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Hokkaido Tohoku Hokuriku
Shinetsu Kanto Tokai Kansai Chugoku Shikoku Kyushu Okinawa Islands SAPPORO TOKYO NAGOYA OSAKA FUKUOKA FURANO KUSHIRO AOMORI SENDAI FUKUSHIMA NIKKO HAKONE SADO TAKAYAMA KANAZAWA ISE KYOTO NARA HIROSHIMA NAGASAKI KAGOSHIMA NAHA

Hokkaido

Hokkaido

Sub-zero temperatures and the greatest of outdoor environments, complemented by sizzling soul food and warm-hearted welcomes. Japan's great white north offers wild, white winters and bountiful summers—a haven for dedicated foodies, nature lovers and outdoor adventure fans seeking an adrenaline rush

Tohoku

Aomori
Akita
Iwate
Yamagata
Miyagi
Fukushima

Sleek apple-red and electric-green shinkansen whisk you up to a haven of fresh powder snow, fresh fruit and fearsome folk legends Fearsome festivals, fresh powder and vast fruit orchards—the rugged northern territory of Tohoku offers a fresh perspective on travel in Japan

Hokuriku Shinetsu

Niigata
Toyama
Ishikawa
Fukui
Nagano

Mountains and sea meet in one of Japan's wildest regions, and the result is sheer beauty. Once largely inaccessible, Hokuriku is now reachable by shinkansen from Tokyo in a matter of hours An easily accessible slice of rural Japan offering unrivaled mountainscapes and coastlines, endless outdoor adventure and amazing ocean fare

Kanto

Tokyo
Kanagawa
Chiba
Saitama
Ibaraki
Tochigi
Gunma

Characterized by the constant buzz of the world's most populous metropolitan area, the Kanto region is surprisingly green with an array of escapes that include mountainous getaways and subtropical islands Experience diversity at its fullest, from the neon of Tokyo to the ski slopes of Gunma, exotic wildlife of the Ogasawara Islands and cultural heritage of Kamakura

Tokai

Yamanashi
Shizuoka
Gifu
Aichi
Mie

Served by the shinkansen line that connects Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, the Tokai region provides plenty of interesting diversions and easy excursions Tokai means "eastern sea," and this region stretches east from Tokyo to Kyoto and includes blockbuster attractions such as Mt. Fuji and Takayama

Kansai

Kyoto
Osaka
Shiga
Hyogo
Nara
Wakayama

From raucous nights out to outdoor thrills to peaceful reverie, trying to categorize the Kansai region is a futile task The Kansai region is one of extreme contrasts—the neon lights of Osaka and glittering Kobe nightscape, the peaceful realms of Shiga, Wakayama and Nara, and the cultured refinement of Kyoto

Chugoku

Tottori
Shimane
Okayama
Hiroshima
Yamaguchi

Less-traveled and delightfully inaccessible at times, the Chugoku region is a reminder that the journey is sometimes more important than the destination Welcome to Japan's warm and friendly western frontier, where the weather is warmer and the pace of life is slower

Shikoku

Tokushima
Kagawa
Ehime
Kochi

Providing the stage for literary classics, fevered dancing and natural wonders Island-hopping, cycling, soul-warming spiritual strolling and red-hot dancing—the island of Shikoku gets you up and moving

Kyushu

Fukuoka
Saga
Nagasaki
Oita
Kumamoto
Miyazaki
Kagoshima

Easily reached by land, sea and air, the dynamic Kyushu prefectures are bubbling with energy, culture and activity The southern island of Kyushu is home to volcanoes ranging from sleepy to smoky, succulent seafood, steaming hot springs and the country's hottest entrepreneurial town

Okinawa

Okinawa

Ruins and recreated castles of the Ryukyu kings nestle amid magnificent beaches in Okinawa, a diver's paradise teeming with an amazing array of coral and undersea life Fly to Okinawa and discover a distinct island culture born of subtropical sun, white sand, coral, mangrove jungles and the age of the Ryukyu Kings

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KYUSHU Saga Historic castles, secret pottery villages, and natural refuge

OVERVIEW

A coastal prefecture with rural charm and dotted with islets, Saga faces the Korean Peninsula and was once a key trading center where Japan's pottery tradition originated

Saga may unfamiliar to many, but this prefecture in Kyushu's northwest offers plenty of natural wonders, history and artistry. It’s famous for being the birthplace of ceramics in Japan, chiefly in the historic pottery towns of Karatsu, Arita and Imari. Saga traded heavily with the continent, and has been influenced by Chinese and Korean culture. The evidence is at places like the Tashiro-Ota-kofun, a mound in the city of Tosu known for an ancient color picture-decorated grave. The Yoshinogari Remains, featuring a reconstructed 12-meter tall watchtower and an ancient colony, is reportedly where Yamatai-koku, a primitive nation mentioned in the ancient Chinese history book Gishi-wajin-den, stood. Saga Castle and Nagoya Castle stand as remnants of Saga’s feudal past. The area's natural attractions include Niji-no-matsubara, Rainbow Pine Grove, a Japanese black pine forest stretching five kilometers from east to west along Karatsu Bay, and the sea caves of Karatsu. There are many hot spring areas, including Takeo Onsen and Ureshino Onsen, ready to supply mental and physical relaxation.

How to Get There

Saga is easily accessible from Hakata Station via the JR Kamome or JR Midori-Huis Ten Bosch line. A highway bus travels directly from Hakata Bus Terminal to Saga Station. Saga also has its own airport, with flights directly to and from Haneda Airport in Tokyo.

Saga is an easy trip in Kyushu if you are based in Fukuoka. The local JR trains will get you from Hakata Station to Saga Station in just 3 stops at around 35 minutes. There is plenty of lodging around the station. From Saga Station, you can take a number of local lines for easy access to the surrounding areas such as Takeo, Arita and Karatsu. Saga Airport (also known as Kyushu Saga International Airport) is the fastest way from Tokyo, with the flight taking under two hours. Flights from other destinations in Japan as well as abroad to other major Asian citiies such as Seoul, Hong Kong and Taipei stop here as well.

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Don't Miss

Vast carpets of flowers and trees at Mifuneyama Rakuen in Takeo

Sacred temple/waterfall setting of Kiyomizunotaki in Ogi

The soothing onsen waters of Ureshino’s hot springs

Remnants of Saga’s samurai heritage at Saga Castle and history museum

Saga Trip Genius

Spring

Spring in Saga brings out awe-inspiring cherry blossoms, carp streamers along the Kawakami Ravine, spring hiking in Mitsuse, and the Arita Ceramics Fair.
Summer

Time for fireworks festivals at Kawakamikyo and Nouryou. Visit one of Saga’s waterfalls to escape the heat, or enjoy the hydrangea festival, which peaks during the rainy season.
Autumn

Revel in the seasonal color changes at Daikozenji Temple and Kunenan, attend events like the Karatsu Kunchi Festival and Saga International Balloon Festa, soak in an onsen, or enjoy a lighted bamboo lantern festival that creates an ethereal setting.
Winter

Enjoy winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding on Mt. Tenzan in Ogi. Take a stroll through downtown Saga during the Saga Light Fantasy display. Feel the warmth of the Ureshino Hot Spring Matsuri.