A tiny mountain village with a rich history of Japanese ceramics.
Onta is famed as much for its approach to making ceramics as the work itself. The village dates back 300 years and little has changed in the production methods since then. The area thunders with repetitive banging as the river-powered kara-usu (large wooden hammers) are used to break up the earth and extract the clay.
Production is based around 10 main families, each with their own kiln and shop. Unlike most producers in Japan, pieces are never signed by an individual or house, but with the sign of the Onta village.
Onta-ware traditionally consists of utility vessels such as bowls, plates, and tea cups. The village was associated with the Mingei “folk art” and figures like Yanagi Sōetsu, Hamada Shōji, Kawai Kanjirō and the English potter Bernard Leach, who stayed in Onta for several weeks in 1954.
The road up to Onta is part of the experience. Small winding roads get increasingly steep so take care and please note that you may require snow chains in winter.
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