Maishima Pottery Museum

Opened in 1998 on Maishima—an artificial island in Osaka—Maishima Pottery Museum introduces the techniques for making “Naniwazu-yaki” using large quantities of seabed clay that became unnecessary during construction work for Kansai International Airport. The museum houses Osaka City’s only large climbing kiln (noborigama), where visitors can fire everyday tableware and creative works such as objets d’art. It offers a range of courses, including a beginner-friendly “General Workshop,” an “Intermediate Workshop” for more experienced learners, a “Research Course Workshop,” and the “Naniwazu Workshop,” where even professional ceramic artists study. Osaka was historically known as “Naniwa” and is considered the birthplace of Sueki—one of Japan’s earliest high-fired ceramics. Unlike Haji ware (hajiki), which is porous and allows water to seep through, Sueki was created through technological innovations introduced from the Korean Peninsula. Because Sueki can crack if placed directly over fire, people used Haji ware as an intermediary to steam rice and other foods—an innovation that changed the diet of people in the Kofun period. The museum explains the origins of Sueki and Naniwazu-yaki in an easy-to-understand way, making it popular not only with pottery enthusiasts but also with general visitors.