Imari Town Center

Imari (ˆÉ–œ—¢) is a small seaside city in western Saga Prefecture on Kyushu. In past centuries, Imari's port was the gateway for shipping out ceramic wares from the main production centers of Arita, Okawachiyama and Karatsu. During the Edo Period, pottery from the region was also exported overseas via Dejima in Nagasaki and became known as "Imari-yaki". These antiques are now referred to as Old Imari (Koimari) to differentiate them from modern Imari-yaki.

During the heydays of porcelain production, Imari was a thriving town filled with artisans of various disciplines, and merchant houses lined the banks of the Imari River which runs through the town center. A handful of these merchant houses were preserved or restored and are open to visitors today. There are also various shops selling ceramics, while the city center's main roads and bridges are decorated by porcelain statues.