
Seto — Japan's Pottery Capital
Seto has been Japan's ceramics heartland for 1,000 years — so central to pottery that the Japanese word "setomono" (ceramic ware) derives from the city's name. The streets are lined with kilns, galleries, and pottery-themed museums. The Seto Ceramic Fair each September turns the whole city into an outdoor market.
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Seto has produced over half of Japan's ceramic output since the 12th century — 'setomono' is still the generic Japanese word for ceramics. The Suemono-yama preservation area has traditional kilns and workshops. The Seto Ceramics Market (September) brings 300+ artists. The town is 30 min from Nagoya by Meitetsu Seto Line.
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