Arita and Imari Pottery Kiln Tour One Day Model Course

Arita is the birthplace of Japanese porcelain, and Imari Okawachiyama once held the official kiln of the Nabeshima clan. This route links two ceramic villages and lets you fully enjoy the beauty of white porcelain and the skill of its artisans. Walk historic streets, peek into kilns, and delight in choosing tableware. Touch the origins of porcelain in Arita and be wrapped in the quiet of the secret kiln village in Imari. It becomes a journey where you feel a ceramic culture handed down across the ages with all your senses.

Course Route

9:30 Start in the Arita Uchiyama district A townscape designated an important preservation district for traditional buildings. Walk streets lined with white walls and brick chimneys. Merchant houses from the Edo and Meiji eras stand side by side, conveying the old bustle of the porcelain trade.

10:30 Tour Arita kilns and galleries In a quarter gathering specialty shops and galleries, take your time choosing delicate blue and white and colored porcelain. Choosing while hearing from the makers is a pleasure unique to the source region.

12:00 Lunch in Arita Rest with a lunch made from local ingredients. Dishes served on Arita ware add to the appeal.

13:30 Move to Okawachiyama Head to the secret kiln village on the outskirts of Imari, where kilns line a valley.

14:00 Stroll through Okawachiyama Walk the slope where about thirty kilns gather and learn the history of the clan kiln at Nabeshima Kiln Park. The ceramic tile path set with pottery shards and the stone bridge known as the spectacles bridge are also highlights.

16:00 Choose tableware to close the day Once you find a favorite piece, have it carefully wrapped to take home.

Highlights

Arita is said to be where porcelain was first fired in Japan around 1616, by potters including Yi Sam-pyeong from the Korean Peninsula, and the townscape of the Uchiyama district still conveys its old prosperity. In the Edo period the Nabeshima clan had the finest porcelain, known as Nabeshima, made in secret at Okawachiyama. The scene of kilns backed by mountains and a brick bridge looks like a painting. The history of preventing the leak of techniques through rugged terrain and a checkpoint leaves a distinctive quiet here.

Access and Tips

For Arita, JR Arita Station is convenient, and the Uchiyama district is reachable on foot or by bus. Okawachiyama is about 20 minutes by car from Imari Station, and since public transport is limited a car is reassuring. Closing days vary by kiln, so checking business days in advance keeps the tour smooth. Arita and Imari are about 30 minutes apart by car, so you can visit both villages in a single day without strain.

A Quick Tip

Since tableware breaks easily, cushioning material or a sturdy bag helps for the trip home. Depending on the season there are special events such as the Golden Week pottery fair. Check them against your travel dates.

Practical Travel Notes

• Arita is regarded as the birthplace of Japanese porcelain, and the Uchiyama district is designated an important preservation district for traditional buildings. Strolling the townscape is free.
• Okawachiyama in Imari held the Nabeshima clan official kiln and is called the secret kiln village. About thirty kilns gather there, and the walk itself is free.
• The Arita Ceramic Fair held every Golden Week is known as one of the largest in Japan, and the whole town becomes very crowded during that period. Keep this in mind when choosing when to visit.
• Public transport between Arita and Imari stations is limited. A car is the reliable way to see both villages in one day.
• Kilns and galleries each set their own closing days and hours. If you have a specific kiln in mind, check its official website or call in advance.
• Prepare cushioning material or a sturdy bag so purchased tableware is not damaged on the way home.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• How this course works: Allow about one day. Traveling by car is the realistic way to connect Arita with Imari and Okawachiyama, while the Uchiyama district of Arita can be covered on foot.
• Arita Tourism Association: 1-1-1 Kodaira, Arita-cho, Nishimatsuura-gun, Saga Prefecture (Tel. 0955-43-2121). Rental bicycles are also available in the town center.
• Getting to Okawachiyama (Imari City): By car, about 20 minutes from Imari-Higashi-Fumaneki Interchange on the Nishi-Kyushu Expressway, about 30 minutes from Takeo-Kitagata Interchange on the Kyushu Expressway, or about 30 minutes from Hasami-Arita Interchange. By public transport, take a bus or taxi from Imari Station on the JR and Matsuura Railway lines (or from the \"Imari Ekimae\" bus stop), but bus services are infrequent, so be sure to check the timetable. Coming from the Fukuoka direction, the \"Imari-go\" highway bus from Fukuoka Airport is convenient (services on this route are limited as well).
• Cost guide: Strolling the historic streets of Arita's Uchiyama district and walking around Okawachiyama are both free of charge. Your main expenses will be meals, the pottery you buy, and transport.
• What needs to be booked: Okawachiyama offers a two-hour town walking tour (run by the Imari Nabeshima Ware Cooperative Association) that includes historical commentary, visits to three kilns, and a break at a coffee shop; advance application is required. For workshop visits at individual kilns, contacting them beforehand is the surest approach.
• Closing days: Opening hours and regular closing days differ from one kiln or gallery to the next. If there is a particular kiln you want to see, check its official website or call ahead.
• Busy periods (Arita): The Arita Ceramic Fair is held every year from April 29 to May 5 and is one of the largest events of its kind in Japan. The whole town becomes extremely crowded during this period. Other events include the autumn Arita Ceramics Festival (November 19-23 in 2026), the Arita Hina Doll Ceramics Festival (February 7 to March 8 in 2026), and the Toso Festival honoring Yi Sam-pyeong, the founding father of the local porcelain industry (May 4 every year).
• Busy periods (Okawachiyama): The Nabeshima Clan Kiln Pottery Market also runs from April 29 to May 5, at the same time as the Arita Ceramic Fair, bringing 29 kilns together in one place. Other events include the Nabeshima Clan Kiln Wind Chime Market (June to August, with about 3,000 wind chimes), the Nabeshima Clan Kiln Autumn Festival (November 1-5), Candle Christmas (December), and Coffee, Sweets and Pottery (late February).
• Points to note: The observation park and observation deck at Okawachiyama are currently closed. The slopes lined with kilns are steep, so wear comfortable walking shoes. The pottery you buy is fragile, so having cushioning material or a sturdy bag ready will give you peace of mind.

* At Okawachiyama, wares were fired as the official kiln of the Saga domain (the Nabeshima family) and presented to the shogunal house and to feudal lords. Enclosed on three sides by steep mountains, with a checkpoint controlling who came and went so that the techniques would not leak out, the terrain still preserves the quiet of what is called the Village of the Secret Kilns. The Nabeshima ware tradition was broken off for a time by the abolition of the feudal domains in 1871 (Meiji 4), but it was revived as a modern craft by the Imaizumi Imaemon family.

(Sources: Arita Tourism Association official website; Imari Nabeshima Ware Cooperative Association official website \"Nabeshima Clan Kiln, Imari Okawachiyama\". As of July 2026)