Visit Japan: Arita, Imari & Okawachiyama - the art & culture of porcelain in Kyushu.
Discovering Arita, Imari & Okawachiyama in Saga prefecture as a day trip from Fukuoka using public transport & the JR Northern Kyushu Pass - practical tips for train & bus travel, things to see & do (plus cake...really amazing cake!)
The trouble with museums...
I love visiting museums but I think it’s fair to say that some can get a bit - erm - boring, especially when there is a lack of information about the exhibits. Although beautiful and accomplished, looking at case after case of ceramics in a large museum doesn’t fully tell the story of the area, of the culture or of the people behind them; beauty is evident & individual interpretation can be made but the soul has faded away, along with any lingering interest.
The art & culture of porcelain in Saga Prefecture, Kyushu.
Arita (Saga Prefecture, Kyushu) is famous for the porcelain (Arita-yaki) produced there since kaolin was discovered in the area 400 years ago. Skilled Korean potters were moved to the area in order to produce the porcelain; with the superior quality in materials and workmanship came the advent of a valuable commodity that was carefully controlled by the Nabeshima clan. Secret kiln communities were developed in the mountains around the kaolin quarries in order to guard secrecy - the village of Okawachiyama remains an example of this.
An easy day trip from Fukuoka
We were staying in Fukuoka and keen to learn more so we decided to spend a day travelling to and around the area; I am really pleased that we did as the immersive experience allowed a much deeper understanding and appreciation than any museum exhibit could. While the production of porcelain features heavily, there is so much more to the area than just shops and studios catering for a tourist crowd. If you are in any way interested in ceramics, art, crafts or Japanese design culture like me then I’d highly recommend making a visit to the area.
General accessibility in the area:
The Arita and Imari areas are quite flat but, as ever, steps lead to shrines. Okawachiyama is located in the mountains and as such is hilly, with some areas being quite steep.
Getting to Kami Arita & Arita from Fukuoka
Using our JR Northern Kyushu Pass, we visited by train from Hakata (Fukuoka) Station. The Limited Express train from Hakata travels directly to Arita Station, but the main places of interest are found around Kami Arita, which has its own station on the local JR Sasebo Line.
So, from Hakata, take a direct Limited Express train to Hizen-yamaguchi (45 - 55 minutes) and transfer onto the local train for Kami-Arita (30 -35 minutes). Alternatively travel directly to Arita station and take a local train (5 mins) or walk along the flat road to Kami Arita (approx 20 mins).
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| Kami Arita Train Station |
Kami Arita
This pretty town contains the majority of interesting and informative sites associated with Arita porcelain. Being off season in January, it was quiet and many places were closed but it was pleasant to walk around the area to learn and explore the context of the finished products. I imagine that it could get very busy during high season. A number of hands-on pottery workshops are held during the busier months and tours and experiences are widely available.
Expensive but not awkward
Being on such a tight budget and with no intention to spend big, we thought it may be awkward to visit shops or studios but the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly and there was no hint of obligation to buy. Having said that, we still didn’t go into the very expensive shops; I can be a bit unsteady at times and quite clumsy. I think we would have been asking for big trouble and an even bigger bill!
Happy to look into the windows of the swankier shops we puffed our cheeks and widened our eyes at the price tags. Some studios are clearly evolving tradition with modern designs that are really gorgeous and it was clear that porcelain production not only remains very much a part of the culture but is important to the local economy.
Coffee & cake served on Arita-ware - it'd be rude not to!
Clumsiness considered, the only way I was going to get my hands on some examples of Arita-yaki was at our next stop. On the main road running through Kami Arita, heading towards Sueyama Jinja (known as Tozan Shrine), we found Meijiyumean, a wonderful, artistic shop and cafe that serves its food and drink using local porcelain.
We decided on a coffee and cake set for around 550 yen (approximately £3.95 at time of writing). After choosing my desired cake from a display, I was amazed to receive this…
I have to say it was probably one of the most delicious desserts I’ve ever had - the complimentary flavours and textures of the cake, gelato with frozen fruit decoration, nut bread and cookie were perfect. The hospitality and atmosphere was wonderful and I was very sad to have to drain the last drop from my beautiful coffee cup and leave.
(I'm clearly obsessed by Japanese patisserie and I've written more about Japanese cakes & desserts in the post, 'The Cake Lover's Guide to Japan' !)
Sueyama Jinja (Tozan Shrine)
Okawachiyama
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| Okawachiyama secret kiln village & Korean cemetery |
How to get Okawachiyama using public transport
The hidden kiln village of Okawachiyama is situated in the mountains between the towns of Arita and Imari. Public transport access via bus from Imari is easy but infrequent - careful timetable planning is needed.
From Kami Arita: take the train to Arita (5 mins) or walk straight along the flat, main road for 20 mins.
From Arita station: Hop onto the private Matsuura Railway (based at the JR train station) to Imari (not covered by JR Passes).
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| Matsuura Train |
Tickets for the Matsuura trains are available from ticket machines (Japanese only) inside the station or on the platform. Ticket options and kanji were complicated so I asked for tickets at the Matsuura ticket window.
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| Arita Train Station - The Matsuura ticket window & machine are on the right |
Alternatively, you can pay the train driver...
...take a numbered ticket when you get on the train from a machine near the door - the fare due will be displayed next to the corresponding ticket number on a screen near to the driver. Drop the numbered ticket and exact fare into the box as you get off. If you already have a ticket, this needs to go in the box too. This is the same process with many local trains and most bus services in Japan.
The journey from Arita to Imari takes about 25 minutes.
From Imari: At the Matsuura station in Imari, there is an excellent tourist office where booklets and maps of the area in English, including an English version of the bus timetable to Okawachiyama, are available on request.
A bus ticket machine is located just next to the tourist office door...
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| Bus ticket machine |
...the friendly lady I had been speaking with was keen to come and help us get the correct tickets. Again, you can pay on the bus with the correct change by using the method mentioned above. The bus stop is directly outside the exit of the station and is well marked.
The bus journey takes about 15 minutes, winding up into the mountain from central Imari. I spotted a huge road sign for ‘Secret Village’. The irony amused me probably more than it should have!
Exploring Okawachiyama
The bus drops off in Okawachiyama next to the car park, toilets, museum and cafe...at the bottom of the upwardly sloping village (it picks up a little further down on the opposite side of road). In both directions we were the only people on the bus travelling the full route and there were only a few other people in the village.
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| Okawachiyama bus stop |
Although embracing tourism, this incredibly beautiful village retains a strong identity as a working, ceramic-producing area. A walk around the lanes beyond the main road reveals evidence of production, with plain ceramics stacked against house walls for shelter ready for the next stage in their transformation. Here too it was clear that the art and craft is being developed for the future while remaining firmly rooted and true to its cultural past.
We spent a good couple of hours before the last bus back exploring the village on foot, taking in the shrine, clay pounders, step kiln and the small museum.
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| Village step kiln |
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| Water-driven clay pounder |
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| Village paths |
A pretty walk along the river eventually brought us to the cemetery of the Korean potters who were moved to the area for their skill and labour. We paid our respects and headed back to the bus stop in good time for the last bus.
A few hours armed with information and a map from the tourist information point in Imari was adequate but for the more energetic there is more to experience here, with paths leading into the forested hills beyond.
Shopping opportunity
Again, being January many of the shops and studios were closed during our visit but those that were were open were welcoming, friendly and more than happy to chat about their ceramic art. Some shops will ship internationally if you find something too heavy or fragile to pack in your luggage but we bought a few easy-to-pack pieces as a lasting reminder.
Heading back to Fukuoka
We arrived back into Imari on the last bus from Okawachiyama, ready to retrace our steps back to Arita and directly from there onwards to Fukuoka. Before hopping onto the train, we peered at the confections in a random cake shop window, puffed out our cheeks and widened our eyes. The attention to detail and craftsmanship were exquisite, just like the local porcelain. The artistic soul of the area runs deep.
