Today I traveled to Imari. It’s a very small town. I didn’t really have lunch, but I’ve been eating a lot lately so it’s not like I’m going to waste away.

I think I decided a couple things about Nagasaki. First, I think I’ve seen most of the things in the city that I want to see. But second, I really like the place and I’ll definitely go again.

Started out the day with breakfast and I’ve had the Japanese breakfast at the restaurant at least three times already so I decided to try the American breakfast. As you can see, it’s kind of Japanese. How often do you see picked vegetables and stewed tomato something-or-another in an American breakfast? The rest is my own fault: the salad, croissant, and coffee are from the buffet. I’m used to doughy flat croissants but this one was crisp and flaky.

Then I checked the train schedule and saw if I just left a little earlier I’d make it to Imari before lunch instead of after. I had a non-reserved seat ticket which meant I could leave whenever I wanted. Even after buying a coffee at Mickey D’s, I made it to the train platform a half hour early and was first in line. It wasn’t crowded so there was no problem.

It was the weird shinkansen that doesn’t really go that far. It’s supposed to connect Fukuoka and Nagasaki but Saga Prefecture in between thinks no one will stop there and won’t allow them to connect the two ends.

I transferred to the Huis Ten Bosch line which I think also goes to Sasebo, but I only rode it one stop to Arita.

Then I got on the Matsuura Railway which was two cars that ran like a bus. That is, you take a ticket (or scan your IC card) on the way in, and then pay for the distance when you get off. Being the sticks, the train only comes once an hour. I guess Google Maps doesn’t like lettting you backtrack, so it told me to get off in the middle of EBFE and wondered if I was just going to a farmer’s house.

I think it was about the same as going to the station and backtracking.

I left my bags at the hotel and headed off to see Imari. The front desk told me I should go to Okawachiyama, where the potters historically had their kilns. I only had 15 minutes to make it to the bus, which ran once every two hours. Okawachiyama was a nice little town in the hills, only a 15 minute bus ride away, so I bet a taxi wouldn’t’ve been expensive..

Did I mention the hills? It’s pretty steep. Lots of pottery stores and my sister suggested I buy a mug. Since the cheapest one I liked was about $60US, I punted. (The cheapest one I saw was probably $40.) So many beautiful things wasted on me there. Anyone have a million yen for a vase?

I guess this is a waterway and not a stream. 

And a spillway or a water diverter?

I didn’t take any pictures of the pottery because they were stores and not just galleries. I’m filling in by showing pictures of the creek.

I tried looking for the shrine built into a cave but I went the wrong way (as usual) and ended up at the cemetery. It’s not in the guide book but there was a sign that said there were many Korean potters who were brought to Japan and never got to go home. There’s a monument to them made up of their gravestones in a mound. I didn’t think it would be respectful to take a picture. Sorry.

I had a few minutes to kill before the next bus so I got a my usual sightseeing lunch: soft ice cream. It was out of one of those machines that uses a pod and they let you (make you) make your own cone. I should not be trusted with a soft ice cream machine.

Oh, I got some tea as well.

I caught the bus back and did the tour of the town. There’s a very small pottery gallery at the station with several pieces of Edo era pottery. The information bureau also suggested the Silk Road exhibit and the merchant house next door to it.

The Silk Road exhibit is in an old house. The first floor is a pottery store (of course) and the second floor had a few displays. There was also a larger area where you could paint your own pottery.

The merchant house was more fun. If you follow Japanese history you know how the rulers liked controlling things. People weren’t allowed to go to the pottery studios  in Okawachiyama but were made to buy things from the merchant in town. The lady there was super nice and explained the whole thing to me, showing me all the rooms.

I took a picture of both buildings and they’re the smaller ones in the middle.

My last stop was Imari shrine and on the way there were ceramic tiles on the walls. As you’d expect, there’s ceramics everywhere. The most interesting ceramics were at the ends of the bridges.

There were way more porcelain figures but I’m not really a pottery guy so I only took two pictures. Plus one of these roosters.

I took a picture of what I thought was the shrine was just the bottom of the steps to the shrine. There were also some shrine office buildings to the left that I didn’t photograph.

The shrine itself was quite peaceful and no one was there! Usually there’s people selling fortunes and amulets.

I walked back to the hotel and they recommended two places for Imari beef but one no longer serves dinner. The only choice was a cafe that serves Imari beef hamburger steak. I know it’s kind of a waste to grind up good beef but it was very tasty. But I started off with a lemon squash, which I hadn’t had in years.

I’m just building up the suspense.

Sometimes you get off flavors with hamburgers but this one was just perfect.

I had what I hope is my last disaster of the day — when I tried to pay for dinner I couldn’t find my wallet! I’ve pulled this stunt before. Since I pay for most things with my Suica card (IC transit card) I didn’t realize my wallet was in one of the bags back at the hotel. I rushed back to get the wallet and came back and paid. Phew. They were super nice about it.

Oh and the convinience store wasn’t conveniently located to I first tried the Daiso for some more Wilkinson fizzy water. No dice, but there’s a MaxValu supermarket next door. And they had another flavor!

There’s a big bath on the third floor of the hotel so I’m going to head up in a bit. I hope I’m done with all my mistakes for the day.