Here’s another Arita event to add to your calendar - Arita’s annual autumn pottery festival! The festival runs from November 22nd to 26th and features a huge lineup of events, including open days at some of the town’s traditional brick kilns, walking tours around the city, beautiful fall foliage, a pottery bazaar, kids’ activities, and food. I would especially recommend a visit to the brick kilns. The potters are always eager to talk about the history and tradition of their work.
According to legend, Arita-yaki, Arita’s traditional form of pottery, has a history dating back to the mid 1600s. Arita-yaki is known for its quality and bright colors and remains famous across Japan. Many potters who live there today still hand-shape their wares and decorate them with paints made locally using many of the same methods that were used several hundred years ago.
Arita itself is beautiful, and I’m not surprised that its soft hills and rivers still attract many accomplished artists. I’ve been to the pottery festival that Arita holds during Golden Week and the bazaar stretched for blocks and blocks through the center of town. When I left Japan, I left with a whole suitcase just filled with Arita-yaki.
Aside from a great day out, the autumn festival would be the perfect place to get Christmas gifts!
At the top of the webpage you’ll find a PDF version of a brochure, including a handy map. I’ve included a link here as well:
http://www.arita.jp/pamphlet/data/aki_2017.pdf
Please let me know if you’re interested but don’t read Japanese, and I’d be happy to provide more information! Also, please share your experiences here if you do end up going, as I don’t currently live in Japan and want to live vicariously through you. ;)
-Grace
