Seto, Ceramic manufacturing city in Aichi Prefecture, Japan
Description
Seto sits about 20 kilometers northeast of Nagoya along the river of the same name and is an industrial city with pottery workshops and ceramic factories in hilly surroundings. Production focuses on several districts where kilns, warehouses and showrooms are distributed among residential buildings.
History
In 1242, the craftsman Toshiro Kato established his first kiln after discovering high-quality clay deposits in the northern hills. Production grew over the centuries and made the city one of the most important ceramic centers in Japan.
Culture
The word 'setomono' simply means ceramics in Japanese, because the kilns of this city supplied the country with dishes and vessels for centuries. Visitors encounter this legacy in the workshops, where artisans still work on wheels today and display their finished pieces in the shop windows.
Practical
The Meitetsu Seto Line connects Sakae station in central Nagoya with the city in about 38 minutes of travel. Many workshops are scattered across residential districts, so walking through the streets helps discover the different production sites.
Did you know?
The Maneki Neko Museum houses the largest collection of beckoning cat figurines in Japan, with thousands of specimens from different eras and styles. The exhibition shows how the depiction of the lucky cat has changed over time and what regional variants have emerged.
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Seto Digital Tower
3.3 km
Mount Sanage
7.8 km
Jōkō-ji
6.3 km
Mount Tōgoku
4.5 km
Owaribe Shrine
4.5 km
Aichiken Forest Park
3.2 km
Unkou-ji
5.5 kmAigi Tunnel Group
6.6 km
Mosaic Tile Museum, Tajimi
10.8 km
Fukagawa-jinja
1.8 km
Setogura
1.5 km
The Maneki-Neko Museum
1.8 km
Kamagami-jinja
1.2 kmImamura Castle
1.2 km
Seto City Library
423 m
Seto City Art Museum
1.6 km
Kannō-ji
3.5 km
Kanori Bridge
5.3 km
林昌寺
7.7 km
Ichinokura Sakazuki Art Museum
9.3 km
Seto Ceramics and Glass Art Center
1.6 km
Seto Blue and White Ceramics Center
2.1 kmChâteau de Yokoyamashiro (Owari)
1.9 km
渓雲寺
11.1 km神明社
5 kmKonagasō Pottery Kiln ruins
7.2 km
清昌寺
10.1 km
Minamiyama old kilns
4.3 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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