Kyushu Arita Saga Pottery, Ceramics Tour

This 3-day culture tour brings you exclusive and in-depth experience of Kyushu's pottery and ceramics. This tour includes comfortable transportation via 7-seat vehicle as well as accommodations at an authentic hotel in the village close to the manufacturers.

Day 1

We will meet at Atelier Japan (inside Hotel Granvia Kyoto) in the morning and drive to Arita.

Ceramic Culture Museum

We will guide through the museum and introduce the history of ceramics and porcelain from all over Kyushu.

Arita Town Walk

Strolling through the retro streets of Arita, you will see many traditional buildings in the form of hundreds of years ago The torii gate made of Arita porcelain is also a must-see. We will guide you through many other spots and tell the stories behind, such as Izumiyama Magnet Field (Nationally Designated Historic Site), Grand Duke Sunju (Ruins of Kuchiya Bansho), Uchiyama District, Tonbai Wall, Suyama Shrine, Koransha, Imaemon (Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings), etc.

Authentic Hotel in The Arita Village

Towards the evening, we will check you in an authentic hotel situated right in the village where numerous manufactures set up their home and workshop. You will enjoy dinner (included in this tour) served in Arita-yaki porcelain at the hotel.

Day 2

Tour of China Clay Refinery

After breakfast at the hotel, we will bring you to a manufacturer of the clay used to make Arita-yaki. The manufacturer is supported by many ceramicists. Although mechanization has progressed for the production of pottery clay, important aspects such as determining the iron content of stones and the mixing ratio of stones and sand still rely on the intuition of artisans. The artisan's experience as a veteran craftsman is such that he can tell the condition of a stone by looking at it. The number of pottery clay makers, which at its peak totalled more than 50 in the towns of Arita and Hasami, has dropped to less than half that number, making it a very valuable skill.

A short lesson about pottery clay will be offered, followed by a workshop tour in which you will observe the making of the clay.

Arita-yaki Porcelain Studio Tours

After the clay refinery visit, we will have a short lunch at a popular local restaurant. Then we will go behind the scenes of two affiliated studios run by a group of young artisans, including younger managers and successors of Imari and Arita pottery business, who contemplate and talk about a sustainable future for the Arita porcelain industry. Enjoy a guided tour of the porcelain studios.

Ceramic Industry Cooperative Association

We are honored to have the exclusive offer to visit the Ceramic Industry Cooperative Association, a place that brings together 85 studios that sustain the art of Imari/Arita-yaki and 91 members of the Imari/Arita Yaki Traditional Craftsmen's Association. View seasonally-themed exhibitions featuring pieces by members. Enjoy shopping of souvenirs featuring large number of ceramic creations. You will do your own ceramic painting under the instruction of artisans.

You will be tired but satisfied after a full day of activities. We will send you back to the same hotel and continue to enjoy the dinner.

Day 3

Free Walk and Shopping

This day is reserved for you to have free walk down the villages and do your own shopping, which most travelers do when they are here. The itinerary can be customized according to your requests. Start and finish locations can also be changed upon request.

We call it the end of the tour and drive you back to your next destination or train station in the area.

Included

• Experience and entrance fees of all visits

• 2-night hotel accommodation

• Selected meals (Dinner for Day 1, breakfast for Day 2 & 3)

• Transportation and guide

Excluded

• Travel or accidental insurance

• Extra food and drinks

  
  

• Any commercial item purchased by the guest during this visit