Morodomi (諸富町), Kawasoe (川副町) and Kubota (久保田町)
These three small suburbs of Saga City are dwarfed by their larger neighbor. While they don’t seem to be unpleasant places, we were able to find out very little about them. Even the residents claim that they attend to most of their daily business in Saga. We offer our humblest apologies for the sleight, but we can say no more about these places other than that Kawasoe is home to the Saga airport. If you have significant insights into sight-seeing or recreational opportunities in these communities, please submit them for consideration.
Currently, these towns have all been consolidated into Saga.
Morodomi
Morodomi is south of Saga, nestled between the Chikugo River and Kawasoe. The town’s most famous icon is the “Shokaikyou” (a red bridge whose entire midsection elevates and lowers to allow ships to pass under)
There is a small park on the Morodomi side of the bridge. From the park, the Jofuku Cycling Trail carries you 4 km into the southern tip of Saga proper. The trail is a wonderful way to get to and from Morodomi if you are coming from central Saga City. It’s safer than biking on route 208, the “main street” of Morodomi. Also, the cycling road (which was a former railway, now paved over) is flanked with cherry trees. Travel time to/from the Ken apartments is just over 50 minutes by bike. However, travel to Saga eki from Morodomi by bike takes 35 minutes…and when you consider that the bus takes about that long and a car trip to the eki is still about 25 minutes, it doesn’t sound as bad. Welcome to Japan, where it’s actually about as fast to cycle as to drive.
Notable restaurants in Morodomi are Seito (Chinese place located just before the cycling trail passes over 208) and Happy Tree Pizza, which is located next to the town gym. Happy Tree is open late (til about 1 or 2 am) on the weekends, but not open at all on Tuesdays, so don’t come then. The restaurant, which is like somewhere in another dimension, is what would happen if you smacked a small pizzeria together with a Cracker Barrel, a tea room, and an import beer bar. It carries the same beer menu as Rebeers in Saga City, which has the same owner.
Seito is famous (well, in Morodomi, at least) because its chef comes from the New Otani Hotel. I think they are charming because they sometimes cater lunch to us and use a mishmash of real plates. It’s kind of college-like, but I appreciate them eschewing disposables. Many menu items sell for 630 yen. I recommend the cha-han, because it tastes kind of like a burger. It’s so good. The place is friendly. The waitresses are old and a bit worse for the wear but kind. The atmosphere is casual. It’s a little smoky because food is cooked right in the dining area, behind the bar/counter. The food is greasy greasy greasy in a guilty-indulgence kind of way. The servings are really generous. Neither place offers an English menu, though Happy Tree (as a pizzeria) will obviously have lots of katakana in the menu. There is also a steakhouse called “Tortoise” on 208, a few blocks past Morodomi Chuugakkou (both on the left as you come from Saga).
Finally, a new “restaurant” opened in Sept. 2008: Burger さみどし (Samidoshi–the sign/logo is in hiragana) is really more of a yatai (food stall). In fact, I thought it was a burger stand at first. It’s run by a couple of young guys. They don’t speak English, but I still recommend the place, since it lets you hang out with that rare creature: the Morodomi 20-something.It’s got a dirt floor and a couple of tables. The walls and roof are made out of corrogated PVC. It’s decorated like a college dorm room. I love it. Samidoshi sells burgers, chicken nuggets, fries…that kind of thing. I had the cheeseburger set (￥570) which included a hot cheeseburger with loads of delicious sauce, a generous serving of potato wedges, and a drink (lemon squash, in my case). After my take-out order was ready, they let me draw a coupon from a mystery box. (I won a free serving of potato wedges next time I come in!) They also serve alcoholic drinks, though these are obviously not included in the sets.
Access: Take Bus #20 or #21 from Saga Eki Bus center. They leave from platform 3. Alternately, take the Nishitetsu Yanagawa/Ookawa (柳川/大川) bus (departs platform #1 but the bus itself has no number). The fare is the same: 420 yen from the bus center.
For Seito, get off at “Ogui”. Cross the street and walk in the direction you were going. It’s kind of run-down looking and it faces towards Ookawa, so you will pass the side of it as you walk. The front has a red Chinese border. OPEN: 12-? for lunch; 6-9 for dinner. CLOSED: Monday.
For Happy Tree, take the same buses but get off at the following stop (Morodomi Shishomae) and again, cross the street and continue walking away form Saga. You will pass Mammy’s on your left and the road will fork. Take the RIGHT fork and just past the big, new-looking gym (”Heartful”–in katakana), you will see the restaurant. It faces the street. Happy Tree is closed on Tuesday.
For Burger Samidoshi, take the same buses but get off at “Ogui,” right as you pass under the cycling trail/bridge. The burger shack is pretty much right across the street from this stop. If you are driving or cycling, you will find them on route 208, about a block behind Seito, and almost under the cycling trail where it crosses over 208 (exit the cycling trail to the left before it rises up over the road). They are closed Monday and Tuesday, but open 11 am – 9 pm (last order at 8:30) other days.
On the web
Higashiyoka (東与賀町)
Higashiyoka is not a town famous for much, but we do recommend a trip down to the Higata Ikoi no Hiroba (干潟いこいの広場). The English name on the signs is something like “Ariake place of enjoyment.” There is a long paved path that goes along the Ariake Sea. It is great for jogging and roller blading, as well as watching the sunset. All along the wall there are murals that have been painted by people from all over Japan. It is a highly recommended place to visit on a lazy summer day. To get there, drrive straight south past Jusco and out of Saga. Don’t stop driving south, and look for signs. It’s not easy to find; just keep heading south.
On the web
Yamato (大和町)
There are a few reasons to visit this bustling town. Located just north of Saga City, most of its attractions are found along Route 263, including the entrance to the Nagasaki Expressway. Aside from our sources telling us that Yamato is the fastest growing area in all of Saga prefecture, it is famous in the ALT community for the AEON Shopping Center and the accompanying AEON Cinema. Before or after a night at the movies, you may be inclined to soak up some suds at the highly recommended onsen complex, Kenkoland.
In the northern part of Yamato, in the Matsume district, there is an enclave of traditional craftsmen and artists. A number of galleries and studios showcase the work of weavers, painters, carpenters, ceramists, basket makers and a paper maker. In addition, there is an antique shop specializing in Japanese and Korean furniture and an organic bakery. Head north along the Kawakami River on Route 263.
Yamato also stages one of the largest displays of carp banners (koinobori) in Kyushu every spring. Look for them hanging over the river from the beginning of April.
On the web
Fuji (富士町)
Fuji is a pretty mountain town with relatively a lot to offer the outdoorsman and onsen connoisseur. Fuji is on the back road from Saga to Karatsu (Route 323), about 20 minutes north of Saga and 45 minutes south of Fukuoka. Fuji’s main claim to fame is its onsens. Indeed, aside from the resorts, there’s very little else in the way of establishments here. But the resorts are reason enough to make the trip. There are several from which to choose, but the baths at Hotel Kikatei come highly recommended. In mid-September, Fuji plays host to a film festival of some repute. We don’t know anyone who has ever been, so we have no details. Finally, the so-called Water Hole (Obuchimebuchi Koen, 大淵痲淵公園) is a great spot for relaxing during the summer. The signs say that swimming is prohibited, but…
On the web
Karatsu (唐津市)
No information yet.
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