Arita Será
Arita Será is a large open-air shopping mall that specializes in Arita ware. Opened in 1975 as a wholesale commercial park, it was renovated and renamed in 2018. The mall’s new name was created by the Cooperative of Arita Ceramics Wholesale Commercial Park, which operates the complex. Será is an amalgamation of the Japanese pronunciations of the English words “seller” and “ceramics.”
In addition to the twenty-two shops in the mall specializing in Arita’s porcelain products, ranging from daily use utensils to high-end art objects, there are galleries, restaurants, and a boutique hotel. With ample parking, the outdoor mall is an excellent place to spend time and relax while traveling in the Arita area. The rows of shops on each side of the central promenade are connected by a covered walkway providing protection from the summer heat and early autumn typhoons.
Generally, the Arita Será mall is open from 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., but the business hours of each shop may differ. From the second half of November to the end of February, the central promenade is decorated with winter lights and illuminated displays. Many shops extend their hours for visitors who come for the lights. Part of the Arita Porcelain Market, one of the town’s largest events and the largest ceramics fair in the country, is held here every day during the annual Golden Week holidays from April 29 to May 5. Encompassing four national holidays, Golden Week is one of Japan’s busiest holiday and travel seasons.
