These are quaint towns located on the South Island of Kyushu and they are well known for pottery.
Arita and Okawachiyama are considered the birthplace of Japanese porcelain production, about 400 years ago when kaolin (the mineral essential for the production) was discovered in the area. You can have a grateful insight at the Kyushu Ceramic Museum, where you can learn all about ceramic production and its history. As a result of its isolation among the mountain, Okawachiyama was perfect as a “secret kiln village” to produce the most exclusive nabeshima-yaki pottery.

Imari was a bustling town full of artisans and the main shipping port, used to export these ceramic products. Today you can visit a handful of the merchant houses as well as ceramics shops.