A practical English guide to Imari in Saga: the Okawachiyama porcelain village, the kilns, the coast and access from Nagasaki and Hakata.
Operational details such as opening hours, admission fees, and train times can change. Prefer official pages and reconfirm before you travel (sources checked on 07 November 2026).
Why visit
- I
- m
- a
- r
- i
- i
- s
- a
- c
- i
- t
- y
- i
- n
- w
- e
- s
- t
- e
- r
- n
- S
- a
- g
- a
- t
- h
- a
- t
- g
- a
- v
- e
- i
- t
- s
- n
- a
- m
- e
- t
- o
- a
- w
- h
- o
- l
- e
- c
- a
- t
- e
- g
- o
- r
- y
- o
- f
- J
- a
- p
- a
- n
- e
- s
- e
- p
- o
- r
- c
- e
- l
- a
- i
- n
- ,
- t
- h
- o
- u
- g
- h
- t
- h
- e
- k
- i
- l
- n
- s
- t
- h
- e
- m
- s
- e
- l
- v
- e
- s
- w
- e
- r
- e
- i
- n
- t
- h
- e
- m
- o
- u
- n
- t
- a
- i
- n
- s
- n
- e
- a
- r
- b
- y
- .
- T
- h
- e
- b
- e
- s
- t
- p
- l
- a
- c
- e
- t
- o
- s
- e
- e
- t
- h
- e
- t
- r
- a
- d
- i
- t
- i
- o
- n
- i
- s
- O
- k
- a
- w
- a
- c
- h
- i
- y
- a
- m
- a
- ,
- a
- v
- i
- l
- l
- a
- g
- e
- i
- n
- a
- n
- a
- r
- r
- o
- w
- v
- a
- l
- l
- e
- y
- w
- h
- e
- r
- e
- p
- o
- t
- t
- e
- r
- s
- w
- e
- r
- e
- s
- e
- t
- t
- l
- e
- d
- i
- n
- t
- h
- e
- s
- e
- v
- e
- n
- t
- e
- e
- n
- t
- h
- c
- e
- n
- t
- u
- r
- y
- t
- o
- k
- e
- e
- p
- t
- h
- e
- i
- r
- t
- e
- c
- h
- n
- i
- q
- u
- e
- s
- s
- e
- c
- r
- e
- t
- .
- I
- t
- s
- l
- a
- n
- e
- s
- a
- r
- e
- l
- i
- n
- e
- d
- w
- i
- t
- h
- s
- t
- o
- n
- e
- w
- a
- l
- l
- s
- ,
- c
- l
- i
- m
- b
- i
- n
- g
- k
- i
- l
- n
- s
- a
- n
- d
- w
- o
- r
- k
- s
- h
- o
- p
- s
- ,
- a
- n
- d
- t
- h
- e
- s
- o
- u
- n
- d
- o
- f
- w
- a
- t
- e
- r
- a
- n
- d
- t
- h
- e
- s
- m
- e
- l
- l
- o
- f
- c
- l
- a
- y
- a
- r
- e
- s
- t
- i
- l
- l
- p
- a
- r
- t
- o
- f
- i
- t
- .
- I
- m
- a
- r
- i
- a
- l
- s
- o
- h
- a
- s
- a
- c
- o
- a
- s
- t
- ,
- a
- c
- a
- s
- t
- l
- e
- s
- i
- t
- e
- a
- n
- d
- a
- r
- i
- v
- e
- r
- ,
- b
- u
- t
- t
- h
- e
- p
- o
- r
- c
- e
- l
- a
- i
- n
- i
- s
- t
- h
- e
- r
- e
- a
- s
- o
- n
- t
- r
- a
- v
- e
- l
- l
- e
- r
- s
- c
- o
- m
- e
- .
- I
- t
- p
- a
- i
- r
- s
- n
- a
- t
- u
- r
- a
- l
- l
- y
- w
- i
- t
- h
- A
- r
- i
- t
- a
- n
- e
- a
- r
- b
- y
- ,
- m
- a
- k
- i
- n
- g
- a
- c
- r
- a
- f
- t
- i
- t
- i
- n
- e
- r
- a
- r
- y
- t
- h
- r
- o
- u
- g
- h
- t
- h
- e
- k
- i
- l
- n
- t
- o
- w
- n
- s
- o
- f
- n
- o
- r
- t
- h
- e
- r
- n
- S
- a
- g
- a
- .
Top places and highlights
Okawachiyama
The old porcelain village, with workshops, kiln sites and lanes of stone and ceramic walls.
Kilns and workshops
Small potteries where the painting and firing can be seen, and pieces bought directly.
Imari river and centre
The town itself, with a river, old streets and a castle site on the hill.
Coast
A short coastline with a harbour and views across the bay.
Food and drink
- S
- a
- g
- a
- f
- o
- o
- d
- i
- s
- s
- t
- r
- a
- i
- g
- h
- t
- f
- o
- r
- w
- a
- r
- d
- :
- r
- i
- c
- e
- ,
- v
- e
- g
- e
- t
- a
- b
- l
- e
- s
- ,
- f
- i
- s
- h
- a
- n
- d
- l
- o
- c
- a
- l
- b
- e
- e
- f
- .
- I
- m
- a
- r
- i
- h
- a
- s
- s
- m
- a
- l
- l
- r
- e
- s
- t
- a
- u
- r
- a
- n
- t
- s
- a
- r
- o
- u
- n
- d
- t
- h
- e
- s
- t
- a
- t
- i
- o
- n
- a
- n
- d
- t
- h
- e
- p
- o
- r
- c
- e
- l
- a
- i
- n
- d
- i
- s
- t
- r
- i
- c
- t
- s
- ,
- a
- n
- d
- t
- h
- e
- k
- i
- l
- n
- v
- i
- l
- l
- a
- g
- e
- s
- h
- a
- v
- e
- c
- a
- f
- e
- s
- s
- e
- r
- v
- i
- n
- g
- l
- u
- n
- c
- h
- o
- n
- l
- o
- c
- a
- l
- c
- e
- r
- a
- m
- i
- c
- s
- .
Getting there and around
- I
- m
- a
- r
- i
- i
- s
- r
- e
- a
- c
- h
- e
- d
- b
- y
- t
- h
- e
- M
- a
- t
- s
- u
- u
- r
- a
- r
- a
- i
- l
- w
- a
- y
- f
- r
- o
- m
- A
- r
- i
- t
- a
- a
- n
- d
- t
- h
- e
- N
- i
- s
- h
- i
- –
- K
- y
- u
- s
- h
- u
- l
- i
- n
- e
- f
- r
- o
- m
- S
- a
- s
- e
- b
- o
- ,
- o
- r
- b
- y
- r
- o
- a
- d
- o
- n
- r
- o
- u
- t
- e
- 3
- 5
- a
- n
- d
- r
- o
- u
- t
- e
- 2
- 0
- 4
- .
- O
- k
- a
- w
- a
- c
- h
- i
- y
- a
- m
- a
- i
- s
- a
- s
- h
- o
- r
- t
- b
- u
- s
- o
- r
- c
- a
- r
- r
- i
- d
- e
- f
- r
- o
- m
- t
- h
- e
- c
- e
- n
- t
- r
- e
- .
Where to stay
- A
- c
- c
- o
- m
- m
- o
- d
- a
- t
- i
- o
- n
- i
- s
- l
- i
- m
- i
- t
- e
- d
- t
- o
- s
- m
- a
- l
- l
- h
- o
- t
- e
- l
- s
- ,
- g
- u
- e
- s
- t
- h
- o
- u
- s
- e
- s
- a
- n
- d
- r
- y
- o
- k
- a
- n
- ,
- w
- i
- t
- h
- m
- o
- r
- e
- c
- h
- o
- i
- c
- e
- i
- n
- S
- a
- s
- e
- b
- o
- a
- n
- d
- N
- a
- g
- a
- s
- a
- k
- i
- .
- M
- o
- s
- t
- v
- i
- s
- i
- t
- o
- r
- s
- c
- o
- m
- e
- a
- s
- a
- d
- a
- y
- t
- r
- i
- p
- f
- r
- o
- m
- t
- h
- o
- s
- e
- c
- i
- t
- i
- e
- s
- .
Best time to visit
- S
- p
- r
- i
- n
- g
- a
- n
- d
- a
- u
- t
- u
- m
- n
- a
- r
- e
- t
- h
- e
- m
- o
- s
- t
- c
- o
- m
- f
- o
- r
- t
- a
- b
- l
- e
- f
- o
- r
- w
- a
- l
- k
- i
- n
- g
- t
- h
- e
- k
- i
- l
- n
- v
- i
- l
- l
- a
- g
- e
- s
- .
- S
- u
- m
- m
- e
- r
- i
- s
- h
- o
- t
- a
- n
- d
- h
- u
- m
- i
- d
- .
- W
- i
- n
- t
- e
- r
- i
- s
- c
- o
- l
- d
- b
- u
- t
- q
- u
- i
- e
- t
- ,
- w
- i
- t
- h
- f
- e
- w
- e
- r
- v
- i
- s
- i
- t
- o
- r
- s
- a
- n
- d
- c
- l
- e
- a
- r
- l
- i
- g
- h
- t
- .
- T
- h
- e
- k
- i
- l
- n
- d
- i
- s
- t
- r
- i
- c
- t
- i
- s
- p
- l
- e
- a
- s
- a
- n
- t
- i
- n
- a
- n
- y
- s
- e
- a
- s
- o
- n
- ,
- b
- u
- t
- r
- a
- i
- n
- m
- a
- k
- e
- s
- t
- h
- e
- s
- t
- o
- n
- e
- l
- a
- n
- e
- s
- s
- l
- i
- p
- p
- e
- r
- y
- .
Practical tips
- Some workshops require a reservation for tours or painting experiences.
- Okawachiyama is a residential village; keep voices low and follow signs for parking.
- Porcelain is fragile and heavy; plan how to carry purchases.
Suggested day-trip outline
- Morning: train to Imari from Arita or Sasebo.
- Late morning: Okawachiyama and the kiln lanes.
- Lunch: a cafe in the village, or in the centre.
- Afternoon: a workshop and a shop.
- Late afternoon: the river and the castle site.
- Evening: on to Sasebo or back to Nagasaki.
Before you go
Timetables, fares, admission fees, and seasonal access rules can change. Check the official tourism and transport sites linked below for the latest information before you travel.
Explore More of Japan
Published guides that pair with this one:
- Okawachiyama Travel Guide: The Secret Porcelain Village of Imari
- Ogi Travel Guide: The Kofun Tombs and the Rice Plains of Saga
- Hyuga Travel Guide: Miyazaki’s Cape and Myth Country
- Usuki Travel Guide: Stone Buddhas and a Castle Town in Oita
- Goto Islands Travel Guide: Churches, Coves and the Edge of Kyushu
Browse every Kyushu guide on this site for the rest of the region.
Sources
- city.imari.lg.jp (checked 2026-11-07)
- pref.saga.lg.jp (checked 2026-11-07)
Leave a Reply