Tokoname Pottery Footpath & the Giant Lucky Cat
What makes this tour special
A giant maneki-neko face watches over the walking path, and yes, you'll want a photo. It's friendly, slightly surreal, and very Tokoname — a town that has made cats, pipes and teapots for centuries.
A maze of narrow lanes through the old kiln district, where the walls are built from stacked clay pipes and bottles and the pavement is set with ceramic discs. The famous dokan-zaka slope and the brick chimneys are the heart of it.
Tokoname's reddish, iron-rich clay is what gives those teapots their reputation. Have lunch served on local pieces, then browse the kilns and galleries for one to bring home.
Tokoname sits right next to Chubu Centrair Airport — about twenty minutes door to door. It makes a gentle, memorable last day in Japan before you fly home.
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Overview
Walk the pottery lanes of Tokoname, one of Japan's six ancient kiln towns — black-tiled workshops, brick chimneys and a giant lucky cat. A lovely last day before a flight from Centrair, too.
Tokoname has been making pottery for something like nine hundred years — it's one of Japan's six ancient kiln towns — and walking it is the best way to feel that. The lanes are literally built from old clay pipes and bottles, kept warm by brick chimneys, with a giant lucky cat keeping an eye on everyone.
We drive you down, walk the old quarter together, find you somewhere good for lunch, and leave plenty of time to hunt for a teapot or a cup. And because the airport is right next door, it's an easy, happy way to spend your last day before flying home.
- Great for: craft and pottery lovers, photographers, travellers on their way out of Japan
- Good to know: the footpath has slopes and uneven stone — comfortable shoes really help
- Flying out? We can drop you at Chubu Centrair at the end — just tell us your flight time
- Travelling solo? This price is for two or more — ask us and we'll quote a one-person rate
We collect you from your hotel or a station in Nagoya, or straight from Chubu Centrair Airport, and drive down to Tokoname.
First stop, a photo with Tokonyan — a 3.8-metre-tall maneki-neko face looking out over the path. It sets the tone for the whole town.
About an hour and a half on foot through the old kiln quarter — the dokan-zaka slope walled with clay pipes, the brick chimneys, the climbing kiln. Easy to lose track of time here.
Lunch at an old-house café, then time to look for a piece of Tokoname ware to take home and poke around the galleries and shops. Around two hours, unhurried.
If you'd like, we visit the INAX Live Museum, a lovely set of kiln and tile buildings (admission paid separately). Or simply keep wandering — your choice.
Back to the car.
We drop you in Nagoya, or at Chubu Centrair Airport if you're flying out — the airport is only about 20 minutes away.
Frequently asked questions
What does the price include?
It covers the private round-trip transfer between Nagoya and Tokoname — vehicle, driver, fuel, expressway tolls and parking. The price is per person, tax included, for two or more travellers. Food and drinks are on your own.
Is the INAX Live Museum included?
No. It is an optional stop near the end of the day, and admission is paid separately. If you'd rather keep wandering the pottery lanes instead, that's completely fine.
Can you drop us at the airport for our flight?
Yes. Tokoname sits right next to Chubu Centrair Airport, about twenty minutes door to door, which makes this a gentle last day in Japan. Just tell us your flight time and we'll drop you there at the end.
How much walking is there, and what should I wear?
The Pottery Footpath has slopes and uneven stone underfoot, so comfortable shoes really help. The day runs about seven hours at a relaxed pace.
I'm travelling on my own — can I still join?
The listed price is for two or more people, but just ask and we'll quote a one-person rate.
When do we pay, can we cancel, and which languages do you offer?
You reserve now and pay later, with nothing charged until your booking is confirmed. Cancellation is free up to 11 days before the tour, with a sliding-scale fee after that up to departure. We offer the tour in English, Japanese and Vietnamese and usually reply within one business day.
Cancellation Policy
Free cancellation up to a set number of days before the tour. After that, a cancellation fee applies on a sliding scale up to the day of departure.
Questions about this tour?
Ask us anything — dates, pickup, group size or what to bring. We're a registered travel agency and reply in English, Japanese or Vietnamese, usually within one business day.
Along the pottery lanes
Photos from our own visits.
Reviews
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