Imari, Saga

Imari
伊万里市
City

Location of Imari in Saga Prefecture
Imari

Location in Japan

Coordinates: 33°16′N 129°53′E / 33.267°N 129.883°E / 33.267; 129.883Coordinates: 33°16′N 129°53′E / 33.267°N 129.883°E / 33.267; 129.883
Country Japan
Region Kyushu
Prefecture Saga Prefecture
Government
 • Mayor Yoshikazu Tsukabe
Area
 • Total 254.99 km2 (98.45 sq mi)
Population (February 1, 2010)
 • Total 57,153
 • Density 225/km2 (580/sq mi)
Symbols
 • Tree Podocarpaceae
 • Flower Azalea
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City Hall Address 1355-1 Tachibana-chō, Imari-shi, Saga-ken
848-8501
Website www.city.imari.saga.jp

Imari (伊万里市 Imari-shi) is a city located in Saga Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. Imari is most notable because of Imari porcelain, which is the European collectors' name for Japanese porcelain wares made in the town of Arita, Saga Prefecture. The porcelain was exported from the port of Imari specifically for the European export trade.

As of February 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 21,964 and a population density of 225 persons per km². The total area is 254.99 km².

Geography

Imari is located in the western part of Saga Prefecture. The city center is located around the mouth of the Imari River.

Adjoining municipalities

History

Arita porcelain bottle, Edo period (1615-1868), Japan

During the Edo period this region flourished due to the export of ceramics and porcelain. High quality goods to be presented to Shōgun and the Imperial Court were produced in what is now called Ōkawachiyama. From the Meiji period to 1955 coal was also a major export.

Education

Vocational schools

High schools

Transportation

Air

The nearest airports are Saga Airport, Fukuoka Airport, and Nagasaki Airport.

Rail

The main station is Imari Station.

Road

Pottery

The Imari Pear

Imari is the largest Japanese pear producing center in western Japan. The cultivation of the Japanese pear from Imari (Imari pears (伊万里梨 Imari nashi)), which originated in the Ōkawa area 100 years ago, has spread out to the Minamihata area and other areas of the city. Today, they are produced over about 350 hectares of land, and their quantity of production was about 4800 tons per year as of 2007.

Ōkawa originally had little rice fields, but in 1906 this led the chairman of the Ōkawa Junior Chamber of Commerce, Takeji Fujita and 11 other people to spearhead the reclamation of forest lands and the cultivation of Japanese pears as a cash crop in Ōkawa. Since then the production and the crop acreage of Imari nashi have increased. According to the latest municipal statistics, the production is the fifth and the acreage is the third in the nation.

The characteristics of Imari nashi are juiciness and crispness. Thanks to the adoption of light sensor systems for fruit sorting, only those which are of excellent quality can be selected and are shipped to Kantō, Kansai, and Kyūshū districts. Recently export to China has started and been promoted.

The main brands of Imari nashi are Kosui, Hosui, and Niitaka. The most produced is Kosui, but Hosui is the most popular brand of the three.[1][2]

Festivals

The Imari Ton-Ten-Ton Festival is held annually for three days from October 22 to 24, beginning at the Imari Shrine in Imari City. The festival is well known as one of the three great fighting festivals of Japan.

People from Imari

References

  1. ↑ "JA Imari". 2006. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
  2. ↑ "Cultivation of the Japanese pear". 2008-06-27. Retrieved 2008-10-16.

External links

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