Kyoto’s Hidden Gems: Contemporary Ceramic Shops

Our Principal Designer Jennifer recently returned from an inspiring trip to Japan where she visited Kyoto in search of the best hand crafted contemporary ceramics from local artisans. Read on as Jennifer spills the tea on her favorite home design shops and shares tips on how to hunt down unique, handmade pieces to add to your ceramics collection.

Kyoto was by far my favorite place to visit during our first trip to Japan. If you are interested in bringing back some one-of-a-kind pieces for your home definitely plan on adding at least one extra day to your itinerary (I wish I had added two). I did some initial online research about where to find contemporary ceramics made by local Japanese artists and sadly did not come up with much. While there are an abundance of articles and blog posts about traditional painted ceramics and porcelain, not many focused on modern and contemporary designs by current artisans. I started my hunt by going to POJ Studio, which stands for Pieces of Japan. This beautiful little shop offers home decor items reimagined for the modern home with a mission to revitalize tradition. With a range of crafts from indigo textiles to carved wood and ceramics, this is a great place to start your journey.

One of my top tips for locating hidden gems in any city I visit is asking store owners for tips on where they shop. Be prepared to go on a few wild goose chases, but that’s part of the adventure! This is how we ended up at oud. in Kyoto – an unassuming shop tucked away at the end of a small alley that is full of rustic, wabi-wabi charm and earthy ceramics. One of my favorite raku vases was purchased here and I wished I had space to bring home larger vessels.

After shopping at POJ Studio and oud. take a cab over to these next two shops which are in walking distance of one another. Stepping into Saisai was truly a ceramic lovers dream! They have an amazing range of ceramics from local Japanese artists, as well as hand-blown glasses and vessels and carved wood trays for the home. I had my largest shopping haul here by far!

We ended our hunt for ceramics at Wakabaya – a lovely, highly curated boutique with a range of ceramic serveware including pitchers, bowls, plates and cups in colorful glazes as well as more earthy finishes. Have another favorite to add? Mention it in the comments!