Key facts
- Yuri Kawakami-Shotton promotes Stoke-on-Trent's pottery heritage in Japan through tours at the Spode Museum.
- Her efforts aim to boost the region's pottery industry, inspired by reports of firms facing administration.
- English dinner sets have become popular among her Japanese customers.
- Kawakami-Shotton also assisted The Rabbit Hole tea room in establishing a successful pop-up event in Japan.
- The pop-up event saw The Rabbit Hole selling 2,000 scones daily.
Yuri Kawakami-Shotton is being lauded for her significant efforts in promoting the city of Stoke-on-Trent and its renowned pottery heritage to audiences in Japan. Operating Peak and Pottery Tours at the city's Spode Museum, Kawakami-Shotton guides Japanese visitors, introducing them to the region's historical and cultural significance.
Inspired by news reports detailing the struggles of local pottery firms, Kawakami-Shotton saw an opportunity to leverage Japanese interest in the craft. "My father-in-law said: 'Oh, because no one's buying a dinner set anymore'," she explained. "And I said, 'Japanese people would buy, Japanese people would go to the museum and things. I can do that, I can maybe promote it for this city'." Her initiative has proven successful, with English-made dinner sets becoming a sought-after item among her clientele.