Hasami Ware Nakaoyama Autumn Pottery Festival 2026 | Walking Tour of the Chimney Village
The Hasami-ware Nakaozan Autumn Ceramics Festival will be held on Saturday, October 24th and Sunday, October 25th, 2026, in Nakaozan, Hasami Town, Nagasaki Prefecture. The event will run from 9 AM to 5 PM. Admission is free.
When you think of a ceramics market in Hasami, many people probably picture the Ceramics Park during Golden Week. That is a large-scale market, now in its 68th iteration, and it runs for seven days.
The Autumn Ceramics Festival is an entirely different event. The venue is not Ceramics Park, but rather the single village of Nakaozan. Visitors walk through the townscape, lined with brick chimneys, and visit each pottery kiln (kamamoto) one by one.
The schedule in this article is based on information from Nagasaki Tabi Net. It is based on information available as of 2026. Please be sure to check the latest information before your departure.
2026 Schedule
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Period | Saturday, October 24th & Sunday, October 25th, 2026 |
| Time | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Venue | Nakaozan area (Nakaozan Community Hall) |
It's only for two days. However, since it's a village that can be walked, half a day is enough to explore it.
Difference from the Spring Sakura Ceramics Festival
In Nakaozan, there is also an event called the "Sakura Ceramics Festival" in spring. Although it is held in the same village, the atmosphere is different.
| Item | Spring - Sakura Ceramics Festival | Autumn - Autumn Ceramics Festival |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Cherry blossom season | Late October |
| Atmosphere | Lively, coinciding with cherry blossom viewing | Calm and subdued |
| Theme | Cherry blossoms and ceramics | Food and ceramics |
The Autumn Ceramics Festival is a two-day event themed "Food and Ceramics." It's structured to allow visitors not only to view ceramics but also to experience them in use. For those choosing ceramics, it offers the advantage of seeing dishes served on them.
About Nakaozan
Among the areas in Hasami Town, Nakaozan is particularly home to many remaining pottery kilns.
Upon entering the village, the first thing that catches your eye are the brick chimneys. These were once used to vent smoke from climbing kilns, and many still stand today. The townscape is often described as evoking a sense of nostalgia even for first-time visitors, and this scenery is the reason why.
Nakaozan also has the remains of a climbing kiln that was once said to be the largest in the world. A climbing kiln is a kiln with a series of chambers built along a slope, and it was the technical foundation that allowed Hasami to become a mass-production center.
The kilns are concentrated within walking distance. There's no need to travel by car. Starting from the Nakaozan Community Hall, you can explore the area on foot.
Access
| Method | Route |
|---|---|
| Car (from Sasebo area) | Approx. 15 min from Hasami Arita IC |
| Car (from Ureshino area) | Approx. 20 min from Ureshino IC |
| Train | Car from JR Sasebo Line Arita Station or Mikawachi Station |
Hasami Town does not have a train line. You will need a car from the nearest station. Please plan with a rental car or taxi in mind.
Parking is available at Nagata Parking next to the Nakaozan Pottery Village Gate, Nakaozan Community Hall Parking, and Nakaozan Ground. The number of spaces provided is relative to the size of the village, so it's best to arrive early in the morning to secure a spot.
Parking and Traffic Regulations
No official traffic regulations have been announced. The roads in the village are not wide, so please use the designated parking lots and avoid street parking.
Regulations change from year to year. Please check the latest announcements just before the event. We will not make a definitive statement here.
About Hasami Ware
Hasami ware is porcelain. It's made by crushing pottery stone, not clay. That's why it's thin, light, hard, and white.
And the history of Hasami is encapsulated in one phrase: "Good quality, abundant, and affordable." During the Edo period, it was a production area that mass-produced porcelain for everyday use by common people. The thick teacups known as "Kurawanka-wan" were used by merchants selling food from boat to boat and were distributed at a price that made them not regrettable to break.
This characteristic remains unchanged today. The reason Hasami ware is still praised as "easy to use" and "reasonably priced" is because it has been a production area striving for this for 400 years.
A representative decoration technique of Hasami ware is sometsuke (underglaze blue). Blue pigment called gosu is used to paint designs under the glaze, then a transparent glaze is applied over it and fired. Even with just one indigo color, the expressions change with variations in shade.
A comprehensive overview of the region can be found in Hasami Ware, and the differences from neighboring Arita are summarized in Arita Ware.
How to Tour
- ① Start at the Nakaozan Community Hall There is parking available, and you can get a map of the village.
- ② Walk while looking up at the chimneys Seeing the townscape before buying ceramics will help you understand what this production area has accomplished.
- ③ Visit each kiln one by one They are all within walking distance. Even with Hasami ware, each kiln has its own specialty in shapes and designs.
- ④ Stop by the food events Seeing dishes served on the ceramics is a unique feature of this festival.
What to bring
- Cash Some kilns may only accept cash.
- Newspaper or towel Porcelain is thin, and the edges are prone to chipping.
- Comfortable shoes The village is on a slope.
- A light jacket or cardigan It can get chilly in late October, especially in the mornings and evenings.
- A large bag Hasami ware is reasonably priced, so you'll likely buy more than you expect.
Related Articles
Understanding Hasami
- What is Hasami Ware? | 400 Years of Porcelain for the Common People
- What is Arita Ware? | Japan's First Porcelain Production Region
- What is Porcelain? | White, Hard Vessels Born from Stone
Sometsuke Technique
- What is Sometsuke? | Painting Beneath the Glaze with a Single Indigo Color
- What is Goshu? | The Single Pigment That Creates Blue
- What is a Noborigama Kiln? | Connected Chambers Ascending a Slope
Before Visiting a Ceramics Market
- Ceramics Market Calendar 2026 | National Schedule and How to Navigate on the Day
- Pottery Experience Areas | Reservations, Fees, and How to Take Your Work Home
- What is Kodai? | The Underside of a Vessel, Where Experts Look First
Even if you can't make it to the event
The event is only held two days a year. Even if you can't make it on those days, we deliver handmade ceramics from artisans across the country directly from the production area. Since the creator's name is attached, you can even trace who made it.
View Artisan CeramicsFAQ
When is the Nakaoyama Autumn Pottery Walk held?
How does the autumn walk differ from the spring Hasami Pottery Festival?
Can I reach Nakaoyama by train?
Shop the related pieces
New to Japanese pottery? Start here — its history, how pottery differs from porcelain, the clays and glazes behind each style, and how to care for a piece. → Japanese Pottery: The Complete Guide