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 the western part of

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. The modern city of Ureshino was formed on January 1, 2006, by the merger of the former town of Ureshino, absorbing the town of Shiota (both from

Fujitsu District is a district located in Saga Prefecture, Japan. As of February 1, 2009, the district has an estimated population of 10,075 and a density of 136 persons per km2. The total area is 74.21 km2. Municipalities * Tara, whose borders are effecti ...

). Ureshino is locally known for the

green tea Green tea is a type of tea that is made from '' Camellia sinensis'' leaves and buds that have not undergone the same withering and oxidation process which is used to make oolong teas and black teas. Green tea originated in China, and since the ...

grown there and its hot spring resorts.

Adjoining municipalities

** Kashima ** Takeo ** Shiroishi *

Nagasaki Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Nagasaki Prefecture has a population of 1,314,078 (1 June 2020) and has a geographic area of 4,130 Square kilometre, km2 (1,594 sq mi). Nagasaki Prefecture borders ...

** Hasami ** Higashisonogi ** Kawatana ** Ōmura

History

*1889-04-01 – The modern municipal system was established. The current city region is occupied by 6 villages (Gochōda, Higashiureshino, Kuma, Nishiureshino, Shiota and Yoshida). *1918-10-05 – Shiota was elevated to town status. *1929-04-22 – Nishiureshino was elevated to town status and was renamed Ureshino. *1933-04-01 – Higashiureshino was incorporated into Ureshino. *1955-04-01 – Yoshida was incorporated into Ureshino. *1956-09-01 – Gochōda and Kuma were incorporated into Shiota. *2006-01-01 – Ureshino absorbed Shiota to create Ureshino City.

Geography

Climate

Education

Prefectural senior high schools

*Shiota Technical Senior High School *Ureshino Senior High School

Municipal junior high schools

*Ōnohara Junior High School *Shiota Junior High School *Ureshino Junior High School *Yoshida Junior High School

Municipal elementary schools

*Gochōda Elementary School *Kuma Elementary School *Ōkusano Elementary School *Ōnohara Elementary School *Shiota Elementary School *Todoroki Elementary School *Ureshino Elementary School *Yoshida Elementary School

Transport

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

Nagasaki Airport is an international airport located west of the railway station in the city of Ōmura and north northeast of the Nagasaki railway station in the city of Nagasaki, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. The airport terminal and runway 14/32 are on a ...

and

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 ...

Rail

Ureshino-Onsen Station was opened on September 23, 2022, and is served by the

Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen The is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed rail line on the northwest part of Kyushu Island that is operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). A segment of the line that connects Nagasaki to commenced service on 23 September 2022. The ...

, allowing Ureshino to gain railway access for the first time since the discontinuation of the and in 1931. Previously, the closest railway stations were Hizen-Kashima Station in Kashima and

Takeo-Onsen Station is a railway station operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) in Takeo, Saga, Japan. It is operated by JR Kyushu and is served by the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen and the Sasebo Line. Lines The station is served by the Sasebo Line and is locat ...

in Takeo.

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 ...

: **

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. The total length is 120.4 km. History * November 16, 1973, Tosu Interchange and Junction ...

***Ureshino Interchange *

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 34 The following highways are numbered 34: for a list of roads numbered N34 : see list of N34 roads. International * AH34, Asian Highway 34 * European route E34 Australia * Cox Peninsula Road (Northern Territory) * (Sydney) * Maroondah Highway (Vi ...

** Route 498 * Prefectural roads: **Sasebo-Ureshino Route 1 **Ōmura-Ureshino Route 6 **Ureshino-Shiota Route 28 **Kashima-Ureshino Route 41 **Ureshino-Yamauchi Route 45

Places and items of interest

Hizen Yume Kaidō

This amusement park is a reproduction of a town along the Nagasaki ''Kaidō'', a major route which ran through the region in the 17th century during the

Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...

. There are dramatic shows that include

samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...

ninja A or was a covert agent or mercenary in feudal Japan. The functions of a ninja included reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enem ...

s and princesses, shown on the weekends.

Ureshino Spa

The city boasts some of the region's best ''onsen'', including Shibasansou, Taishoya, and Warakuen. There are currently over 40 spas in the area, both indoor and outdoor, ranging in size and water quality. Tourists may purchase a discount spa ticket from the local Tourist Information Office, located at the Ureshino Highway Interchange.

Ureshino Onsen Tofu

Onsen water is used to make this delightful local dish. The alkaline in the water makes the bean curd in the ''

tofu Tofu (), also known as bean curd in English, is a food prepared by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness; it can be ''silken'', ''soft'', ''firm'', ''extra firm'' or ''super firm ...

'' soft and mellow when it is heated in ceramic pots. ''Onsen tofu'' is traditionally served with condiments such as green onion, ginger, and sesame paste to taste.

Ureshino green tea

Ureshino is an area surrounded by ''green tea'' fields, and is well known as one of the best green tea producers in Japan, as the method of tea production dates back to 1504, when it was first introduced from China during the

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...

. This tradition has been carried on today in the delicate aroma and flavour of the tea.

Festivals and events

January

*Takeo Onsen Health Road Race (嬉野温泉健康ロードレース大会)

February

*Ureshino Attaka Festival (うれしのあったかまつり)

April

*Ureshino Tea Mitto (うれしの茶ミット) *Oyama-san Festival (お山さんまつり)

August

*Happy

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...

(うれしカーニバル) *Takeo Onsen Summer Festival (嬉野温泉夏まつり)

November

*Hachiman Shrine Festival (八幡宮例祭) *Tanjō Shrine Shiota Kunchi (丹生神社例祭塩田くんち)

December

*Hachiten Shrine Grand Festival (八天神社例大祭)

References

External links

Ureshino City official website
{{Authority control Spa towns in Japan Cities in Saga Prefecture