Let’s go discover attractive aspects of Saga and Nagasaki prefectures using a new Shinkansen line! Here is one of the routes recommended by the att.JAPAN editorial office.
A 3-day and 2-night recommended route visiting Saga and Nagasaki by Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen!
Day 1
＜Day 1＞ 11:30 Departing from Hakata Station
The trip starts at Hakata Station, the main gateway to the Kyushu area! Get on a limited express to go to Takeo-Onsen Station in Saga Prefecture.
13:00 Arriving at Takeo-Onsen Station
The first thing you should do after arriving at Takeo-Onsen Station is to have lunch! There is a burger shop, “TKB AWARDS,” which started as a corner of a famous local meat shop, about 8 minutes on foot from the station. The delicious Takeo Burger is recommended.
| Address | Kameya Building A, 7811-5 Tomioka, Takeo-cho, Takeo City, Saga |
| Regular holiday | Mondays (If Monday is a national holiday, it will close the following day) |
| URL | https://www.instagram.com/tkbawards/?hl=ja |
14:00 Takeo Onsen Romon
The red gate standing at the entrance of the onsen was constructed in 1915 and has been designated a national important cultural property. It was designed by Kingo Tatsuno, the architect who designed famous buildings such as Tokyo Station and Bank of Japan buildings. Not a single nail was used to make the gate!
14:30 Drop-by onsen facilities
Enjoy several drop-by onsen facilities near the gate, including “Motoyu,” which is said to be Japan’s oldest wooden building for a currently-used public bathhouse, and “Tonosamayu,” a private bath made entirely with marble, which used to serve as an exclusive bathroom for the lord of Takeo.
Takeo Onsen Motoyu
Business hours: 6:30–24:00 (admission until 23:00)
Fees: 450 yen for adults, 220 yen for children (from age 3 to elementary school students)
Address: 7425 Takeo, Takeo-cho, Takeo City, Saga
http://www.takeo-kk.net/spa/001331.php
Takeo Onsen Tonosamayu
Business hours: 10:00–23:00 (*no reservation required, available on a first-come first-serve basis)
Fees: 3,800 yen (Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) and 3,300 yen (weekdays) for 1 hour per room
Address: 7425 Takeo Takeo-cho, Takeo City, Saga
http://www.takeo-kk.net/spa/001344.php
17:00 Stay at Ureshino Onsen
Arriving at Ureshino Onsen, another major onsen town in Saga! Stay at “Wataya Besso,” which offers you an opportunity to enjoy Ureshino’s delicious food and great onsen to your heart’s content, and have an extraordinary time.
The bookstore and bar in the facility serve a nice cup of Ureshino green tea from “Soejimaen,” a Ureshino tea grower. You can also purchase the teas at the shop. The hot spring water directly coming from the source on the premises pours into the large bath, open-air bath, private bath, and annex’s bath, allowing people to enjoy the onsen in various ways. It is one of the attractive points of this hotel. The lanterns here and there within the facility premises set the mood for your trip.
| Address | 738 Shimojuku-otsu, Ureshino-machi, Ureshino City, Saga |
| URL | https://wataya.co.jp/ |
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＜Day ２＞10:00 Leaving the hotel
Enjoy the must-try specialty dish of Ureshino, yudofu (hot tofu), for breakfast, and then let’s go strolling in the onsen town!
10:10 Strolling in Ureshino Onsen
Enjoy strolling around to visit “Siebold no Yu,” a public bathhouse serving as a symbol of Ureshino with an eye-catching orange pointed hat rooftop, and “Toyotamahime Shrine,” a visit to which is said to confer the benefit of beautiful skin. Then, have a break at a footbath facility.
13:00 Nagasaki Station
After arriving at Nagasaki Station, visit sightseeing spots and places serving local dishes in the city. It is also recommended to visit the two World Heritage sites in Nagasaki City, i.e., “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution (Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding, and Coal Mining Industries),” which includes Hashima (known as Gunknajima, or “Battleship Island”); and, among “Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region,” Oura Cathedral, the oldest existing church of Gothic architecture in Japan. The Glover Residence is also well worth a visit.
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18:00 Stay at Mt. Inasa
If you want to fully enjoy Nagasaki’s night view, which has been chosen as one of the “New Three Major Beautiful Night Views in the World,” you may want to have dinner at “ITADAKI,” a restaurant at Mt. Inasa Observatory or stay at “Inasayama Kanko Hotel.”
“ITADAKI” offers a great time enjoying dishes with local ingredients from Nagasaki along with drinks while enjoying the sparkling night view through the large windows. “Inasayama Kanko Hotel” is a place where you can enjoy Nagasaki’s great night view not only from each guestroom but also the large bath.
ITADAKI
Closed: the 2nd Tuesday of the month
Address: Mt. Inasa Observatory 2F, 364 Inasa-machi, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki
https://www.inasayama.com/itadaki/
Inasayama Kanko Hotel
Closed: the 2nd Tuesday of the month
Address: Mt. Inasa Observatory 2F, 364 Inasa-machi, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki
https://www.inasayama.co.jp/en/
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The information herein is as of
August 2022
Writer
Mai
I was born in Kagoshima Prefecture and have lived in different parts of Kyushu. A lover of food, sake, and hot springs in Kyushu, my goal is to become a “Sen-nin” (hot spring master), the highest rank for those who accomplish the “Tour of the Eighty-eight Hot Springs in Kyushu.” I hope to convey the fascinating aspects of Japan while featuring my beloved homeland Kyushu!
