Roadside Station Insect Village Tabira

Giant beetles mark the trip.
Let's get the specialties of the Hirado region.

The Tabira Insect Nature Park is located nearby, and the roadside station is marked by a giant beetle monument. Fresh seafood caught in the seas around Hirado, specialty products of Hirado such as the famous "Kawauchi Kamaboko" (fish cake), "Agodashi" (dried sardines), and salted fish, as well as prepared foods such as "Oshizushi", a local dish of the northern part of the prefecture, are available here. A variety of Hirado sweets, such as "Kasudose," an official sweet of the Hirado clan, and "Gobo Mochi" (burdock cakes), are also available depending on the day. There is a panel display of insects photographed with a special camera, and in summer, beetles and stag beetles are sold.

Roadside Station Insect Village Tabila Map

Roadside Station: Insect Village Tabila Gourmet Information

The best place to buy Kawauchi Kamaboko

One of Hirado's specialties is "Kawauchi Kamaboko," which is "Subomaki Kamaboko. It is a paste made from pollock, sea eel, sardines, horse mackerel, and other fish paste, wrapped in a straw. It has been made since the Edo period (1603-1868) and used to be wrapped in a straw called "Subo. When the straws are removed one by one, the surface reveals jagged fish paste. It has a nice elasticity and smooth texture. You will want to eat it whole rather than cut it into pieces. It also goes well with beer. Prices vary depending on the manufacturer and size.

Roadside Station: Insect Village Tabila and surroundings

Tavira Insect Nature Park

If you want to have fun in the area

More than 3,000 species of insects inhabit the 4.1-hectare site. The park reproduces a satoyama environment and consists of four observation zones: "woodland zone," "pond/waterfront zone," "field/flower bed zone," and "grassland/naked land zone. A guide will be on hand to provide explanations of the park's observations. In the Insectarium, there are insect specimens from Central and South America and Southeast Asia donated by the pastor of the local Catholic church, Tadaira.

Tadaira Catholic Church

If you want to have fun in the area

This Romanesque-style temple was designed and constructed by Yosuke Tetsukawa in 1918. It is one of the most harmonious brick buildings in Nagasaki Diocese and is designated as a National Important Cultural Property along with Imamura Church in Otoarai-cho, Fukuoka Prefecture, also designed by Tetsukawa Yosuke. The Angelus bell was imported from France, and the stained glass windows depicting biblical stories were made in Italy. (Please note that taking pictures inside the church is strictly prohibited.