【佐賀観光】佐賀県の最南端の町「鹿島・太良」行ったらすごかった

【佐賀観光】佐賀県の最南端の町「鹿島・太良」行ったらすごかった

Good morning. Right now, I’m at Hizen-Kashima Station in Kashima City, Saga Prefecture. This town is located in the southern part of Saga and has a population of about 26,000. And here in Kashima City— —you’ll find the most famous shrine in all of Saga. That’s where I’m headed today. You can get there by bus from Hizen-Kashima Station, but since I’ll be exploring around Kashima City as well, I decided to rent a car. Here’s what the area in front of the station looks like. I’m renting from Nico Nico Rent-a-Car, right by the station. Just like my trip to Shimabara Peninsula, I got a brand-new car again. Lucky me. I stopped by a bakery near the station. Picked up some bread for breakfast. Salted red bean bun. BLT sandwich. Melon bread. Each of them costs only about 100 to 120 yen—super cheap! Right next to the bakery is a park called Kita Park, and that’s where I’m eating now. This is the popular salted red bean bun. It’s a fluffy bun with red bean paste inside. So good. The saltiness of the bun and the sweetness of the filling go perfectly together. Now that I’ve had breakfast, I’m heading to Yutoku Inari Shrine. I’ve just arrived at the free parking lot right in front of the approach to Yutoku Inari Shrine. From here, I’ll walk along the shrine path. This is the approach to Yutoku Inari Shrine. It looks like it’s under construction right now. There’s a huge torii gate at the entrance to the path. Yutoku’s specialty—inari yokan (sweet bean jelly). I really want to try that. Hope the shop’s open on the way back. Both sides of the approach used to be lined with souvenir shops, but many of them are shuttered now. It feels a bit quiet and lonely. But I bet this place gets super lively during New Year’s and holidays. There’s a bridge in front of me with a river flowing underneath it. It’s so peaceful and calming out here. Let’s head in to make a prayer. Here’s the map of Yutoku Inari Shrine. The grounds are surprisingly large. This bright red shrine building— —it’s built right on the hillside. It’s pretty impressive. The glass-walled structure on the right is actually an elevator tower. Very accessible and barrier-free. This is the Romon Gate. Such a grand entrance gate. Apparently it was modeled after the Yomeimon Gate at Nikko Toshogu Shrine. The vibrant, ornate design definitely resembles it. There are guardian statues on both sides of the gate— —made from Arita porcelain! And this sound you hear… Yutoku Inari is known as one of Japan’s top three Inari shrines. It welcomes about three million visitors every year—one of Kyushu’s most famous shrines. During summer, about 3,000 wind chimes are hung around the shrine grounds. Each one is hand-painted by shrine maidens, and the paper tags carry visitors’ wishes. This shrine was also a filming location for a hit Thai movie, so you’ll often see tourists from overseas here. It’s incredibly hot today, but just hearing the sound of these chimes makes me feel a little cooler. Main Shrine Hall This is the view from the main shrine hall. It’s so peaceful and beautiful. You can see the azalea garden on the other side. The decorative details of the main hall are stunning. There’s an inner shrine even further ahead. It’s a 300-meter climb up the hillside. Look at all these torii gates—it’s amazing. Looks like they’re lending out walking sticks for the climb. The path looks like it was carved right out of the rock. It’s incredible. These torii gates seem to go on forever. About 100 meters in, there’s a halfway point. To reach the inner shrine, we still have to climb higher. From here, the path gets a lot steeper. The usual uphill path is closed right now, so I’m climbing using the same path as the descent. There’s some nice shade from the trees, which makes it feel much cooler. Along the trail, there are smaller shrines here and there. There are also these rescue points, so it really feels like a mini mountain hike. The view’s starting to open up. Almost there! And I’ve made it! This is the Inner Shrine of Yutoku Inari Shrine. There’s even a beautiful rest area up here at the Inner Shrine. It’s so clean and well maintained. There’s a shop and a cafe, and from the terrace you get a full view of the Ariake Sea. From up on the observation deck, you can see all the way across the Saga Plain to the Ariake Sea. It’s absolutely beautiful. Visiting the Inner Shrine was totally worth it. If you’ve got the energy to make the climb, I highly recommend going. And now I’m back from the Inner Shrine. Seeing the main shrine stage up close—it’s even more impressive. When I got my goshuin stamp, they also gave me this cute oil blotting paper. Let’s grab some inari yokan along the approach. The scenery was just amazing. You could even see the Ariake Sea— That made it even better. Glad to hear it. Thank you. I bought some inari yokan, the local specialty of Yutoku Inari Shrine. Inari yokan. The top has a layer of coarse sugar, and you push the yokan up from the bottom— just press the bottom and the yokan comes out. That’s fun. Then you cut the yokan with a thread that comes with it. Let’s dig in. Delicious! It’s surprisingly filling and really tasty. If you come to Yutoku Inari Shrine, you should definitely try it. In the end, my fingers weren’t long enough to push the last bit of yokan out. Yutoku Inari Shrine was absolutely wonderful. It’s been on my list of shrines to visit, so I’m really glad I made it. Now I’m going to take a stroll around downtown Kashima. This area has preserved its traditional townscape. This building has remained unchanged since the Edo period. It’s registered as a National Tangible Cultural Property. And right at the entrance here— —you’ll find an iron ring that was once used to tie horses’ reins. Hello. Where are you visiting from today? From Fukuoka. Do you have a booklet about the historical townscape? A booklet? No, I don’t. If you’d like, I can give you one. Really? That would be great—thank you so much. It includes Hizen-Hama-juku too. Please take a look. Is it really okay to receive something this nice? Thank you very much. I’m really happy. Such a kind person. Let’s take a look. You can also check out the second floor. Here’s what it looks like upstairs. You can clearly see the traditional wooden roof structure. Impressive. They generously gave me this beautifully made booklet. This is seriously awesome. It lists all the nationally designated preservation districts across Japan. I really appreciate it. I’ll enjoy reading through this carefully. The white plaster walls are a defining feature of post towns like this. The blue sky looks stunning against the white-walled streets. Back in the Edo period, a road connected Kokura and Nagasaki— That was the Nagasaki Kaido. Branching off along the Ariake Sea was the Tara Kaido. This road was said to be used by the Nabeshima lords of Saga, and along it stood Hizen-Hama-juku, which served as a key post town for travelers. Thanks to its abundant water and Saga Plain rice, this area became known for sake and soy sauce brewing. The townscape that preserves this rich history has been designated an Important Preservation District for Traditional Buildings. There’s also a small park here. And just beyond that, there’s an elementary school. That’s really nice. The townscape is truly remarkable. This area is home to several sake breweries. Sake is still brewed here. You can smell the aroma of sake in the air. There’s also a magnificent building with a thatched roof. This is a sake brewery inn run by Fukuchiyo Shuzo, famous for their sake “Nabeshima.” And this one is a sweet potato shochu boldly named “Tempted by the Underworld.” Another impressive wooden structure. Looks like this one is also a registered Tangible Cultural Property. Kuretake Sake Brewery. It’s the largest wooden building in all of Hizen-Hama-juku. It’s no longer an active brewery, but it’s now used as a venue for events. That’s such a great idea. Having concerts inside a historic building like this would be amazing. This pink-colored area is a designated Preservation District for Historic Buildings. It looks like there’s another one nearby. This purple area here— it’s a village with thatched-roof houses, so let’s go check it out. This is a sake brewery designed for tourists. As you can see, they sell local sake from Saga Prefecture. They carry a wide variety of different types of alcohol. The selection is pretty impressive. Inside, there’s a tasting area for sake. They’ve set up a space where visitors can sample various kinds. If you love sake, you’re definitely going to enjoy this place. The townscape is really beautiful, and the whole atmosphere is so peaceful. I can smell grilled eel wafting through the air—it smells amazing. This side of town looks lovely too. Here we are—this is the other designated Preservation District in the area. Wow, incredible. It kind of appears out of nowhere. Right in the middle of these narrow back alleys— —it has this mysterious, almost magical feel to it. These days, the buildings aren’t open to the public. It has a completely different atmosphere compared to Hizen-Hama-juku. I really like it here. For lunch, I headed to GLAD COFFEE in Hizen-Hama-juku. I had the pepper chicken curry. The sweetness of the onions and the spice level were perfectly balanced— it was really delicious. The atmosphere inside was calm and relaxing. I was able to take a nice break. This café is also known for their desserts made with amazake (sweet rice drink). Just finished my lunch. Here in Hizen-Hama-juku. It’s the perfect place for a slow, relaxing stroll. Here, you can take a guided brewery tour (by reservation) and enjoy free tastings. They also offer something special— Kyushu’s first local sake soft serve. I’m going to try this soft serve made with sake. Nothing beats soft serve after a meal. This is wild. You might be wondering, “Is it okay to eat ice cream made with alcohol?” But they use a special method to remove the alcohol content— so it’s completely alcohol-free. Even people who can’t drink or are driving can safely enjoy it. Now I’m heading toward the Ariake Sea. Here’s what Kashima City looks like— Hizen-Kashima Station, where I started, is around here. Now I’m in this pink area. This area is known as Shichiura. Just behind the roadside station is the Ariake Sea, right there. Very nice. Here, you can experience the tidal flats firsthand. It’s great that they offer this kind of hands-on activity. The first floor is a facility for interactive learning, and on the second floor there’s a small aquarium and an observation deck. Right behind us is the vast Ariake Sea. It’s a mini-aquarium and educational center. Near the entrance, there are tanks filled with live sea creatures. Fiddler crab. Mudskipper. Kashima hosts a mudflat competition called the Gatalympics. Wait a second… isn’t that mascot on the poster the one I saw this morning? An unexpected reunion! It’s hard to believe this facility is completely free—very impressive. You can also check today’s tide chart here. Looks like we’re heading toward high tide right now. If it were low tide, we probably could’ve seen live mudskippers and other tidal flat creatures. There’s also a mini-aquarium inside. Red jellyfish. It’s venomous. Touch it and you’ll regret it. Over here is the moon jellyfish. Very calm temperament. Having an educational facility like this at a roadside station is wonderful. Kids can play in the mudflats, interact with marine life, and learn while having fun. It’s truly a fantastic place. As you’d expect from a roadside station, they sell all kinds of local goods. Saga is especially famous for its nori seaweed. There’s a whole lot of seaweed harvested from the Ariake Sea. Wow. They’re even selling mudskippers! Wait… mudskippers are edible? I literally just saw some live mudskippers earlier— —but since I’m here, might as well try eating one. This is a whole dried mudskipper. I wonder if it actually tastes good? It looks pitch black… is this really edible? Those cute little mudskipper eyes are completely gone. Alright, let’s give it a try. I see, I see. It tastes just like dried sardines. It’s sweetly simmered, so it’s surprisingly easy to eat. I honestly can’t say if it tastes like mudskipper at all. But it seems perfect as a snack with sake. This roadside station really had a lot to offer. We’re lucky the weather’s so nice today, so I’m heading to Tara Town next door, to a spot where we can get a great view of the Ariake Sea. Tara Town is known as “the town where you can see the pull of the moon.” Right beside the roadside station is the vast Ariake Sea. The sea wall is decorated with art painted by local junior high students. Let’s keep heading a bit farther from here. We’ve arrived at the southern tip of Tara Town— Takezaki Castle Ruins Observatory Park. After entering Tara Town from Kashima earlier, we stopped by Roadside Station Tara. From there, we continued along the coast— —and now we’re here. This town sits on the border between Saga and Nagasaki prefectures. Here you’ll find a small castle— Takezaki Castle. As soon as I parked the car, a bunch of cats came out to greet me. Hello there. There’s even a cat inside the phone booth. Over here— a pair of orange tabby cats. Let’s head inside the castle. Wow, impressive. On the first floor, there are displays of diving suits, fishing nets, and exhibits related to Takezaki. Really cool. Here’s the view from the observation deck of Takezaki Castle. A wide, panoramic view of the Ariake Sea. And over there— —you can see Mt. Unzen on the Shimabara Peninsula, which we visited recently. Thanks to the clear weather, the view is crystal clear. Such a stunning view. That direction is toward Saga Airport, Yanagawa, and Ōmuta. And— —that way is Kumamoto Prefecture. I’m not sure if the camera does it justice, but you can clearly see across the Ariake Sea to Kumamoto. This is without a doubt a hidden scenic gem. Absolutely stunning. I hadn’t seen it before, but— —I found a manhole cover featuring *Zombieland Saga*. I came here just hoping for a nice view of the Ariake Sea, nothing too serious— —but it turned out to be way better than I imagined. I’m so glad I came. Takezaki Castle against the sunset looks really cool too. Just next door is Isahaya City in Nagasaki Prefecture. There’s so many places I want to visit. Looks like there’s even a grass slide area here. Some hydrangeas are in bloom too. So nice—really makes you feel the season. Oh, this is it— this must be the grass slide. Huh, neat. Kids would definitely love this. Even as an adult, it was a blast. And when you go down— —it’s just so beautiful down there. It felt refreshingly new. You can borrow a sled for free, which is really nice. I bet it gets super crowded on weekends. Honestly didn’t expect it to be this fun. I had so much fun, I ended up going twice. I’m really glad I made it all the way to Takezaki Castle. There’s just one more place in Tara Town I want to visit— So let’s head over there now. Here’s the map of Takezaki Island. We entered from the top entrance and made our way to the castle ruins. Takezaki Island kind of looks like Shizuoka Prefecture, doesn’t it? That was really fun. And here we are at the final spot. Look at those amazing woolly clouds. And there’s a plane flying by at just the right moment. This spot shows up a lot on social media. I had no idea it was in Saga. The timing of the day is just perfect. You can probably hear it through my footsteps— the ground is covered in seashells. You can feel them crunching beneath your feet as you walk. The power lines and this narrow road stretch endlessly into the distance. Amazing. I don’t really like using this word, but— —it’s kind of… “emo.” And for some reason, there’s an onion lying here. Why is there an onion here? The Ariake Sea has the largest tidal range in all of Japan. The difference can be as much as 6 meters, and it’s that dramatic shift in tides that makes it ideal for cultivating things like nori seaweed. Because the Ariake Sea is shallow, surrounded by land, and has calm waves, it creates perfect conditions for producing Saga’s delicious nori. The view is absolutely stunning. High tide has already passed today, so the tide will now start receding and this path will begin to appear. Isn’t Tara Town known as “the place where you can see the pull of the moon”? You really get a sense of that here. You can even see Mount Unzen from this spot. There are tons of shells left behind by the receding tide. Along the seawall, there are countless little pools of water. It’s incredible. And over here— —it’s the submerged torii gate. At low tide, the water recedes and you can walk right up to it. All of this underfoot is seashells. It’s like walking on glass. Beyond the torii gate is an island called Okinoshima. Ōmuta is over that way, and Saga Airport is in that direction. There’s Takezaki Castle, where we were earlier. And further beyond that is Unzen and Shimabara, which I visited recently. So, that wraps up my trip to Kashima City and Tara Town. My original goal was to visit Yutoku Inari Shrine, but the Ariake Sea turned out to have so much to offer too. The weather was great today, and driving along the Ariake coastline was such a joy. I hope this video was helpful to you. Thanks so much for watching until the end!

今回は、佐賀県の南部、鹿島市と太良町へ行ってきました。このエリア、2023年から西九州新幹線開業に伴い、特急列車が激減したそうで、観光的には大ダメージを受けているんだとか…。ただね、めっちゃ良いところでした！

動画が良ければチャンネル登録、グッドボタンよろしくお願いします👍

📍 今回訪れた場所
・bakery Kameya
https://maps.app.goo.gl/4AcrzFBRLhKV4W3v6
・祐徳稲荷神社
https://maps.app.goo.gl/fWfbzVnqdNGfyZrG8
・肥前浜宿
https://maps.app.goo.gl/vFy5XNJ6S7TLCLf86
・茅葺き集落
https://maps.app.goo.gl/57vv8Zx1TDmmb4SW6
・GLAD COFFEE
https://maps.app.goo.gl/mBhqsTNjYbediyidA
・幸姫酒造
https://maps.app.goo.gl/K4sRppbxAULjNijU7
・道の駅 鹿島
https://maps.app.goo.gl/9KM37yVnuEJ32F7o7
・道の駅 太良
https://maps.app.goo.gl/obsfNww7teAniDc2A
・竹崎城址展望台
https://maps.app.goo.gl/7GWbejZsJExtY98aA
・大魚神社 海中鳥居
https://maps.app.goo.gl/3yuD5NmwakukwKVf7

🎵使用している音楽
Artlist（以下から登録で2ヶ月分無料になります！）
https://artlist.io/referral/c48a3ef8-a079-4f03-82ba-aa274ebf0700

#佐賀観光 #佐賀旅行 #japantravel