Take no Tanada Terraced Rice Paddies

The Take no Tanada terraces in Arita were built during the early Edo period by farmers working the steep mountain slopes, and the roughly 570 paddies were designated among Japan's top 100 terraced rice paddies by the Ministry of Agriculture in 1999. At around 400 meters above sea level, the view stretches from the porcelain towns of Arita and Imari all the way to the Japan Sea coast. The terraces also serve an ecological purpose, retaining rainwater and preserving local biodiversity. Stone walls and other farming structures from four centuries ago are still visible along the two walking routes, which take between twenty and thirty-five minutes to complete.