Saga Prefecture

A cultural Tourism hub where you can experience the value and charm of Arita ware while tracing its history

  • Cultural Spaces
  • The history of Arita ware is traced through precious collections such as the "Kambara Collection" (owned by Arita Town), which is a collection of porcelain that was returned home to Europe.

    The history of Arita ware is traced through precious collections such as the "Kambara Collection" (owned by Arita Town), which is a collection of porcelain that was returned home to Europe.

  • Introductory exhibit: An eye-catching Video highlighting the distinctive designs of the four styles of Arita porcelain: Sometsuke, Kakiemon, Nabeshima, and Kinrande, drawing you into the story of Arita porcelain

    Introductory exhibit: An eye-catching Video highlighting the distinctive designs of the four styles of Arita porcelain: Sometsuke, Kakiemon, Nabeshima, and Kinrande, drawing you into the story of Arita porcelain

  • The Birth of Japanese Porcelain: In a space that evokes the history behind the birth of Japanese porcelain and the natural environment of Arita, the pottery stone that is the origin of Arita ware is impressively displayed.

    The Birth of Japanese Porcelain: In a space that evokes the history behind the birth of Japanese porcelain and the natural environment of Arita, the pottery stone that is the origin of Arita ware is impressively displayed.

  • The perfection of Japanese porcelain: The Kakiemon and Nabeshima styles are said to be the twin pillars of Japanese porcelain. The beauty of their white space and the refined blue are symbolically contrasted throughout the space.

    The perfection of Japanese porcelain: The Kakiemon and Nabeshima styles are said to be the twin pillars of Japanese porcelain. The beauty of their white space and the refined blue are symbolically contrasted throughout the space.

  • Adding color to your life: Arita ware, which has diversified to meet domestic demand, from the gorgeous luxury goods of feudal lords and wealthy merchants to the stylish items of townspeople, is expressed in two spaces

    Adding color to your life: Arita ware, which has diversified to meet domestic demand, from the gorgeous luxury goods of feudal lords and wealthy merchants to the stylish items of townspeople, is expressed in two spaces

  • Theme Exhibition: As a finale to the permanent exhibition, we invite you to take a cultural Tourism of the production areas. We also incorporate digital experiences to convey the true value that has been passed down to the present day.

    Theme Exhibition: As a finale to the permanent exhibition, we invite you to take a cultural Tourism of the production areas. We also incorporate digital experiences to convey the true value that has been passed down to the present day.

  • Saga Prefecture
  • Introductory exhibit: An eye-catching Video highlighting the distinctive designs of the four styles of Arita porcelain: Sometsuke, Kakiemon, Nabeshima, and Kinrande, drawing you into the story of Arita porcelain
  • The Birth of Japanese Porcelain: In a space that evokes the history behind the birth of Japanese porcelain and the natural environment of Arita, the pottery stone that is the origin of Arita ware is impressively displayed.
  • The perfection of Japanese porcelain: The Kakiemon and Nabeshima styles are said to be the twin pillars of Japanese porcelain. The beauty of their white space and the refined blue are symbolically contrasted throughout the space.
  • Adding color to your life: Arita ware, which has diversified to meet domestic demand, from the gorgeous luxury goods of feudal lords and wealthy merchants to the stylish items of townspeople, is expressed in two spaces
  • Theme Exhibition: As a finale to the permanent exhibition, we invite you to take a cultural Tourism of the production areas. We also incorporate digital experiences to convey the true value that has been passed down to the present day.

Photo: Nacása & Partners Inc.

About the Project

Overview The Saga Prefecture Ceramic Museum is located in Arita, the birthplace of Japanese porcelain, a town of pottery that continues to evolve to meet the needs of the times. Aiming to become a world-class cultural Tourism hub, the museum has renovated its permanent exhibition room to display the "History of Arita Ware."
You can experience Arita ware by walking through seven rooms that trace the history of the ware: "The Birth of Japanese Porcelain," "Technical Innovation," "The Perfection of Japanese Porcelain," "Crossing the Sea," "Coloring Our Lives," "The Dawn of a New Era," and "Now and the Future."
Issues/Themes The permanent exhibition will be revamped to convey the historical background, value, and appeal of world-renowned Arita ware to first-time visitors and foreigners, and the area will be redeveloped as a cultural Tourism hub that will revitalize the production area.
Space Solution/Realization The exhibition is structured around seven rooms that extract the characteristics and background of each era and sublimate them into spatial design, allowing even those with no knowledge of history to intuitively grasp the story of Arita ware over the past 400 years. In addition, there are four thematic exhibits that convey the value of Arita ware from four different perspectives across the ages, and the exhibition is designed to invite visitors to use the exhibition as a base for Tourism in the production area.
Design for Environment Universal design: The height of the exhibits is set with wheelchair access in mind, and in keeping with the museum's role as a cultural Tourism hub, even the captions are provided in both Japanese and English.
Cultural property Preservation Planning: We designed the exhibits with consideration for safety when changing exhibits, as well as fixing methods to prevent damage.

Basic Information

Client Saga Prefecture
Services Provided Display Planning, Design, Layout, Production, Construction
Our Team Display Planning: Hanako Higashinakagawa, Ai Nishimura
Design Direction, Design, Layout: Mayuko Sakata
Production, Construction: Koji Sakata
Project Management: Kenji Nakagawara, Takahiro Tsuji
Location Saga Prefecture
Open April 2022
Website https://saga-museum.jp/ceramic/
Tag
Hanako Higashinakagawa

Display Planning

Hanako Higashinakagawa

He works on a wide range of projects, from creating content for cultural, entertainment and promotion facilities to improving amenities such as restrooms in commercial facilities. Without being limited by genre, he uses his strength of balance to aim for planning that prioritizes both "making the client's business successful" and "shaking the minds of visiting guests to satisfaction."

*The shared information and details of the project is accurate as of the date they were posted. There may have been unannounced changes at a later date.

Affiliated companies and solutions

Related Achievements

Mayuko Sakata

Design Direction, Design, Layout

Mayuko Sakata

He has worked on many designs and Spatial Production for expositions, corporate museums, factory tour facilities, etc. He sees space as a medium, visualizes the message he wants to convey, and works daily with the aim of designing experiences that can only be had there.