Kito

Arita

Kito District, the southwestern corner of Saga Prefecture, consists of Takeo, Imari, Kashima, Ureshino, Arita, Omachi, Kohoku, Shiroishi, and Tara. The district has wide open plains surrounded by hills and mountains.

Kito is one of the districts bordering the Ariake Sea, famous for nori and fresh oysters. Takeo, in the center of the district, is known for its hot springs. Kashima is home to one of the most important Shinto shrines in the country, Yutoku Inari. Arita, with its winding streets and charming architecture, is the birthplace of Japanese porcelain.

Major cities outside the district, like Fukuoka, Nagasaki, and Sasebo, are readily accessibly by limited express trains.

While Kito District is a quite rural area of an already rural prefecture, its natural beauty, history, and warm people make it a fantastic place to live and explore.

Leisure

The annual light show at Mifuneyama gardens, held at the end of August.

Beautiful mountains and famous hot springs, tea and pottery – when it comes to exploring, Kito District has a diverse range of attractions and many of it’s locales are famous throughout Japan (and even abroad to an extent). But the one factor that makes Kito stand out is it’s history; specifically the origins of Japanese pottery (Yakimono). Ask a Japanese person to name one thing about Saga and the response will likely be “Yakimono“.

Want to find out more about exploring Kito District? Here’s a summary of some of the top attractions in Kito District by town. For more details, click on a city name below or ask a Kito JET!

Arita

Arita Ceramics Fair, Kyushuu Ceramics Museum, Arita Porcelain Park
Imari

Imari Yakimono, Okawachiyama Hidden Pottery Village, Imari beach, Ton Ten Ton Festival
Takeo

Takeo Hotspring, Takeo Library, Takeo Shrine, Mifuneyama Gardens
Ureshino

Ureshino Tea, Ureshino Hotsprings, Hizen Yumekaido Ninja Village
Shiroishi

Pottery studios, Shiroishi Pottery Museum
Omachi

Omachi Hotspring
Kashima

Yutoku Inari Shrine, Gatalympics, Mudskippers