To promote the charm of Minoyaki (Mino pottery) — traditional ceramic ware produced in the Tono region of the former province of Mino, now in Gifu Prefecture — an exhibition of Minoyaki ramen bowls is being held at the Japan House cultural promotion center in Los Angeles.
With ramen increasingly popular overseas, “The Art of the Ramen Bowl,” which started on March 18 and will run through July 5, features bowls made by potters in the region and aims to introduce the rich art of Minoyaki to the world.
One of the potters is Sumiyasu Kato, 63, president of the Sanyu Seitosho pottery studio, who makes 3,000 ramen bowls a month with three of his employees. The studio is based in the city of Toki, a mountainous area in the Tono region that is a major producer of Minoyaki bowls.