Discover History and Pottery Culture
Located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, small in size but big on sights—modern-day Hagi retains all its charms of bygone eras. The castle town’s narrow streets are lined with samurai-era houses. Renowned as the hometown of Hagi-yaki pottery or Hagi ware, the city is steeped in manmade cultural wonders as well as plentiful natural splendor. Trace the steps of Japanese history, step by step, as you wander your way through Hagi.
Hagi prides itself on being a city where you can still use Edo-period maps, and it truly is a step back in time. Having been spared significant damage during the war and from natural disasters, the layout of the castle town remains unchanged to this day. Small streets lined with cross-hatched namako walls and samurai houses, traditional potteries and stunning castle ruins make Hagi a wonderful place to get a real hands-on experience of traditional Japan.
Museums dot Hagi City—including Hagi Museum, a modern facility opened in 2004, which exhibits Bakumatsu-period documents as well as local crafts. Indeed, one cannot mention Hagi without mention of its exquisite pottery, known as Hagi-yaki and regarded for its natural, warm tones and beautiful translucent glaze work. Even today, more than one hundred kilns still stand with many offering a hands-on experience of making your own Hagi-yaki piece.
Japanese culture abounds in Hagi and every moment of your journey through the city, and region, at large, will be touched by the deep history that makes this former castle town a treasure to explore. There is no shortage of things to see here, so renting a bike is a great way to start. Otherwise, there are circular bus routes which can take you to most spots, so don’t worry if bikes aren’t your thing.
Hagi prides itself on being a city where you can still use Edo-period maps, and it truly is a step back in time. Having been spared significant damage during the war and from natural disasters, the layout of the castle town remains unchanged to this day. Small streets lined with cross-hatched namako walls and samurai houses, traditional potteries and stunning castle ruins make Hagi a wonderful place to get a real hands-on experience of traditional Japan.
Museums dot Hagi City—including Hagi Museum, a modern facility opened in 2004, which exhibits Bakumatsu-period documents as well as local crafts. Indeed, one cannot mention Hagi without mention of its exquisite pottery, known as Hagi-yaki and regarded for its natural, warm tones and beautiful translucent glaze work. Even today, more than one hundred kilns still stand with many offering a hands-on experience of making your own Hagi-yaki piece.
Japanese culture abounds in Hagi and every moment of your journey through the city, and region, at large, will be touched by the deep history that makes this former castle town a treasure to explore. There is no shortage of things to see here, so renting a bike is a great way to start. Otherwise, there are circular bus routes which can take you to most spots, so don’t worry if bikes aren’t your thing.
