Step into the very birthplace of Japanese porcelain at the Izumiyama Quarry, a place of profound historical significance and dramatic beauty. From the easily accessible viewing area right by the car park, you can gaze upon the striking, almost lunar landscape carved out over 400 years of mining the essential kaolin stone. It was here in 1616 that the discovery of this pure white clay launched the Arita ware legacy, and you can truly feel the weight of that history as you take in the sheer scale of the site.