Karatsu — The Sea and the Art of Ceramics
Journey through Karatsu: the sea, Karatsu ceramics, and the legendary Okawachiyama workshops
- Duration: 9 hours (starting at 9:00)
- Price: On request
- Departure: Departure and return to Fukuoka hotels
Overview
Karatsu flourished as a port city on the coast of the Genkai Sea and has remained one of Japan’s most important centers of ceramics for over 450 years. Karatsu ware is highly valued in the world of tea culture for its understated beauty and expressive texture. The castle town, white sandy beaches lined with pines, and smoke rising from kilns in the mountain valleys evoke an image of Kyushu that has preserved its authenticity far from mass tourism.
The journey begins at Karatsu Castle and the pine grove of Niji-no-Matsubara, continues with a boat ride to the sea caves of Nanatsugama, and leads into the world of the famous Karatsu ceramics — to the Nakazato Tarouemon workshop and the kiln village of Okawachiyama, once home to the official kilns of the Nabeshima clan. This is a day devoted to seascapes and artisanal traditions that have shaped the region’s cultural heritage.
Itinerary: Hotel in Fukuoka → Karatsu Castle → Niji-no-Matsubara → Boat ride to Nanatsugama → Nakazato Tarouemon kiln → Seaside lunch → Okawachiyama → Hotel in Fukuoka
Key Features
- Karatsu Castle — Karatsu Castle, built in 1602, rises above the sea on a hill. Thanks to the outlines of sandy beaches and pine groves resembling the wings of a crane, it is known as the "Castle of the Dancing Crane."
- Niji-no-Matsubara — One of Japan’s three great pine groves. Stretching for about 4.5 km along the Genkai Sea, around one million Japanese black pines grow here. Planted at the beginning of the Edo period, the grove is recognized as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty.
- Nanatsugama — A coastal landscape where basalt columnar fractures have been carved by the turbulent sea waves, forming seven caves. A national natural monument and one of the most iconic natural formations of northern Kyushu.
- Nakazato Tarouemon kiln — Since its founding, this pottery workshop has preserved the traditions of Karatsu ceramics for approximately 430 years and 14 generations. The twelfth head, Muan, was honored with the title of Living National Treasure.
- Okawachiyama — The "Village of Hidden Kilns" of the Nabeshima clan, where porcelain was crafted for the imperial court and shogunate during the Edo period. The ruins of the historic kilns are now designated as a national historic monument.
- Lunch — Enjoy a leisurely lunch at a seaside restaurant overlooking the Genkai Sea. According to your preferences, sample fresh seafood, seasonal delicacies, and regional Kyushu cuisine.
Continue with VIP ACCESS
The day-by-day itinerary, the timetable and the names of the shops and workshops we visit are available to VIP ACCESS members.