Retro Japan: Nagoya Ceramic Hall retains tiles and styles from times long bygone

NAGOYA -- The Nagoya Ceramic Hall is certainly true to its name, clothed in cream-colored tiles of the selfsame material and featuring some rare examples of the craft within.

The hall in the city's Higashi Ward was originally built in 1932 as the office for the association of pottery and porcelain manufacturers and traders. The reinforced concrete building has two stories plus a partial third-floor structure, which has been expanded over several rounds of renovations since World War II.

On the building's exterior are tiles with a parallel scratch pattern, and curved "trim tiles" are attached on corners, making the facility look like a single, unitary object. A half-round window beside the entrance on the north softens the atmosphere.

Many original decorative interior features from the time of construction remain in the entrance hall, adorned in stained glass and marble, as well as the first-floor corridor. And both floors boast rare tiles called "daiya" and "monkey." On the second floor is a large hall with a gently vaulted ceiling that gives a sense of openness. Its wooden floor is in a herringbone pattern, and creaks when walked on, imparting a sense of the building's long history.

The ceramic hall holds an open house once a year, during which visitors can see inside rooms normally closed to the public.

(Japanese original by Koji Hyodo, Nagoya Photo Group)

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The Japanese version of this article was originally published on Dec. 4, 2022.

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This series explores Japan's architectural wonders and secrets of yesteryear. Read more Retro Japan articles here.