Kaga Iryokuen (加賀依緑園), a cultural tourism facility in Yamanaka Onsen, Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture, holds solo exhibitions by local artists that change every month.
From Wednesday, October 21 through Tuesday, November 17, 2026, the facility hosts the solo exhibition "-Atawari-" by Shibayuki (芝雪), a ceramic artist based in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture. About 100 pieces, including flower vases, sake vessels and tea utensils inspired by Noto's climate and folk customs, literature and Suzu ware, are on display. The theme "atawari" is a word used mainly in the Hokuriku region that means "fate," "destiny" or "something given by heaven," and the works express the memory of the land and the artist's feelings toward nature.
From Friday, November 20 through Wednesday, December 16, the "Yuu Uozu Exhibition" by Yuu Uozu (魚津 悠), another ceramic artist based in Kanazawa, is planned. Uozu focuses on natural phenomena caused by the passage of time and by the materials themselves, and aims to fire and fix those moments of change as a "fossil of time." About 100 pieces, including tea utensils, sake vessels and everyday tableware, are scheduled to be shown.
Each artist's view of nature and time can be seen in the historic setting of Yamanaka Onsen.
Monthly Craft Exhibitions at Kaga Iryokuen: Vessels Reflecting Noto's Climate and Memory, and Ceramics That Fix Change Over Time
(1) Shibayuki "Atawari" (芝雪 展 -あたわり-): October 21 (Wed) to November 17 (Tue), 2026
Shibayuki, a ceramic artist based in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, presents the solo exhibition "-Atawari-". About 100 pieces are on display, including flower vases, sake vessels, other vessels and tea utensils inspired by Noto's climate and folk customs, literature and Suzu ware. Layering the natural changes brought by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake and torrential rains with personal memories, Shibayuki expresses them through yakishime vessels. The works are simple and warm, and sit quietly alongside daily life.
Works from "-Atawari-"
Artist presence: October 24 (Sat) and 25 (Sun). Other dates will be announced on Instagram and elsewhere.
Shibayuki Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shiba_yuki_hm/
Artist statement by Shibayuki
Influenced by the climate, folk customs and literature of Noto and by Suzu ware, the ancient pottery of Suzu, I create my work from layers within myself made up of the landscapes of Suzu long ago, scenes from my childhood, and the natural changes brought by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake and torrential rains.
One word I often heard after the earthquake is "atawari." It is a word used mainly in the Hokuriku region that means fate, destiny, or something given by heaven. Everything that happens in life is atawari, and it is something given by heaven and not only in a bad sense. I sensed in this the character of the people of Noto.
For me, the clay of Suzu, the fire, and even the encounters that came only because of the earthquake are all atawari.
Yakishime vessels and flower containers that quietly tell the user a story of climate, memory and materials. My ideal is works with a modest presence that, in the midst of treasured daily life, one notices has been there all along.
For this exhibition, I am creating everyday vessels and works themed on the literature of the writer Yasunari Kawabata, who once stayed in the Kagetsu Wing (花月の棟). I would be glad if you would take a look.
— Shibayuki
Artist profile: Shibayuki (芝雪)
Biography
- 1979: Born in Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture
- 2012: Completed the basic training course in Suzu ware (珠洲焼基礎研修課程)
- 2014 to 2018: Worked at Suzu City Ceramic Center (珠洲市陶芸センター)
- 2019 to 2025: Completed the practical course (modeling and decoration) at Ishikawa Prefectural Kutani Ware Technical Training Institute (石川県立九谷焼技術研修所)
Major exhibitions and awards
- 2023: Suzu ware exhibition "Beauty in Use, the Warmth of Earth That Soothes the Heart" (珠洲焼展「用の美、こころ和む土のぬくもり」), Nihombashi Takashimaya (日本橋髙島屋)
- 2024: Noto Suzu Ware Shibayuki Exhibition (能登 珠洲焼 芝雪展), Yokohama Takashimaya (横浜髙島屋)
- 2025: Shibayuki Pottery Exhibition (芝雪作陶展), 丸八製茶場本店
- 2025: "Yasashii Kuro to Tayutau Ao" (やさしいくろとたゆたうあお), SPIRAL
- 2025: Encouragement Prize at the 65th Ishikawa Traditional Crafts Exhibition (第65回 石川の伝統工芸展)
Works from "-Atawari-"
Works from "-Atawari-"
(2) Yuu Uozu Exhibition (魚津 悠 展): November 20 (Fri) to December 16 (Wed), 2026
Starting November 20, 2026 (Fri), a solo exhibition by Yuu Uozu, a ceramic artist based in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, will be held. About 100 pieces, including tea utensils, sake vessels and everyday tableware, are scheduled to be shown, presenting an expression woven from materials and time.
Works by Yuu Uozu
Artist presence: November 20 (Fri) and December 16 (Wed). Other dates will be announced on Instagram and elsewhere.
Yuu Uozu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uozu/
Artist statement by Yuu Uozu
I focus on the phenomena and passage of time and on the dynamic natural phenomena that the materials themselves cause. I aim to fire and fix those moments of change and processes (a "fossil of time").
Artist profile: Yuu Uozu (魚津 悠)
Biography
- 2006: Graduated from the Ceramics Course, Department of Art and Crafts, Faculty of Art and Culture, Kanazawa Gakuin University (金沢学院大学美術文化学部美術工芸学科陶芸科)
- 2007: Completed the advanced course in Art and Crafts, Faculty of Art and Culture, Kanazawa Gakuin University (金沢学院大学美術文化学部美術工芸専攻科)
- 2011: Completed the Ceramics Studio at Kanazawa Utatsuyama Kogei Kobo (金沢卯辰山工芸工房 陶芸工房)
- 2013: Assistant at Akita Public College of Art and Crafts (秋田公立美術工芸短期大学)
- Present: Works in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture
Works by Yuu Uozu
Works by Yuu Uozu
Works by Yuu Uozu
Both exhibitions take place at Kaga Iryokuen. Hours, admission and access are listed under Facility Information below.
Kaga Iryokuen plans to keep holding monthly exhibitions and sales of a variety of craft and art works.
Craft exhibition and sales by Enishira (縁煌) at Kaga Iryokuen
November Events at Kaga Iryokuen: Free Admission Day, Kanazawa Maimon Sushi, Kimono Week and Concert
In November, when autumn deepens, Kaga Iryokuen holds events including free admission and a special display timed with the Yamanaka Onsen street-walking market "Karankoron YUGE no ICHI 2026," "Kimono Week" with discounted admission for visitors in Japanese dress, and a concert in the historic space. The garden's autumn leaves are expected to be at their best from mid-November to early December, so visitors can also enjoy the historic buildings and garden surrounded by autumn colors.
(1) "Karankoron YUGE no ICHI 2026" Special Program
On November 3 (Tue, national holiday), the street-walking market "Karankoron YUGE no ICHI 2026" (カランコロン YUGE no ICHI 2026) takes place centered on the Yuge Kaido in Yamanaka Onsen. About 80 vendors from inside and outside Ishikawa Prefecture gather for an event where visitors can enjoy food, art and culture.
To coincide with the event, Kaga Iryokuen opens its interior free of charge on that day only. A sacred sword (御神刀) associated with Hasebe Shrine (長谷部神社) is specially displayed in the 1st-floor lounge, and local crafts and hobby works are shown on the 2nd floor.
In addition, the sushi restaurant Kanazawa Maimon Sushi (金沢まいもん寿司) sets up a special stall selling limited quantities of mackerel pressed sushi, sweet shrimp head miso soup and an eel and egg roll.
Event overview
- Event name: Karankoron YUGE no ICHI 2026
- Date: November 3, 2026 (Tue, national holiday)
- Hours: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
- Venue: Minamimachi Yuge Kaido and around Yamanaka-za, Yamanaka Onsen (山中温泉 南町ゆげ街道・山中座周辺)
- Kaga Iryokuen hours: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (last admission 5:30 PM)
- Admission: Free (November 3 only)
Kanazawa Maimon Sushi menu
Sales location: Kaga Iryokuen, 1st-floor lounge
- Mackerel pressed sushi (さば棒寿司): ¥900
- Sweet shrimp head miso soup (甘えびの頭の味噌汁): ¥300
- Eel and egg roll (至福のうな玉巻): ¥1,300
Prices include tax. Sales start at 10:00 AM. All items are limited in quantity and end when sold out.
(2) Kimono Week: Half-Price Admission in Japanese Dress
"Kimono Week" is held from November 15 (Sun) to 21 (Sat). During the period, visitors who arrive in kimono or other Japanese dress receive half-price admission (general admission ¥600 reduced to ¥300). It is a special program for strolling through the historic buildings and garden in Japanese dress, among autumn leaves.
Event overview
- Event name: Kimono Week (きもの週間)
- Period: November 15 (Sun) to 21 (Sat), 2026
- Benefit: Half-price admission for visitors in Japanese dress (general admission ¥600 to ¥300)
- Closed: November 19 (Thu)
(3) Kaga Iryokuen Concert
A concert is held at Kaga Iryokuen on November 21 (Sat). It is a special program where music resounds in a space surrounded by historic architecture and a garden.
Event overview
- Event name: Kaga Iryokuen Concert (加賀依緑園コンサート)
- Date: November 21, 2026 (Sat)
- Hours and program details will be announced on the official Instagram.
Autumn Foliage Information
The autumn leaves in Kaga Iryokuen's garden are expected to be at their best from mid-November to early December. Red and yellow trees add seasonal scenery to the historic buildings.
- Expected peak: Mid-November to early December 2026
- The peak may shift depending on weather and temperature.
- Foliage conditions are also announced on the official Instagram.
About Kaga Iryokuen
Kaga Iryokuen sits in the center of Yamanaka Onsen in Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture. It opened in April 2024 as a cultural tourism facility, making use of a historic building from the Meiji era. The building was once a villa of the long-established inn "Yoshinoya," where distinguished guests including Emperor Showa and former Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida stayed, and it was the setting for historic meetings.
Large-scale restoration work began in 2021, and the building was reborn as a modern cultural tourism base while keeping its traditional Japanese architectural design. Inside, exhibits introduce Japanese traditional techniques such as gold leather paper (kin-karakami) and Inami woodcarving, and valuable historical materials, including tableware used by Emperor Showa, are on display. Craft works by local artists are also sold, making it a space where tradition and contemporary beauty meet.
The facility also has a garden, a tea room, and a lounge where visitors can enjoy matcha and Japanese sweets. With the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Tsuruga, access has improved, and the facility is drawing attention as a new tourist base in the Kaga and Yamanaka Onsen area.
Kaga Iryokuen
Highlights of the Facility
There are many places to experience history and culture inside and outside the building.
- Lounge: Displays records of stays by Emperor Showa and literary figures, along with related items
- Garden: A stroll garden that carries on the aesthetics of the Enshu school (supervised by Yuri Ugaya, 烏賀陽百合)
- Exhibition room: Introduces the history and technique of gold leather paper (kin-karakami)
- Kiku-no-Ma and Kiri-no-Ma: Formal modern Japanese-Western buildings that use gold leather paper
- Goten (Miyuki-no-Ma): A formal space with Inami woodcarving and inlay decoration
- Kagetsu Wing (花月の棟): A wing with records of stays by literary figures including Yasunari Kawabata, who stayed here to write (partially remains)
- Tosen Wing (唐船の棟) and tea room: A space modeled on the tea room "Yūin" (又隠), with craft exhibitions and sales by the gallery Enishira (縁煌)
Exhibition room: gold leather paper (kin-karakami), known as a "phantom wallpaper"
Goten (Miyuki-no-Ma)
Facility Information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Kaga Iryokuen (加賀依緑園) |
| Address | Yamanaka Onsen Minamimachi Ro 87-1, Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture |
| Phone | 0761-71-2683 |
| Hours | 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (last admission 5:30 PM) |
| Closed | Thursdays (open if the Thursday is a national holiday) |
| Admission | General ¥600; groups of 20 or more ¥490 (one free admission per exhibition DM presented) |
| Parking | Yamanaka Onsen Kiku-no-Yu parking lot (山中温泉菊の湯駐車場) or Kōrogi Bridge parking area (こおろぎ橋駐車広場) |
| Official website | https://kagairyokuen.jp/ |
| https://www.instagram.com/kaga_iryokuen |
