YUtour
5
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Full view
About
Hi! We are a vibrant tour operator, which specializes in interactive, informative, experience-oriented private tours in Shiga Prefecture. For more details and for reservation, please visit our website.
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5.0
80 reviews
Excellent
79
Very good
1
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Elviajero_TA
Phoenix, AZ2 contributions
Feb 2020
If you enjoy making ceramics, collecting ceramics or just interested in the topic, this is a fabulous place for a day trip from Kyoto. First, your guide Seita is fabulous, his English is perfect and his knowledge of the area, ceramics and the best studios to visit will ensure a worthwhile day. Unfortunately for me the Miho Museum was closed (Dec-Mar) and there was no opportunity to work with a potter so I could make some pieces of my own, but, Seita let me know both of these issues before accepting my payment. Seita saved me at least one hour navigating the 3 trains from Kyoto to Shigaraki. I had an amazing day visiting the smaller Shigaraki museum, going to a ceramics supply store to pick up tools and supplies I can’t get in the US, spending time at the Ceramic Cultural Park to visit all their kilns and meet the artists in residence and visit many studios/homes of the great local potters to learn even more and purchase pieces. It is an experience I will never forget, all because of Seita’s knowledge and experience in Shigaraki.
Written 18 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Elviajero_TA-san, thank you very much for writing the wonderful review about my service! I really appreciate it. It was fun for me to guide you, a very enthusiastic potter, around my favorite Shigaraki. I also enjoyed our "ceramic talk" throughout the day. Thank you for teaching me about porcelain and paper clay. I learned lots of new things! It was very sorry that we were not able to make our own pottery. Next time, let's try our hands on local clay for sure and visit more studios to see more pottery masterpieces (maybe we need a couple of days!). I hope you enjoy using the ceramics and tools you got in the town. Arigatou gozaimasu again for the wonderful day. Looking forward to seeing you again on your next trip to Japan!
Seita
Written 21 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
tessiselated
Melbourne, Australia32 contributions
Nov 2019
I have a weird love for tanuki, and tanuki statues, and and as a result I really wanted to get to Shigaraki Pottery Village.
Seita-san was an engaging, interesting and knowledgeable tour guide. From the geographic forces that had formed Shigaraki, to the history of their artisans, the pottery techniques and work of current artisans in the town.
He was flexible, and able to take me past a few extra tanuki statues 😄
I learned so much more than I expected, met many fascinating locals, and the tour was definitely a highlight of my trip.
Seita-san was an engaging, interesting and knowledgeable tour guide. From the geographic forces that had formed Shigaraki, to the history of their artisans, the pottery techniques and work of current artisans in the town.
He was flexible, and able to take me past a few extra tanuki statues 😄
I learned so much more than I expected, met many fascinating locals, and the tour was definitely a highlight of my trip.
Written 11 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, tessiselated-san, thank you so much for the positive review! I've visited the town hundreds of times, but I think on the tour with you I saw the most tanuki statues per day in my life :-D. I really enjoyed seeking ceramic tanuki in the town, as well as introducing my favorite local potters to you. When we ended the tour, I felt that we had met so many "creatures" in a day! I have shipped tanuki statues you bought and the ceramics you made in the town. I hope you love them! Arigatou gozaimasu for taking my services.
Seita
Written 4 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
liz
31 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
We had a lovely day with Seita-san. He organised the day very well and was very helpful in advance. His English is excellent and he is great company. We went to the Miho museum and then to Shigaraki to visit various potteries and go to a pottery supply shop. Miho is definitely worth visiting. The objects are incredible. We ate a pleasant lunch in the museum restaurant. If you are interested in pottery and having the opportunity to visit working potteries and meet the potters (we met a 6th generation potter in Shigaraki) then I would highly recommend this trip. The pottery supply store is interesting too as it had items not available in the UK.
Written 16 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi liz e-san, arigatou gozaimasu for the great review of my tour. I am sorry for my reply being late! I had a truly great time guiding you two to Miho Museum and my favorite places in Shigaraki. I remember the weather was so friendly to us throughout the day. Under the blue sky, the autumn leaves in Miho Museum were one of the bests I had ever seen there! It was also very nice for me to see the pottery artists we met in Shigaraki looked enjoying seeing your passion for ceramics and responding to it 😊. Enjoy the tools you got at the supply shop (as well as the additional tong!)
Seita
Written 28 June 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Skye Y
Honolulu, HI2 contributions
Apr 2023 • Solo
I experienced the Full day in Shigaraki Pottery Town and it was an unforgettable experience. Even before the tour started, YUtours was so accommodating and flexible with my schedule, and I really appreciated the customization and catering in what I wanted out of the tour. Unfortunately the weather wasn't the greatest, however YUtours was still optimistic and we were able to continue the tour as if nothing was wrong. It was great to visit the different artists and galleries and simply see all the hidden gems Shigaraki had to offer. I am grateful for booking this tour and being able to have a translator to exchange stories with the people that worked and lived in Shigaraki. Thank you YUtours for such a great day and allowing me to see the true lives and nature of Shigaraki.
Written 4 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Skye Y-san, thank you so much for writing such a great review. The tour was already two months ago, but I can clearly remember the great time I had with you in Shigaraki. It was really fun and pleasing to see you and local ceramic artists sharing each other's experiences. I am sure your enthusiasm for pottery evoked more smiles and deeper conversations from them. The video clip of you and the local potter sitting next to each other and throwing on pottery wheels is one of my best favorites of photos/videos I took in my over ten-year experience of guiding :-). It would be a big pleasure for me if the tour gave you any inspiration to your creative work, and if you keep interests in Shigaraki. Hoping to see you again someday!
Seita
Written 18 June 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ted K
1 contribution
Dec 2023 • Family
Seita Mori from Yutour was our guide recently, when we visited Miho Museum and then ancient pottery kilns in Shigaraki nearby. Here, we visited the Kilns of Takahashi Rakusai, who has been designated a national treasure of Japan. His family have been making pottery in the Shigaraki area for nearly 500 years. We were able to purchase one of his beautiful pieces of pottery which was beautifully packed and posted to us in Australia.
We were invited into their home and were served Matcha tea and sweets. They were such gracious and hospitable people and this was even before even thought about purchasing one of the beautiful pieces of pottery.
Seita speaks excellent English and his knowledge about the Museum building itself and about the collection of antiquities in the Miho Museum was fantastic. The Miho Museum was designed by the famous architect I.M. Pei, who designed the glass entrance to the Louvre. It is absolutely awe inspiring and if you are visiting Kyoto it is only a 1 hr car transfer or a train ride from Kyoto. It is built in the mountains surrounding Kyoto and seeing the last of the autumn colour was also a beautiful sight. I believe it also beautiful in the Spring with the cherry blossoms.
Seita also booked a wonderful local restaurant in Shigaraki called Matsumian where we cooked our own rice in pottery vessels at our table. The owners grow their own rice locally. We then ate the most delicious lunch in pottery bowls from some of the local potters. It was absolutely the highlight of our visit to Kyoto.
I believe Seita also organises other local tours, which if we had had more time we would certainly have undertaken with him. He was fanastic!
We were invited into their home and were served Matcha tea and sweets. They were such gracious and hospitable people and this was even before even thought about purchasing one of the beautiful pieces of pottery.
Seita speaks excellent English and his knowledge about the Museum building itself and about the collection of antiquities in the Miho Museum was fantastic. The Miho Museum was designed by the famous architect I.M. Pei, who designed the glass entrance to the Louvre. It is absolutely awe inspiring and if you are visiting Kyoto it is only a 1 hr car transfer or a train ride from Kyoto. It is built in the mountains surrounding Kyoto and seeing the last of the autumn colour was also a beautiful sight. I believe it also beautiful in the Spring with the cherry blossoms.
Seita also booked a wonderful local restaurant in Shigaraki called Matsumian where we cooked our own rice in pottery vessels at our table. The owners grow their own rice locally. We then ate the most delicious lunch in pottery bowls from some of the local potters. It was absolutely the highlight of our visit to Kyoto.
I believe Seita also organises other local tours, which if we had had more time we would certainly have undertaken with him. He was fanastic!
Written 15 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi tedkE1249OG-san, thank you so much for taking your time to post the review of my tour. It is a big honor for me that you mentioned it was the highlight of your visit to Kyoto. I enjoyed guiding you to MIHO Museum, Mutsumian, and Takahashi Rakusai-san’s studio (all are my favorite places!). Also thank you for asking many questions. As I said, many of your questions were new, eye-opening, and pleasant to be asked for me. I hope I can see you again and see your son on another tour to Shigaraki someday. There are many places I want to take you to in the area!
Seita
Written 28 June 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Baroqu
Nuremberg, Germany15 contributions
Apr 2023
Seita himself was wonderful. It felt like we were touring with a good friend. He is warm, caring, highly knowledgeable, and responsive to all our requests. He speaks beautiful English and he shared many meaningful details during our magnificent visits to the Miho Museum outside of Kyoto and to hidden gems near the Bamboo Forest. We even experienced the Bamboo Forest with no other tourists because Seita took us to a magnificent trail where we could feel its magic without the commotion of others. We spent only two days with him in the Lake Biwa area (Shiga Prefecture), which includes Kyoto and surrounds, after our commercial group tour that began in Tokyo. We were in Japan for 20 days and it was the two days with Seita that were the highlight of our experience. We have been traveling for decades. Seita is the best guide we have ever had.
Written 3 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, Emily O-sam, thank you a million for writing such a wonderful review! It made me feel honored, and raised the beautiful memory of our trips. The meeting itself was really nice especially after a three-year postponement (we had exchanged lots of emails!), and the following two days were full of fun and pleasure, as I had expected :-). I felt as if I was walking and talking with my friends, too! I also would like to thank your cousin for bringing me such a wonderful encounter with you. Please bring my best wished to him! Hope to see you again, and have a great time with you in the near future! Seita
Written 2 June 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jessica C
Toronto, Canada4 contributions
Sept 2023 • Family
My brother and I have booked the Hata and Harie tour in Sep 2023 after watching a great documentary narrated by David Attenborough on Satoyama years ago. We had such an amazing experience, where we saw a few kabatas at locals' homes at Harie and even had lunch at one of those homes. The views of Hata and Harie were beautiful. The community feeling you get from these locals are close, friendly, helpful, and thoughtful.
Seita, our tour guide, is very knowledgeable, caring, and speaks English well. He is very open, patient, and easy to talk to. I was able to ask him many questions regarding Japan and the culture. He knows quite a few of the locals, which we thought was very nice.
Thank you, Seita, for giving us such a wonderful experience!!
Seita, our tour guide, is very knowledgeable, caring, and speaks English well. He is very open, patient, and easy to talk to. I was able to ask him many questions regarding Japan and the culture. He knows quite a few of the locals, which we thought was very nice.
Thank you, Seita, for giving us such a wonderful experience!!
Written 9 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi cheongj196, thank you very much for taking time to write such a wonderful review! Thanks to your cooperation, I could complete the tour quite smoothly despite the abrupt train cancelation, I had a great time throughout the tour. I also enjoyed being asked questions, because all your questions reflect how and in what aspect our Japanese life & culture are unique. I hope we can see each other again, and talk a lot together! Seita
Written 11 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Chakranita99
Minato, Japan2 contributions
Sept 2022
This was a perfectly organized and executed tour of Shigaraki Pottery Town. Seita-san is a true professional. He prepared in advance, to ensure the trip was exactly tailored to my interests. No detail was left to chance, which meant not only no negative surprises, but the whole experience was relaxed and unfolded naturally. His English is perfect, and he cheerfully translated conversations with the locals, who were charming and happy to have a visitor after 2+ years of no tourism. I highly recommend YUtour and Seita-san for a visit to Shiga prefecture. You will not be disappointed!
Written 27 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for writing such a wonderful review, Chakranita99-san! I was very glad to have you as the first guest on the long-awaited day of restarting my guiding work. In the morning of the day of our trip, I was a little bit worried if I lost my taste somewhat in the two-and-a-half years long blank period, but once our tour started, I forgot about that completely and just enjoyed talking and walking around Shigaraki with you. Thank you for the wonderful time. Enjoy the pottery you got in Shigaraki! Looking forward to seeing you again.
Seita
Written 30 September 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Patty
San Mateo, CA8 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
Seita our YUtour guide provided the experience we were hoping for, and even more! He is very kind and friendly and easy to talk to, it almost seemed like a “friend” was showing us around. His knowledge and organized planning were superb. We went to the Miho Museum and visited some well known potters in Shigaraki. A highlight on the tour was a request I had was to visit an artist and have a short lesson making a piece with the local clay. What a fantastic day! Arigatou Gozaimasu Seita! Patty &John
Written 27 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Patty & John, thank you very much for the great review which means a lot to me. Our tour was twelve-hour long, but time flew by so fast as we were talking each other, meeting pottery artists in Shigaraki, and trying our hands on the local clay 😊. I cannot be glad if you would remember the places we visited on the tour for the future and come back there again one day. Domo arigatou gozaimasu! Seita
Written 31 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lisa D
1 contribution
Jul 2023
The "Harie -- Village of Springs Tour" provided by Seita was, by far, the best tour we experienced during our four-week trip to Japan.
Seita allowed us time to stop and take pictures, allowed us the opportunity to ask questions as needed, and provided us with wonderful insight into the area. He was approachable, kind, and patient (we had a LOT of questions).
His tour is well thought out and planned. It also allowed for us to take our time as we meandered through the village. He introduced us to local foods, local people, and made us truly fall in love with the area.
Seita allowed us time to stop and take pictures, allowed us the opportunity to ask questions as needed, and provided us with wonderful insight into the area. He was approachable, kind, and patient (we had a LOT of questions).
His tour is well thought out and planned. It also allowed for us to take our time as we meandered through the village. He introduced us to local foods, local people, and made us truly fall in love with the area.
Written 15 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, DwinalL. Thank you very much for taking the tour in July and writing such a great review! I am really glad to know that you enjoyed the tour that much :-). I too enjoyed the day with you! I still looked back on our walking in Harie in the hot, humid summer weather, and our talking about wide variety of topics throughout the day. It means a lot to me that you fell love with the village. I will deliver your message to the locals.
I hope we can see each other again on your second trip to Japan someday!
Seita
Written 1 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
No questions have been asked about this experience