Roadside Station Takara Island

A small island associated with the Genko pirates is
A treasure island full of the bounty of the sea

Takashima Island" in Imari Bay was named after the hawk because of its shape, which resembles a hawk. The station is located at the foot of the Hizen-Takashima Bridge, which connects Hizen-cho, Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture, and Takashima Island, and offers visitors the chance to see fresh seafood from Takashima, including tuna being dismembered for sale. The "Takashima sponge cake" (500 yen and 1,000 yen) made from the juice of sweet spring, a cross between Onshu mandarin oranges and Hassaku oranges, is a specialty of the area. A tuna dismantling show and sale is held every Saturday morning from 10:00 a.m.. The show is so popular that reservations are required.

Roadside Station Takara Island Map

Roadside Station Takara Island Gourmet Information

Local specialty: horse mackerel (fried horse mackerel)

Matsuura City is one of the top cities in Japan in terms of the catch of horse mackerel and mackerel and the amount of cultured tiger puffer fish. Currently, Matsuura City is putting its efforts into catching the largest catch of horse mackerel in Japan. Matsuura City is currently focusing its efforts on the largest catch of horse mackerel in Japan, and is calling itself the "Mecca of fried horse mackerels! The mayor of Matsuura City himself is making efforts to promote the city. There are more than 30 restaurants in the city that serve fried horse mackerel, and freshly fried crispy horse mackerel is also available at the roadside station. You can enjoy hot, crispy, and delicious fried horse mackerels while looking out at the sea in front of you. It is a full of the happiness of a trip.

The best place to eat: Otoko no Rai Meshi (male fish island rice).

Fishermen on Takashima Island used to eat a bowl of rice called "otoko-yama". It is a kind of rice bowl in which leftover fish is preserved in sweet and spicy oil and served on rice. The fish is preserved in sweet and spicy oil, and then placed on rice. When the Hizen-Takashima Bridge opened in 2009 and a roadside station was opened, "Otokoyama" was rearranged and served on the island to commemorate the opening. The conditions of the dish are that at least three kinds of fish from Matsuura must be used, that no vinegared rice be used, and that the dish must be served in a bowl. Ajijidokoro Matsubara, a restaurant at the station, serves the fish and seafood in homemade sweet sesame oil. The restaurant offers a choice of dipping the seafood in homemade sweet sesame oil or pouring it over the fish as is. The prices are 1050 yen for the average and 1500 yen for the top.

Crispy and juicy fried horse mackerel with a hearty bite!

Matsuura City boasts the largest catch of horse mackerel in Japan. The city has declared itself the "holy land of fried horse mackerel," and the mayor himself has been putting a lot of effort into publicity. Currently, 27 restaurants in the city serve fried horse mackerel.

At the take-out corner of "Michi no Eki Takara-jima" is the "Horse Mackerel Burger (300 yen)," which is a sandwich of fried horse mackerel. The crispy, savory bun is covered with shredded cabbage, and a half piece of fried horse mackerel sits on top. The horse mackerel, which is fresh enough to be eaten as sashimi, is thick, fluffy, and tender. Wrapped in a crispy batter, it is juicy and delicious. The light soy sauce and tartar sauce seasoning enhances the flavor of the ingredients.

You can also order a double portion with two fried horse mackerels for an additional 30 yen. The volume is increased and the satisfaction level is high. Do not hesitate to order this option.

Island sponge cake smells like orange

Roadside Station Takarajima is located at the entrance of Takashima Island, which is connected to Hizen Town in Karatsu City by the Hizen-Takashima Bridge. Therefore, it may be misunderstood as a roadside station in Saga Prefecture, but it is in fact a roadside station in Nagasaki Prefecture. The island is a small island with a population of less than 2,500, stretching about 5 km from east to west and north to south. At the bottom of the sea lies a Mongolian warship that is said to have been sunk by a kamikaze. The roadside station on such a small island has developed "Takashima Kastela.

It boasts of using the juice of "Sweet Spring," a citrus fruit grown on the island. The Sweet Spring is a hybrid of the Onshu mandarin orange and the Hassaku mandarin orange. It is difficult to cultivate and its production is limited, but it is characterized by its refreshing sweetness and aroma. As a side note, the roadside station also sells soft-serve ice cream made from the juice.

Now, when I opened the seal of the sponge cake, the aroma of tangerines wafted softly into the air. Drooling already started to fill my mouth. The sponge cake is also slightly orange in color. The texture is moist and fluffy. While keeping the sweetness to a minimum, a hint of citrus sweetness and sourness can be felt. Overall, it is an elegant, royal roadside sponge cake. It is an original roadside station original that is typical of Nagasaki Prefecture.

Around Roadside Station Takara Island

Matsuura Municipal Buried Culture Center Guidance Facility (Former Matsuura City Takashima History and Folklore Museum)

If you want to have fun in the area

Takashima Island is believed to be the site of the end of the Mongolian invasion, or "Bun'ei/Koan War," about 730 years ago. This is because most of the military ships of the Mongolian army sank in the sea around the island due to a strong wind called "kamikaze" in later years. This museum exhibits materials on the Mongolian pirates. The Mongols, a land people, crossed the sea using Chinese and Korean shipbuilding and steering techniques, and attacked with tetsuhau (guns), flying weapons packed with gunpowder. Among the exhibits is a seal of the Mongolian army, the "Kangun Sohain" (seal of the army), which was discovered by a fisherman in 1974 while he was fishing for clams. It is written in papa characters and is a tangible cultural property of the prefecture. The preservation and investigation of foreign objects from the Mongolian pirates' vessels is still ongoing.