Tsuboya Yachimun Street
Follow the Heiwa-dori arcade away from Kokusai-dori in downtown Naha, Okinawa, and at the end you will come to what seems like a different world. Tsuboya Yachimun Street does not have all the neon and fashionable style of Kokusai-dori, instead, there is a road paved with limestone and lined with shops that look like an everyday, working neighborhood.
Tsuboya Yachimun Street (photo: jetalone/flickr)
Tsuboya Yachimun Street is the home to several dozen ceramic studios, stores, and galleries. They sell pottery items of all types in all price ranges.
Tsuboya Yachimun Yakimono in Naha (photo: Andrew McLucas/flickr)
About 300 years ago, the Ryukyu administration decided to gather all the potters in Okinawa into one place, and this district has been known for ceramics ever since. Even the name, tsuboya, means “a shop selling ceramic jars.”
Tsuboya Yachimun Street kiln (photo: Andrew McLucas/flickr)
As well as the galleries, there is a Tsuboya Pottery Museum celebrating the history of the area and the unique pottery produced there.
Tsuboya Yachimun Street Shop (photo: Andrew McLucas/flickr)
Tsuboya Yachimun Street Festival is around Culture Day (Bunka-no-hi) and runs every November for several days. It is where the artisans from Tsuboya are paying homage to their heritage. The free festival showcases pottery pieces from the Ryukyu Kingdom Era to the modern day, not only of Okinawa but also arts and crafts will be on display from all over Japan. Hula shows and different dances from around Okinawa can be enjoyed. Much of the pottery and crafts are on sale, and visitors can take in not only pottery making classes, but can experience the challenges of hand-making leather crafts, too. Of course, in Okinawan style, there will be food, lots of it!
Tsuboya Yachimun Street is about 330 meters (about 1000 feet) down Heiwa-dori from Kokusai-dori. The closest public transportation is bus #17, 30, 31, 55, or 112.
