//
Town in Kantō, Japan
Photo: Creator:Shoji Hamada, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Mashiko (益子) is a rural town in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Mashiko is famous for its pottery, known as Mashiko yaki (益子焼). Mashiko is the site of Saimyoji temple, one of the oldest temples in Tochigi prefecture, and the shrine of the Utsunomiya han, located in Kami-Oba (上大羽).
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
益子参考館
Shoji Hamada's workshop and home turned museum, showcasing about 30 of his works as well as his private collection. Near Hamada's thatched-roof home is a huge climbing kiln. Admission ¥800, Tu-Su 09:30 to 16:00; closed in February.
陶芸メッセ益子
A museum of ceramic arts, displaying works by Shoji Hamada and other potters, not only from Mashiko but around Japan. Admission ¥600, open Tu-Su 09:30 to 16:00.
禅の廊下
An indoor and outdoor museum of statues and artpieces, displaying works by Nandor Wagner a Hungarian sculptor who lived for three decades in Mashiko. There are a spring and an autumn exhibition check for details at wagnernandor.com/indexe.htm.
よしむら農園
Yoshimura Strawberry Park is a family run Strawberry farm in Mashiko, Tochigi ken. You can enjoy all-you-can-eat strawberry picking from as little as ¥1,000. This area has the largest harvest of strawberries in all of Japan and the local brand 'Tochiotome' which is available to pick is the most popular strawberry brand in Tokyo and exported as a luxury brand abroad.
外池酒造店
益子陶芸倶楽部 Mashiko Tōgei Kurabu
A traditional Minshuku style inn and also a pottery studio. Lodging only is ¥3500 a night. Studio use is extra. There are several kilns, including a wood fired noborigama. If you book during the week or "off peak" you might be able to stay in the Minka farmhouse, which has "Western" style toilets. If the Minka is full, you get placed in modern rooms. Large groups can be accommodated. It is located in a convenient spot. Bicycles are available Fax first, Furuki-san can read English and then voice call to confirm.
ペンション 森のガーデン・益子
悠和館
益子舘 里山リゾートホテル
Set 3 km from train service at Mashiko Station, this hot spring hotel ("onsen") is surrounded by countryside. It has a variety of rooms, ranging from clamping tents to Japanese tatami rooms and artistic rooms inspired by Mashiko’s forests and artistic culture. The hot spring can also be used as a daytime visit. Oddly enough, though, it has no lifts or escalators to the baths or to the floor that leads to the sleeping rooms.
益子焼窯元共販センター
A cooperative sales center that sells works by most kilns in town at reasonable prices.
ハービー ヤング 陶房
A small handmade pottery workshop operated since 1984 by an American who first went to Mashiko in 1969 to study pottery making. Tableware, Kitchenware, Flower Arrangement ware. Visitors are welcome, by appointment.
By train
The fastest route is to take the JR Utsunomiya Line from Ueno to Oyama, which takes 42 min by Shinkansen or 82 min by normal train.
By bus
Another alternative is to take the train to Utsunomiya and continue from there by Toya bus directly to Mashiko. The bus stops are in front of the main entrance to the train station.
While Mashiko is small enough to get around on foot, there are also many special attractions surrounding the town, such as pottery studios and workshops, shrines and temples, and noodle shops and gardens hidden up the…
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Omitama · International · IBR
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Mashiko and Japan.
Travel tipsCheck if you need a visa for Japan in 2026. Discover visa-exempt nationalities, eVisa eligibility, stay durations, and how to use Visit Japan Web QR codes.
7 min read
Travel tipsPlan for Japan's new travel costs in 2026. Learn about the ¥3,000 international departure tax, tiered hotel taxes in Kyoto, and Mt Fuji trail fees.
7 min read
Travel tipsComplete 2026 guide to global tourist taxes and access fees. Compare entry fees in Venice, Bali, Bhutan, Kyoto, and Edinburgh, and learn how to pay them.
8 min read
ItinerariesPlan a trip to Japan with kids in 2026. Discover a family-tested 10-day itinerary with theme parks, bullet trains, and practical parenting tips.
8 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.