SAGA PREFECTURE

SAGA HOTELS

GUARANTEED LOWEST RATES

Choose from a large range of Saga Hotels with instant booking confirmation and 24/7 customer support.
Save up to 75% off the standard rates on Saga Hotels with our Guaranteed Lowest Rates on Saga Hotels.

SAGA MAIN CITIES and TOWNS

Saga is the capital of Saga Prefecture on the island of Kyushu. Saga attractions include Saga Castle and Kakurintei Tea House in Kono Koen (Park). In Autumn there is the Saga International Balloon Fiesta which attracts hot air balloonists from all over the world.

Tosu is a city located in eastern part of Saga Prefecture on the island of Kyushu. Tosu is a major transport hub point where the Nagasaki Main Line and the Kagoshima Main Line connect, along with the junction of the Kyushu Expressway, Nagasaki Expressway and the Oita Expressway. Tosu attractions include the Katsuo Castle ruins and the Mount Asahi Castle ruins.

SAGA CASTLES

Hizen Nagoya Castle was a hilltop style Japanese Castle located in Karatsu Saga Prefecture, in what was at the time of construction Hizen Province. Toyotomi Hideyoshi ordered the construction of Hizen Nagoya Castle and it was completed in 1591. Hizen Nagoya Castle is the only castle that was used as a base to attack a foreign land, in this case Korea, but with plans to attack China as well. In 1592 the first attempted invasion of Korea fails. In 1598 Toyotomi Hideyoshi dies, with all further attempts to invade Korea cancelled and Hizen Nagoya Castle is abandoned. Materials are then taken from the castle to construct Karatsu Castle. Today only some of the stone walls and earthworks remain.

Karatsu Castle, also known as the Dancing Crane Castle, is a hilltop style Japanese Castle located on the coastline of Karatsu Bay at the mouth of the Matsuura River in Karatsu Saga Prefecture. Karatsu Castle is located on a raised rock platform and effectively surrounded by water on three sides, plus it has moat through most of the land bridge leading to castle. Karatsu Castle is one of the few castles that has stone walls rising from the water. The inner bailey is located on summit of Mt Manto. Today a modern reconstruction of a donjon (tower) exists, however while stone foundations for a donjon do exist, it is not certain that one was ever completed. Terasawa Hirotaka ordered the construction of Karatsu Castle in 1602 and it was completed around 1608 using some materials from Hizen Nagoya Castle (Saga Prefecture), which was his former castle. Karatsu Castle was demolished in 1872 as a part of the Meiji Restoration. In addition to the reconstructed donjon, several turrets have also been reconstructed.

Saga Castle, also known as the Submerged Castle, is a flat land style Japanese Castle located in Saga City Saga Prefecture. On the site of the current Saga Castle there had been a fort or minor castle which was under the control of the Ryuzoji clan. The Ryuzoji clan lost the castle in 1584. In 1611 Saga Castle was completed under the direction of Nabeshima Katsushige. The castle featured five story donjon (tower) which was surrounded by 80m wide moats. Unlike most castle which have stone walls around the outside of the moat, Saga Castle had earthen ramparts which were covered with pine and camphor trees. It was this style of concealment that lead to alternative name for the castle, the Submerged Castle. In 1726 most of the castle buildings were destroyed including the donjon. In 1728 a palace was rebuilt in the outer bailey. Between 2001 and 2004 parts of Saga Castle were reconstructed.

SAGA GARDENS and PARKS

Ogi Park in Saga Prefecture is famous for its 3,000 cherry blossom trees and is considered one of Japan's Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots.