Bridges Along the River
Several small bridges cross the river that runs roughly parallel to the main street of Arita’s Uchiyama neighborhood. Rivers played an important role in Arita’s porcelain production until the modern era, providing needed power for the trip hammers used to crush pottery stone into powder. During the Edo period (1603－1867), over one hundred of these wooden machines lined the riverbank. Water is also an ingredient of the clay, glazes, and paints used to make the porcelain.
The riverbeds in Arita are scattered with broken pottery. During the Edo period, imperfect pieces of porcelain taken out of the kiln would be immediately discarded onto the hillside. Even today, landslides and heavy rains regularly disturb long-buried pieces of pottery. During the Meiji era (1868–1912), porcelain was thrown directly into the river. Colorful porcelain can still be seen embedded into riverbeds and along the riverbanks. Removal of any fragments is prohibited because the pieces could potentially be classified as cultural artifacts.
A small bridge crosses the river directly in front of Saikoji Temple. Slightly past this bridge is an older, arched stone bridge, which has been partially filled in.
