Arita and Hasami, Ceramics Tour Package
2 Days and 1 Night in Arita, Hasami, and Ureshino
Highlights
Tour the Japanese countryside and see the Japan like youve never seen it before.
Visit the 400 year old ceramic pottery towns of Arita and Hasami, and learn the history of this ancient practice.
View the cascading rice terraces and boundless matcha fields.
Relax at one of Japan’s top Onsen Ryokan, and feel the health benefits of Ureshino’s famous hot springs.
Shop for authentic Japanese pottery and matcha.
Description
Travel through the lush green countryside of rural Japan, discovering hidden pottery villages, 400 year old matcha farms, and cascading rice terraces while finishing the day with relaxation at a traditional onsen ryokan. This 2 day tour will show you a Japan that can only be seen by stepping off the beaten path, and embracing your sense of adventure. The following outline is just an example, as we will be building this tour around your needs. Please contact us if you have any questions!
Itinerary: Hasami
Hasami, alongside Arita, is one of the two towns where Japanese ceramics were born. Hasami’s ceramics are famous for their utilitarian quality, and many restaurants all over the world trust Hasami producers with crafting their dishware. Hasami is an incredibly green and beautiful town, and is well known for its terraced rice farms.
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Hiroppa is a pottery shop that functions as somewhat of a community center in Hasami. It is owned and operated by Maruhiro, Hasami’s top dishware producer. Here you will find a wide variety of local goods, a modern coffee shop, sculptures doubling as playgrounds, and much more.
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Kurawankan is an interesting location, as it serves as a park, museum, and shopping center all in one. Here you can learn about the history of ceramic making by touring the park and viewing the many replicas of kilns from many regions and eras. Afterwards, you can visit the shopping center to browse the large selection of ceramic ware.
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A quaint, rural general store, purveying locally produced kitchenware, and specialty foods
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An observation deck for viewing Hasami’s famous rice terraces.
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Oniwa is a rural countryside home that has been renovated into a beautiful bed and breakfast run by the Kawachi family. The home looks out over the rice terraces, and the family cooks dinner and breakfast from only the best locally sourced ingredients. Truly a once in a lifetime experience to live a rural Japanese life like this!
Itinerary: Arita
Arita is the true birthplace of Japanese ceramics as an art form. The ceramics from this town are classic in style, and the families that are producing them have been passing down their techniques for 400 years. Here you will learn of the history of ceramics in Japan, and view collections that have been painstakingly curated.
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A museum that paints the picture of the illustrious history of ceramics in Japan. Through its well thought out layout, the museum walks you through the timeline of how ceramics made their way to this country. The museum is also home to an astoundingly large collection of ceramicware.
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The name “Kakiemon” is synonymous with the classic style of Arita porcelain. This is because Sakaida Kakiemon is credited with being the first in Japan to perfect painting on ceramic pottery. To this day, his descendants continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible with ceramicware. You can view, and even purchase some of the families work at their kiln in Arita.
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What makes Genemon so special, is that to this day they produce all of their wares the same way they did hundreds of years ago. This is very rare, as during the Meiji Restoration, many factories were forced to modernize. The kiln allows guests to tour the grounds, so you can witness how they have been producing ceramics for centuries.
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The largest Porcelain shopping center in Arita. There are many different shops and producers here, and it’s a fantastic place to start thinking about souvenirs!
Itinerary: Ureshino
Ureshino is one of Kyushu’s most famous onsen towns, whose silty waters are said to have many health benefits for your skin. Furthermore, it is home to some of Japan’s best Matcha, and has been shipping it worldwide since the 1600’s through Nagasaki’s port. The Ureshino river is lined with Sakura trees, which makes for a surreal and idyllic view during the spring.
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A park on the slope of a sacred mountain boarding 500,000 square meters. One of the most incredible places to view the cherry blossoms both day and night.
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Picturesque cascading waterfalls, lined with sakura trees. Spend time listening to the river and taking in the fresh air.
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Ureshino is at the heart of Japan’s matcha production. Learn about the history of matcha production and trade, and how it has influenced Japan’s relationship to the rest of the world
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Kick back and enjoy some of Ureshino’s famous Matcha tea.
Itinerary: Kashima
Kashima, a small Saga town on the Ariake sea, is home to some of Kyushu’s most prominent sake breweries, as well as one of the three largest Inari Shrines in the country.
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A lone cherry tree in Ureshino City that contrasts beautifully with the tea fields.
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One of the three largest Inari Shrines in Japan, this shrine has been standing proudly for almost 400 years.
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One of the top sake breweries in Kyushu. Here, we may participate in a sake tasting
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A destination for sake enthusiasts. This neighborhood is home to a long row of unique sake breweries.
Details
| Price | Starts at $3,800 for two people, depending on chosen accomodations |
| Tour Departure | between 9:00a.m. and 2:00 p.m. |
| Duration | Typically 1 night, 2 days |
| Langauges Offered | English |
| Includes | Admission, Transportation, Accommodation, Tour Guide Fee |
| Excludes | Unspecified food and drink, airfare, transportation to Nagasaki |
| Meeting Location | Flexible, we can meet you at your accomodation in Nagasaki City |
| Special Notes | Availability for certain accomodations varies, Minimum number of guests is 2 |
| Cancelation Policy | 100% if canceled at least 3 days before the scheduled tour |
| Rain Policy | This tour runs rain or shine |
Contact us.
This is a custom tour so the price varies depending on the attractions, transportation, and accomodations. Please contact us if you have any questions or are interested in building a trip with us! We will respond as soon as we can. Thank you for your time!