Miyakojima, surrounded by Okinawa’s beautiful nature, has numerous spots where you can experience traditional culture and craftsmanship up close. Among these, “Miyakojima City Craft Village” stands out as a popular facility where visitors can enjoy various traditional Miyakojima crafts all in one place.
Here, you can experience distinctly Okinawan crafts such as Miyako Jofu (traditional fabric), Bingata dyeing, and Shisa making, learning artisans’ techniques while creating your own original pieces. With experiences perfect for travel souvenirs and memory-making, activities appealing to both adults and children are part of what makes this place so attractive.
This article details the charms of Miyakojima City Craft Village and its recommended experience options. For a memorable Miyakojima trip, try experiencing the world of traditional crafts!
Table of Contents
What is Miyakojima City Craft Village?
Miyakojima City Craft Village is a facility where you can learn about Okinawan traditional crafts through hands-on experiences. Artisans from Miyakojima demonstrate their skills and share the appeal of handmade crafts with visitors.
The facility features experiences creating distinctly Okinawan crafts such as Miyako Jofu, Bingata dyeing, and Shisa making. Since you can create your own original pieces as travel mementos, it’s the perfect spot for making memories during your Miyakojima trip.
What crafts can you experience at Miyakojima City Craft Village and how long do they take?
Miyakojima City Craft Village is a facility where visitors can easily experience Miyakojima’s traditional crafts and culture. Loved by tourists and locals alike, it offers distinctly Okinawan crafting opportunities. A special feature is that craft artisans provide direct instruction, making it easy for beginners to participate with confidence.
Available Crafts
The village offers diverse experiences including Miyako Jofu weaving, indigo dyeing, pottery (Shisa making, vessel making), Chigaya folk craft making, seashell crafts, kaleidoscope making, gel candle making, island sandal making, and chalk art. With options ranging from traditional crafts to modern art, there’s something for both adults and children to enjoy.
- Weaving & Dyeing Workshop: Traditional textile and indigo dyeing experience
- Chigaya Workshop: Folk craft making experience
- Seashell Workshop: Original artwork creation
- Pottery Workshop: Experience making Shisa (Okinawan guardian figures) and pottery
- Cattle Horn & Island Sandal Workshop: Creations using Miyako cattle horns
- Ryusou & Kaleidoscope Workshop: Kaleidoscope making, gel candle making
- Miyakojima Memory Art Workshop: Tropical art experience
- Cooking Workshop: Experience making Sata Andagi (Sata Panbin) donuts
Age Requirements
Requirements vary by activity, but some programs are available for children as young as 3 years old. For example, Shisa making and gel candle making are enjoyable for small children, while Miyako Jofu weaving and indigo dyeing are popular among adults.
Time Required
The time required varies by activity, typically ranging from 40 to 120 minutes. With options from quick activities to those allowing deeper learning of techniques, you can choose based on your travel schedule.
The Appeal of Miyakojima City Craft Village
There are three main attractions to experiencing crafts at Miyakojima City Craft Village.
Instruction from Real Artisans
Each workshop features direct instruction from artisans who carry on Miyakojima’s traditions. Beyond craft techniques, you can learn about their history and culture, deepening your understanding of Okinawan culture rather than just experiencing crafting. Even beginners can try with confidence as artisans provide careful instruction.
Giving Form to Travel Memories
You can take home the items you create, making them one-of-a-kind original souvenirs. Pottery vessels and hand-dyed fabric items can be used in daily life, allowing you to enjoy your travel memories for a long time.
Enjoyable for All Ages
The joy of making things makes these activities popular for family trips, couple dates, and friend outings. The particular charm lies in being able to experience Okinawan traditional culture while learning, making your tourist memories even more meaningful.
This is a precious spot where you can feel Miyakojima’s culture firsthand while enjoying the pleasure of creation.
Access and Business Hours
Miyakojima City Craft Village is easily accessible from major tourist spots in Miyakojima City.
How to Access
- By car: Located about 6 minutes from Miyako Airport and about 15 minutes from downtown.
- By bus: When using Miyakojima’s local buses, access is on foot from the nearest bus stop. However, since buses are infrequent, checking the schedule in advance is recommended.
- Parking: 30 spaces (next to the front entrance and across the street)
Business Hours
- Overall facility hours: 10 AM – 6 PM
- Final admission times for each workshop: Most workshops accept final visitors at 4 PM.
Closed Days
- Overall facility closed days: No specific regular closures.
- Workshop closed days: These vary by workshop, so checking in advance is recommended.
Some experiences require reservations, so checking ahead will help you enjoy your visit smoothly.
Craft Experiences Available at Miyakojima City Craft Village
Miyakojima City Craft Village offers rich programs for easily experiencing Okinawan traditional crafts. Creating your own original pieces while feeling the charm of handwork makes these perfect for travel memories.
Here, we’ll introduce three particularly popular craft experiences. Experience Miyakojima’s unique culture and techniques under artisan guidance!
Miyako Jofu Weaving Experience: Learn Okinawa’s Traditional Textile
Miyako Jofu is a traditional textile representing Miyakojima, designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Japan in 1978. Its characteristic is using ramie (in the nettle family, called “bu” in the local dialect) as a raw material, spinning thread finer than human hair by hand to create a thin, light finish with a cool texture.
The specific experience flow is as follows.
Learn About Miyako Jofu’s History and Characteristics
First, you’ll learn about Miyako Jofu’s history, production process, materials, and tools used. At the facility, you can watch a video showcasing the complete weaving process to deepen your understanding.
Experience the Weaving Process Using a Loom
Next, you’ll experience weaving with silk thread. While feeling like a weaving maiden, you can create a one-of-a-kind piece. The activity takes about one hour, and beginners can confidently participate as artisans provide careful instruction.
Take Home Your Woven Fabric as a Memento
You can take home your completed work as a lasting souvenir of your journey.
Through this Miyako Jofu experience, you can appreciate the depth of delicate handwork and experience Miyakojima’s unique traditional crafts.
Shisa Making Experience: Create Your Original Guardian
“Shisa,” Okinawa’s traditional guardian figures, are displayed on roofs and entrances of homes and shops, believed to ward off evil. At “Shisa Pottery Studio Tama” in Miyakojima City Craft Village, you can shape Shisa from clay and create your own original piece.
The specific experience flow is as follows.
Learn About Shisa’s History and Meaning
First, you’ll receive an explanation about Shisa’s origins and role in Okinawan culture. This deepens your understanding and attachment to the Shisa you’ll create.
Use Clay to Make a Shisa with Your Preferred Expression and Shape
Next, using Miyakojima clay, you’ll shape a Shisa with free imagination. You can design anything from a smiling Shisa that brings happiness to a powerful expression that wards off evil spirits, according to your preference. Creation time is about 60 minutes, and beginners and children can participate with confidence as artisans provide careful instruction.
Drying and Firing, Then Coloring (Shipping Available at Some Facilities)
Your created Shisa will be completed through drying and firing processes. After completion, it can be shipped to your home (shipping fees apply separately).
Through this Shisa-making experience, you can create a one-of-a-kind piece while experiencing Okinawan traditional culture. Displaying it at your home entrance or in a room will allow you to enjoy your travel memories for a long time.
Seashell Craft and Accessory Making Experience: Create Items That Evoke Miyako Blue
“Seashell Workshop ~MOKUPUNI~” in Miyakojima City Craft Village offers seashell craft and accessory making experiences that let you feel Miyakojima’s beautiful sea. This activity is popular with women and children, allowing you to create original accessories and interior items using seashells and sea glass collected from beaches.
The experience flow is as follows.
Learn How to Select Shells and Sea Glass
First, you’ll select materials from an abundant supply of shells, sea glass, and Ryukyu glass. Staff will carefully explain material characteristics and selection methods, making it reassuring for beginners.
Combine Your Favorite Materials to Design
Combine your selected materials to design necklaces, key chains, photo frames, and other original creations. With over 600 types of beads and protective shells (charms) available, you can enjoy creative freedom in your piece.
Adhere and Process Materials, Then Take Home Your Completed Work
Once your design is decided, adhere and process the materials to complete your work. The experience takes about 60 minutes, and you can take home your completed piece immediately. You can also bring your own shells to create pieces using your personal mementos.
Through this experience, you can create lovely items that evoke “Miyako Blue.” It’s an ideal experience for travel mementos, souvenirs, or gifts.
How to Use Items Created at Miyakojima City Craft Village
At Miyakojima City Craft Village, you can create your own original pieces, and deciding how to use them is part of the fun. Beyond treasuring them as travel memories, you can display them as interior décor or give them as gifts to special people.
Here, we’ll introduce ways to enjoy your craft village creations.
As Home Décor
Crafts created in Miyakojima can help you feel your travel memories in everyday life when displayed at home. Items with handmade warmth are also attractive as interior décor. Here are specific usage ideas.
Display Shisa Made in the Shisa Making Experience at Your Entrance or on Shelves
Shisa, Okinawa’s guardian figures, are traditionally displayed on roofs and entrances of homes and shops, believed to ward off evil. At the pottery workshop in Miyakojima City Craft Village, you can make Shisa using Miyakojima clay. Displaying your completed Shisa at your entrance or on shelves not only serves as a protective presence but also adds an accent to your interior décor.
Frame Indigo-Dyed Handkerchiefs or Fabrics as Art
At the weaving and indigo dyeing workshop in Miyakojima City Craft Village, you can experience handkerchief tie-dyeing. Create patterns on white handkerchiefs using rubber bands, marbles, or thread, then dye them with indigo. Framing your completed handkerchief or fabric and hanging it on the wall creates a colorful art piece that brightens your space.
In this way, incorporating Miyakojima’s atmosphere into your home allows you to enjoy the lingering feelings of your trip for a long time. Handmade crafts become special items that not only add color to everyday life but also let you feel your travel memories forever.
Perfect for Souvenirs and Gifts
Handmade crafts have originality and warmth that manufactured products lack, making them greatly appreciated as souvenirs and gifts. In Miyakojima, you can create original items through various experiences. Here are recommended items for gifts.
Necklaces and Key Chains Made in the Seashell Craft and Accessory Making Experience
At “Seashell Workshop ~MOKUPUNI~” in Miyakojima City Craft Village, you can create original accessories and interior items using shells and sea glass collected from beaches. Necklaces and key chains are popular as small items that evoke Miyakojima’s sea.
Original Handkerchiefs from the Indigo Dyeing Experience
Original handkerchiefs created in the handkerchief tie-dyeing experience at “Weaving & Dyeing Workshop” in Miyakojima City Craft Village feature Okinawan designs and are appreciated as practical souvenirs.
Original Gifts Made in the Gel Candle Making Experience
At “Kaleidoscope & Ryusou Workshop” in Miyakojima City Craft Village, you can experience gel candle making. Create original candles by adding colored sand and parts to gel candle glasses. Completed candles make ideal gifts as unique pieces filled with special feelings.
These handmade items not only share Miyakojima’s charm as gifts for friends and family but also convey the warmth of handmade creations. Additionally, since you can enjoy creating while experiencing the process yourself, they become memorable gifts.
Summary
Miyakojima City Craft Village is a precious spot where you can learn about Okinawan traditional crafts up close while creating your own original pieces. With varied experience menus including Miyako Jofu weaving, Shisa making, Bingata dyeing, Ryukyu glass crafting, and seashell crafts, it’s perfect for creating tourist memories.
Additionally, you can use your creations in various ways, such as displaying them as home décor or giving them as gifts to special people. Being able to keep your travel memories in tangible form while enjoying Miyakojima’s culture more deeply is another attraction.
During your Miyakojima trip, be sure to visit Miyakojima City Craft Village to experience the joy of handcrafting and the charm of traditional crafts!
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