EDGY School: Tajimi City Pottery Design And Technical Center
by Hiroki Yanagisawa on July 8, 2010 7:47 PM
The best place to learn production skills and techniques of ceramics.
Many non-Japanese people travel over to Japan to study Japanese or perhaps, science and engineering at the top-notch institutions.
Here's a new opportunity for those of you who've mastered Japanese, and are into craftsmanship.
There is a prefecture-run school of pottery, offering 2 years of intensive pottery experience -- Tajimi City Pottery Design And Technical Center is the place to be.
Tajimi City in Gifu is a hub of Mino ceramic ware, which has nearly 1000 years of history on ceramics production. Mino area is one of the dominant producers in Japan, accounting approximately 50% of the country's ceramics production. Because of this significance of the industry in the region, the city established Tajimi City Pottery Design and Technical Center in 1959.
Many non-Japanese people travel over to Japan to study Japanese or perhaps, science and engineering at the top-notch institutions.
Here's a new opportunity for those of you who've mastered Japanese, and are into craftsmanship.
There is a prefecture-run school of pottery, offering 2 years of intensive pottery experience -- Tajimi City Pottery Design And Technical Center is the place to be.
Tajimi City in Gifu is a hub of Mino ceramic ware, which has nearly 1000 years of history on ceramics production. Mino area is one of the dominant producers in Japan, accounting approximately 50% of the country's ceramics production. Because of this significance of the industry in the region, the city established Tajimi City Pottery Design and Technical Center in 1959.
Currently, the center offers 2 different types of program. A 2 year program, designated for students without any past experiences in ceramics, has two concentrations, one being design (with an emphasis on production and management) and the other being crafting (art-like, seeking for possible artistic expressions with ceramics).
Works by crafting course students
For the experienced ones, the center offers 1 year ceramics laboratory program, acquiring and expanding further expressions with advanced technology and technique.
Its selectivity is high. Each year accepts 10 students each for design and crafting program, and the maximum of 5 researchers for the lab.
Most of the graduates, 80% of them, stay in Tajimi area and continue their creations/productions in the private/public sector, or freelance.
"In the past, we've had students from Malaysia and Korea. But in order to study at the our center, the fluency of Japanese is must. In fact, both of them studied at the other Japanese institution beforehand."
Naho Yamashita, a lecturer of the center said.
It's no surprise, because the 2 year program literally covers everything you need to know about the production of ceramics, form mixing clays to design to firing the products in a kiln, meaning students will acquire many processes in a relatively short period of time. But it's result -- well-prepared talents for the industry when they finish the course.
The future talents.
To those interested, the center accepts the application from November for next year's entry. (April.)
Tajimi City Pottery Design And Technical Center
Works by crafting course students
For the experienced ones, the center offers 1 year ceramics laboratory program, acquiring and expanding further expressions with advanced technology and technique.
Its selectivity is high. Each year accepts 10 students each for design and crafting program, and the maximum of 5 researchers for the lab.
Most of the graduates, 80% of them, stay in Tajimi area and continue their creations/productions in the private/public sector, or freelance.
"In the past, we've had students from Malaysia and Korea. But in order to study at the our center, the fluency of Japanese is must. In fact, both of them studied at the other Japanese institution beforehand."
Naho Yamashita, a lecturer of the center said.
It's no surprise, because the 2 year program literally covers everything you need to know about the production of ceramics, form mixing clays to design to firing the products in a kiln, meaning students will acquire many processes in a relatively short period of time. But it's result -- well-prepared talents for the industry when they finish the course.
The future talents.
To those interested, the center accepts the application from November for next year's entry. (April.)
Tajimi City Pottery Design And Technical Center
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