ABOUT

Hotel Karae is the base from which a story
is woven about staying in Karatsu.

Karatsu is a castle town. It is the gateway to white sandy beaches and the pine forest of Nijinomatsubara. The journey from the station to HOTEL KARAE takes about 2 minutes. HOTEL KARAE is located at the entrance to Karatsu, where traditional culture such as festivals and Karatsu pottery is alive and well. The lounge art and the big table have been created using recycled materials from the sake brewery building which was built on this land 100 years ago.While inheriting the traditional culture of Karatsu, it was made with the thought of blowing a new wind into this town.This brings a fresh style to the city while retaining the traditional culture of Karatsu.


HOTEL KARAE, operated by the city planning company Iki Iki Karatsu, offers a variety of travel options such as gourmet food, Karatsu pottery experience, guide tours and Karatsu lifestyle try-on plans. It is the hope that our hotel will become a medium for people to enjoy the wide and deep charms of Karatsu.


We hope that our place will become a port of Karatsu for travelers and lead them to their own colorful Karatsu STAY.

PLAN

01Karatsu Gourmet Plan

Karatsu is a city of gourmet food, as they say. Seafood, distinctive of a town surrounded by the sea, Saga beef, Arita chicken, Sakura pork, Karatsu vegetables, and abundant rice.... All kinds of ingredients are available, and master chefs are ready to show off their skills. If you visit such a city, you must enjoy Karatsu's gourmet food ! HOTEL KARAE is located at the entrance to the shopping district. The entire city is like a gourmet restaurant, HOTEL KARAE is offering a combination of Karatsu's best restaurants and accommodation plans.

02Karatsu Pottery Experience Plan

Karatsu is a town of pottery, known for "First Water Well, Second Raku (comfort), Third Karatsu. "As a vessel for expressing wabi-sabi, it has long been loved by connoisseurs all over Japan. On the other hand, Karatsu-yaki, which continues to evolve while preserving tradition and where the individuality of each potter shines through has recently become popular among young people who value a "careful lifestyle. Such is a great way to spend a day in Karatsu, a city where the culture of Karatsu pottery continues to flow.

03City Walking Tour Plan

Iki Iki Karatsu Co., Ltd, the city planning company that runs HOTEL KARAE, offers a city walking service called "Arukara," in which you can enjoy Karatsu city in a more in-depth way with a professional city guide. You can spend two to three hours on each theme, such as "Castle Town", "Karatsu Kunchi", "Karatsu Pottery", and "Tour of Great People", and take your time to explore Karatsu.

04Movie Appreciation Plan

On the first floor of HOTEL KARAE, there is THEATER ENYA, a mini-theater that has returned to Karatsu city after 22 years. The Karatsu Film Project, a general incorporated association that operates Theater Enya, produced "Hanagatami" with director Nobuhiko Obayashi in 2017, all shot on location in Karatsu. As Karatsu is a city of culture, we propose a trip to Karatsu for comprehensive artistic entertainment – enjoy a film and Karatsu at the same time.

05City Planning Learning Experience Plan

Iki Iki Karatsu Co., Ltd, the city planning company that runs HOTEL KARAE, is the port for this plan, which offers a variety of learning experiences under the theme of "city planning". If you are interested in keywords such as "Gakuchika (What you worked hard for and what you focused on during your school years )" ,"local migration" ,"local venture management", "café/hotel management", "city planning through movies", "old private houses", and "activities x city planning(crossover between activities and urban development to make them more meaningful.)", why don't you come on a learning trip to Karatsu, "a city focused on urban development"? (To be released in January 2022)

06Activity Plan

The interesting thing about Karatsu is that it is a compact city where the different eras from Edo to Reiwa period coexist, and it offers not only culture and gourmet food, but also a wide range of activities that take advantage of the abundant sea, mountains, and rivers. You can rent a bicycle and experience the diversity of Karatsu's cityscape and natural scenery, or you can enjoy marine activities in Karatsu's rich ocean.

07Breakfast Plan

KARAE TABLE, located on the first floor of HOTEL KARAE, is a cafe and dining room that places importance on local ingredients. Standard mornings such as the toast set with its addictive homemade butter whip, and French toast are popular. At Kawashima Tofu, located in the Kyomachi Arcade shopping street directly across from the hotel, you can enjoy a detox morning featuring freshly made tofu. Why not start your trip to Karatsu with a delicious morning?

08Long Stay ECO Plan

From dormitory rooms to deluxe rooms at HOTEL KARAE, you can enjoy your stay simple STAY in the style of your choice. The hotel is located in a shopping district with many restaurants, so there is no shortage of places to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The hotel is also convenient for business travelers who have an unpredictable schedule.

09Skin Care Plan

Reward yourself for your hard work. This plan comes with a skincare set to make you beautiful at Karatsu STAY. The Ladies plan includes C.O. Bigelow, the oldest apothecary in the U.S. and loved around the world for its stylish natural cosmetics, and the men's plan includes a skincare set BULK HOMME. We're ready for you!

10STANDARD Plan

A simple overnight stay plan recommended for various occasions such as sightseeing and business. From dormitory rooms to executive rooms, you can choose the style that best suits your needs. The guest rooms are designed in the image of white sand and green pine trees with minimalist furniture so that you can experience your stay in Karatsu with all your senses. We will help to make your stay in Karatsu a comfortable one.

FACILITIES

  • KARAE TABLE (First floor of HOTEL KARAE)

    A stylish dining and cafe where you can enjoy the Karatsu pottery panel wall and the scenery of the shopping alley. A full menu of local seasonal fruits and vegetables, and the hotel’s morning set is also popular. We offer lunches, sweets, and cafe drinks unique to Karatsu.

    OPEN
    7:30〜18:00(L.O.17:00)
    TEL
    0955-53-8067
  • THEATER ENYA (First floor of HOTEL KARAE)

    “THEATER ENYA” is a movie theater that has been revived in Karatsu after 22 years. The cinema is named after the call of the Karatsu Kunchi, a festival recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site. Although a small size theater with 62 seats, in addition to regular screenings of Obayashi’s film “Hanagami” filmed in Karatsu , a wide range of other gems will be screened. There is also a special plan that includes movies and hotel.

    OPEN
    10:00〜21:00
    TEL
    0955-53-8064
  • KARAE SHOP (First floor of HOTEL KARAE)

    KARAE’s concept store is filled with the charm of Karatsu, Saga and Kyushu. We sell confectionery, miscellaneous goods, accessories, KARAE original goods, made-in-Karatsu cosmetics, and travel goods. We are sure the local residents and tourists alike can enjoy this place. In the future, we are planning to create concept rooms for the hotel by KARAE SHOP and artists.

    OPEN
    10:00〜18:00
    TEL
    0955-53-8065
  • GALLERY唐重 & 歩唐Info (First floor of HOTEL KARAE)

    Karatsu, the city of pottery. At the gallery, we propose a fond of Karatsu lifestyle through pottery by selecting pottery from artists, and kilns that are carefully handcrafted in the “Bizen ceramic region” of Karatsu, Saga and Nagasaki. There is also a window for “Arukara” guided city walking tour that will help you to enjoy your visit to Karatsu and to understand the background and history of the city.

    OPEN
    10:00〜18:00
    TEL
    0955-53-8063
  • MEME KARATSU/SHARED OFFICE (Second floor of HOTEL KARAE)

    Meme Karatsu is a co-working and shared office that supports the diversity of “working” and “learning” in Karatsu. Located on the second floor of KARAE, it is convenient for travelers to use for available on a one-time basis, and can be used as a base for travelers to “travel while you are working”.We also offer hotel plans that allow you to use shared office space.

    OPEN
    9:00〜19:00
    TEL
    080-9446-7548
  • MEME KARATSU/RENTAL SPACE (Second floor of HOTEL KARAE)

    Meme-Karatsu’s rental spaces are available in five different types, ranging from rooms with a capacity of 4 to 15 people for a type of meeting that can be held in a relaxed atmosphere for study-style meetings and workshops. It is very convenient for holding group meetings, workshops, and exhibition projects in Karatsu, when you are on a business trip or on vacation.

    OPEN
    9:00〜21:00
    TEL
    080-9446-7548

ACCESS

2 minutes walk from Karatsu Station

Travelling time from Fukuoka Airport, Hakata, Tenjin is

takes about 90 minutes by train or bus and

60 minutes by car

By Subway JR

It takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes from Fukuoka Airport, Hakata, or Tenjin to Karatsu Station on the JR Chikuhi Subway Line. 2 minutes walk from North Exit of Karatsu Station.

By Bus

From Fukuoka Airport, Hakata, or Tenjin, take the Showa Bus Karatsu to Karatsu Oteguchi Bus Center (takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes). Get off at Karatsu Oteguchi Bus Center and walk for 3 minutes.

By Car

From Fukuoka Airport, Hakata, or Tenjin, it takes about one hour via Urban Expressway, Nishi-Kyushu Expressway, or Nijyo Hamatama Road.

Parking

There is no dedicated parking lot, but the “Nakamachi Parking Lot” is conveniently located adjacent to HOTEL KARAE. Fees: 12hrs/¥ 500, 1 hr ¥200

For other nearby paid parking lots, please refer to the access on the official website of KARAE.