Tambasasayama

Just two hours from Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe, Tambasasayama feels surprisingly far from city life.
This small town of around 40,000 people is home to a rich blend of history, culture, craftsmanship, agriculture, and everyday community life—offering a side of Japan that is becoming increasingly rare in modern urban areas. 

With a history of more than 800 years, Tamba Ware is one of Japan’s oldest pottery traditions. Today, both traditional potters and emerging young artists continue to shape its future. 

Though not widely known, Tambasasayama has become a place where artists, makers, and craftspeople from across Japan choose to settle.

Studios and galleries can be found throughout the region, creating a unique mix of long-established traditions and a new generation of creative talent. Here, heritage and innovation exist side by side.

Tambasasayama is known throughout Japan for its exceptional food, including rice, black edamame, chestnuts, and other seasonal produce.

Living here means enjoying ingredients at their freshest, often harvested just hours before they reach the table. The changing seasons are reflected not only in the landscape, but also in the food people eat every day.

Tambasasayama flourished as a castle town during the Edo period and still retains much of its historic character today.

Old merchant houses, traditional streets, and carefully preserved neighborhoods offer a glimpse into a slower way of life. History here is not confined to museums—it remains part of everyday life.

Through Yoshi's local connections, some journeys may include visits to respected artists and craftspeople whose studios are not normally open to the public.