is the capital of Saga Prefecture

Saga Prefecture

is located in the northwest part of the island of Kyūshū, Japan. It touches both the Sea of Japan and the Ariake Sea. The western part of the prefecture is a region famous for producing ceramics and porcelain, particularly the towns of Karatsu, Imari, and Arita...

, located on the island of Kyūshū

Kyushu

is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

.

Saga was the capital of Saga Domain

Saga Domain

Saga Domain was a han, or feudal domain, in Tokugawa period Japan. Largely contiguous with Hizen Province on Kyūshū, the domain was governed from Saga Castle in the capital city of Saga by the Nabeshima clan of tozama daimyō...

 in the Edo period

Edo period

The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....

, and largest city of former Hizen Province

Hizen Province

was an old province of Japan in the area of Saga and Nagasaki prefectures. It was sometimes called , with Higo Province. Hizen bordered on the provinces of Chikuzen and Chikugo. The province was included in Saikaidō...

.

On October 1, 2005, the city expanded through merger with the neighboring towns of Morodomi

Morodomi, Saga

was a town located in Saga District, Saga, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 11,984 and a density of 997.00 persons per km². The total area was 12.02 km²....

, Yamato

Yamato, Saga

was a town located in Saga District, Saga, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 22,105 and a density of 398.86 persons per km²...

 and Fuji

Fuji, Saga

was a town located in Saga District, Saga, Japan.As of 2005, the town had an estimated population of 4,797 and a density of 33.48 persons per km2. The total area was 143.25 km2.The status of Fuji was changed from a village to a town on October 1, 1966....

 (all from Saga District

Saga District, Saga

was a district located in Saga Prefecture, Japan. The district was dissolved on October 1, 2007 and is now within the city of Saga.It consisted of three towns, including Higashiyoka, Kawasoe and Kubota.-Timeline:*April 1, 1889...

) and the village of Mitsuse

Mitsuse, Saga

was a village located in Kanzaki District, Saga, Japan.As of 2003, the village had an estimated population of 1,578 and a density of 38.77 persons per km²...

 from Kanzaki District

Kanzaki District, Saga

is a district located in Saga Prefecture, Japan.As of February 1, 2009 the district has an estimated population of 16,308 and a density of 371 persons per km²...

 to form the new city of Saga. With this creation, the city now neighbors the city of Fukuoka

Fukuoka, Fukuoka

is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...

 in Fukuoka Prefecture

Fukuoka Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen....

. On October 1, 2007 the towns of Higashiyoka

Higashiyoka, Saga

was a town located in Saga District, Saga, Japan.On October 1, 2007 Higashiyoka, along with the towns of Kawasoe and Kubota, all from Saga District, was merged into the expanded city of Saga....

, Kawasoe

Kawasoe, Saga

was a town located in Saga District, Saga, Japan.On October 1, 2007 Kawasoe, along with the towns of Higashiyoka and Kubota, all from Saga District, was merged into the expanded city of Saga....

, and Kubota

Kubota, Saga

was a town located in Saga District, Saga, Japan.On October 1, 2007 Kubota, along with the towns of Higashiyoka and Kawasoe, all from Saga District, was merged into the expanded city of Saga....

 were also incorporated into Saga, further expanding its borders. Although Saga is the capital of Saga Prefecture, it can also be said to be within the Greater Fukuoka metropolitan area, and by extension, Fukuoka-Kitakyushu

Fukuoka-Kitakyushu

Greater Metropolitan Region is the most common name given to the region comprising the metropolitan areas of the cities of Fukuoka and Kitakyūshū in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan and in between...

 Metropolitan Area.

Geography

Saga City is located in the southeast portion of Saga Prefecture

Saga Prefecture

is located in the northwest part of the island of Kyūshū, Japan. It touches both the Sea of Japan and the Ariake Sea. The western part of the prefecture is a region famous for producing ceramics and porcelain, particularly the towns of Karatsu, Imari, and Arita...

. After the 2005 merger the city became very long north to south. It now borders the Ariake Sea

Ariake Sea

The is a body of salt water surrounded by Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, and Kumamoto Prefectures, all of which lie on the island of Kyūshū in Japan. It is the largest bay in Kyūshū. Its deepest point is only about 50 m deep, and extreme tides exceed 4 m. It is used for aquaculture, with nori...

 to the south and Fukuoka Prefecture

Fukuoka Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen....

 to the southeast and north. The northern half of the city contains the Sefuri Mountains.

Climate

The annual average precipitation ranges from about 1800 mm (71 in) in the city center to about 2400 mm (94 in) in Mitsuse

Mitsuse, Saga

was a village located in Kanzaki District, Saga, Japan.As of 2003, the village had an estimated population of 1,578 and a density of 38.77 persons per km²...

. The annual average temperature ranges from about 13 °C (55 °F) in Mitsuse to 17 °C (63 °F) in the city center.

Adjoining municipalities

• Saga Prefecture
  Saga Prefecture
  is located in the northwest part of the island of Kyūshū, Japan. It touches both the Sea of Japan and the Ariake Sea. The western part of the prefecture is a region famous for producing ceramics and porcelain, particularly the towns of Karatsu, Imari, and Arita...
  
  
  • Kanzaki
    Kanzaki, Saga
    is a city located in Saga Prefecture, Japan. The city was created on March 20, 2006 by the merger of the towns of Kanzaki and Chiyoda, and the village of Sefuri, all from Kanzaki District...
    
    
  • Karatsu
    Karatsu, Saga
    is a city located in Saga Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū, Japan. Its name, formed from the Japanese word roots 唐 kara , and 津 tsu , signifies its historical importance as an ancient trading port between Japan with China and Korea...
    
    
  • Ogi
    Ogi, Saga
    is a city located in the central part of Saga on the island of Kyūshū, Japan.On March 3, 2005 Ogi District was dissolved when the old town of Ogi absorbed the towns of Ashikari, Mikatsuki and Ushizu, all from Ogi District, to become Ogi City...
    
    
  • Taku
    Taku, Saga
    is a city located in Saga Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū, Japan.The city was founded on May 1, 1954 through the merger of several towns and villages.-Elementary Schools:*Hokubu Elementary School*Midori-ga-Oka Elementary School*Tobu Elementary School...
    
    
• Fukuoka Prefecture
  Fukuoka Prefecture
  is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen....
  
  
  • Fukuoka
    Fukuoka, Fukuoka
    is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...
    
    
    • Sawara-ku, Fukuoka
      Sawara-ku, Fukuoka
      is one of the seven wards of Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.-Data:*Population: 211,851 people *Area: 95.88 square kilometers -Profile:...
      
      
  • Itoshima
    Itoshima, Fukuoka
    is a city located in the western area of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city was formed on January 1, 2010, following the merger of the city of Maebaru with the two towns of Shima and Nijo....
    
    
  • Ōkawa
    Okawa, Fukuoka
    is a city located in Fukuoka, Japan.As of October 1, 2007, the city has an estimated population of 38,374 and the density of 1,140 persons per km². The total area is 33.61 km².The city was founded on April 1, 1954. The name means 'big river'.-Geography:...
    
    
  • Yanagawa
    Yanagawa, Fukuoka
    is a city located in Fukuoka, Japan.On March 21, 2005 the towns of Yamato and Mitsuhashi, both from Yamato District, were merged into Yanagawa.As of April 30, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 71,848, with a household number of 24,507, and the population density of 934.55 persons per km²...
    
    

Municipal timeline

• April 1, 1889 - The modern municipal system
  Municipalities of Japan
  Japan has three levels of government: national, prefectural, and municipal. The nation is divided into 47 prefectures. Each prefecture consists of numerous municipalities. There are four types of municipalities in Japan: cities, towns, villages and special wards...
  
   is established and the city of Saga is founded. At the same time, the current city region is occupied by 21 villages
  Villages of Japan
  A is a local administrative unit in Japan.It is a local public body along with , , and . Geographically, a village's extent is contained within a prefecture....
  
   from three districts.
  • Kanzaki District
    Kanzaki District, Saga
    is a district located in Saga Prefecture, Japan.As of February 1, 2009 the district has an estimated population of 16,308 and a density of 371 persons per km²...
    
    : Hasuike and Mitsuse.
  • Ogi District
    Ogi District, Saga
    Ogi was a district located in Saga Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district had an estimated population of 45,910 and a density of 478.98 persons per km²...
    
    : Kitayama and Nanzan.
  • Saga District
    Saga District, Saga
    was a district located in Saga Prefecture, Japan. The district was dissolved on October 1, 2007 and is now within the city of Saga.It consisted of three towns, including Higashiyoka, Kawasoe and Kubota.-Timeline:*April 1, 1889...
    
    : Higashikawasoe, Honjō, Hyōgo, Kamino, Kase, Kasuga, Kawakami, Kinryū, Kitakawasoe, Kose, Kuboizumi, Matsuume, Nabeshima, Nikita, Nishiyoka, Oseki and Takakise.
• June 6, 1899 - Kose changes the kanji
  Kanji
  Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
  
  of its name.
• October 1, 1922 - Kamino is incorporated into Saga.
• November 3, 1935 - Hasuike gains town
  Towns of Japan
  A town is a local administrative unit in Japan. It is a local public body along with prefecture , city , and village...
  
   status.
• March 31, 1954 - Hyōgo, Kase, Kose, Nishiyoka and Takakise are all incorporated into Saga.
• October 1, 1954 - Honjō, Kinryū, Kitakawasoe, Kuboizumi and Nabeshima are all incorporated into Saga.
• March 1, 1955 - Higashikawasoe and Nikita merge to form the town of Morodomi.
• October 1, 2005- The towns of Morodomi
  Morodomi, Saga
  was a town located in Saga District, Saga, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 11,984 and a density of 997.00 persons per km². The total area was 12.02 km²....
  
  , Yamato
  Yamato, Saga
  was a town located in Saga District, Saga, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 22,105 and a density of 398.86 persons per km²...
  
   and Fuji
  Fuji, Saga
  was a town located in Saga District, Saga, Japan.As of 2005, the town had an estimated population of 4,797 and a density of 33.48 persons per km2. The total area was 143.25 km2.The status of Fuji was changed from a village to a town on October 1, 1966....
  
   and the village of Mitsuse
  Mitsuse, Saga
  was a village located in Kanzaki District, Saga, Japan.As of 2003, the village had an estimated population of 1,578 and a density of 38.77 persons per km²...
  
   are all incorporated into Saga. (population: 206,967 ; area: 355.15 km²)
• October 1, 2007 - The towns of Higashiyoka
  Higashiyoka, Saga
  was a town located in Saga District, Saga, Japan.On October 1, 2007 Higashiyoka, along with the towns of Kawasoe and Kubota, all from Saga District, was merged into the expanded city of Saga....
  
  , Kawasoe
  Kawasoe, Saga
  was a town located in Saga District, Saga, Japan.On October 1, 2007 Kawasoe, along with the towns of Higashiyoka and Kubota, all from Saga District, was merged into the expanded city of Saga....
  
  , and Kubota
  Kubota, Saga
  was a town located in Saga District, Saga, Japan.On October 1, 2007 Kubota, along with the towns of Higashiyoka and Kawasoe, all from Saga District, was merged into the expanded city of Saga....
  
   are incorporated into Saga. (population: roughly 240,000 ; area: 431.42 km²)

Saga Castle

Standing out from many cultural assets is the plains castle within the city, Saga Castle

Saga Castle

is a Japanese castle located in Saga City, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It is a hiraijirō, a castle built on a plains rather than a hill or mountain, and is surrounded by a wall rather than being built above a stone base. Saga castle was home to the Nabeshima clan, daimyō of Saga Domain...

. It is one of the rare castles in Japan surrounded by a wall rather than built on one. First built between 1591 to 1593, there was a fire in 1726. Renovated in 1728, there was yet another fire in 1835. Nabeshima Naomasa

Nabeshima Naomasa

was the 10th and final daimyō of Saga Domain in Hizen Province, Kyūshū, Japan. His honorary title was Hizen-no-Kami, and he was occasionally referred to as “Prince Hizen” in western accounts during the Bakumatsu period.-Biography:...

 daimyo

Daimyo

is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...

 of the Nabeshima clan

Nabeshima clan

The Nabeshima clan was a prominent Japanese samurai clan of Kyūshū which controlled Saga Domain from the late Sengoku period through the Edo period.The Nabeshima clan was a cadet branch of the Shōni clan and was descended from the Fujiwara clan...

 renovated it within two years and moved in. In 1874 it was a court building and a prefectural office. 1883 saw it become a junior school. The buildings were eventually replaced by modern school buildings.

Universities

National Saga University Saga University ; abbreviated as or , is a higher education institution in Saga, Japan.The University has 5 faculties with a total of around about 7,000 students. Its 2 campuses are in and .-History:...

Private Saga Junior College Saga Women's Junior College

Senior High Schools

Prefectural Chienkan High School Koshikan Senior High School Saga Commercial High School Commercial high school (Japan) A , called or shōgyō for short, is a Japanese high school which concentrates more on the teaching of business and commerce knowledge and skills rather than the college preparatory courses taught in most Japanese high schools. Most students who graduate from a commercial high school directly enter... Saga Higashi High School Saga Kita High School Saga Nishi High School Saga Technical High School

Private Hokuryo High School Kōgakukan High School Saga Gakuen High School Saga Ryukoku Saga Seiwa High School Saga Girls' High School

Air

There is one airport

Airport

An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...

 inside the city of Saga, Saga Airport

Saga Airport

is an airport in the Kawasoe area of Saga, Saga Prefecture, Japan.-Airlines and destinations:-External links:*...

, located in the former town of Kawasoe

Kawasoe, Saga

was a town located in Saga District, Saga, Japan.On October 1, 2007 Kawasoe, along with the towns of Higashiyoka and Kubota, all from Saga District, was merged into the expanded city of Saga....

. Before the opening of Saga Airport, Fukuoka Airport

Fukuoka Airport

, formerly known as Itazuke Air Base, is an international and domestic airport located east of Hakata Station in Fukuoka, Japan. It is officially designated a second class airport. It is operating at full capacity, and cannot be further expanded. Flights stop at 10 p.m...

 was the nearest airport. However, many people in Saga still use Fukuoka Airport due its greater number of routes and flights offered. There is an express bus which connects the two airports.

Rail

• JR Kyushu
  • Nagasaki Main Line
    • Igaya Station
      Igaya Station
      is a train station in Hyōgo Town, Saga City, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by JR Kyushu and is on the Nagasaki Main Line.-Station Layout:...
      
       - Saga Station
      Saga Station
      is a train station in Saga City, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by JR Kyushu and is on the Nagasaki Main Line. Trains from this station also continue on to the Sasebo and Karatsu Lines. About 25,000 people pass through Saga Station every day...
      
       - Nabeshima Station
      Nabeshima Station
      is a train station in Nabeshima Town, Saga City, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by JR Kyushu and is on the Nagasaki Main Line. It is also used by JR Freight.-Layout:thumb|→:for Kubota←:for Saga...
      
       - Balloon Saga Station
      Balloon Saga Station
      is a railway station in Saga, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by JR Kyushu and is on the Nagasaki Main Line. It is a seasonal station and is only operational during the Saga International Balloon Fiesta ....
      
       (only in operation during the Saga International Balloon Fiesta
      Saga International Balloon Fiesta
      The is held at the beginning of November every year in Saga Prefecture, Japan. In 2009 it will take place between October 30 and November 3.The fiesta is held just outside of Saga City, along the Kase River...
      
      ) - Kubota Station
      Kubota Station (Saga)
      is a train station in Saga, Saga Prefecture. It is operated by JR Kyushu.-Layout:It is an above ground station with three tracks, two platforms and a foot bridge connecting them. It is an unmanned station with a ticket machine and a bathroom...
      
      
  • Karatsu Line
    Karatsu Line
    The is a regional railway line in Saga Prefecture, Japan running from Kubota Station in Saga to Nishi-Karatsu Station in Karatsu. It was originally constructed to carry coal from the Karatsu coal field to the Port of Karatsu.-Route data:*Operators and distances...
    
    
    • Kubota Station

Road

• Expressways
  Expressways of Japan
  The expressways of Japan make up a large network of freeway-standard toll roads.- History :Following World War II, Japan's economic revival led to a massive increase in personal automobile use...
  
  
  • Nagasaki Expressway
    Nagasaki Expressway
    ' is one of the Expressways of Japan from Tosu to Nagasaki. It runs through the prefecture of Saga, and the southern half of the Nagasaki prefecture...
    
    
    • Interchanges: Saga Yamato Interchange
    • Other facilities: Kinryū Service Area

• National highways
  National highways of Japan
  Japan has a nationwide system of distinct from the expressways. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and other government agencies administer the national highways. Beginning in 1952, Japan classified these as Class 1 or Class 2. Class 1 highways had one- or two-digit numbers, while...
  
  
  • Route 34 ("Hokubu Bypass")
  • Route 207
  • Route 208
    Route 208 (Japan)
    National Route 208 is a national highway of Japan connecting Kumamoto, Kumamoto and Saga, Saga in Japan, with a total length of 84.7 km ....
    
     ("Nambu Bypass")
  • Route 263
    Route 263 (Japan)
    National Route 263 is a national highway of Japan connecting Sawara-ku, Fukuoka and Saga, Saga in Japan, with a total length of 48 km ....
    
    
    • Toll section: Mitsuse Tunnel
    • Yamato Roadside Station
      Roadside Station
      A is a government-designated rest area found along roads and highways in Japan.In addition to providing places for travelers to rest, they are also intended to promote local tourism and trade...
      
      
  • Route 264
    Route 264 (Japan)
    National Route 264 is a national highway of Japan connecting Saga, Saga and Kurume, Fukuoka in Japan, with a total length of 27.4 km ....
    
    
  • Route 323
    Route 323 (Japan)
    National Route 323 is a national highway of Japan connecting Saga, Saga and Karatsu, Saga in Japan, with a total length of 46.8 km ....
    
    
  • Route 444

Attractions

Every fall Saga holds the "Saga International Balloon Fiesta

Saga International Balloon Fiesta

The is held at the beginning of November every year in Saga Prefecture, Japan. In 2009 it will take place between October 30 and November 3.The fiesta is held just outside of Saga City, along the Kase River...

" in the dry riverbed of the Kase River. A quarter of the visitors are from Saga. The number of visitors was about 15 million in 2005. Hot Air Balloon

Hot air balloon

The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...

ists from many countries enter this event.

Kakurintei Tea House

Kakurintei Tea House

The Kakurintei Tea House located in the grounds of Kono Koen, Saga City, Japan. Originally built by Lord Naomasa Nabeshima, this tea house is very quaint and picturesque located overlooking a pond.- History :...

 located in the grounds of Kono Koen is a very quaint and picturesque Japanese tea house

Tea house

A tea house or tearoom is a venue centered on drinking tea. Its function varies widely depending on the culture, and some cultures have a variety of distinct tea-centered houses or parlors that all qualify under the English language term "tea house" or "tea room."-Asia:In Central Asia this term...

 overlooking a pond.

Saga Castle

Saga Castle

is a Japanese castle located in Saga City, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It is a hiraijirō, a castle built on a plains rather than a hill or mountain, and is surrounded by a wall rather than being built above a stone base. Saga castle was home to the Nabeshima clan, daimyō of Saga Domain...

 (Also called the Saga Castle Historical Museum

Saga Castle

is a Japanese castle located in Saga City, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It is a hiraijirō, a castle built on a plains rather than a hill or mountain, and is surrounded by a wall rather than being built above a stone base. Saga castle was home to the Nabeshima clan, daimyō of Saga Domain...

) is the largest reconstruction of a wooden building in Japan, with a total floor space of 2500 square meters and the historical atmosphere of the Saga Castle main keep.

Famous People from Saga

• Shigeo Shingo
  Shigeo Shingo
  , born in Saga City, Japan, was a Japanese industrial engineer who distinguished himself as one of the world’s leading experts on manufacturing practices and the Toyota Production System. Shingo is known far more in the West than in Japan, as a result of his meeting Norman Bodek, an American...
  
  , an industrial engineer who distinguished himself as one of the world’s leading experts on manufacturing practices.
• Hidenori Chiwata, a singer whose song カサブタ (Kasabuta / "Scab") was used as a theme song in the anime
  Anime
  is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
  
   Zatch Bell!
  Zatch Bell!
  Zatch Bell!, known in Japan as is a shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Makoto Raiku. It was published in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday...
  
  .
• Hanawa
  Hanawa
  (real name is a Japanese singer and comedian raised in Saga city. He plays the bass guitar.He rose to fame in Japan for a comical song about Saga Prefecture and its oddities.-External links:* *...
  
  , singer and comedian. He released a CD about Saga city
• Yasuko Matsuyuki
  Yasuko Matsuyuki
  is a Japanese actress and singer signed to Stardust Promotion.-Biography:Yasuko Matsuyuki was born in 1972 in Tosu, Saga. In 1989, while she was in high school, Matsuyuki won a Non-no fashion magazine contest...
  
  , singer and actress known for her glamorous and sophisticated personality. She is mentioned in Hanawa's song as being one of the celebrities that won't admit being from Saga. She moved away from Saga at the age of 19 to be a model.
• Yuna Katsuki (born Yohei Matsuyuki), singer and musician, of Lazy Knack, RED, The Flare, and Candelars, and also the younger brother of Yasuko Matsuyuki. He freely admits being from Saga, unlike his sister. Yuna's Official Website He moved to Tokyo at the age of 16.
• Egashira 2:50
  Egashira 2:50
  is a Japanese comedian born on July 1, 1965 whose home town is Chiyoda, Saga Prefecture. His nickname is "Ega-chan" .A 2005 Oricon and 2002 - 2008 Nikkei Entertainment! poll named him as the most annoying comedian in Japan because of his obscene and vulgar comedic style...
  
  , a comedian
• Noriko Nakagoshi
  Noriko Nakagoshi
  is a Japanese actress.-Biography:Nakagoshi, first debuted as a model for ViVi magazine in 1999. She began acting the same year, making her acting debut as Midori Sato in the show Tengoku no Kiss. Her acting attracted her great attention and from there, she moved onto bigger roles...
  
  , an actress
• Saga-Bwaga?

Sister cities

Warren County, New York

Warren County, New York

Warren County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Glens Falls, New York, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 65,707. It is named in honor of General Joseph Warren, an American Revolutionary War hero of the Battle of Bunker Hill...

 and Glens Falls, New York

Glens Falls, New York

Glens Falls is a city in Warren County, New York, United States. Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,700 at the 2010 census...

 Yeonje-gu

Yeonje-gu

Yeonje-gu is a gu in central Busan, South Korea. It has an area of 12.08 km², and a population of about 220,000. Yeonje-gu was created in March 1995 following its separation from Dongnae-gu. Its name was formed by taking the first and last syllables of the names of its only 2 legal dong;...

, Busan

Busan

Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...

 Lianyungang

Lianyungang

Lianyungang is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. It borders Yancheng to its southeast, Huai'an and Suqian to its south, Xuzhou to its southwest, and the province of Shandong to its north...

 Limeira, São Paulo

Limeira

Limeira is a city in the eastern part of the Brazilian state of São Paulo. The population in 2004 is 270,733 and the area is 582.48 km². The elevation is 588 m. It is 154 km far from São Paulo, the state capital, and 1011 km far from Brasilia, Brazil's capital...

External links

• Official website in Japanese
• Official website in English
• About the Hagakure the Castle in English
• Saga International Balloon Fiesta Web site (in English)