The city of Saga in Kyushu is the seat of the Saga prefectural government. It faces the Ariake Sea on the south and is home to Saga Airport.
The city of Saga in Kyushu is the seat of the
Saga
prefectural government. It faces the Ariake Sea
on
the south and is home to Saga Airport. In the
center of the city is the Saga Castle History
Museum, which also serves as the city's symbol.
The castle itself is no longer standing, but the
main keep has been reconstructed, resulting in one
of the largest wooden structures in Japan. Its
size and scale are quite surprising, and inside
can be found a 45-meter-long 'tatami' corridor and
a 320 'tatami' mat hall (about 528 square meters).
Near the history museum is the Saga Prefecture
Office, and from the observatory hall on the 12th
floor, you can enjoy a magnificent view of a part
of moat running through the castle, as well as the
entire city.
As you walk around the
city, you can visit five structures that have been
preserved as historical folk customs museums, all
of which impart a sense of the city's long
history. In addition to old samurai residences,
urban houses, and constructions of 'kurazukuri-
style' (warehouse style) built during the Meiji
Era (the latter half of the 1800s), there is an
old brick building that once served as a bank but
nowadays is home to a retro cafe called the
"Romanza." In addition, there are districts
throughout the city that impart a sense of its
long history, such as the Yaemachi district, which
remains much like it was during the days of the
Nabeshima clan that played a part in promoting the
Meiji Restoration.
If you travel to
the city of Saga, a place that you must visit is
the Yoshinogari Historical Park. It is the ancient
ruin of a moated village said to date back to the
Yayoi Period (3rd century BC to 3rd century AD),
where the history of those ancient times unfolds
in the huge park of rich nature.
In
addition, from around the end of October to the
beginning of November, the Saga International
Balloon Festival is held. The main site is located
along the Kase-gawa River, and every year
nearly100 hot-air balloons join in and more than 1
million people gather to enjoy the spectacle.
The Ariake Sea, located in the southern
part of the city, features the largest dry beach
in Japan, and is a well-known habitat of unusual
fish and shellfish. Enjoy famous seafood featuring
'mutsugoro (mudskipper)' and shellfish such as
'tairagi (jumbo mussels),' or feast upon a high
quality Saga beef steak.