Delicate colors and intricate hand-painted designs characterize the china of Noritake, one of the world's largest manufacturers of porcelain. Its garden complex includes a craft center—effectively a mini-factory where workers demonstrate the 15-step manufacturing process from modeling to glazing to hand painting.

Ro and I designed, sketched, and painted a fine china plate which you can see in the image posted to this blog site. Our masterpiece :-) will be fired and then hand delivered, free of charge to our doorstep in Japan. We loved it, Ro didnt think he would at first...but ended up being most rewarding when completed.

The upper floors house a small museum displaying "Old Noritake" works with art nouveau and art deco influences. A free Welcome Center shows the diverse industrial applications of ceramics, from circuit boards to racing helmets. There's the odd bargain to be found in the outlet section of the company shop.

From the JR Nagoya Station, its an easy 15-minute walk north to the famous Noritake Garden. What a hit!