Tottori Mingei Museum

photo by Asturio Cantabrio · CC BY-SA 4.0

photo by 663highland · CC BY 2.5

photo by 663highland · CC BY 2.5

The doctor Yoshida Shōya opened it in 1949: 5,000 pieces, starting with Korean Joseon ceramics.

Founded in 1949 by the doctor Yoshida Shōya as the centre of the Tottori mingei movement, inspired by the aesthetics of Yanagi Sōetsu; the current building, from 1957, imitates a traditional earthen storehouse (reinforced concrete on the ground floor, a steel frame on the first, a Japanese tiled roof) on just 81 m² of floor area. Over 5,000 pieces, antique mingei (about 3,500) and new work (about 1,500), specialising in ceramics of the Korean Joseon dynasty and Goryeo tea bowls. Next door, the Takumi shop and restaurant sells the same objects and serves meals on them: in everyday use, not just displayed in a showcase.

Museum in the Sakaechō neighbourhood of Tottori city, listed as a national Registered Tangible Cultural Property (登録有形文化財(建造物)) on 13 August 2012, according to the official database of the Agency for Cultural Affairs (文化庁). It is part of the network of institutions born from the mingei movement in the prefecture, together with the adjacent Takumi shop and restaurant.

ℹ️ Open 10:00–17:00, closed on Wednesdays (the next weekday if the Wednesday is a public holiday) and over the year-end and New Year period. Ticket: 500 yen adults, 300 yen students, free up to high school; annual pass 1,000 yen. Address: 鳥取県鳥取市栄町651. Opening hours and price rechecked on the official site (tottori-mingei.jp) on 07/09/2026.

🚉 Tottori · 5 min walk

Sources: tottori-mingei.jp · online.bunka.go.jp · ja.wikipedia.org

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