From Stoke to Tokyo: Pillar of Pottery Drives Cultural Tourism
Yuri Kawakami‑Shotton, a local tour guide, has become the face of Stoke‑on‑Trent’s pottery heritage in Japan. She runs Peak and Pottery Tours at the city’s Spode Museum, offering visitors an intimate look at the world‑famous blue‑and‑white ceramics that once washed the world’s table. The tours now attract a steady stream of Japanese guests who are eager to bring the traditional English dinner‑sets home.
Kawakami‑Shotton was inspired by a BBC News story that spotlighted struggling pottery firms in her region falling into administration. “When I heard my father‑in‑law say that no one was buying dinner sets any more, I thought of Japan. Japanese people love to collect ceramics, and they would visit the museum. I could help change that narrative,” she explains.
The impact has been tangible. Since the tours began, dinner sets produced in England have seen a significant uptick in demand in Japan. Visitors frequently comment that arriving at the Spode Museum feels like stepping into a legend, with the Blue Room’s floral patterns becoming a favorite souvenir.
Kawakami‑Shotton’s influence extends beyond ceramics. She regularly takes guests to the Rabbit Hole Tea Room, a local coffee shop that recently launched a pop‑up in Nihonbashi during September. Owner Lee Greenhalgh reports that the event pushed daily scone sales from a few hundred to roughly 2,000—a dramatic rise that shows how cultural tour operators can boost ancillary businesses.
Michael Escolme, manager of the Spode Museum, praises her community engagement. “She’s a valued member of our team. Bringing Japanese visitors both in person and online has expanded our reach dramatically.”
The partnership between tourism and heritage demonstrates that strategic cultural promotion can revive regional skills and markets. For Stoke‑on‑Trent, the engagement with Japan has turned a historic industry into a bright chapter of its modern economy.
