Ikutouen Yachimun Dojo
壺屋焼窯元育陶園 やちむん道場Craft class
Ikutouen, a Tsuboya pottery run by the Takaesu family for six generations, teaches shisa making and other pottery classes at its Yachimun Dojo on Tsuboya Yachimun Street in Naha from ¥4,400 (2026), with the fired piece posted one to two and a half months later.
Tadashi Takaesu, the sixth-generation head of Ikutouen and a certified traditional craftsman, is known for line-carved tableware and for shisa made from moulds shaped by the fifth-generation master, Ikuo Takaesu. The family's dojo shares the main shop's address at 1-22-33 Tsuboya and works with Okinawan clay and traditional glazes. Shisa making takes 60 to 90 minutes and leaves you with a guardian lion in the Tsuboya style.
Everything has to dry and go through the kiln, so the shop posts your piece one to two and a half months later. The site lists postage only within Japan, from ¥1,000 inside Okinawa and ¥1,400 to the rest of the country, so ask before booking if you need it sent abroad, or have it posted to a Japanese address you trust. Book online in Japanese, and arrive at your booked time.
What they offer
| Offering | From | Duration | Months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shisa making (standing or wall-mounted)Tax included, plus postage from ¥1,000 within Okinawa and ¥1,400 elsewhere in Japan; a colour change adds ¥1,100. Sessions at 10:00, 11:00 and 12:00. The fired piece arrives by post one to two and a half months later. | ¥4,400 / figure | 60–90 min | Year-round |
| Hand-building a vesselTax included plus postage. Six start times from 10:00 to 16:00. A two-session course adds line carving, brushwork or slip decoration from ¥6,930. | ¥4,400 / person | About 90 min | Year-round |
| Painting a plate with traditional glazesPrice for the square plate since 23 July 2026, tax included, plus postage. | ¥4,400 / person | About 60 min | Year-round |
| Shape-only session, unfiredFor visitors who want the experience without a fired piece; same-day only. | ¥2,530 / person | – | Year-round |
FAQ
Quick answers about Ikutouen Yachimun Dojoよくある質問
Can you make your own shisa in Naha?
Yes. Ikutouen's Yachimun Dojo in Tsuboya runs shisa-making sessions of 60 to 90 minutes for ¥4,400 a figure, tax included, plus postage. The fired shisa arrives by post one to two and a half months later.
How does Ikutouen send your pottery home?
By post, one to two and a half months after the class. Ikutouen lists postage from ¥1,000 inside Okinawa and ¥1,400 to the rest of Japan and publishes no overseas rate, so ask before booking if you need the piece sent abroad.
How much does Ikutouen Yachimun Dojo charge?
Ikutouen Yachimun Dojo lists Shape-only session, unfired from ¥2,530 per person.
Does Ikutouen Yachimun Dojo speak English?
Ikutouen Yachimun Dojo works in Japanese.
Is Ikutouen Yachimun Dojo open in winter?
Ikutouen Yachimun Dojo: The dojo runs all year, 10:00–17:00, and the classes are indoors, so a cold or wet February day in Naha suits it well. Plan for the fired piece to reach you one to two and a half months after the class.