![Yobuko Squid Drying 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Yobuko_Squid_Drying_01.jpg)
is a
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
located in
Saga Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. Saga Prefecture has a population of 809,248 (1 August 2020) and has a geographic area of 2,440 km2 (942 sq mi). Saga Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the northeast and Nagasak ...
on the island of
Kyushu
is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surroun ...
,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
. Its name, formed from the
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
word roots 唐 ''kara'' (China, or continental East Asia in general), and 津 ''tsu'' (port), signifies its historical importance as an ancient trading port between Japan with China and Korea. The central area of Karatsu, which does not include the former cities and villages of Higashimatsuura District, has a population of 78,386. As of January 1, 2020, the city had an estimated
population
Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...
of 117,663 and a
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
of 241 persons per km
2. The total area is 487.59 km
2.
On January 1, 2005, the towns of
Chinzei The branch, also called the , of Jōdo-shū Buddhism is the main branch that exists today, and was first established by Benchō a disciple of Hōnen, but formalized into a separate branch by Benchō's disciple Ryōchū.
Originally based in Kyush ...
,
Hamatama,
Hizen
was an old province of Japan in the area of the 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. It did not incl ...
,
Kyūragi,
Ōchi,
Yobuko and the village of
Kitahata (all from
Higashimatsuura District
is a district located in Saga Prefecture, Japan. At the present it has only one town.
As of April 1, 2021, the district has an estimated population of 5,211 and a density of 145 persons per square kilometre. The total area is .
Municipalities
...
) were merged into Karatsu.
On January 1, 2006, the village of
Nanayama (from
Higashimatsuura District
is a district located in Saga Prefecture, Japan. At the present it has only one town.
As of April 1, 2021, the district has an estimated population of 5,211 and a density of 145 persons per square kilometre. The total area is .
Municipalities
...
) was merged into Karatsu.
Geography
Due to its proximity to mainland Asia, Karatsu has long been known as a stopover to
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
and
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
.
*
Mountain
A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited Summit (topography), summit area, and ...
s: Mt. Sakurei (887.1 m), Mt. Hachiman (763.6 m), Mt. Tonbo (535 m)
* Natural Parks:
Hachimandake Prefectural Natural Park,
Sefuri-Kitayama Prefectural Natural Park,
Tenzan Prefectural Natural Park
Adjoining municipalities
*
Saga Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. Saga Prefecture has a population of 809,248 (1 August 2020) and has a geographic area of 2,440 km2 (942 sq mi). Saga Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the northeast and Nagasak ...
**
Genkai
**
Imari
is a city located in Saga Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. Imari is most notable because of Imari porcelain, which is the European collectors' name for Japanese porcelain wares made in the town of Arita, Saga Prefecture. The porcelain w ...
**
Saga
is a series of science fantasy role-playing video games by Square Enix. The series originated on the Game Boy in 1989 as the creation of Akitoshi Kawazu at Square (video game company), Square. It has since continued across multiple platforms, ...
**
Takeo
**
Taku
Taku may refer to:
Places North America
* the Taku River, in Alaska and British Columbia
** Fort Taku, also known as Fort Durham and as Taku, a former fort of the Hudson's Bay Company near the mouth of the Taku River
** the Taku Glacier, in Ala ...
*
Fukuoka Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Fukuoka Prefecture has a population of 5,109,323 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,986 Square kilometre, km2 (1,925 sq mi). Fukuoka Prefecture borders S ...
**
Itoshima
Climate
History
Under
ritsuryō
, , is the historical law system based on the philosophies of Confucianism and Chinese Legalism in Japan. The political system in accord to Ritsuryō is called "Ritsuryō-sei" (律令制). ''Kyaku'' (格) are amendments of Ritsuryō, ''Shiki'' ( ...
, the current city area was part of the
Hizen Province
was an old province of Japan in the area of the 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. It did not incl ...
. In 1591, on the coast of the northern part of the city (formerly the town of Chinzei),
Nagoya Castle
is a Japanese castle located in Nagoya, Japan.
Nagoya Castle was constructed by the Owari Domain in 1612 during the Edo period on the site of an earlier castle of the Oda clan in the Sengoku period. Nagoya Castle was the heart of one of the ...
was constructed. The following year, it became the location from which the
Imjin War
The Imjin River ( in South Korea) or Rimjin River ( in North Korea) is the 7th largest river in Korea. It flows from north to south, crossing the Demilitarized Zone and joining the Han River downstream of Seoul, near the Yellow Sea. The river i ...
was launched by
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
, otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Cour ...
. In the middle of 1593,
Terazawa Hirotaka (1563 – May 18, 1633) was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the early Edo period. Hirotaka was the builder of Karatsu Castle. He was a retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, became lord of Karatsu in 1595.
In 1598, he abandoned his original castle of Nagoya ...
created the
Karatsu Domain
was a Japanese domain of the Edo period. It is associated with Hizen Province in modern-day Saga Prefecture. and began governing it. In 1602, replacing Nagoya Castle,
Karatsu Castle
is a Japanese castle located in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It is a ''hirayamajiro'', a castle built on a plain rather than a hill or mountain. At the end of the Edo period, Karatsu castle was home to the Ogasawara clan, ''daimyō'' of Kara ...
was constructed in what is now the heart of Karatsu. The tower of Karatsu Castle was built in 1966 .
* 1889-04-01 - The modern
municipal system was established. The current city region is occupied by 1 town (Karatsu), and 19 villages (Hamasaki, Irino, Kagami, Karatsu, Kirigo, Kitahata, Kuri, Kyūragi, Minato, Mitsushima, Nagoya, Nanayama, Ōchi, Ōmura, Onizuka, Sashi, Uchiage and Yobuko).
* 1896-07-28 - Ōmura was renamed Tamashima.
* 1922-07-01 - Hamasaki was elevated to town status.
* 1922-11-01 - Nagoya changes the
kanji
are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese ...
of its name.
* 1924-01-01 - Mitsushima was incorporated into Karatsu Town.
* 1928-08-01 - Yobuko was elevated to town status.
* 1931-02-01 - Karatsu Village was incorporated into Karatsu Town.
* 1932-01-01 - Karatsu Town was elevated to city status.
* 1935-09-01 - Sashi and Ōchi both were elevated to town status.
* 1941-11-03 - Sashi was incorporated into Karatsu.
* 1952-05-03 - Kyūragi was elevated to town status.
* 1954-11-01 - Kagami, Kuri, Minato and Onizuka were all incorporated into Karatsu.
* 1956-09-30 - Hamasaki and Tamashima were merged to create the town of Hamasaki-Tamashima; and Nagoya and Uchiage were merge to create the town of Chinzei.
* 1958-11-01 - Kirigo was split and its parts were incorporated into Karatsu and Irino (respectively), and Irino was elevated to town status and was renamed Hizen.
* 1966-11-01 - Hamasaki-Tamashima was renamed Hamatama.
* 2005-01-01 - Karatsu merged with Chinzei, Hamatama, Hizen, Kitahata, Kyūragi, Ōchi and Yobuko to retain the name Karatsu.
* 2006-01-01 - Nanayama was incorporated into Karatsu.
Culture and tourism
The graceful
Karatsu Castle
is a Japanese castle located in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It is a ''hirayamajiro'', a castle built on a plain rather than a hill or mountain. At the end of the Edo period, Karatsu castle was home to the Ogasawara clan, ''daimyō'' of Kara ...
stands watch over this
castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...
town.
Karatsu is famous for its
Karatsu Kunchi
Karatsu Kunchi (唐津くんち; the suffix "kunchi" simply meaning festival) is a Japanese festival that takes place annually in the city of Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, on Japan's island of Kyūshū.
About
The festival, which begins on the eve ...
festival
A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival c ...
, which runs annually from November 2 to November 4 and is visited by approximately 500,000 visitors from all over Japan. The festival consists of 14
hikiyama (floats made of many layers of paper mache) being carried around the city's narrow streets to calls of "Enya!". Some hikiyama members say "Yoisa!". This accompaniment is one of the
100 Soundscapes of Japan In 1996, as part of its efforts to combat noise pollution and to protect and promote protection of the environment, the Ministry of the Environment designated the . There were 738 submissions received from all over the country and the 100 "best" we ...
. Regularly during Karatsu Kunchi, people in this town open their homes to friends and strangers to eat and drink; the primary focus is enjoying food, beer, and shochu, and having lively conversation.
In between
Karatsu Station
is a railway station in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by JR Kyushu and is on the Karatsu and Chikuhi lines. It is the main station of Karatsu City.
Lines
*JR Kyushu
** Chikuhi Line
** Karatsu Line
Layout
It is an elevated ...
(唐津駅) and the main bus centre (大手口バスセンター) is a 170-metre arcade containing many small shops that specialize in Karatsu Kunchi ''
omiyage
A souvenir (), memento, keepsake, or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. A souvenir can be any object that can be collected or purchased and transported home by the traveler as a m ...
'', and the Korean-influenced local pottery which are called "
Karatsu ware" since they refer to Japanese ceramic wares of Korean origin. The actual date of production of the 'Karatsu Yaki' is believed to have begun being produced sometime "during the first half of the 16th century in the late
Muromachi
The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate (''Muromachi bakufu'' or ''Ashikaga bakufu''), which was officially established in 1338 by t ...
period."
[Britannica, Micropædia, 15th edition, p.740]
Museums in Karatsu include
Kawamura Art Museum,
Saga Prefectural Nagoya Castle Museum
opened in 1993 in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, Japan, on the site of Nagoya Castle, built in 1591 as the base for Hideyoshi's invasions of Korea. It displays artefacts excavated from the castle site and other materials relating to three main theme ...
, and
Matsurokan, and shrines,
Kagami Jinja.
Yobuko
The former town of
Yobuko merged with Karatsu on January 1, 2005.
Yobuko is famed for its fresh squid, Ika (烏賊) (いか) in Japanese, which is offered
sashimi
is a Japanese delicacy consisting of fresh raw fish or meat sliced into thin pieces and often eaten with soy sauce.
Origin
The word ''sashimi'' means "pierced body", i.e. "刺身" = ''sashimi'', where 刺 し = ''sashi'' (pierced, stuck) ...
style, or it can be eaten while the squid is
still alive
"Still Alive" is a song featured in the closing credits of the 2007 video game ''Portal''. It was composed and arranged by Jonathan Coulton and was performed by Ellen McLain, who voiced the ''Portal'' antagonist and subject of the song, GLaDOS. ...
. Yobuko also attracts local tourists, who come to see the Yobuko Big Bridge (呼子大橋).
Yobuko has a festival known as Yobuko Tsunahiki (呼子大綱引), or the Yobuko Tug of War, which takes place annually on the first Saturday and Sunday of June. The event involves a big tug-o-war between two factions in the town, the fishermen and farmers, and local legend says that if the hills faction wins, there will be a good harvest that year; and if the sea faction wins, there will be a good fishing harvest that year.
Beaches
Hamatama is one of the nicest beaches in
Saga Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. Saga Prefecture has a population of 809,248 (1 August 2020) and has a geographic area of 2,440 km2 (942 sq mi). Saga Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the northeast and Nagasak ...
. It is located close to central Karatsu and can be accessed by the
JR Chikuhi Line.
Sister cities
*
Reihoku, Kumamoto
is a town located in Amakusa District, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.
, the town has an estimated population of 7,462 and a density
Density (volumetric mass density or specific mass) is the substance's mass per unit of volume. The symbol mo ...
, Japan
*
Yangzhou
Yangzhou, postal romanization Yangchow, is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province (Suzhong), East China. Sitting on the north bank of the Yangtze, it borders the provincial capital Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yan ...
, China
*
Yeosu
Yeosu (; ''Yeosu-si''), historically also Yosu, and known to the Japanese as Reisui during the period when Korea was under Japanese rule, is a city located on the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula in South Jeolla Province, South Korea and ...
,
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
*
Seogwipo
Seogwipo () is the second-largest city on Jeju Island, settled on a rocky volcanic coastline in the southern part of Jeju Province, South Korea. In July 2006, Seogwipo's boundaries were expanded to include the entire southern half of Jeju island. ...
, South Korea
Education
Prefectural senior high schools
* Karatsu Commercial High School
* Karatsu Higashi High School
* Karatsu Minami High School
* Karatsu Nishi High School
* Karatsu Seisho High School
* Karatsu Technical High School
* Kyūragi High School
Municipal junior high and elementary schools
* Junior high schools: 25
* Elementary schools: 44
National vocational schools
* Karatsu Maritime Polytechnical School
Schools for the handicapped
* Saga Prefectural Hokubu School for the Handicapped
Transportation
Air
The closest
airport
An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surface ...
s are
Saga Airport
is an airport in the Kawasoe area of Saga, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It also uses the unofficial name .
Saga Airport is located on the edge of the Ariake Sea, in what is best called a polder, 35 minutes from JR Saga Station by bus.
History
...
and
Fukuoka Airport
, formerly known as Itazuke Air Base, is an international and domestic airport located east of Hakata Station in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.
Fukuoka Airport is the principal airport on the island of Kyushu and is the fourth busiest passenger ...
.
Rail
*
JR Kyūshū
The , also referred to as , is one of the seven constituent companies of Japan Railways Group (JR Group). It operates intercity rail services within Kyushu, Japan and the JR Kyushu Jet Ferry Beetle hydrofoil service across the Tsushima Strait ...
**
Karatsu Line
The is a regional railway line in Saga Prefecture, Japan, owned and operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects in Saga City to in Karatsu City, both in Saga Prefecture, Japan. The line was originally constructed to carry co ...
***
Kyūragi Station -
Iwaya Station -
Ōchi Station -
Honmutabe Station
is a railway station on the Karatsu Line operated by JR Kyushu located in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, Japan.
Lines
The station is served by the Karatsu Line and is located 30.1 km from the starting point of the line at .
Station layout
Th ...
-
Yamamoto Station -
Onizuka Station -
Karatsu Station
is a railway station in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by JR Kyushu and is on the Karatsu and Chikuhi lines. It is the main station of Karatsu City.
Lines
*JR Kyushu
** Chikuhi Line
** Karatsu Line
Layout
It is an elevated ...
-
Nishi-Karatsu Station
is a railway station in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu).
This station is a terminal station of the Karatsu Line, including trains from the Chikuhi Line.
Layout
The station is ground level ...
**
Chikuhi Line (connected with the
Fukuoka City Subway
The serves Fukuoka, Japan. It consists of three subway lines, the Kūkō, or Airport Line, the Hakozaki Line and the Nanakuma Line).
The lines are operated by the Fukuoka City Transportation Bureau. Unlike most other public operators in Japa ...
Kūkō Line)
*** (from
Fukuoka
is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancie ...
)
Hamasaki Station
is a railway station in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by JR Kyushu and is on the Chikuhi Line.
Lines
The station is served by the Chikuhi Line and is located 35.4 km from the starting point of the line at . Rapid and local ...
-
Nijinomatsubara Station -
Higashi-Karatsu Station
is a railway station in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by JR Kyushu and is on the Chikuhi Line.
Lines
The station is served by the Chikuhi Line and is located 39.3 km from the starting point of the line at . Rapid and lo ...
-
Watada Station
is a railway station in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by JR Kyushu and is on the Chikuhi line.
Lines
*JR Kyushu
** Chikuhi Line
Layout
It is an elevated station with a single side platform
A side platform (also known ...
-
Karatsu Station
is a railway station in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by JR Kyushu and is on the Karatsu and Chikuhi lines. It is the main station of Karatsu City.
Lines
*JR Kyushu
** Chikuhi Line
** Karatsu Line
Layout
It is an elevated ...
*** (to
Imari
is a city located in Saga Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. Imari is most notable because of Imari porcelain, which is the European collectors' name for Japanese porcelain wares made in the town of Arita, Saga Prefecture. The porcelain w ...
)
Honmutabe Station
is a railway station on the Karatsu Line operated by JR Kyushu located in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, Japan.
Lines
The station is served by the Karatsu Line and is located 30.1 km from the starting point of the line at .
Station layout
Th ...
-
Hizen-Kubo Station -
Nishi-Ōchi Station -
Sari Station
Road
*
Expressways
Expressway may refer to:
*Controlled-access highway, the highest-grade type of highway with access ramps, lane markings, etc., for high-speed traffic.
*Limited-access road, a lower grade of highway or arterial road.
*Expressway, the fictional slide ...
:
**
Nishi-Kyūshū Expressway
*
National highways
National Highways, formerly the Highways Agency and later Highways England, is a State-owned enterprise, government-owned company charged with operating, maintaining and improving Roads in England, motorways and major A roads in England. It al ...
:
**
Route 202
**
Route 203
**
Route 204
The following highways are numbered 204:
Canada
* Manitoba Provincial Road 204
* Newfoundland and Labrador Route 204
* Nova Scotia Route 204
* Prince Edward Island Route 204
* Quebec Route 204
China
* China National Highway 204
Costa Rica
...
**
Route 323
**
Route 382
* Major
Prefectural roads:
** Karatsu-Yobiko Route 23
** Imari-Hatagawachi-Kyūragi Route 32
** Karatsu-Hizen Route 33
** Kyūragi-Fuji Route 37
** Ōchi-Yamauchi Route 38
** Hamatama-Ōchi Route 40
** Hizen-Yobiko Route 47
** Karatsu-Kitahata Route 50
** Yamamoto-Hatatsu Route 52
Notable people
*
Ken Hisatomi
Ken Hisatomi (久富 賢, born September 29, 1990) is a Japanese football player who plays as a midfielder for Vonds Ichihara.
Career
On 5 December 2013, Hisatomi was selected as Fujieda MYFC's player of the 2013 season by a fan blog.
Club stat ...
(
Footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...
)
*
Takeshi Kamura
is a Japanese badminton player. He was selected to join the national team in 2013 and retired in 2021. Kamura was part of the national team that won the 2014 Thomas Cup. He captured his first Superseries title at the 2016 Hong Kong Open, and re ...
(
Badminton player)
In popular culture
Karatsu is the setting for two manga and anime series, ''
Yuri on Ice
is a Japanese sports anime television series about figure skating. The series was produced by MAPPA, directed and written by Sayo Yamamoto with original scripts by Mitsurō Kubo under the chief direction of Jun Shishido. Character designs ...
'' and ''
Zombieland Saga
is an anime television series produced by MAPPA, Avex Pictures and Cygames. The series aired in Japan between October and December 2018. A second season titled ''Zombie Land Saga Revenge'' aired between April and June 2021. An anime f ...
''.
References
External links
Karatsu City official website
*
{{Authority control
Cities in Saga Prefecture
Port settlements in Japan
Populated coastal places in Japan