Food of Saga

27 dishes

• 🍲Ara no Sugata-Ni (Simmered Whole Ara)📍 SagaThe Karatsu Kunchi, which includes the "Hikiyama-Gyouji", 'Yama, Hoko, and Yatai' events, has been registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is the autumn festival of Karatsu Shrine in Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture, and is a grand celebration with the theme of gratitude for the harvest. While men from the town of Karatsu have traditionally participated in the festival, women at home, who take care of the households, have a custom of serving dishes to those who have been helpful. These dishes are known as 'Kunchi Ryori,' and among them, the most prominent is the gigantic fish dish called 'Ara no Sugata-ni.' After World War II, merchants began showcasing large and impressive ara (about 10 kg) caught in the Genkai Sea. Ara, a local term in Kyushu, is nationally known as 'Kue,' and its translucent white flesh is not only featured in Sugata-ni but is also excellent in sashimi and hot pots. Although available throughout the year, the peak season for Ara is from October to December. November, when the Karatsu Kunchi takes place, is considered an especially delicious time for Ara.
• 🍱Dabu📍 SagaDabu" is a local dish made with chicken and seasonal vegetables, and has been handed down from Saga Prefecture to Fukuoka Prefecture. It is called "dabu" with an accent from the word "zabu" because it is made "zabu-zabu" with a lot of water without using ingredients that easily fall apart. This dish is served at weddings, funerals, and other occasions to which guests are invited, and differences arise in the ingredients and the way they are cut depending on the celebration or mourning. In the Karatsu area, it is popular to cut all ingredients into strips, while konnyaku is cut into triangles for Buddhist ceremonies. For weddings and funerals, lotus root, dried shiitake mushrooms, konnyaku, kikurage, frozen konnyaku, and chicken are used, while fu is added for celebratory occasions. Especially in the Hamadama area, it is made without thickening. In other areas, ingredients are cut into squares and hanafu is used for celebratory events such as marriages and other festive occasions. Some people also do not use sugar for seasoning. Conversely, on occasions of mourning, the ingredients are cut into triangles and sugar is used. The seasoning differs from household to household, but in the past, people in the community, including neighbors, would gather together to jointly make a large quantity at a time.
• 🍱Funankogui📍 SagaThe Ariake Sea has a tidal range of about 6 meters, and at low tide, tidal flats extend 5 to 7 meters offshore. Although fish and shellfish of unusual shapes and sizes can be caught here, an alternative source of protein was needed during the off-season in winter. One such fish that was valued as a wintertime protein source was crucian carp, a river fish. It is the most common freshwater fish caught in Saga Prefecture, and is often caught in the creeks of Shiraishi and the Saga Plain, as well as in rivers. Farmers, in particular, catch crucian carp when draining rice paddies in the fall to dry them for long-term preservation. A famous local dish using crucian carp is "funankogui. Also called funanokogui, this dish consists of crucian carp wrapped in kelp and slowly simmered with seasonal vegetables such as radish, and is softened so that it can be eaten right down to the bones. It is loved as a local delicacy because of its unique flavor and lack of fishy smell. It is always served on special occasions throughout Saga Prefecture, and when it is prepared at home, it is customary to make a large pot of it and distribute it to neighbors. In Kashima City, there is a custom of offering funankogui to Ebisu-sama on January 20, the 20th day of the New Year, to pray for a good catch, prosperous business, and family safety. According to some accounts, the sea bream offered to Ebisu-sama was too expensive for the common people to afford, so they used crucian carp, which is similar in shape, to make up for it, or crucian carp was used instead of fish that could not be caught in the Ariake Sea in winter. In addition, a "funa-ichi" (funa market) has been held for more than 300 years on the 20th day of the New Year, where fresh live funa are sold as ingredients for "funankogui".
• 🍡Futsumochi (Mugwort Mochi)📍 SagaIn Saga Prefecture, known for its thriving rice cultivation, both short-grain rice and glutinous rice are widely grown, boasting some of the highest production volumes in the country. As a result, there are many local dishes made with glutinous rice, and Futsu Mochi is one of them. Futsu Mochi refers to what is commonly known as yomogi mochi, where futsu denotes the Japanese mugwort plant (yomogi). In spring, people use a basket called soke without handles to gather mugwort growing around rice fields and roadsides, and then make these mochi at home. Additionally, on March 3rd, during the Hinamatsuri or Doll's Festival, it is common nationwide to offer diamond-shaped rice cakes (hishimochi), but in Saga, Futsu Mochi is offered instead.
• 🍲Gameni (chicken stew)📍 SagaAmong the many regional dishes of Saga Prefecture, the standard is gameni chicken stew. The stew is called "chikuzenni chicken stew" nationwide. It is also loved as a regional dish in other regions of Kyushu, including Hakata. The stew is a dish in which a lot of root vegetables and chicken are fried and thoroughly simmered. It is said that the dish was created when Hideyoshi Toyotomi was sending troops to Korea during the Imjin War. When his large army encamped in Hakata, they caught many softshell turtles in Hakata's inlets and marshes, simmered them with vegetables, and ate the stew. That was the origin of the dish. At the time, softshell turtles were called "river turtles" or "mud turtles," and then the dish was named "gameni (turtle stew)." Today, the dish doesn't use turtles; it uses chicken. The dish lives on as a special dish on special days. It is eaten during festivals such as the Okunchi festival and celebrations such as New Year's.
• 🍱Go Dofu with Sesame Soy Sauce📍 SagaTofu made throughout Japan is formed by adding bittern to soy milk, but “Go Dofu", which is mainly from the town of Arita Town in Saga Prefecture, is characterized by the addition of kudzu, starch, and other ingredients to soy milk to harden it. The major difference from conventional tofu is the texture, which is soft and chewy. It also has a glossy, pudding-like sheen. It is usually served as a side dish with sesame soy sauce, but it can also be enjoyed as a healthy sweet by pouring molasses or soybean flour over it. The name “Go Dofu" comes from the name "Go," which means "to make tofu" in Japanese. The soy milk is pressed from the "Go" and kneaded with kudzu to make "Go Dofu," which is said to be named after the "tofu" made from "Go".Another theory is that it is tofu that came from the Chinese country of “呉(=Wu)". There are various theories about its origin, but one theory is that a tofu maker in Arita who visited Nagasaki at the beginning of the Showa period to buy soybeans learned from a Chinese person how to make tofu using "kudzu". Another theory is that an old lady at a sushi restaurant in Arita learned the original recipe from a Chinese man in Nagasaki in 1929, and it became popular in the town when she started serving it at her sushi restaurant.
• 🍜Hiyashi-somen (cold somen noodle)📍 SagaCold somen noodles have long been eaten in Saga Prefecture. Kanzaki Somen, a specialty of Kanzaki City located in the eastern part of the prefecture, is famous as one of the leading Somen brands in Kyushu. It is characterized by the umami and rich aroma of wheat, its crispy and strong texture, and its smooth and slippery texture. You can fully enjoy its charm by tightening it with ice water. In winter, it is enjoyed as Nyumen, as it does not fall apart while boiling. It is said that the Somen production began about 380 years ago when a monk from Shodoshima, who was traveling around the country, fell ill in Kanzaki and taught a local peddler how to make hand-pulled Somen noodles, who took good care of him. The production of Somen spread in Kanzaki partly because the land was suitable for wheat cultivation such as Saga's warm climate and high-quality water source. In the early days, it was often handmade as a side job for farmers during the winter. Later, people began to use water wheels to grind wheat, taking advantage of the abundant water supply, and there used to be more than 300 noodle makers in the area. Kanzaki is also the birthplace of machine-made Somen, having developed a roll-type noodle-making machine and being one of the first to introduce machine-made noodle production.
• 🍱Hoshigaki Namasu📍 SagaPersimmons are grown throughout Japan. Saga prefecture does not produce large amounts of this fruit. Not much land is dedicated to growing persimmons but there are unique types of them grown in Saga. One type, with the brand name, “Onsen Bijin” (=Hot Spring Beauty) and grown in Takeo city, is a sour persimmon whose sourness has been taken out using special techniques. The fruit is left to ripen on the trees until they become a deep red color. The texture is crunchy, but the fruit is very juicy. This Onsen Bijin is not produced in large quantities and only 50 to 60 boxes of this fruit are made per year, which makes them rare. Another brand, “Kyara Gaki”, can only be grown on trees with an age between 50 to 100 years. The persimmons grown on these old trees are sweeter than ordinary persimmons and has been gifted to the Imperial Household Agency in the past. In autumn, many persimmons are left out to dry like orange curtains and this is scenic to the region.In such Saga Prefecture, "kaki noren" (=persimmon curtains) have become an autumn tradition.Dried persimmons are made by hand, one by one. The skin of the sour persimmon is peeled and then the fruit is tied with a piece of string and hung from a high place such as under eaves. They are called "kaki-Noren" (persimmon curtains) because the rows of dried persimmons look like orange curtains hanging down, particularly around Mount Sefuri and Mount Tenzan. This tradition has been around for around 300 years.The temperature in the areas surrounded by the mountains have extreme ranges, which make the climate ideal for making dried persimmons. The dried persimmons are soft and chewy and are very popular. Dried persimmons can be eaten as is,They can also be eaten for cooking, such as to make “Hoshigaki Namasu”. "Namasu" is eaten as one of the New Year's osechi dishes, and this "Hoshigaki Namasu" is indispensable in the Matsuume area of Daiwa-cho, Saga City, where dried persimmons have been produced for many years.
• 🍱Ika no kakeae📍 SagaOroshi-namasu," "kakiage," or "nutaage," a dish made by dressing seafood with radish or wakame seaweed, is found all over Japan. In Saga Prefecture, it is called "kake-waage" or "kake-yaa," and is eaten throughout the year as one of the daily side dishes. On the other hand, it is an indispensable dish on festive occasions such as festivals or when many people gather for rice planting or harvesting, and it is one of the dishes served at festivals, as people usually have a poor diet. The seafood used depends on the household, the season, and the region. For example, sardines, mackerel, and horse mackerel are used in areas near the Ariake Sea and the Genkai Sea, while crucian carp is sometimes used in areas with many moats and creeks. Since the season when mackerel, which is particularly fatty, becomes available for landing is around the time of the autumn festival, mackerel was often used for the autumn festival. When using bluefish, it is often grated into three pieces or cut open by hand, lightly salted, washed in vinegar, and marinated in vinegar. Squid and whale are also used. Daikon radishes are often used for "kakewase" because they become sweeter during the frosty season, when the taste is more intense as you bite into them, making them even more delicious.
• 🍲Kuchizoko no Nitsuke(Simmered Sole fish)📍 SagaThe Ariake Sea, which has Japan's highest tidal range and vast mud flats, is home to a variety of unique fish and shellfish, including “Mutsugoro", “Mekaja", “Sea mushrooms", and “Wrasses". The sole fish, which lives on sandy muddy bottoms of shallow waters throughout Japan, is also found in the Ariake Sea and is called “kuchizoko" in Saga Prefecture. Its body is characterized by its leaf-shaped body, with no distinguishable dorsal or caudal fins. The name "kuchizoko" comes from a theory that it resembles the shape of the sole of a shoe, or that its small mouth is on the underside. It is closely related to the flatfish, and has both eyes on the left side of its body. “Kuchizoko" is a familiar food in the Ariake Sea coastal areas and is often stewed in a rich, slightly sweetened seasoning.
• 🍱Kuri Okowa📍 Saga“Kuri Okowa”, also known as “Kuri Kowai” and “Kowai”, is a traditional dish of Saga prefecture and served at local festivals and celebrations at home. When the dish is made as offerings to gods, the rice is shaped in the form of circular cones or triangles called “Gokkusan”. “Kuri Okowa” is also an indispensable part of “Kunchi” or “Okunchi” (=festival) held in the northern Kyushu areas in autumn. At these festivals, newly harvested rice is offered to the gods and people show appreciation for the bountiful harvest. The "Imari Kunchi" held in Imari-cho, Imari City in October is a fighting festival in which portable shrines and Danjiris fight each other, and is called "Imari Ton-ten-ton" from the sound of the taiko drums. Traditional families of the region prepare for this festival a few days ahead and make “kikka kabu” (=pickled chrysanthemum turnip), “kogui” (=crucian carp prepared with seasonal vegetables), “nishime” (=simmered vegetables) and “amazake” (=sweet, fermented rice drink). “Kuri Okowa” was made and given to the participants of “Kunchi” as a gift to take home with them. In other regions as well, "Kuri Okowa" is an indispensable dish for autumn festivals. At the autumn festivals of Niu Shrine in the Shiota and Ookusano districts and Hachimangu Shrine in the Kuma district, they make a lot of "Kuri Okowa" to entertain their guests. In Arita, during “Kunchi” in October, the “Kuri Okowa” is served in the shape of a folding-fan, which is considered good luck. This dish is often made with dried chestnuts as the name for this in Japanese is “Kachi Guri”, and the word “kachi” means to win in Japanese, and so this ingredient was used to incorporate the wish of winning the festival. The recipe differs depending on the region and family that makes it.
• 🍱Mutsugoro no Kabayaki (Broiled Mudskipper)📍 SagaThe Ariake Sea, in Saga Prefecture, is known for its vast tidelands, which appear during low tide, due to a wide tidal range of about 6 meters. The marine life which inhabit this area is unique and rare, and known as “maeumimon.” Symbolic of this genre of sea creatures is the mutsugoro (mudskipper), which can be found only in certain parts of the Ariake Sea and the Yatsushiro Sea (which is surrounded by the Kyushu mainland and the Amakusa Islands). In the Ariake Sea coastal areas, it is sometimes called "mutsu".The mutsugoro is an amphibious fish which has the ability to breathe both through its gills and its skin, and emerges from its burrow when the tides recede. Spawning season is from May to July, during which the male mutsugoros repeatedly leap high into the air in energetic displays of courtship―a sight that attracts visitors from throughout the country in hopes of capturing their feats on camera. Mudskippers are in season during the summer, between May and August, and are captured at low tide, using a traditional fishing method called “mutsukake-gyo.” “Mutsugoro no Kabayaki (broiled mutsugoro)” is a famous and delicious local cuisine, made by first lightly grilling the fish while still alive, and then cooked to a sweet and savory taste. When caught fresh, mudskippers can also be served as sashimi or served in miso soup.
• 🍱Nigomi📍 SagaKunchi is a festival found around the northern area of Kyūshū including Saga prefecture. All called Okunchi, this is an autumn festival wherein the first crop of the year is offered to the local deity and thanks is given to the gods in heaven and earth for the bumper crop of grains. In the former town of Imari in what is now Imari City, Kunchi is also observed every year in October, where mikoshi and danjiri shrines are brought together for a so-called fight festival. The spectacle, known as “Imari Ton-ten-ton” begins at the sounding of the drum, and chestnut rice and nigomi are crucial Kunchi cuisine for the event. Nigomi is a boiled dish made with either chicken or tofu; chestnuts; and root vegetables like lotus root, burdock root, or daikon radish; all simmered in seasonings like sugar or soy sauce. Also called “nijā,” the dish's appeal is in the simple flavor of the vegetables and the well balanced nutrition it provides. It's said that the dish was originally made as a way to not waste the leftover ingredients used in making a different boiled dish called nishim , the leftover chestnuts and red beans used for chestnut rice, and the leftover water from boiling the red beans. Nigomi is made in bulk the evening before Kunchi, and is reheated and eaten bit by bit over the following 2~3 days.
• 🍱Niimoji📍 SagaSaga Prefecture has a mild climate throughout the year, but in the summer it gets hot, around 30 degrees Celsius every day. At such times, a vinegared taro called "Niimoji" or "Niimoji no Vinegared Food" is very useful. This dish is made by peeling and pickling mizuimo in nihaizu or sanhaizu vinegar, and is eaten daily as an everyday summer food, and is loved by the locals as "Saga's summer taste. Because it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week, it is also served as a side dish for Bon Festival offerings or when entertaining guests at festivals. Because it is eaten in the summer, it is often served chilled, and the crunchy texture of the mizumo is a staple of the dish. It is sometimes boiled softly, depending on the preference of the cook or eater. The sourness and sweetness of the taste varies from household to household, and each family has its own "taste" that is passed down from generation to generation.
• 🍱Noppe Jiru📍 Saga“Noppejiru” is a soup that has been passed down through families in Saga Prefecture, and is sometimes called “Noppeijiru” or “Nuppeijiru.” “Noppe” or “noppei” means the soup's consistency is thickened with potato starch. It's characterized by its thickness and the presence of many root vegetables such as taro and burdock. It's eaten as an everyday meal, especially in winter, as a dish to warm the body. It's also often eaten on days when people gather, and the ingredients used vary depending on the event. For example, chicken for celebrations, azuki beans for auspicious days such as weddings, and flower gluten without meat for memorial services. But it always has plenty of ingredients such as vegetables, and is always seasoned with soy sauce and salt.
• 🍱Ocha gai(Cha gayu)📍 SagaOchagai" or "Ochagayu" is rice cooked with tea. It is said to have originated as a way to save rice in the closing days of the Tokugawa shogunate, when Naomasa Nabeshima, the 10th lord of the Saga Domain, who was suffering from financial difficulties, issued a frugal and thrifty decree that "not even a grain of rice should be wasted. In particular, merchants who shared their houses with their servants served chagayu (rice gruel) for breakfast, which consisted of cold rice from the night before, tea made with freshly brewed and powdered tea, to cover the needs of a large number of servants. Later, it took root as a food custom mainly in the Ariake Sea coastal areas, and until shortly after World War II, it was also eaten at home as an everyday meal. However, with the rapid economic growth of Japan, the number of households cooking it declined. Today, it can be enjoyed at breakfasts at inns in the prefecture. Ureshino, which flourished as a post town along the Nagasaki Kaido Road, has long been famous for its hot springs and Ureshino tea, which relieves the fatigue of travelers. In Ureshino, "ochagai" (tea gai) is made using such Ureshino tea. Unlike white gayu, "ochagai" has a simple flavor and a refreshing aftertaste that is infused with the taste of tea. In summer, it is recommended to eat it chilled. Depending on the season, sweet potatoes may be added to make "imo-gayu" (sweet potato gayu).
• 🍱Okomojino-aburaitame (Fried Okomoji with oil)📍 SagaPickles are indispensable for daily three meals. In Saga Prefecture, seasonal ingredients are utilized and pickles are made without interruption throughout the year: Takana pickles in spring, pickled plums and rakkyo pickles in early summer, typical pickled cucumbers in summer, and pickled Daikon radish in winter. Among them, the preserved food called "Okomoji" or "Okumoji" which is made by salting Takana and Shakushina is loved even today. Especially for Takana, large and young plants are pickled in salt from March to April to make long-term and short-term pickles, respectively, and a large amount of pickles are preserved as pickled greens that can be kept all year round. The idea was to make it possible to eat old Okomoji even after they become old, and this dish is called "Okomoji no aburaitame". This dish, also known as "Takana no aburaitame" is easy to prepare at home and has become a popular soul food. Pickles are generally considered to be high in salt, but "Okomoji no aburaitame" is characterized by the fact that it is made by removing the salt from old pickles before using them, thus reducing the amount of salt.
• 🍱Oyogoshi📍 SagaAbout 230 years ago on February 19th, a fire broke out in the Ifuku village in Saga Prefecture that destroyed most of the village. There is a legend that the residents of the time boiled, seasoned, and ate the wild plants left over from the fire, then joined together to rebuild the village. Since then, a village festival called "Oyogoshi Matsuri" is held on February 19th to commemorate the village predecessors who had suffered from the disaster. The "Oyogoshi" is always served an essential dish in honor of the seasoned vegetables that were eaten back in the day. "Oyogoshi" means "Aemono" (dressed ingredients) in women's language, and it refers to vegetables seasoned in a white dressing. Tofu is typically used, but in the past every household grew their own vegetables, and so those vegetables were often used. Thus, instead of using tofu, which was not always available, taro was often used instead because it was available in every household. Nowadays, each household passes down their own unique recipe, with variations in vegetables and seasonings. For example, the taro can be mashed smoothly or some larger chunks might be kept to create textural variation. Pumpkin might also be used instead.
• 🥩Saga Beef📍 SagaSaga Beef is a name permitted for Wagyu beef (Japanese Black) raised by farmers under the JA Group Saga—consisting of the Saga Agricultural Cooperative, Karatsu Agricultural Cooperative, and Imari City Agricultural Cooperative—that meets certain standards. Its grading requirements using the Japan Meat Grading Association system are the second strictest in the country, following only Sendai Beef.
• 🍲Shappa-no-Nitsuke (Simmered Mantis Shrimp)📍 SagaThe mantis shrimp, a crustacean that resembles a shrimp, is found throughout Japan from Hokkaido to Okinawa. It is characterized by its front legs, which have a shape similar to the claws of a mantis, and it uses these to capture and feed on small fish and shrimp. It inhabits coastal sandy and muddy areas, digging U-shaped burrows in the mud, and is also caught in the Ariake Sea. In Saga Prefecture, it is mainly called "shappa" and sometimes referred to as "ganeshappa." Although often disliked for being caught in the trawl nets for Japanese Tiger Prawn and Shiba prawn, it is considered a small fish and may be treated as such. Despite this, it has a delicious flavor similar to shrimp. It is commonly enjoyed boiled and served as sushi due to its light taste and excellent compatibility with vinegar. In Saga Prefecture, it is also prepared by boiling in salt or simmering in soy sauce. The characteristic is that a rich broth full of umami is produced during the cooking process, making it a popular summer delicacy.
• 🍱Suko-zushi📍 SagaFacing the Ariake Sea, Shiraishi Town boasts a rich natural landscape of mountains, plains, sea, and rivers. Particularly, the Shiraishi Plains were reclaimed through repeated land reclamation projects from the medieval era to the present, becoming a fertile land for cultivating rice, wheat, vegetables, and more. Rice, in particular, has been a focus of continuous quality improvement efforts for centuries. According to tradition, over 500 years ago, the lord of the Suko district in Shiraishi Town valued the local farmers greatly and devoted efforts to enhance the quality of rice. Their dedication led to the fame of "sushi rice" and "sake-brewing rice" spreading nationwide. In gratitude for this lord's care, local residents crafted sushi using the abundant seafood and mountain ingredients and offered it as a tribute. This sushi came to be known as "Suko-zushi," and it continues to be cherished from generation to generation, an indispensable delicacy for celebrations even today. Characterized by its boxed-sushi style, it offers a simple and delightful taste with a variety of local ingredients. Originally, it used grilled mud loach (a type of fish), but due to its rarity nowadays, alternatives like shrimp or saury are sometimes used.
• 🍱Tsunkidagojiru📍 SagaBoth "flat dago" and "dagojiru", local dishes of Saga Prefecture, are made with "dago". “Dago” is a corruption of the word “dango,” and "flat dago" is a snack made by boiling flat wheat dough and sprinkling it with brown sugar. "Dagojiru", on the other hand, is a soup made by simmering wheat flour dumplings with plenty of seasonal vegetables. It is said that the name changes depending on the shape of the "dango" and the region, such as “dangojiru,” “nebadagoju,” “hirahibojiru,” and “tsunkidagojiru.” Among them, tsunkidagojiru is made by tearing the "dango" by hand, as can be understood from the word “tsunki” in the name, which means “to tear” in Takeo's dialect. In addition to Saga Prefecture, it is eaten in wide areas such as Kumamoto, Oita, and Miyazaki Prefectures as a dish to warm the body on cold days. Ingredients vary, but basically, seasonal vegetables are used. In addition, it is said that in some regions, whale meat is used instead of chicken, and adzuki beans are added.
• 🍚Tugani Meshi (River Crab Rice)📍 SagaSaga Prefecture, which is blessed with the Ariake Sea and Genkai Sea, has many regional dishes that benefit from the abundance of seafood. One such dish is "Tsugani Meshi," a dish that incorporates river delicacies. It is a rice dish where Tsugani (freshwater crab) is cooked together with rice, and the unique flavor of Tsugani permeating the rice is delicious. It is also known as "Gane Meshi" or "Kani Meshi." The Tsugani commonly used as the main ingredient is known locally as Tsugane or Yamataro, and in the Kanto region, it is called Mokuzugani. It is a representative crab found in rivers throughout Japan. As the name Mokuzugani suggests, its claws have long, soft, densely packed "seaweed-like" hairs, giving them a deep green appearance. "Tsugani Meshi" is often prepared in the fall and winter when Tsugani descends the rivers from September to December to spawn in the river mouths and shallow coastal areas where seawater enters. Crabs descending for spawning have a delicious taste, and besides "Tsugani Meshi," they are also enjoyed in dishes like salt-boiled or simmered crabs. Particularly famous is the Tamashima River in Nanayama, Karatsu City, which flows into the Genkai Sea, and they are also often caught in the Shiota River. In the past, people used bamboo-made baskets to catch them when they descended the river, especially during heavy rainfall and increased water flow. While the number of Tsugani has decreased compared to before, around 10,000 crabs are released into the Chikugo River each year to increase the resources.
• 🍵Ureshino Tea📍 SagaUreshino Tea is a Japanese tea produced in a region stretching from Ureshino City in southwestern Saga Prefecture to Higashisonogi Town in Nagasaki Prefecture. Production is said to have begun around the Muromachi period. While known for kamairi-cha (pan-fired tea) where fermentation is stopped by heating in a pan, most is now heated by steaming like other Japanese teas. Even when steamed, unique processing techniques are used to resemble Chinese green tea. The tea leaves are round and have a glossy green color, earning it the name 'Tama Ryokucha' (Guri-cha). It is highly regarded for its strong aroma and umami, and has won many awards.
• 🍲Warasubo no Misoshiru (Warasubo Miso Soup)📍 SagaWhen it comes to rare fish in the Ariake Sea, the mudskipper (known as "Mutsugorou") is famous, but alongside it is the Warasubo, which is exclusive to the Ariake Sea in Japan. Belonging to the eel goby family, Warasubo has degenerated eyes, exposed sharp teeth, and a slimy, purple body that allows internal organs and blood vessels to be visible, giving it an appearance reminiscent of an "alien." However, locals appreciate its unique taste, which has become a beloved culinary specialty. It digs burrows in the mud at the estuary, and in tidal flats with tidal differences, the ebb and flow of the tide accumulates plenty of nutrients from the river, fostering the growth of fish and seafood, including Warasubo. Therefore, Warasubo is said to have a delicious flavor. Fishing for Warasubo is conducted from May to October, with a representative method being the use of a tool called "Subokaki." This tool, resembling a 1.3m-long sickle with a hook at the tip, is used to scrape and catch Warasubo while gliding over the mud on a sled. This sight is also a summer tradition in the Ariake Sea. Warasubo is often caught in ankou (anglerfish) nets as well. It is prepared in various ways, including miso soup, simmered dishes with sugar and soy sauce, and dried to make furikake, known as, "mokusai." When used fresh, it is typically cooked while still alive. The aggressive nature of Warasubo has earned it a reputation as a challenging ingredient, often referred to as a "source of trouble for daughter-in-laws." Fresh Warasubo is commonly used in simmered dishes and is a popular choice for "Warasubo miso soup."
• 🍱Yudedago📍 Saga”Yudedago” is a corrupted form of the term “yudedango” and refers to sweets made from wheat flour and brown sugar. It is sometimes called “flat dago.” In Saga Prefecture, double cropping has long been practiced, and since wheat was grown after the rice was harvested, many farmers constantly had home-grown wheat flour and rice flour on hand. Therefore, they were often used for daily meals and easy-to-make snacks, and “yudedago” is one of such local dishes. It is common to boil flattened wheat flour dough and sprinkle it with brown sugar, but sometimes, boiled pumpkin, spinach, or mugwort is mixed into the dough, or red bean paste is wrapped inside it.
• 🍱Yuki no Tsuyu📍 SagaArita, Saga Prefecture, is known as the birthplace of porcelain, and porcelain production began in the early 17th century with the discovery of ceramic stone, the raw material for magnetism, at Mount Izumiyama in Arita. One of the people who found the potter's stone at this time was a Korean potter, Sanbei Kanagae (a.k.a. Sampei Lee), who is known as the creator of Arita-yaki porcelain.The "Touzan Shrine", built around 1658, has Emperor Ojin as its main deity, and a monument to Sampei Lee was erected on the site. On the evening of New Year's Eve, "Arita Bowl Lantern Festival" will be held at "Touzan Shrine", which is well known among the local people as the "God of Pottery". About 1,000 porcelain lamps are used to illuminate the area between the "Tsuji-no-fuda" intersection at the central intersection of the Arita Pottery Market Street and the shrine grounds. The festival begins around 23時30分 on New Year's Eve and continues until around 02時00分 on New Year's Day, when "Yuki no Tsuyu," a local dish, is served. "Yuki no Tsuyu" is a soup of grated daikon radish roughly grated with a bamboo grater called "Oni Oroshi," and baked rice cakes or thinly fried tofu in a miso soup. Since kiln workers had to stay at the kiln all night long, it is said that "Yuki no Tsuyu" was eaten as a nighttime meal because it warms the body even on cold nights and is easy to eat and keep one's stomach full.