The ancient town of Hoi An, where lantern light shimmers on the river's surface. Its charm isn't limited to gazing at the beautiful streetscape. Turning a wheel at a pottery village with over 500 years of history, and assembling a silk lantern with traditional skill \u2014 a workshop experience where you can take home a one-of-a-kind piece you made with your own hands is the hidden highlight of a Hoi An trip. Centered on the potter's-wheel experience at Thanh Ha pottery village, we guide you through how to make your way around, including lantern-making you can enjoy in town.<\/p>\n
Thanh Ha pottery village, spread along the Thu Bon River, is a pottery hamlet just a stone's throw from Hoi An's Old Quarter. Here, clay, water, and timing govern the outcome \u2014 just as the artisans say, you can feel firsthand the depth of the handiwork of working with clay. Village admission is 35,000 VND for adults (about 210 yen) and 15,000 VND for children (about 90 yen), which includes not only the pottery experience but also visits to historic sites such as Nam Dieu temple and a clay whistle souvenir. It's a site of living traditional crafts, handed down while rooted in daily life.<\/p>\n
The highlight of the pottery village is, above all, the potter's-wheel experience. At Thanh H\u00e0 Terracotta Park (Ph\u1ea1m Ph\u00e1n Street), for about an hour and 100,000 VND (about 600 yen), you can experience the whole process \u2014 kneading clay, shaping it on the turntable, and decorating \u2014 under an artisan's guidance. The feel of clay on your fingertips, a vessel rising with the rotation \u2014 a simple process, yet precisely because it doesn't go as you intend, you get absorbed. You can take the finished work home yourself, so the memory of the trip takes shape as it is. Open 8:30\u201317:00.<\/p>\n
What you'll want to enjoy alongside pottery is Hoi An's famous lantern-making. There are several workshops around the Old Quarter, where you can assemble bamboo strips and silk in the traditional way to complete a one-of-a-kind lantern. For example, \"Ti\u1ebfng V\u1ecdng Ph\u1ed1\" on Hai B\u00e0 Tr\u01b0ng Street makes an authentic silk-and-bamboo lantern for about an hour and 250,000 VND (about 1,500 yen). \"Thanh Tr\u00fac\" (C\u1ea9m Thanh) is for travelers short on time, at 45\u201360 minutes and 150,000\u2013300,000 VND (about 900\u20131,800 yen). If you want to take your time in a small group, \"Lynn’s Workshop,\" open 9:00\u201322:30, is also popular. Foldable lanterns are easy to carry home and perfect as souvenirs.<\/p>\n
A recommended one-day plan is the potter's-wheel experience at Thanh Ha pottery village in the morning, then lantern-making in the Old Quarter in the afternoon with lunch in between. Come night, there's even the luxury of walking the lantern-lit town with your own handmade lantern in hand. Since many workshops recommend reservations, checking the opening hours and availability before you visit is reassuring.<\/p>\n