ABOUT US
Mashiko Labo — the town's own tourism team
Mashiko Labo is the town's official Destination Management Organization (DMO) — a public-private body funded by the Town of Mashiko and registered with the Japan Tourism Agency. We were founded in March 2021 with a single mission: to support our local community of artists, potters, farmers, and everyone dedicated to Mashiko's cultural tourism.
Our story began in the middle of the pandemic. When Mashiko's famous Pottery Fair — held every spring and autumn since 1966 — could no longer take place, we moved it online, connecting the town's kilns with buyers all over Japan. That experience taught us something we still believe: with honest data and good storytelling, even a small town can reach the world. In 2026 we began welcoming international travellers on our own tours — the ones you see on this site. Our guides live here, and our partners are the potters, brewers and farmers of the town. When you book with us, you're travelling with Mashiko itself.
Official website(Japanese Only)
open_in_newA public organization you can trust
Founded in March 2021. Certified as a Registered DMO (Destination Management Organization) by the Japan Tourism Agency in March 2024. Funded by the Town of Mashiko (public-private partnership).
WHAT WE DO
A lab for the town — data, stories, and craft
"Labo" is short for laboratory. Everything we do starts with listening to the town and looking at the evidence — then sharing what we learn with everyone who calls Mashiko home.
Research & open data
Every year we survey and analyze tourism in Mashiko — who visits, when, and why — and publish the findings openly, so local businesses and partners can plan with real evidence rather than guesswork.
Sharing know-how
We turn what we learn into practical support for the town: hands-on lecture materials on Instagram and digital promotion, promotional photo assets, and workshops for local shops, studios and inns.
Telling Mashiko's story
Our official Instagram, @mashiko.official, has grown to around 75,000 followers — among the most-followed municipal tourism accounts in Japan — sharing the town's seasons, kilns, and events every day.
From the fair to the future
Born from the online Pottery Fair we ran through the pandemic, our work now spans local product development, town events — and, since 2026, the guided tours for international travellers on this site.