Oyane Pottery Shop in Nagasaki Made from Ceramics and Kiln Shelving

the Oyane pottery shop | unless otherwise noted, photos by Takumi Ota

Last year Saikai Toki, and Nagasaki-based ceramics company that specializes in hasami ware, decided to renovate their main shop and showroom. And in doing so, they’ve turned the entire structure into a tribute to the local pottery tradition and rebranded it as Oyane.

the Oyane logo by graphic designer Hokuto Fujii

Oyane means large roof, and is a reference to the large, pitched roof that leads up to the actual shop. The roof imagery is also part of the logo and visual identity created by graphic designer Hokuto Fujii. The structure was designed to resemble a local traditional factory and it’s a place where Saikai Toki holds outdoor workshops and festivals that pair foods with pottery.

photo courtesy Hokuto Fujii

Like the steps leading up to the shop, the concrete floor beneath the roof is made from a mix of concrete and white and blue pottery shards.

Inside the shop, which was designed by Kei Harada, the homage to pottery continues with walls made from stacked bisque ware. Some of the display cases throughout the shop, as well as the counter, are made from traditional stackable shelving used in kilns. The walls, shelving and floor all create a consistent, muted tone throughout the space, but is strategically broken up by organic wooden shelving.

Oyane Shop Gallery & Cafe
2210 Orishikisegō, Hasami-chō, Higashisonogi-gun (Gmap)

If you do visit, we would also recommend adding to your itinerary Maruhiro (Japanese pottery shop with an elevated base made from 25,000 pieces of imperfect ceramics) as well as the Kouraku Kiln (where you can go treasure hunting in their warehouse) as both are nearby.