About INAX MUSEUMS

The Grounds of the INAX MUSEUMS

Around the grounds of INAX MUSEUMS, we have placed fountains and benches made with tiles and bricks, where visitors can sit down and relax. Please come and enjoy the landscape and its seasonal flowers and trees over a nice relaxing walk.

The Landscape

Retaining Wall & Rammed Earth Wall

Clay Works

The retaining wall surrounding the Clay Works building is built using Tokoname's local clay soil, compacted by ramming a steel plate welded onto a power shovel. The surface of the wall is decorated with scratch marks made with the power shovel, giving it a distinct character.
The exterior rammed earth wall of the Clay Works building is made by soil, mixed with lime and sand to enhance its strength and water resistance, compressed in a wooden frame and piled up against a reinforced concrete wall. The difference in the pressure upon compaction appears on the surface like a geologic stratum.

Entrance Gate

In the curve-shaped warm-colored steps of the entrance gate on the way from the parking lot to the Kiln Plaza, we have placed phosphorescent ceramic tiles that absorb visible light and glow in the darkness.

Floor Tiles

  • Kiln Plaza
  • Tiling Workshop
By arranging the soft unglazed tiles from China and the hard stoneware tiles made by INAX next to each other, we highlight the difference in the texture and the impression that the tiles give.
For the ground around the tunnel kiln, we have used large 30 × 60 centimeter tiles, rich in natural variations in the hue generated through the firing process, one of the attractiveness of ceramics.
We used stone-like tiles with various shades of pastel for the entrance to the Tiling Workshop, where visitors can experience tile painting and mosaic tile art.

Bench

  • Kiln Plaza
  • Parking Lot
This bench is made of Purpleheart, a heavy, durable wood that is also used for shipbuilding, selected by our furniture upholsterer. We have combined the shiny, purplish brown wood with tiles as decorations.
A challenging technique of grinding finish was used to make this bench. Applying the slurry made with cement mixed with finely ground limestone and grinding and polishing the surface eight times after it has completely hardened, it took the plasterer a full week to complete this bench.
Our designer thought the pattern of the cross-section makes an attractive design and repurposed ceramic louvers for building exteriors to make this bench.

Drinking Fountain & Garden Sink

Clay Works

Here we have a garden sink incorporating three different techniques, exposed aggregate finish by washing*1, grinding finish*2, and hammered finish*3. Hand-broken, glazed ceramic tiles made from sheet-formed clay highlights the sink floor.

  • *1 Exposed aggregate finish by washing: A mixture of tiny pebbles and mortar is applied on the surface, and the surface layer is wiped off before it is completely hardened, exposing a granular texture.
  • *2 Grinding Finish: A slurry made of cement mixed with ground marble and other pigments is applied, and the surface is ground and polished until it is shiny after it is completely hardened.
  • *3 Hammered Finish: Texture created by hammering the surface after it is hardend.

Garden Sink

Clay Works

Combining rammed clay stools showing a beautiful gradation from the compacting process with sinks made of brilliant sapphire blue tiles, we offer a place where visitors can sit and wash their hands and feet.

Location Map

On the grounds of the museum, we have three egg-shaped 3-dimensional maps made of bronze, guiding visitors where they are.

Lighting

  • Clay Works
  • Kiln Plaza

When the sun goes down, lanterns by two ceramics artists and a blacksmith illuminate the Mud Park and the Kiln Plaza, respectively.

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