Inn staff will not accompany you to Chiyo-zou Kiln, so you will need to make your own way there using public transportation or a car.

・If you add optional extras on the day of the experience, payment can be made by credit card or QR code.

・Your finished piece will be mailed to you via cash on delivery as soon as it is fired. (Shipping is generally limited to within Japan.)

・We will provide you with an emergency contact number on the day of the experience. If you are running late or encounter any other issues, please be sure to contact us.

・There are three free parking spaces available at the experience venue.

■Directions from the Second Floor of ORANDO to Chiyozou Kiln

Address: 4-11-3 Jonan, Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture 036-8232

○ From the Second Floor of ORANDO → Chiyozou Kiln

① Bus + Walk (Fare: 260 yen)

9:50–9:53　Walk from the second floor of ORANDO to Hirosaki Chamber of Commerce and Industry

9:55–10:04　Bus (Route 154 Hamano-machi–Yasuhara Line, bound for MaxValu Yasuhara Store) from Hirosaki Chamber of Commerce and Industry to Sanchu-mae

10:04–10:20 Walk In front of Third Middle School → Tsugaru Chiyozou Kiln

② By Car

14 minutes

〇 Chiyozou Kiln → Second Floor of ORANDO

① Bus + Walk (Fare: 200 yen)

11:30–11:50 Walk Chiyozou Kiln → Kikyono Jumonji　

11:50–12:00 Bus Route 181 Midorigaoka Loop Line (bound for Hirosaki Station) Kikyono Jumonji-mae → Hirosaki Chamber of Commerce and Industry

12:00–12:03 Walk Hirosaki Chamber of Commerce and Industry → Second floor of ORANDO

② By car

14 minutes