陶山神社 Touzan-jinja Toyama Shrine
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Toyama Shrine located in a pottery town of Arita, Saga Pref. is worshipped as the guardian god of Arita porcelain. According to the shrine record, it was built under the order of the magistrate of Saga Clan in charge of pottery management in the early Edo period (1658). The main deity that had originally resided at the superior shrine of Imari, the pottery center of the time, was moved to this place. The new shrine was named “Arita Sarayama Sobyo Hachimangu,” which means the shrine in which all the deities residing in the area that the pottery management magistrate controls assemble. Since then the shrine has been worshipped by the local potters and porcelain merchants. The large torii gate, komainu (Chinese dogs), balustrades, and basin were all dedicated by the local potters, which are all porcelain. The must-see is the large torii gate, which was dedicated in 1888. The light blue arabesque design hand-painted in sometsuke technique on the white base is really beautiful. Emas and lucky charms sold at the shrine office are porcelain, too. You can also get a unique charm with your name on it, which the great priest of the shrine makes by hand.
- address
- 5-1 Ohdaru, Arita-cho, Nishimatsuura-gun, Saga Prefecture
- name
- Touzan Shrine
- hp
- http://www.arita-toso.com/