Imari, Saga

2025-07-27T13:45:09Z

240A:61:50B0:C3DA:C537:A896:53E3:AC72:

{{Infobox settlement
| name = Imari
| official_name =
| native_name = {{nobold|{{nobold|{{lang|ja|伊万里市}}}}}}
| native_name_lang = ja
| settlement_type = [[Cities of Japan|City]]
| other_name =

| image_skyline = Imari City Hall.JPG
| imagesize =
| image_caption = Imari City Hall
| image_flag = Flag of Imari, Saga.svg
| image_seal = Emblem of Imari, Saga.svg
| seal_type = Emblem

| image_map= {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|type=shape|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#000000|zoom=10}}
| image_map1 = Imari in Saga Prefecture Ja.svg
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Location of Imari in Saga Prefecture
| pushpin_map = Japan
| pushpin_relief =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Japan
| coordinates = {{coord|33|15|53|N|129|52|51|E|region:JP|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes = 

| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = Japan
| subdivision_type1 = [[List of regions of Japan|Region]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Kyushu]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[Prefectures of Japan|Prefecture]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Saga Prefecture|Saga]]
| subdivision_type3 = [[Districts of Japan|District]]
| subdivision_name3 =

| established_title = 
| established_date =
| extinct_title = Now part of
| extinct_date =
| founder =
| named_for =

| seat_type = 
| seat =

| government_footnotes = 
| leader_party =
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = Hironobu Fukaura <深浦弘信> (from April 2018)
| leader_title1 = Vice Mayor
| leader_name1 =

| total_type = 
| unit_pref = Metric

| area_magnitude = 
| area_footnotes = 
| area_total_km2 = 255.26
| area_land_km2 =
| area_water_km2 =
| area_water_percent =
| area_note =

| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m =

| population_footnotes = 
| population_total = 51,875
| population_as_of = June 1, 2024
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_est =
| pop_est_as_of =

| timezone1 = [[Japan Standard Time|JST]]
| utc_offset1 = +09:00

| postal_code_type =
| postal_code =
| area_code_type = 
| area_code =

| blank_name_sec1 = City hall address
| blank_info_sec1 = 1355-1 Tachibana-chō, Imari-shi, Saga-ken 848-8501

| blank_name_sec2 = [[Köppen climate classification|Climate]]
| blank_info_sec2 = [[Humid subtropical climate|Cfa]]

| website = {{Official|1=http://www.city.imari.saga.jp/}}
| footnotes =
| module = {{Infobox place symbols| embedded=yes
| tree = [[Podocarpaceae]]
| flower = [[Azalea]]
| bird =
| flowering_tree =
| butterfly =
| fish =
| other_symbols =
}}
}}
[[File:Nabeshimayaki Okawachiyama Imari-shi Saga-ken PB110126.jpg|thumb|Nabeshimayaki Okawachiyama]]
[[file:腰岳より伊万里市街地 - panoramio.jpg|thumb|270px|Panorama of Imari]]
[[file:日本三大喧嘩祭り伊万里トンテントン.jpg|thumb|270px|Imari Ton-Ton Festival]]
{{nihongo|'''Imari'''|伊万里市|Imari-shi}} is a [[Cities of Japan|city]] located in [[Saga Prefecture]] on the island of [[Kyushu]], [[Japan]]. {{As of |2024|06|01}}, the city had an estimated [[population]] of 51,875 in 23,874 households, and a [[population density]] of 200 persons per km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name="Imari-hp">{{cite web |url=https://www.city.imari.lg.jp|title= Imari City official statistics|location= Japan|language= ja}}</ref> The total area of the city is {{cvt|255.26|km2}}. 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|Arita]], Saga Prefecture. The porcelain was exported from the port of Imari specifically for the European export trade.

==Geography==
Imari is located in the western part of [[Saga Prefecture]], approximately 50 kilometers were of the prefectural capital at [[Saga (city)|Saga]]. The urban center is located around the mouth of the Imari River.

*[[Mountains]]: Mt. Hachiman (764 m), Mt. Seira (599 m), Mt. Eboshi (597 m)
*[[River]]s: Matsuura River, Imari River, Hata River, Kurōtake River, Arita River

===Adjoining municipalities===
[[Nagasaki Prefecture]]
*[[Matsuura, Nagasaki|Matsuura]]
*[[Sasebo, Nagasaki|Sasebo]]
[[Saga Prefecture]]
*[[Arita, Saga|Arita]]
*[[Karatsu, Saga|Karatsu]]
*[[Takeo, Saga|Takeo]]

===Climate===
Imari has a [[humid subtropical climate]] (Köppen ''Cfa'') characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Imari is 15.7 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1864 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.7 °C, and lowest in January, at around 5.4 °C.<ref>[https://en.climate-data.org/asia/japan/saga-prefecture/imari-714826/ Imari climate: Average Temperature, weather by month]</ref>

{{Weather box
|width= auto
|single line = Y
|metric first = Y
|location = Imari (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present)
|Jan record high C = 19.8
|Feb record high C = 22.4
|Mar record high C = 24.4
|Apr record high C = 29.9
|May record high C = 32.1
|Jun record high C = 36.0
|Jul record high C = 36.8
|Aug record high C = 37.8
|Sep record high C = 36.9
|Oct record high C = 32.6
|Nov record high C = 28.3
|Dec record high C = 24.0
|Jan high C = 9.8
|Feb high C = 11.2
|Mar high C = 14.6
|Apr high C = 19.7
|May high C = 24.1
|Jun high C = 26.7
|Jul high C = 30.5
|Aug high C = 31.8
|Sep high C = 28.0
|Oct high C = 23.3
|Nov high C = 17.7
|Dec high C = 12.2
|Jan mean C = 5.4
|Feb mean C = 6.4
|Mar mean C = 9.5
|Apr mean C = 14.2
|May mean C = 18.6
|Jun mean C = 22.2
|Jul mean C = 26.4
|Aug mean C = 27.2
|Sep mean C = 23.3
|Oct mean C = 17.9
|Nov mean C = 12.4
|Dec mean C = 7.3
|Jan low C = 1.2
|Feb low C = 1.7
|Mar low C = 4.5
|Apr low C = 8.9
|May low C = 13.6
|Jun low C = 18.6
|Jul low C = 23.3
|Aug low C = 23.7
|Sep low C = 19.6
|Oct low C = 13.3
|Nov low C = 7.6
|Dec low C = 2.9
|Jan record low C = -5.4
|Feb record low C = -5.3
|Mar record low C = -3.6
|Apr record low C = -1.0
|May record low C = 4.0
|Jun record low C = 8.7
|Jul record low C = 15.6
|Aug record low C = 16.7
|Sep record low C = 8.6
|Oct record low C = 2.1
|Nov record low C = -1.6
|Dec record low C = -4.5
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 78.6
|Feb precipitation mm = 93.8
|Mar precipitation mm = 148.6
|Apr precipitation mm = 188.2
|May precipitation mm = 197.2
|Jun precipitation mm = 355.6
|Jul precipitation mm = 367.9
|Aug precipitation mm = 272.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 224.1
|Oct precipitation mm = 105.0
|Nov precipitation mm = 107.4
|Dec precipitation mm = 83.6
|year precipitation mm = 2221.8
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 9.4
|Feb precipitation days = 9.0
|Mar precipitation days = 10.9
|Apr precipitation days = 10.0
|May precipitation days = 9.4
|Jun precipitation days = 13.4
|Jul precipitation days = 13.1
|Aug precipitation days = 11.0
|Sep precipitation days = 10.0
|Oct precipitation days = 7.2
|Nov precipitation days = 9.1
|Dec precipitation days = 9.2
|Jan sun = 98.6
|Feb sun = 118.9
|Mar sun = 157.9
|Apr sun = 182.7
|May sun = 193.2
|Jun sun = 122.0
|Jul sun = 159.0
|Aug sun = 188.5
|Sep sun = 155.3
|Oct sun = 178.7
|Nov sun = 135.4
|Dec sun = 108.6
|year sun = 1798.8
|source 1 = [[Japan Meteorological Agency|JMA]]<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_a.php?prec_no=85&block_no=1075&year=&month=&day=&view=h0
|script-title=ja:観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）
| publisher = [[Japan Meteorological Agency|JMA]]
| access-date = February 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=85&block_no=1075&year=&month=&day=&view=h0
|script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）
| publisher = [[Japan Meteorological Agency|JMA]]
| access-date = February 27, 2022}}</ref>}}

===Demographics===
Per Japanese census data, the population of Imari is as shown below. <ref>[https://www.pref.saga.lg.jp/kiji00385650/3_85650_272578_up_mq06iuqg.pdf Saga Prefecture population by municipality]</ref>

{{Historical populations
| 1940 |60539
| 1950 | 82319
| 1960 | 78397
| 1970 | 61,561
| 1980 | 61,243
| 1990 | 60,882
| 2000 | 59,143
| 2010 | 57,161
| 2020 | 52,629
|align = none
| footnote =
}}

==History==
The area of Imari was part of ancient [[Hizen Province]]. On August 15, 1281 the 2nd Mongol invasion fleet retreated into Imari Bay and was destroyed here by [[Kamikaze (typhoon)|Kamikaze]] typhoon. During the [[Edo period]], Imari was part of the [[Saga Domain]]. During the [[Edo period]] this region flourished due to the export of [[Ceramics (art)|ceramics]] and [[porcelain]]. High quality goods presented to [[Shōgun]] and the [[Imperial family of Japan|Imperial Court]] were produced in what is now called Ōkawachiyama and were styled [[Nabeshima ware]]. From the [[Meiji period]] to 1955 coal was also a major export.

Following the [[Meiji restoration]], the town of Imari and the villages of Higashiyamashiro, Kurokawa, Makishima, Matsuura, Minamihata, Niri, Nishiyamashiro, Ōdake, Ōkawa, Ōkawachi and Ōtsubo were established with the creation of the modern municipalities system. On February 16, 1901 Ōdake Village was renamed Hatatsu Village. On December 10, 1928 Makishima Village was incorporated into Imari Town. Nishiyamashiro was raised to town status on April 1, 1936 becoming Yamashiro Town. On December 8, 1943 the villages of Ōkawachi and Ōtsubo were incorporated into Imari Town. The towns of Imari and Yamashiro, and the villages of Higashiyamashiro, Kurokawa, Hatatsu, Minamihata, Ōkawa, Matsuura, and Niri were merged on April 1, 1954 to create Imari City.

==Government==
Imari has a [[mayor-council]] form of government with a directly elected mayor and a [[unicameral]] city council of 21 members. Imari contributes two members to the Saga Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the [[Saga 2nd district]] of the [[House of Representatives of Japan|lower house]] of the [[Diet of Japan]].

== Economy ==
While Imari is best known as a center of the ceramics industry, there is an [[industrial park]] near the Port of Imari. Agriculture is thriving, including rice, green onions, mandarin oranges, pears, and grapes.

=== The Imari Pear ===
Imari is the largest [[Japanese pear]] producing center in western Japan. The cultivation of the Japanese pear from Imari ({{nihongo|'''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.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://jaimari.saga.jp/produce/pear.html | title = JA Imari | access-date = 2008-10-14 | date = 2006 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://saga-s.co.jp/ | title = Cultivation of the Japanese pear | access-date = 2008-10-16 | date = 2008-06-27 }}</ref>

==Education==
Imari has 13 public elementary schools and six public junior high schools operated by the city government, and one public high schools operated by the Saga Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates a special education school for the handicapped. There is also one vocational training school, the Imari College of Nursing.

==Transport==
===Railway===
[[File:JR logo (kyushu).svg|frameless|20x20px]] [[Kyushu Railway Company|JR Kyushu]] - [[Chikuhi Line]]
*{{colorbull|Greenyellow}} {{STN|Komanaki|x}} - {{STN| Ōkawano|x}} - {{STN|Hizen-Nagano|x}} - {{STN| Momonokawa|x}} - {{STN| Kanaishihara|x}} - {{STN|Kami-Imari|x}} - {{STN|Imari|x}}

[[file:Matsuura Railway logo.jpg|25px]] [[Matsuura Railway]] - [[Nishi-Kyūshū Line]]
* {{STN|Kanatake|x}} - {{STN|Kawahigashi|x|Saga}} - {{STN|Imari|x}} - {{STN|Higashi-Yamashiro|x}} - {{STN|Sato|x}} - {{STN| Kusuku|x}} - {{STN| Naruishi|x}} - {{STN|Kubara|x}} - {{STN|Haze|x}} - {{STN|Uranosaki|x}} - {{STN|Fukushimaguchi|x}}

===Highways===
* [[File:JP Expressway E35.svg|25px|link=|alt=]] [[Nishi-Kyūshū Expressway]]
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|202}}
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|204}}
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|498}}

===Seaports===
* [[Port of Imari]] is a medium size port which receives ocean ships of various types, including container ships, dry bulk ships, cruise ships...etc. [http://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/cruise/detail/057/index.html] . It is also the location of the main shipyard of Namura Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., a large [[Osaka]] based shipbuilding and repair company [http://www.namura.co.jp/en/index.html] which also owns another large ship repair firm further southwest in [[Sasebo]], i.e. [[Sasebo Heavy Industries]].

==Sister cities==
*{{flagicon|China}} [[Dalian|Darien]], [[China]], friendship city since May 2007

==Local attractions==
* Ōkawachiyama, 'The Village of the Secret Kilns', used to be the home of the [[Nabeshima clan]] kilns, with masters such as Hatase Buemon and [[Sakaida Kakiemon]].

===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.

==Notable people from Imari==
*[[Fujiko (actress)]]
*[[Tatsuo Ikeda]] - avant-garde artist
*[[Sayuri Katayama]] - singer
*[[Kyohei Maeyama]] - Footballer for [[Blaublitz Akita]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/kyohei07/|title = Login • Instagram}}</ref>
*[[Ryosuke Mizumachi]] - Basketball player for [[Akita Northern Happinets]]<ref>Happinets halftime show vs.SunRockers Shibuya on December 12, 2018</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ameblo.jp/mizumacho/entry-10639772662.html|title=『Ｍ～もう一度の新潟ストーリー～』|website=まっちょのブログ}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=水町嘉宏 |url=https://twitter.com/watertown0103/status/14292263972 |title=トンテントン|date=19 May 2010 |access-date=15 March 2021}}</ref>
*[[Taichiro Morinaga]] - [[Morinaga & Company|Morinaga & Co]] founder
*[[Yōsuke Takasu]] - baseball player
*[[Masayuki Tanaka]] - singer

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.city.imari.saga.jp Imari City official website] {{in lang|ja}}

{{Saga Prefecture}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Saga Prefecture]]
[[Category:Port settlements in Japan]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Japan]]
[[Category:Imari, Saga]]

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Imari, Saga