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Program Overview
Porcelain residency at Kouraku Kiln
Since 2013, our residency aims to provide a dynamic platform where international artists and designers can learn, create, and explore amidst the rich cultural and historical backdrop of Arita, the birthplace of Japanese porcelain. Over the years we have welcomed artists from around the globe, creating an ever growing community.
Our program offers an opportunity to immerse yourselves in the 400 years of Japanese porcelain history. To communicate with and learn from traditional Japanese craftsmen and women.
Our residency is a monthly base program. It starts from a 4 week minimum and 3 months (90 days) maximum.
What we offer
The goal of our residency is to give a chance to foreigners to discover, learn about and explore Arita porcelain. We offer lodging, studio space, equipment and technical support in a cultural and historical setting. During your stay you will also learn about Arita’s 400 years of porcelain production. We will guide you through the town's historical sights, museums and famous kilns as part of the residency. You will meet and interact with the local community.
Our program can be adapted to any level of knowledge or skills. Whether you are looking to explore porcelain making for the first time or you are planning to perfect your skills, do hand building, slip casting, potter’s wheel or Japanese enamel decorating, we will assist you in your creation process. You can perfect or learn new skills, creating pieces from start to finish. Or you can concentrate on one specific aspect of the production.
We fire the residents work in our factory gas kilns. At 1300 degree Celsius. The program is all about porcelain and no other types of clay. We mainly work with Amakusa natural stone. If you have never used porcelain or if it is your fist time with natural stone, an adjustment period is to be expected.
Please note we are not a school. There is no daily schedule, course-load or classes. Our main goal is to offer you a creative space to explore traditional Japanese porcelain making in Japan. Our staff is able to teach you beginners and intermediate level wheel throwing, underglaze and overglaze painting, slip casting and jigger jolly.
Master classes* and workshops are available. They are usually given during weekdays but the studio space is available 24h for you to practice and create at your own speed. Our program is ideal for research and creative exploration. Learning from a new culture and connecting with other artists and creators.
As ceramic is intricately part of Japanese culture, we also offer activities related to that aspect. These are pay as you go and vary depending on season and holidays. They are taught by local certified Japanese teachers and we provide the interpretation if needed (English, French, Korean).
*Master classes fees depend on the master.
Arita Porcelain
Our program is focused on Arita porcelain only.
From the beginning of the 17th century, porcelain stone was harvested at Izumuyama, Arita Town’s quarry. For more than 300 years Arita porcelain was made from the Izumiyama stone. Today, the porcelain stone we use come from the Amakusa quarry in Kumamoto prefecture. In both cases it is the natural stone, with no added ingredients that is used for porcelain production.
The porcelain is fired in gas kilns and sometimes in wood kilns, at 1300 celsius. This reduction firing creates a very white porcelain that can have a blue undertone depending on the iron content.
Arita and it’s surrounding towns have been exploiting the whiteness of the porcelain as support for intricate underglaze and overglaze paintings.
Specificities of Japanese porcelain stone
When done properly, it is extremely durable. It has low porosity, is stain resistant and gives a very smooth finish. It can be made thin and has the capacity to be translucent. When fired in a reduction kiln it is very white. Thus creating a bright support for colorful decoration. When thrown on the potter’s wheel, it is often described as soft and butter like. It conduct heat easily but not electricity making it a great electrical insulator.
Because Amakusa porcelain is a natural stone it has limitations. In the glaze firing, It shrink 12% to 15%. Combined with its plasticity, this increases warping and sagging of large pieces. When made think, porcelain can be very heavy.
Program Information
The Program
The residency is dedicated solely to the art and craftsmanship of Japanese porcelain. Technical aspects you can learn in the program include:
Hand building, wheel throwing or slip casting.
Glazing with the kiln's food safe glazes
Painting underglaze or over glaze enamel.
Decal transfer application.
The program covers the firing and glazing costs for the first 40kg of clay, per month.
Since every participants have different needs and projects, there are no set classes or scheduled lessons. You must be at least 20 years old to participate.Duration & Fees
The duration of the program is a minimum of 4 week and up to 12 weeks (3 months).
The Kouraku residency program is a none funded family run business. The fees are based on a 4 week stay, which starts at *360,000¥. It can be adapted to different lengths of stay from 4 weeks up to 12 weeks.
Please note, next available openings for the residency are currently from November 2026.
*maybe adjust after 1st of April 2025
Facilities and housing
The residency accommodation is just a 5-minute walk from the factory and studio.
Residents get a private bedroom.
Shared bathroom, kitchen, living room and laundry.
24/7 access to the studio equipped with potter's wheels, modeling table, slab roller, shelving, up to 40kg of porcelain clay per month, and essential tools.
Staff support is available to help non-Japanese speakers during factory hours.
A bike is provided for easy travel around Arita.
The current maximum of residents is 5 people at any given time.
Porcelain and much more
We also offer guided tours of the town's historical sights, museums and famous kilns as part of the basic 4 week fee.
Pay as you go and Master Classes vary depending on season and holidays.
Traditional potter’s wheel master class, Ikebana classes (flower arranging), Edo-senke tea ceremony, harvesting tea in Nagasaki prefecture, wood firing, among other cultural experiences. *Availability of these activities vary based on the time of year and weather conditions.
If diving into the world of Japanese porcelain sounds tempting, express your interest in a residency with us.
Need more information?
Contact us today for additional details.
