Ookawachiyama

Okawachi is a pottery village loved by the feudal lord. Okawachi, the village of hidden kilns, has beautiful landscapes like a landscape painting and an outstanding pottery culture. During the Edo period (1603-1867), the highest quality porcelain “Nabeshima” was produced here as the official kiln of the Nabeshima family of the Saga Domain. Even today, 30 potteries are preserving the traditional production methods and handing down the techniques to the next generation.

In Okawachiyama, there is a place called “Nabeshima Clan Kiln Park. In this park, there are beautifully recreated remains of the Sekisho, where the secret methods of pottery making were kept, and climbing kilns such as the Sutra Stone Kiln and the Kiyohara Kiln, as well as potters’ houses. As you follow the mountain path, you will find old kiln ruins and various porcelain objects, which are in harmony with the quiet townscape and nature. Particularly recommended is the sound of the “Meoto no To” (tower of the dead), which is played by an Imariyaki wind chime. Its clear tone echoes beautifully and gently over Mount Okawachi. We hope you will actually visit and listen to it.

Okawachiyama is lined with brick chimneys and kilns, and you can feel the history and tradition of more than 300 years. The kiln market is held in the spring, the wind-bell festival in the summer, and the Nabeshima Clan Kiln Autumn Festival in the fall. Participating in these events is a great way to experience the charm of Okawachi more deeply.