The town of Arita in Saga Prefecture is often regarded as the birthplace of pottery in Japan, and a springtime event celebrates the long history of ceramics in the region in conjunction with hina matsuri, or Girls' Day. Hina Matsuri is celebrated on March 3rd each year, and ornamental dolls are displayed at homes and some businesses in honor of this.
The Arita Hina Pottery Festival has been running for almost 20 years now, and it's just one event where you can explore a variety of these traditional dolls up close. Several venues across the town will be displaying different types of hina dolls, including hina dolls made in Arita's sister city of Meissen, Germany.
Getting there
The event takes place at several venues around Arita, including the Aritakan Cultural Plaza and the Arita Sera Shopping Plaza.
A free shuttle bus to the various venues will operate on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays during the event dates. More information on the shuttle service can be found here (in Japanese).
