After the Meiji restoration, Mashiko, Nanai and Tano villages were created within Haga District on April 1, 1889, with the creation of the modern municipalities system.

Mashiko has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 16 members.

Mashiko, together with the other municipalities in Haga District collectively contributes two members to the Tochigi Prefectural Assembly.

In terms of national politics, the town is part of Tochigi 4th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Mashikoyaki is often thought of as simple and rustic in style, with brown and maybe a little red glaze, but modern pottery made in Mashiko today is found in many styles, on account of the creative freedom brought to Mashiko by Shoji Hamada.

The style was popularized in 1930 when Hamada, later designated as a Living National Treasure, set up a kiln in Mashiko.

Hamada's student, Tatsuzō Shimaoka, was also designated as a Living National Treasure and worked in Mashiko from 1953 until his death in 2007.