Autumn Arita Ceramics Fair 2026 (Nov 19–23): Wood-Fired Kiln Viewing Nov 20–22, Free Shuttle Buses and Car Parks

開催前（11/19(木)から）

日時11/19(木)〜11/23(月)

秋の有田陶磁器まつり2026｜11月19日〜23日、薪窯公開は20日〜22日・シャトルバス・駐車場秋の有田陶磁器まつり — Autumn Arita Ceramics Fair

The 22nd Autumn Arita Ceramics Fair in Arita Town, Saga, is held for 5 days, from Thursday, November 19 to Monday, November 23, 2026 (a holiday), all around the town. You walk around the kilns and shops looking for Arita ware. The public viewing of wood-fired kilns, which you normally cannot see, is open for only 3 days, from Friday, November 20 to Sunday, November 22. Free temporary car parks and free shuttle buses are provided during the fair. Details are on the Arita Tourist Association page for the 22nd Autumn Arita Ceramics Fair (Japanese).

In short

Dates: Nov 19 (Thu)–Nov 23 (Mon, holiday), 2026. Wood-fired kilns open Nov 20–22.
Imaemon Kiln and Kakiemon Kiln use timed entry in turns.
Free shuttle buses on 3 routes (from 9:10) and free temporary car parks (9:00–17:00).
The nearest stations are JR Arita Station and JR Kami-Arita Station.

Checked with official pages on October 22, 2026 (Japan time).

What the Autumn Arita Ceramics Fair 2026 offers

You go around the kilns and shops of the town, including the Uchiyama shopping district, Arita Sera, Arita Porcelain Park and China on the Park, to buy Arita ware and try limited-time autumn menus. There is also a kimono town walk (“Kimono de Aki no Arita Sanpo”, October 10 to December 13).

Events during the 5 days include the 44th Chawan Kuyo and Arita Chawan Festival (a memorial service for broken tableware) at Arita Sera, the Autumn Kyushu Ceramic Museum Festival at the Kyushu Ceramic Museum of Saga Prefecture, the Autumn Thanksgiving at the Fukagawa Seiji main shop, and the Autumn Koransha Festival. On Saturday, November 21 there is also an event for the 100th anniversary of the designation of the Arita ginkgo as a national natural monument. The full list of events by shopping association and kiln is on the official page.

Wood-fired kiln tour on November 20–22: viewing days and times by kiln

“Homura no Kyoen: Makigama Meguri” (a tour of wood-fired kilns) lets you see the firing of wood-fired kilns that have been handed down for 400 years. Viewing days and times differ by kiln, and Imaemon Kiln and Kakiemon Kiln use timed entry in turns.

Kiln	Viewing date and time	How you view
Imaemon Kiln	Fri, Nov 20, 7:30–9:30	30-minute turns at 7:30, 8:15 and 9:00
Kakiemon Kiln	Sat, Nov 21, 9:00, 10:00 and 11:00	30 minutes each, with a guide
Shigemasa Studio	Sat, Nov 21, 8:00–17:00	Firing of a split-bamboo climbing kiln (waritake noborigama)
Tengudani Old Kiln (Arita Porcelain Park)	Sat, Nov 21, 10:00–15:00	A chance to feed the fire with firewood, depending on conditions
Genemon Kiln	Sun, Nov 22, 8:00–17:00	Final stoking (semedaki). The studio is also open during the fair

The free shuttle buses start at 9:10 and the temporary car parks open at 9:00, so you cannot use them for the 7:30 and 8:15 turns at Imaemon Kiln.

Source: Arita Tourist Association, “Homura no Kyoen: Makigama Meguri” page (Japanese)

第22回秋の有田陶磁器まつり。11月19日〜23日、窯元と商店街をめぐる5日間今右衛門窯の薪窯（2024年の案内写真） — Wood-fired kiln at Imaemon Kiln (2024 guide photo)

第22回秋の有田陶磁器まつり。11月19日〜23日、窯元と商店街をめぐる5日間柿右衛門窯の薪窯（2024年の案内写真） — Wood-fired kiln at Imaemon Kiln (2024 guide photo)

Photo source: press release of the Saga Prefecture Tourism Federation for the 20th Autumn Arita Ceramics Fair, October 9, 2024 (Japanese). The photos came with the guide to the 20th fair in 2024.

Free shuttle buses and temporary car parks for the Arita Ceramics Fair

The nearest stations are JR Arita Station and JR Kami-Arita Station. There is little public parking along Prefectural Road 281 between Arita Station and Kami-Arita Station, so the organizers recommend parking at a temporary car park and going around by free shuttle bus. The streets of the shopping associations have no car parks.

The free shuttle buses run on 3 routes from the Arita Ekimae-dori stop (in front of the Arita Town Lifelong Learning Center, 2–3 minutes on foot from Arita Station).

Route 1: through the Uchiyama district and back and forth to the Great Ginkgo and Izumiyama Quarry. On Nov 19 and 20, 9:20–17:15 about every 30 minutes; on Nov 21–23, 9:20–17:30 about every 15 minutes.
Route 2: a loop around Arita Sera, 9:10–17:02, about every 30 minutes.
Route 3: back and forth to China on the Park. Nov 21–23 only, 9:30–17:20, about every 60 minutes.

The temporary car parks are free, 9:00–17:00. Those open for the whole period are Izumiyama Quarry, Taiken Kobo Rokuroza, Arita Elementary School, Honmachi, Arita Sera and Arita Porcelain Park. On Saturdays, Sundays and holidays Hiraki Stadium (not usable on rainy days) and the Saga Bank Arita Town Hall East branch are added. Sources: Arita Tourist Association, free shuttle bus guide and temporary car park guide (Japanese)