Dome house available for an additional fee. Where would you like to spend the night tonight?
In recent years, dome houses have been attracting attention as evacuation centers in times of disaster, and RV parks can also be used as evacuation centers in times of disaster, and because of this affinity, an RV park was created in collaboration with a dome house (model house). The use of the dome house (4,400 yen) is of course permitted, and nearby is Genkai Minaton-ri, where fresh seafood and other items can be purchased, as well as a tavern and sushi restaurant just a few minutes' walk away.
Nanatsugama, designated as a national natural treasure, is a sea-eroded cave formed by the erosion of basaltic lava from undersea eruptions by the rough waves of the Genkai Sea. The largest of the seven caves has a frontage of 3 m and a depth of 110 m. The layers of columnar basalt formations are a natural beauty created over a period of 5 million years. Visitors can take the Nanatsugama sightseeing boat, which takes about 40 minutes, to see inside the cave. Above Nanatsugama is a grassland with an observatory and boardwalk. The sea-eroded cliffs seen from the observatory are also a sight to behold. The surrounding area is also a good fishing spot and attracts many anglers.
The specialty is grilled turban shells in a jar! It is even hotter because it is a sacred place for lovers!
The northernmost cape on the Higashimatsuura Peninsula facing the Sea of Genkai. It is a sacred place for lovers and a dating spot. There is also an underwater observation tower where visitors can observe fish swimming in the sea at a depth of 7 meters. The cape's specialty is the "turban shell jar grilled in a jar" stand. There are two buildings, one new and one old, run by local fishermen's wives, who grill freshly caught turban shells over charcoal in front of you at their own stalls. In addition to turban shells, they also grill squid and, in winter, oysters. (*There is no representative number because each person uses his/her own cell phone, etc.)
address (e.g. of house)
1616-1 Hado, Chinzei-cho, Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture
Charge
9:00 - sunset
regular closing day
New Year's Day
Karatsu Castle
The view of Nijinomatsubara and the Sea of Genkai from the castle tower is also exceptional.
The castle was built by Terasawa Shima-no-Mori Hirotaka, a vassal of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, over a period of seven years from 1602 (Keicho 7) on Mitsushima Mountain, an island connected to the mainland. It is said that materials from Nagoya Castle were used in its demolition. The castle is divided into Honmaru, Ninomaru, Sanomaru, and Outer Circle, and was also known as "Maizuru Castle" because of the view of pine groves spreading out on both sides around the castle tower. The castle was abolished in 1871 with the abolition of feudal Japan, and the ruins of the main castle were turned into Maizuru Park. The current castle tower was completed in 1966. There is an exhibition room with materials from the domain period and Karatsu ware, an observatory, etc. From the observatory, a panoramic view of Matsuura Lagoon can be seen. The castle tower is illuminated at night. Maizuru Park is a famous flower spot, decorated with cherry blossoms and Fuji blossoms.
500 yen for 15 years and older, 250 yen for elementary and junior high school students, free for preschool children Elevator fee: 100 yen for adults one way, 50 yen for elementary and junior high school students
Business Hours
9:00-17:00 (subject to change during consecutive holidays and other periods)
The brave call of "Enya, enya, enya" echoes through the air.
Karatsu Kunchi is said to have started around the Kanbun era (1661-1673) of the Edo period. The floats were built to guard the portable shrines of Karatsu Shrine. The Hikiyama that has been handed down today dates back to 1819, when the town of Tocho, one of the Ujiko towns, dedicated a red lion to the Karatsu Shrine. Each floats weighs 2 to 4 tons and is pulled by a crew of 200 to 400 people. The Kunchi festival begins with Yoiyama on November 2 and continues until November 4. It is designated as an important tangible folk cultural property by Saga Prefecture and an important intangible folk cultural property by the national government. After the festival, the floats are stored at the "Hikiyama Exhibition Hall" next to Karatsu Shrine (as of 2022, they have been moved to the site of "Karatsu Furusato Kaikan Alpino" for reconstruction and are on temporary display), and are open to the public. Even if you miss Karatsu Kunchi, you can still see the floats. (The photo shows the old exhibition hall.)
address (e.g. of house)
2881-1 Shinko-machi, Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture (Karatsu Furusato Kaikan Alpino)
Ruins of a coal mining magnate's mansion in Hizen, which is also related to Gunkanjima.
This is the former residence of Koreyoshi Takatori, who was known as the "King of Coal Mines in Hizen. The house was extended from 1904 to the beginning of the Showa period (1926-1989) and consists of two buildings, an apartment building and a large hall, on a vast site of approximately 2,300 tsubo. There are three entrances: one for guests, one for the master, and one for the family. The Western-style rooms in the living room wing have marble mantelpieces and Art Nouveau chandeliers, and the hall and other rooms have Noh stages and tea rooms. The Noh stage is said to be the only existing example of a tatami room with a Noh stage in Japan. The 72 cedar door paintings and transoms are said to have been created by Mizuno Koho of the Kyoto Shijo School, who spent about half a year there. In 1998, it was designated a National Important Cultural Property.
Adults 520 yen, Elementary/Junior high school students 260 yen, Free for preschool children
Business Hours
9:30-17:00 (Entry 16:30)
regular closing day
Mondays (closed the following day if Monday is a national holiday), Dec. 29-Jan. 3 *Special openings may occur on consecutive holidays and during the year-end and New Year's holidays.
Built by Hideyoshi who set his sights on the continent. One of the largest national special historic sites in Japan.
After unifying Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, aiming to advance to the continent, built Nagoya Castle in 1591 as a frontline base for his invasion of Korea. At the time, it was the second largest castle in Japan after Osaka Castle, and more than 130 warring feudal lords from all over Japan, including Tokugawa Ieyasu and Maeda Toshiie, gathered there. A huge castle town was built around it. However, the war ended when Hideyoshi died of illness. Nagoya Castle was abandoned and the materials used for the castle were used for Karatsu Castle, and the remaining stone walls were destroyed during the Shimabara Rebellion. In 1955, the Nagoya Castle ruins and 23 camp sites were designated as special national historic sites. Visitors can also download the app "VR Nagoya Castle" to view the castle, stonewalls, and other scenery of the time on their smartphones or tablets. (Photo courtesy of the Saga Prefecture Tourism Federation)
address (e.g. of house)
Nagoya, Chinzei-cho, Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture
Let's learn about the long exchange between Japan and Korea and the history of Nagoya Castle and its camp ruins.
The museum was opened for the purpose of preservation and maintenance of the Nagoya Castle and camp ruins, a special historic site, and to serve as a center for the history of exchange between the Japanese archipelago and the Korean Peninsula, as well as for academic and cultural exchange between Japan and Korea. The museum's permanent exhibition focuses on the history of exchange between the Japanese archipelago and the Korean Peninsula, with occasional thematic exhibitions on such topics as the Bunroku and Keicho Disturbances, Nagoya Castle, and the history and culture of the Karatsu and Higashimatsuura regions. The mini-theater on the first floor shows a powerful VR (Virtual Reality) reproduction of Nagoya Castle as it was 420 years ago, entitled "The Phantom Castle: Hizen Nagoya Castle" (10 min.). (Photo courtesy of Saga Prefecture Tourism Federation)
