Day 4 — Aichi

Aichi prefecture is known as one of the two production centres of Japanese ceramics since the 13th century. Seto City, where the Aichi Triennale takes place, is the ceramics capital of Japan.

The Aichi Triennale has been organised every three years since 2010 and this edition’s theme revolves around a future based on geological time perspectives, as opposed to national and territorial perspectives to highlight the contemporary gap between humans and the environment. The curator of this edition is Hoor Al Qasimi (UAE). She is the founder of Sharjah Art Foundation and a leading voice in the art world in Asia and Africa. Artists already participating in the Aichi Triennale are Dala Nasser (LIB), Ogawa Machiko (JP), Oki Junko (JP) and Adrian Villar Rojas (AR).

The second major venue of the Triennale is the Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum. This 1978 museum underwent extensive renovations in both 2013 and 2025. It features two large exhibition halls and the Ceramic Craft Studio.

On the same day, we also visit the Toyota Municipal Museum of Art, a masterpiece by architect Yoshio Taniguchi. Designed by Peter Walker (USA), the garden houses the Dojien Teahouse and the Takahasi Setsuro Gallery with a permanent exhibition of Takahasi Setsuro’s Japanese lacquer art collection.

Towards evening, we head towards the art islands where we have an appointment with the Setouchi Art Triennale the next day.