Bizen City Museum of Art in Okayama Prefecture is hosting a special exhibition, Teacup Merry-Go-Round: 100 Years of Modern Design in European Ceramics (from the Collection of the Gifu Prefectural Museum of Modern Ceramic Art), from July 4 (Saturday) to September 27 (Sunday), 2026.
The exhibition focuses on roughly a century spanning from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century, drawing on the Gifu Prefectural Museum of Modern Ceramic Art's nationally distinguished collection of Western ceramics. On display are masterpieces centered on teaware and coffeeware, as well as interior decorative pieces, from celebrated European kilns including Germany's Meissen, France's Sèvres, Denmark's Royal Copenhagen, and Finland's Arabia.
A Century of Western Ceramics and Modern Design
The exhibition traces how design evolved over a hundred-year period, bringing together exceptional works from renowned kilns across Europe. From classical figurines and ornate tableware to the clean lines of early modernism, visitors can follow the unfolding of design through objects crafted for everyday use.
Selected Works on Display
All works are from the collection of the Gifu Prefectural Museum of Modern Ceramic Art.
Meissen / Johann Joachim Kändler (original design) — Gardener Boy and Girl, Late 19th century (designed 1740)
Sèvres — Tea Set "Clouded Blue," 1876
Émile Gallé — Coffee Set with Figure Motif, 1880–1884
Royal Doulton — Coffee Set "Deluxe," 1933
Rozenburg / Jurriaan Kok (original design) — Teapot with Orchid Design, c. 1900
Wedgwood — Tea Set with Flower Design, 1878–1891
KPM Berlin — Cup & Saucer with Pomegranate Design, Early 20th century
Jutta Sika — Cup & Saucer, 1901–1902
Arabia / Birger Kaipiainen (design) — Tableware Set "Paratiisi" with Violet and Fruit Motif, 1972–1974 (designed 1969)
Related Programs
① Lecture: "Modern Design in Western Ceramics"
Lecturer: Akira Tachibana (Curator, Gifu Prefectural Museum of Modern Ceramic Art)
Date: July 12 (Sunday), 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM
Venue: 1F Lecture Hall
Capacity: 60 participants (first-come, first-served; advance registration required)
Fee: Free (valid same-day admission ticket required)
Registration period: June 1 (Monday) to July 11 (Saturday)
② Workshop: "Decorate a Tile with Transfer Sheets"
Participants apply transfer sheets to tiles and fire them in a mini tunnel kiln to create an original tile.
Date: August 1 (Saturday), 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM (6 sessions)
Duration: Approximately 1.5 hours per session (30 min. work / 1 hr. firing)
Venue: 1F Lecture Hall
Capacity: 10 participants per session (first-come, first-served; advance registration required)
Fee: ¥500
Registration period: July 4 (Saturday) to July 31 (Friday)
③ Event: "Enjoy Japanese Black Tea"
A tea tasting seminar where participants can compare different Japanese black teas (wakocha) alongside sweets, while learning the history and production methods of tea from the ground up.
Lecturer: Masanori Kobayashi (6th-generation proprietor, Kobayashi Hokoen)
Date: September 12 (Saturday), 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Venue: 3F Lounge
Capacity: 20 participants (first-come, first-served; advance registration required)
Open to high school students and above. Group registrations are accepted for up to 4 people per representative.
Fee: ¥1,500 (valid same-day admission ticket required)
Registration period: July 4 (Saturday) to August 11 (Tuesday)
④ Gallery Talks
Exhibition curators lead guided tours of the gallery. (No reservation required)
Dates: July 25 (Saturday), August 15 (Saturday), August 30 (Sunday), September 13 (Sunday), September 21 (Monday, national holiday) — each at 1:30 PM
Venue: 2F Exhibition Rooms 1, 2, and 3
Fee: Free (valid same-day admission ticket required)
Concerts and other events are also planned. For registration and the latest information, check the official website.
Exhibition Details
Exhibition: Teacup Merry-Go-Round: 100 Years of Modern Design in European Ceramics (from the Collection of the Gifu Prefectural Museum of Modern Ceramic Art)
Dates: July 4 (Saturday) to September 27 (Sunday), 2026
Venue: Bizen City Museum of Art, 2F Exhibition Rooms 1, 2, and 3
Organizers: Bizen City Museum of Art; Sanyo Shimbun
Cooperating Institution: Gifu Prefectural Museum of Modern Ceramic Art
Admission:
- General: ¥1,000
- Students (university, vocational school, high school): ¥800
- Junior high school students and below: Free
- Aged 65 and over (residents of Bizen, Ako, or Kamigori): ¥750
- Aged 65 and over (all other areas): ¥900
Additional discounts available. See the official website for full details.
Venue Information
Name: Bizen City Museum of Art (備前市美術館)
Address: 1659-6 Ibe, Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture 705-0001
Hours: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (last admission 4:30 PM)
Closed: Every Monday (if a national holiday, the museum opens that day and closes the following weekday); year-end and New Year period
Occasional temporary closures for exhibition changeovers may apply.
Access: 1-minute walk from Ibe Station (JR Ako Line); 2-minute walk from "Ibe Eki-mae" bus stop (Uno Bus)
Website: https://bizen-moa.jp/
Phone: 0869-64-1400
