Saga
Arita porcelain since 1590s (reached Europe as Imari), between Fukuoka and Nagasaki. 2026: craft heritage vs. neighbor competition.
Saga exists between two famous neighbors—Fukuoka to the north and Nagasaki to the south—which means it must specialize or disappear. The specialization is ceramics. Arita porcelain, produced here since Korean potters arrived in the 1590s, became Japan's first major export commodity, reaching Europe as "Imari" ware and influencing Meissen and Delft.
The ceramic tradition persists. Arita, Imari, and Karatsu produce pottery that ranges from tourist souvenirs to works collected by museums. The skills transmitted for 400 years now face the familiar challenge: young people leaving, master craftsmen aging, industrial production undercutting handmade prices.
Beyond ceramics, Saga's economy is agricultural—rice, tangerines, Saga beef. Kashima's Yutoku Inari Shrine draws visitors as one of Japan's three great Inari shrines. By 2026, Saga tests whether craft heritage can sustain communities when squeezed between larger, more dynamic neighbors. The pottery that once reached Europe through Dutch traders now reaches tourists through Shinkansen. The question is whether that's enough.