Saga Hidden Gems
Japan's porcelain heartland — the kilns of Arita and Imari, plus a seaside shrine and one of the country's oldest onsen.
5 spots
Climate & Best Season
Warm and humid with heavy early-summer rain; mild winters. The Arita pottery fair in late April draws the biggest crowds.
Famous For (Food)
- Saga beef
- Yobuko squid
- Takezaki crab
- Ureshino tea
Signature Sights
- Arita & Imari kilns
- Yutoku Inari Shrine
- Ureshino Onsen
- Yoshinogari archaeological site
Ureshino Onsen — Skin-Softening Miracle Waters
Ureshino Onsen is called 'bijin no yu' (beautiful woman's water) — the sodium bicarbonate-rich water has a slippery, sil…
Ureshino Tea — 550-Year-Old Hillside Garden
Ureshino-cha is the collective name for teas grown in the mineral-rich hills around Ureshino Onsen — a tradition establi…
Ureshino Shochu Distillery — Imo-Jochu from the Source
Ureshino City and its surrounding hills have been producing imo-jochu (sweet potato shochu) since the Edo period, using…
Hiratani Valley — Pristine Mountain Stream Walk
Hiratani Valley, in the mountains between Ureshino and Nagasaki, follows the upper Hiratani River through a narrow gorge…
Ureshino Onsen Ryokan Night Walk
Ureshino's 30 ryokan are concentrated within 800 meters of riverside corridor — close enough that walking the onsen town…