Opening of Jukkaen

• Details: This park was originally built as part of a vacation home for the Nabeshima family. It has 30,000 azaleas and 10,000 rhododendrons.
• When: April 10 to May 5, 9:30 to 17:00
• Where: Jukkaen, Saga City Yamato region
• Cost: 300 yen for boat rides

Ton-san Ebisu Festival

• When: May 3, starts at 18:30 and May 4, starts at 10:00
• Where: Matsubara Ebisu Shrine on the Matsubara Shrine grounds, Saga City

Shida-yaki no Sato Museum Spring Festival

• Details: Original porcelain ware and produce will be on sale, and guests can try using a pottery wheel, ceramics painting, as well as baking bread and pizza.
• When: May 3 and 4, 9:00 to 16:00
• Where: Shida-yaki no Sato Museum (志田焼の里博物館), Ureshino

Karatsu Yakimon (Karatsu Ware) Festival

• When: Until May 5, starts at 9:00
• Where: Downtown Karatsu

Hizen Imari Ware Festival

• When: Until May 5, 8:30 to 17:00
• Where: Okawachiyama Kiln area, Imari

Arita Toukiichi (Arita Ware Market)

• When: Until May 5
• Where: Various places in Arita
• Website

Kunen’an Open to the Public

• When: May 3 to 5, 8:30 to 16:00
• Where: Kunen’an, Kanzaki
• Cost: 300 yen for entry, 500 yen for parking

Kanzaki Soumen Festival

• Details: Enjoy Kanzaki’s famous soumen served nagashi soumen-style (cold noodles served on a bamboo water slide).
• When: May 3 to 5, 9:00 to 14:00
• Where: Yoshinogari Park Plaza, Kanzaki

Special Celebratory Hikiyama Parade

• Details: All 14 hikiyama floats will be paraded around the same course as Karatsu Kunchi!! This is a special celebration for the 200th anniversary of the creation of the first float, Akajishi, and also the start of a new era in Japan.
• When: May 5, 12:00 to 16:30
• Where: Starts and ends at Karatsu Shrine, Karatsu
• Website (has map of the course)

Take no Koba Park Festival

• Details: Will feature concerts, a karaoke contest, and bingo among other events.
• When: May 5, 10:00 to 15:00
• Where: Take no Koba Park, Imari

Jotokuji Temple Rhododendron Festival

• When: Until May 6
• Where: Jotokuji Temple, Sefuri area, Kanzaki

Bakushuu (wheat harvest) Cafe

• Details: Put toppings made from local ingredients on your own pizza and eat it in the center of the wheat fields. Also includes musical performances, a small cafe, and market with local vegetables. Bicycles available for riding around the fields. Reservations required to make pizza.
• When: May 11 and 12
• Where: About a 25 minute walk from Saga Airport, Saga City (佐賀市川副町大字犬井道5895)
• Website with reservation details

Keep Pine Project — Cleaning Nijinomatsubara Pine Forest

• Details: Cancelled in the event of heavy rain
• When: May 12, 9:00 to 10:30
• Where: Hamasaki Shinrin’yoku no Mori Park parking lot, Karatsu City

Yoshinogari Mini Truck Market

• Details: Sellers of assorted products will gather to sell from their mini trucks.
• When: May 12, 8:00 to 11:30
• Where: Yoshinogari Historical Park East Parking Lot

Kamimine Tsubaki no Mori Trail Running

• Details: Runners can choose between the 10 and 6.5 kilometer courses. Registration required.
• When: May 19, registration from 8:30 to 9:30, ceremony 9:30 to 10:00, race start times are staggered
• Where: Mount Chinzei, Kamimine
• Cost: 5000 yen for the long course, 4000 yen for the short course
• Website

Hizen Town Terraced Rice Field Walk

• Details: Registration required by May 10. Max 200 participants. Participants are asked to bring enough water and wear comfortable clothing and shoes.
• When: May 19, registration starts at 9:00, starts at 10:00
• Where: Botan to Midori no Oka Park, Karatsu
• Cost: 1000 yen
• Website

Opening of the Iris Field at Yamato Chuo Park

• When: May 20 to June 16, 9:00 to 18:00
• Where: Yamato Chuo Park, Saga City
• Cost: 510 yen

Fireflies in Miyaki

• When: Approx. May 20 to June 10, 18:00 to 21:00
• Where: Firefly Park (ホタル公園), Miyaki
• Website

Carp Streamers in Kawakami Gorge

• Details: 10-minute boat rides are also available on weekends and holidays
• When: Until May 26
• Where: Over the Kase River near Kawakami Bridge, Yamato area, Saga City
• Cost: 300 yen for boat rides

Ume~land

• Details: Features ume pit spitting contest, sales of local foods, and more
• When: May 26, 10:00 to 14:00
• Where: Mifunegaoka Plum Orchard (御船が丘梅林), Takeo

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