Toki, Gifu

Toki (土岐市, Toki-shi) is a city located in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The city is located on the Honshū island, to the southeast of Gifu City, the prefectural capital. The Toki River runs through the downtown area. Toki is known as one of the largest producers of Japanese pottery. The products made in the region are generally referred as the Mino-yaki. Toki has a sister city arrangement with Faenza, Emilia-Romagna, Italy.

In Spring 2005, Toki was in the national news in Japan when an outlet mall was opened on the outskirts of the city. Malls are a relatively rare thing outside the major cities of Japan, and the city was brought to a standstill after a nationwide advertising campaign attracted people from all over Japan. The city is home to the Large Helical Device, a stellarator investigating plasma physics with an eye towards fusion power generation.

History

The history of pottery making in Toki area appears to have started more than 1,300 years ago. Some kiln traces and earthenware pieces, which are in the 7th century style, have been recovered within the territory of the city. The technical merit and artistic impression reached an acme in the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1568–1614) when crockery for tea ceremony had been produced there. Daimyo feudal lords highly admired such tea vessels, bowls, pots and utensils with unique styles as the Oribe. More emphasis has been put on daily necessities since the early Edo period (1603–1867). By virtue of mass production successfully introduced from the Meiji Era (1868–1912) on, the porcelain and pottery from Toki are now found widely in Japan.