Potters Lane lies at the end of an unpaved road, sheltered by a grove of Nara, Japanese oak, in Kuroiso, Tochigi Prefecture . This is a part of Japan that has long been celebrated for its natural beauty, and today it forms part of the Nikko National Park . Rugged mountains dominate the horizon, among them Mt. Chausu in Nasu (20km from Potter's Lane). The smoking crater of this active volcano is a famous sight, and the brave can visit its summit by cable car.

A welcome aspect of the region's volcanic heritage is the hot springs that dot the landscape. Some of my favourites are to be found in the Shiobara valley, a 15km drive from Potters Lane . Shiobara is known for its scenic splendour, especially in spring and autumn, and for rotenburo, open-air spas alongside the river. While most are run commercially, quite a few lie just off the road, in the woods, and can be enjoyed for free.

Nasushiobara is also known for agriculture. Dairy farming was promoted by Shuzo Aoki (1844-1914), a famous diplomat of the Meiji period, who established a farm here in 1881. He also built the "Aoki Tei", just three kilometres from us, a country villa dating from 1888. Its elaborate European design and structure draws many visitors. In fact, this part of Japan is a year round destination: an escape from the heat of Tokyo in summer, great for hiking in spring and autumn, and a famous ski area in winter. Perhaps our most distinguished visitors are the members of imperial family, who have a summer villa near Mt. Chausu .

Nasushiobara is only an hour away from Tokyo by shinkansen (the bullet train), or a 150km drive on the Tohoku Expressway. It's a great place to escape city stresses, to relax and see the Japanese countryside at its best. If you would like anymore information about this area or about my latest work, please feel free to contact me.

Looking forward to seeing you at my studio,

Jay Jago

Train: From Tokyo station, take the Tohoku shinkansen train to Nasu Shiobara station. Takabayashi is 11km by taxi or rental car .

Car: From Tokyo , take the Tohoku Highway and take exit 12-1; Kuroiso-Itamuro..Turn left at the exit and join route 53; after 4.3 kms turn right at the third set of traffic lights. After 700 meters on the left you will see the first "Jago Ceramics" sign. Turn left there and follow the other signs. A mere 1 km more will bring you to   Potters Lane .