Arita Station

This building is Arita Station, which is the entrance to Arita town.

Arita Station opened in July 1897 and is a departure and arrival station for JR Kyushu Sasebo Line and the Matsuura Railway. The current building was renovated in June 1996 and the design is said to symbolize a coal kiln resembling those in the porcelain town of Arita.

Taking the JR Kyushu Limited Express, you can get there in 80 minutes from Hakata Station and 45 minutes from Saga Station. The Matsuura Railway starts at Arita Station and goes to Sasebo Station via Imari, which was a port town for shipping Arita ware both domestically and internationally during the Edo period.

With the construction of Arita Station in the Meiji period, Arita ware which was known as Imari ware due to the shipping port having been in Imari until that point, began to be shipped nationwide from this station and thus became known as Arita ware. While waiting for the train on the platform at Arita station, you can enjoy ceramic tiles made by prominent porcelain masters such as the 13th generation Imaemon and the 14th generation Kakiemon, and Gen’emon kiln.

(R.H.)