Arita Porcelain Park — Attraction in Arita

I rolled into Arita Porcelain Park after bumping down a pothole‑pocked lane that felt more British countryside than Japanese ceramic village. Then suddenly there it was: a startling, massive replica of Dresden’s Zwinger Palace, planted smack in the middle of rural Kyushu—looming like Godzilla and completely surreal.

First thought: Why is this place being allowed to unravel? The Tudor‑style cottages and faux‑European façades are faded, and I even spotted excavators tearing one of them down. It’s the kind of place that feels like it could close unless someone—government or private—steps in soon, and that's a shame. The neglect got under my skin.

Behind that palace there’s a picturesque baroque garden leading down to a quiet lake and a miniature putting‑golf course that felt eerily abandoned. I sat in a little cabin out back, imagining I’d discovered a secret urban‑explorer site—it’s charming in that gritty, half‑forgotten way. If the wife ever gives me the boot, I'm renaming myself the Viscount of Kyushu and moving in.

Once inside, though, the shops were at odds with the pikey state of the place: there’s a proud, polished pottery shop stocked with Arita ware, and a tasting corner where you can sip sake—in classy mugs, of course. Loads of excellent edibles from Saga all in one souvenir shop. It’s obvious someone cares, at least about that side.

I wouldn’t make this your whole day—but if you enjoy architectural oddballs, faded grandeur, or just a bit of silliness mixed with actual craft, it’s a fun detour. All in all, I had a pleasant time here and because it's such a wildcard I'm giving it a high score. Hot tip? Pair it with a stop at Takeo Onsen down the road to balance the eccentricity with genuine...

I went there on Sept 29th thisyear through a cruiser trip. It was rainy that day and I knew nothing about this porcelain park until the tour guide took us there. The building was amazing as I never expected seeing such a German styled castle close to a duty-free store. I had a short trip there while others were shopping - beautiful architecture design and pretty gardens. I did have a wonderful time going around although it was raining. Unfortunately I couldn't visit the porcelain museum due to lack of time. I'd love to visit there again when I travel in Japan by plane in the future. By the way, I also saw a decent Japanese gentleman who gave additional credits to My trip to this park. Hope to see...

Absolutely miserable paint your own pottery experience. Be prepared for absolutely zero guidance, and a grumpy “sensei” who asked us to share one brush between two people. We had absolutely no idea what we were doing and after putting us in front of our plates the person in charge promptly disappeared. It would be nice to know, for example, if you can use water to dilute the color. When we were finished, we wandered around looking for him and finally found him in another part of the building. He said just to leave the plates as they were and he would take care of the rest. No idea if they’ll ever arrive… oh, and it’s also twice as expensive as on the main street in Arita, as we...