Visit Gifu: MINO CERAMIC PARK, TAJIMI, GIFU PREFECTURE

MINO CERAMIC PARK, TAJIMI

Japan probably has the largest number of ceramic museums in the world. There are some incredibly fine museums dotted throughout the country both arge and small; some devoted toa single potter while other cover one particular style or region. There are also many museums that fall somewhere in between.

In 2002, a new ceramic museum opened in Tajimi as part of the larger Ceramic Park complex, just a short drive north from the JR Line's Tajimi Station, and just down the road from the Gifu Prefectural Ceramic Museum. In the Ceramic Park complex is the wonderful Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, hwich I recently visited. The museum building, designed by Arata Isozaki, compliments its natural surroundings and gives the visitor a feeling of being quite close to nature. focused on the theme of modern ceramic arts, the museum collects modern and contemporary ceramic works from within Japan and around the world. The museum's goal is to hold a variety of exhibitions and events in the future. In order to promote a new culture of ceramics, the museum also plans to collect and exhibit utilitarian ceramics, an area much overloked by other museums, as well as industrial ceramics from the area of modern design.

The museum is set on the side of a hill and is possibly one of the finest ceramic museums in the world with its natural lighting and large rooms intermixed with smaller galleries. the building is set in the side of a hill and is largely below ground. A lovely cascade of water flows outside and creates a delightful, refreshing and peaceful scene. Certainly it is a wonderful place just to sit and enjoy the surroundings and quite nice for a picnic as well.

Before one getts to see any of this however, one must take a walk through a long ceramic tunnel, the ceiling of which is covered with ceramic shards which look as if they might fall at anymoment; yet, it does not appeary shoddy in any way.

There are various levels (down) there is an excellent gift shoop, galleries, and classroom areas wehre visitors may take classes in the making of ceramic art.

The main entrance to the Ceramic Park complex from the highway.

The main parking lot and entrance to the complex.

The covered walkway/bridge to the main complex. Shards of ceramics line the ceiling.

The main entrance to the museum and gift shop.

An expensive uribe ash try. There are many of these spread throughout the complex.

Part of the lower waterfall and park area.

Covered walkway leading to the reflecting pond.

At the far side is a teahouse for tea ceremonies.

View of a corner of the reflecting pond from oneof the many covered walkways.

The central area of the complex and reflecting pond.

Waterfall made from ceramics tiles and pieces from the local artists.

Looking south over the waterfall.

The observation tower, high on the hill above the complex.

View from the obsrvation tower.