Museums

Since ancient times, human beings have created pottery with their bare hands, using fire and natural materials. The skills and knowledge of pottery making have been handed down to this day; pottery is indeed a cultural heritage from past generations. We Okinawans have also cultivated a unique culture of pottery through our interaction with nature and cultural exchange with neighboring countries. The history of Okinawan pottery shows that its role and forms have changed to meet the demands of the times. The main purpose of this museum is to display Tsuboya-yaki (Tsuboya ware) and to illustrate the background of Tsuboya, which has played a significant role in the development of and leads in the production of Okinawan pottery. It is our hope that our exhibitions will help create greater interest in Tsuboya-yaki and Yachimun Alley, which is alongside of the museum, as well as the future prospects of Tsuboya and Okinawan pottery.

The only museum in Okinawa specializing in pottery, the Naha Municipal Tsuboya Pottery Museum showcases the unique pottery culture of Okinawa. The Permanent Exhibition Room on the first floor displays the history of Okinawan pottery from its origins to the present day. Every hour on the half-hour, films providing insights into the work of potters and the memories of the people of Tsuboya are shown in the theater.
The Permanent Exhibition Room on the second floor features various vessels used in daily life with a focus on Tsuboya-yaki (Tsuboya ware), the most famous pottery from Okinawa. Manufacturing methods and techniques are introduced through videos. Multilingual audio guides and captions are available, allowing visitors to enjoy the exhibits in their respective languages. The Tsuboya district, where the museum is located, still has about 10 pottery workshops producing a wide range of Tsuboya-yaki, from traditional designs to modern creations.
The main street, called Tsuboya Yachimun Street, is lined with shops selling pottery, where you can enjoy various types of Okinawan ceramics. There are also cafes and restaurants, some of which serve meals in Tsuboya-yaki dishes. The area is particularly lively in November, when a festival celebrating pottery is held.
The Tsuboya district is also home to many cultural assets, including wells and climbing kilns used since the Ryukyu Kingdom era that still exist today. Among them, the Arakaki Family Residence, a potter's house dating back over 150 years, is nationally designated as an Important Cultural Property.
The Tsuboya district offers the opportunity to enjoy Okinawan pottery and the traditional scenery that has remained since the Ryukyu Kingdom era. How about spending a pleasant day here?

Main works

Bowl depicting plum blossoms and bamboo in overglaze enamel by red color,19th century,Tsuboya Okinawa

In Tsuboya-yaki, glazed items are called "Jo-yachi." This technique is used to create various utensils, including everyday items. Jo-yachi uses red clay as the base, with a coating of liquid white clay to give the surface a white appearance. This allows the colors of the glaze and the painted patterns to stand out vividly. This bowl, decorated with plum blossoms and bamboo in multiple glazes, is a good example of these features. The delicate patterning shows the high skill level of the potters of the period. Only a few bowls of this type have survived, suggesting they were special orders.

Ara-yachi(Unglazed) pot,20th century,Tsuboya Okinawa

Items in Tsuboya-yaki fired without glaze are called "Ara-yachi." Ara-yachi where often used to make everyday utensils, such as jars for storing water and seasoning containers, and supported the daily lives of the Okinawan people. Ara-yachi jars are also used in the production and transport of awamori, Okinawa's unique alcoholic beverage. The containers, filled with awamori, are exported outside Okinawa Prefecture, and after use, they are often repurposed as vases or tea jars. Until the mid-20th century, Ara-yachi was the main product of Tsuboya-yaki, and at its peak, there were said to be as many as 30 Ara-yachi kilns in the Tsuboya area.

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