Roadside Station Ukiha

Chikugo Plain in full view!
Green tourism hub

　The product pavilion is designed in the motif of an old-fashioned "kudo-zukuri" farmhouse. Located on a hill called "Nishimidai," the observation deck overlooks the Chikugo Plain. It is a great place to eat take-out snacks and packed lunches. The staff, who are certified nutrition education sommeliers, offer advice on how to enjoy and distinguish seasonal vegetables and fruits. The station serves as a base for exchange between rural and urban areas through bicycle rental facilities and green tourism to the nearby Tsuzura terraced rice paddies.Kyushu (southernmost of the four main islands of Japan)The roadside station was ranked third in the specialties category and third in the gourmet category by the Okinawa Tourism Association (Okinawa, Japan).

Map of Roadside Station Ukiha

Roadside Station Ukiha Gourmet Information

Local produce: peaches

　Ukiha City, where the roadside station is located, is at the foot of the "Minoh Mountain Range" and is one of the prefecture's leading "fruit kingdoms. Peaches, grapes, pears, and persimmons are harvested in abundance. Ukiha produces the largest amount of peaches and grapes in the prefecture. About 40 varieties of peaches are shipped in relay from June to September, depending on the harvest season. Starting with the small "Himekonatsu" peaches, the "Reiho," "Natsukko," "Akatsuki," "Golden Peach," and "Kawanakajima" varieties follow. Each variety has its own unique characteristics in terms of size and taste. Prices are quoted at market value.

Grapes are the most popular local product

　Grapes are also a specialty of Ukiha City. Grapes are lined up at the roadside station from late June to October in the product hall. There are 52 varieties of grapes grown in Ukiha. They vary in color from black, red, yellow, and green, and in taste. Some of the varieties seen at the station include the well-known "Pione (black)," "Kyoho (black)," and "Shine Muscat (green)," as well as "Queen Nina (red)," "Black Beat (black)," and "Yumine (green). They also make great gifts. Prices are at market value.

Around Roadside Station Ukiha

Yoshii Town

If you want to have fun in the area

　Chikugo Yoshii was a prosperous area during the Edo period (1603-1867) as a post town on the Bungo Kaido road connecting the castle town of Kurume and the imperial domain of Hita. Merchants who made their fortunes through trading even engaged in a financial business called "Yoshii Gin" (Yoshii silver). After the great fire of the early Meiji period (1868-1912), the houses were rebuilt with fireproof white-walled storehouses, and the area was selected as an "Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings" because approximately 250 of them still remain today. The "Chikugo Yoshii Ohinasama Tour" is held every year from mid-February to early April, and the "Small Museum Tour" is held around GW in May.
　Among the merchant houses with white-walled storehouses, "Izo no Yakata" stands out for its stately appearance. It was built at the end of the Meiji period (1868-1912) and reconstructed in the early Taisho period (1912-1926). It was the store and residence of a wealthy landowner who made his fortune in the wax industry. The building is full of attractions, including a vaulted-ceilinged tatami room with a Shinto altar, a box staircase, and udatsu, which is said to be a symbol of wealth and is the origin of the word "udatsu ga nagaranai" ("udatsu is not raised").

rice terraces

If you want to have fun in the area

　The stone-walled terraced rice paddies have been piled up for about 400 years. 300 or so terraced rice paddies remain, and the village of Tsurugoro is located upstream from the terraced rice paddies. This is a "forest therapy base" where visitors can experience the forests, the natural environment, and the culture of the local people to heal their bodies and minds. Ukiha City has designated the headwaters of the Geise River, one of the "100 best forests for water sources," and the Tsuzura terraced rice fields, one of the "100 best terraced rice fields in Japan," as a "forest therapy road. In mid-September, higanbana (cluster amaryllis) is in full bloom. You can get a map from Ukihako or other places and walk around the area, or you can book a guide to take you on a guided tour.

Ukiba Inari Shrine

If you want to have fun in the area

　A small hill overlooking the rural landscape of Ukiha spreading over a vast plain. The shrine enshrines three deities: Inari no Mikami, or "Inari Okami," from the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto; Oyamagui no Mikami from Matsuo Taisha Shrine in Kyoto; and Sugawara no Michizane from Tenmangu Shrine in Dazaifu, Kyoto. A long flight of stone steps leads from the foot of the shrine to the hall of worship, along which is a series of vermilion-lacquered torii gates. The line of torii gates and the spectacular view that stretches beyond them are attracting attention as an Insta-worthy power spot.

Ukiba Inari Shrine Data
1513-9 Nagaregawa, Ukiha-cho, Ukiha-shi, Fukuoka
Closest Station: Ukiha Station, Hisada Line
Parking lot 10 cars