Tozan Shrine (Porcelain Shrine of the Korean Potter Ri Sanpei)

Tozan Shrine in Arita was established in 1658 and is dedicated to Ri Sanpei (Yi Sam-pyeong), the Korean potter credited with discovering porcelain stone (izumiyama) near Arita around 1616 and firing the first Japanese porcelain. Ri Sanpei was among the Korean artisans brought to Japan following the Nabeshima domain's involvement in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's invasions of Korea in the 1590s, and his discovery of kaolin-rich stone at Izumiyama launched Arita, and by extension Japan, as a porcelain-producing center that would go on to supply European markets through the Dutch East India Company from the mid-17th century. The shrine was originally dedicated to the Shinto deity Sueyama Myojin as protector of the local ceramics trade, with Ri Sanpei formally enshrined as a co-deity in 1917 to mark the 300th anniversary of his discovery. Architecturally, the shrine is distinguished by its use of Arita porcelain in construction and decoration: the torii gate, guardian lion-dog statues (komainu), and lanterns are made of blue-and-white porcelain rather than stone, a feature unique among Japanese shrines and directly tied to the local industry it honors. The main hall follows conventional Shinto shrine architecture, while the porcelain elements were added and periodically renewed by local kiln families through the 20th century. The shrine sits on a hillside above central Arita, reached by a stone staircase, and remains an active place of worship for the local ceramics community, with an annual festival honoring Ri Sanpei each May. As the enshrinement of the individual credited with founding Japan's porcelain industry, Tozan Shrine occupies a unique place in the history of Japan-Korea craft exchange and the origins of Arita ware.