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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Imari
伊万里市
Half a day for the ceramic galleries and a walk through the old kiln district; skip if you are not interested in porcelain. One night only if you time the Ton-Ten-Ton festival in late October.
Imari is a small city in Saga Prefecture, Kyushu, known worldwide for Imari porcelain (Nabeshima ware). The main draw is the Okawachiyama kiln district, a 20-minute walk from the station, where you can see traditional workshops and the Imari Nabeshima-yaki Gallery. The city itself is quiet and compact; most visitors come as a half-day detour from Arita or Karatsu.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 伊万里市
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), Golden Week
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥5,000–8,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥8,000–15,000 excl. bed · High ¥15,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | ¥300–500 |
| Nabeshima-yaki bowl (small) | ¥2,000–10,000 |
| Taxi Imari Station → Okawachiyama | ¥1,000–1,500 |
| Matsuura Railway Imari–Arita one way | ¥300 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- NGO · Chubu Centrair
- check
- FUK · Fukuoka Airport
- About 1.5 h by train via Hakata and Karatsu; check
Typical fares
- Imari Station → Okawachiyama (taxi)
- ¥1,000–1,500
- Imari → Arita (Matsuura Railway)
- about ¥300, 10 min
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walkable centre; the Okawachiyama district is a 20-min walk from Imari Station. Local buses run infrequently; a taxi from the station costs about ¥1,000–1,500.
See and do
Known for
- Imari porcelain (Nabeshima ware)
- Okawachiyama kiln district
- Imari Ton-Ten-Ton Festival (late October)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Arita | Matsuura Railway, about 10 min | 30 min |
| Karatsu | JR Chikuhi Line, about 40 min | 1 h |
| Takeo | JR Chikuhi Line, about 30 min | 50 min |
Sleep
- Near Imari Station
- A few business hotels and minshuku; limited options, book ahead.
- Arita (10 min by train)
- More accommodation choices and a better evening scene.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうarigatō |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- Okawachiyama workshops close by 17:00; go in the morning.
- The Ton-Ten-Ton festival has reduced the scale of the shrine battle after a 2006 accident; check the current programme.
- Most ceramic shops accept cash only.
Very safe. The main risk is summer heat; carry water and a hat. Cash is king in small shops.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Imari yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Imari porcelain (Nabeshima ware)
- Okawachiyama kiln district
- Imari Ton-Ten-Ton Festival (late October)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Imari tourist association (Japanese): imari-kankou.com/
- Imari Nabeshima-yaki Gallery: imari-ookawachiyama.com/imari-nabeshimayaki-kaikan/
- Wikivoyage: Imari, revision 4862052 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4862052
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/imari). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.