Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture Model Route Day1
Hidden spiritual gems along the journey — exploring the untold side of Saga
Hello everyone,
This is Sumire from Spiritual Japan Journal.
This time, we’re sharing something a little different: a look behind the scenes of our fieldwork travels.
Usually, we publish articles highlighting hidden gems and spiritual culture across Japan. But this time, I’ll take you through the exact route we followed on our trip — showing you the breathtaking spots and cultural sites we visited alongside our main research locations.
These are places where local traditions quietly live on, and landscapes shaped by nature over centuries. They are the kind of wonders you won’t often find in guidebooks.
This article is completely free to read.
I hope you’ll enjoy joining me on this journey through Saga.
Yobuko Morning Market — a town where squid dries in the sea breeze
In late August, while the summer heat still lingered in Kyushu, we traveled to Karatsu City, an area we had never visited before.
We left Hakata Station in Fukuoka at 8:00 AM and headed to our first stop: the Yobuko Morning Market. By car it takes about 1.5 hours on the expressway, and it’s also accessible by public transportation. The market is open from 7:30 AM to 12:00 PM, making it an easy day trip even from neighboring prefectures.
Upon arriving at the small seaside town, the first thing we saw were rows of squid spinning slowly as they dried in the sun.
This traditional method began long before refrigeration existed — a way to preserve the blessings of the sea without waste. Dried squid (surume) has long been offered at New Year and other ceremonial occasions, and this custom still lives on today. Seeing the squid gently rotating in the sea breeze felt like a reminder that this town truly lives with the ocean.
The market itself is small, just the right size for strolling and chatting with locals. One surprising point is that it’s open every day except New Year’s Day, which makes planning a trip easy.
Right next to the market, sightseeing boats depart for the Nanatsugama caves — a famous scenic spot in Karatsu City formed by rough waves. This time we didn’t have enough time to go, but you can also drive about 10 minutes to a viewpoint to see them from land.
Hado Cape and the terraced rice fields of Hamanoura
Next, we drove about 15 minutes from Yobuko to Hado Cape, a nature-rich area where visitors can enjoy fishing, hiking, and swimming. It’s also known as a “Lover’s Sanctuary,” marked by a heart-shaped monument by the sea.
Then we made a small detour to the Hamanoura Terraced Rice Fields Observatory.
The contrast of tiered rice paddies cascading down the mountainside into the blue sea was breathtaking.
Terraced fields are a form of traditional Japanese agriculture developed to grow rice in mountainous regions with little flat land. Although less efficient than farming on flat plains, they embody generations of wisdom that balanced human life with nature.
We even got to see the rice being harvested. Watching the sunset here would surely be magical.
Niji-no-Matsubara Pine Grove and Kagamiyama Observatory
Our next destination was the Niji-no-Matsubara pine grove.
It was first planted in the early Edo period as a windbreak and coastal defense forest, and now stretches about 4.5 km long and 500 m wide, with an estimated one million pine trees. This landscape has been carefully maintained by local people for centuries.
We first drove up to the Kagamiyama Observatory on the mountain above. The road to the summit has 16 sharp hairpin turns, but the sweeping view of the pine forest from the top is worth it. There’s also a hiking trail if you prefer to go on foot.
After enjoying the panoramic view, we went down to walk inside the pine forest itself. As the sun began to set, golden light streamed through the tall pine trees, creating a serene and beautiful atmosphere.
Some side paths from the pine grove lead to the sea, and of course, we couldn’t resist stopping by.
I grew up far from the ocean, so the sight of it always makes my heart race. Looking out at the vast, endless sea fills me with energy. And even when my husband tries to stop me, I still end up stepping into the water.
Japanese onsen and sauna culture
We ended our first day at a hot spring.
In Japan, soaking in a hot bath is considered an important way to refresh the body and mind. In recent years, more and more international visitors are experiencing public baths while learning the etiquette.
We visited a modern hot spring facility called “Komorebi” in Karatsu City.
Unlike old-fashioned traditional onsen, this one was new, spacious, and beautifully maintained — a relaxing place to spend time.
It also had a Japanese-style sauna. In Japan, people enter completely nude. If you visit Japan, I highly recommend trying a public bath instead of just the shower in your hotel room. If you want to challenge yourself to the Japanese public bath culture, check out our article about bathing etiquette.
We’ve put together a clear guide to help you enjoy Japan’s unique public baths and saunas with confidence.
If it’s your first time visiting a Japanese public bath, be sure to check it out.
Closing
That concluded the first day of our journey through Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture.
Day two will be just as full of places to see — and we’ll be sharing it in another free article soon. Stay tuned!
—Written by Sumire
Just FYI Finnish people are also naked in the sauna. Like Japanese baths, public Finnish saunas are almost always single sex.