Arita Ceramic Museum
The Arita Ceramic Museum is located in an old warehouse building that was originally built in 1874. When it opened in 1954, it was the first museum in Saga Prefecture and the third museum devoted exclusively to ceramics in the world. Although the exterior walls of the building are stone, the rest is made of wood. The display cabinets, cases, and lamps inside all date to the museum’s founding in 1954, but have been refurbished since.
After the nearby Former Tashiro Family Western-style House was designated a National Important Cultural Property in 2018, the Arita Ceramic Museum’s displays were reorganized to focus on the Meiji era (1868－1912), since both buildings were constructed in the 1870s.
However, the most important piece in the collection is a large sometsuke (underglaze blue) plate that depicts the entire Arita ware production process during the late Edo period (1603－1867). Made sometime between the 1830s and 1850s, it is a Saga Prefectural Important Cultural Property. The images on the plate are also the focus of an exhibit in the History and Folklore Museum of Arita that shows how Arita ware was traditionally made.
The museum building is registered as part of Arita’s Important Preservation District for Groups of Historic Buildings.
