Today, Arita is a fairly large city that still has many workshops and shops, but you don’t need me to look for them, as there are so many. Here, I will share with you two of my favorite places, related to porcelain of course!
Tozan-ji Temple and its porcelain torii.
Tozan-ji Shrine is completely different from other religious buildings that can be found in Japan, as its torii is completely covered with white and blue porcelain plates. It was founded in the Edo period to honor the fathers of pottery: Nabeshima Naoshige (the lord who allowed Koreans to produce porcelain), and Li Sanpei (the famous Korean ceramicist who discovered a kaolin mine). It is also dedicated to Hachiman (the god of war and protector of Japan and the Japanese people). Many people come there to pray for the prosperity of the city and Arita porcelain.
The shrine is not very large, but it has incredible charm! To access it, you first have to cross the local train line that runs alongside it on foot. You enter through a small plaza decorated with bronze lanterns and komainu guard dogs.
After taking a few photos, I headed to the temple's main office to look at the amulets on offer. Oh surprise, they were actually selling a ceramic ema tablet, not a wooden one! It was so beautiful that I bought it without asking any questions (1000 yen). Normally you write your wish on the back and hang it in the enclosure to make it come true, but I chose to take it home as a souvenir. I also got to exchange a few words with the priest, who was delightful.
After making a small purchase, I continued my walk to the magnificent torii set atop Mount Rengeishi. The climb takes less than 2 minutes, don't worry. There are several porcelain lanterns set up along the path, all gorgeous. It feels like an open-air museum. Upstairs, the main pavilion is also surrounded by some magnificent ceramic pieces. Then we can see the beautiful blue and white torii as close as possible. The place was really calm, peaceful. It was a great moment against the beautiful blue sky.
Lunch at Gallery Arita Cafe.
Before the trip, I noticed Gallery Arita Cafe and was not disappointed to stop there. Always associated with local crafts, it offers an absolutely unique experience for coffee and porcelain lovers. It is distinguished by the walls lined with hundreds of magnificent Arita porcelain cups. We are simply amazed when we walk through all these shelves, it is magnificent! The specialty of the place: customers have the opportunity to choose their favorite cup and saucer from this extensive collection to enjoy a hot drink, be it coffee or tea.
So you can choose a cup according to your order, the season and your mood. This is not just a vulgar container, it is a full-fledged part of the experience and the moment we are about to share.
Besides drinks, the cafe offers a menu of main dishes, all home-made from locally sourced ingredients. I allow myself to be tempted by a delicious spicy curry. It is impossible not to try the yuzu ice cream as an additional dessert! After this exquisite lunch, I was given a voucher for 5% off a visit to a very large boutique adjacent to the cafe. There was a huge selection: luxury porcelain for around 150 euros per cup, but also much more affordable selections and even sales for under 10 euros each. If you don’t want to run around the city from store to store, you can really treat yourself to porcelain made on site.
One last tip: I recommend you come before noon if you are visiting on a weekend or a holiday, because this cafe is quite famous. During the week it should be fine. Good news for those with a car: you can park for free in the cafe’s car park. By public transportation, you are less than ten minutes' walk from Arita Station.
Combining a visit to Okawachiyama Village will allow you to enjoy a pleasant and less crowded day out near Fukuoka.
