Experience the beauty and philosophy of Japan
A Japanese countryside town.
A trip to encounter the real Japan.
The town of Ibe is in Okayama prefecture.
It is located west of Osaka and east of Hiroshima.
Osaka is a popular city for foreigners, and Hiroshima is one of only two cities in the world where an atomic bomb was dropped in war, making it a very historically worthwhile place to visit.
Okayama is located in between them.
If you want to go, Okayama itself is easy to get to.
Now, Ibe is about an hour away from the center of Okayama by local train. The closer you get to Ibe, the more you will encounter the Japanese countryside, and you will experience a fascinating time slip.
The streets of Ibe are not tourist destinations, and the real traditional Japanese streets remain. This scenery alone is worth coming to, but there is an incredible secret hidden here.
That is Bizen ware.
What is Bizen ware? Most people will have never heard of it before, but if you like pottery, the name will have a certain sacred ring to it.
Bizen ware refers to the oldest and most traditional pottery techniques.
In a country with a long history, traditional Japan, Bizen ware still inherits the oldest and most historical techniques.
In other words, through Bizen ware, you can better understand and experience the history and philosophy of Japan since ancient times.
Here is a simple explanation of Bizen ware. It is pottery made only with clay, without any artificial coloring such as glaze.
It is the art of clay and the faith of nature.
The clay is made from scratch by the potter, and then it is fired for 14 long days using only natural fire and pine charcoal. The Bizen ware that is completed in this way is unique and not one of a kind.
I will talk more about Bizen ware in another article.
Now, the town of Ibe is the birthplace of Bizen ware.
And even today, a lot of Bizen ware is still made in the town of Ibe.
If you visit the town of Ibe, you will have the opportunity to meet and speak to many of the artists face to face.
Many of the artists are fluent in English, and foreigners visit the town every week.
You should definitely experience Bizen ware.
Feel with your own eyes and hands the beauty and philosophy that has been handed down since ancient times in Japan.