is a
city||A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of...
located in
Saga Prefectureis 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...
on the island of
Kyūshūor Kyushu is the 3rd-largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include Kyūkoku , Chinzei , and Tsukushi-no-shima...
,
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of 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...
. Its name, formed from the
Japaneseis a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family. There are a number of proposed relationships with other languages, but none have gained general acceptance...
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 for Japan with
ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
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.
Geography
Due to its proximity to mainland
AsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.Asia is traditionally defined as part of the...
, Karatsu has long been known as a stopover to
KoreaKorea is a civilization and formerly unified nation currently divided into two states. Located on the Korean Peninsula, it borders China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the east by the Korea Strait....
and
ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
.
- Mountain
A mountain is a large landform that stretches above the surrounding land in a limited area usually in the form of a peak. A mountain is generally steeper than a hill. The adjective montane is used to describe mountainous areas and things associated with them...
s: Mt. Sakurei (887.1 m), Mt. Hachiman (763.6 m), Mt. Tonbo (535 m)
Adjoining municipalities
- 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...
- Genkai
is a town located in Higashimatsuura District, Saga, Japan. It has an area of 36.00 km² and as of February 1, 2009 has a population of 6,496. It is currently the only municipality in Higashimatsuura District...
- Imari
is a city located in Saga Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū, 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 was exported from the port of Imari specifically for...
- Saga
is the capital of Saga Prefecture, located on the island of Kyūshū, Japan.Saga was the capital of Saga Domain in the Edo period, and largest city of former Hizen Province....
- Takeo
is a city located in Saga Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū, Japan.-Geography:Takeo is located in the western part of Saga Prefecture. It is approximately 28 kilometers west of Saga City and approximately 30 kilometers east of Sasebo. Takeo has a complex topography including mountains, mountain...
- Taku
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
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....
- Maebaru
is a city located in Fukuoka, Japan.At the end of January 2003, the city has an estimated population of 68,569. The total area is 104.50 km².The city was founded on October 1, 1992....
- Nijō
is a town located in Itoshima District, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 13,608 and a density of 238.44 persons per km². The total area is 57.07 km²....
History
Under
ritsuryōis 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"...
, the current city area was part of the
Hizen provincewas a former old province of Japan which bordered on the provinces of Chikuzen and Chikugo. It was included in Saikaidō, and today the area is split into Saga and Nagasaki prefectures, although it did not include the regions of Tsushima and Iki that are now part of modern Nagasaki prefecture.The...
. In 1591, on the coast of the northern part of the city (formerly the town of Chinzei), Nagoya Castle was constructed. The following year, it became the location from which the Imjin War was launched by
Toyotomi Hideyoshiwas a daimyo in the Sengoku period who unified Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle. He is noted for a number of cultural legacies, including the...
. In the middle of 1593, Terasawa Hirotaka created the Karatsu domain and began governing it. In 1602, replacing Nagoya Castle,
Karatsu Castleis a Japanese castle located in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It is a hirayama-jō, a castle built on a plains rather than a hill or mountain. At the end of the Edo period, Karatsu castle was home to the Ogasawara clan, daimyo of Karatsu Domain...
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
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. The current city region is occupied by 1 townA town is a local administrative unit in Japan. It is a local public body along with prefecture , city , and village...
, Karatsu, and 19 villagesA 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....
: Hamasaki, Irino, Kagami, Karatsu, Kirigo, Kitahata, Kuri, Kyūragi, Minato, Mitsushima, Nagoya, Nanayama, Ōchi, Ōmura, Onizuka, Sashi, Uchiage, and Yobuko.
- 1896-07-28 - Ōmura is renamed Tamashima.
- 1922-07-01 - Hamasaki gains town status.
- 1922-11-01 - Nagoya changes the kanji
are the Chinese characters that are used in the modern Japanese logographic writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet . The Japanese term kanji literally means "Han characters".- History :Chinese characters first came to Japan on...
of its name.
- 1924-01-01 - Mitsushima is incorporated into Karatsu Town.
- 1928-08-01 - Yobuko gains town status.
- 1931-02-01 - Karatsu Village is incorporated into Karatsu Town.
- 1932-01-01 - Karatsu Town gains city status.
- 1935-09-01 - Sashi and Ōchi both gain town status.
- 1941-11-03 - Sashi is incorporated into Karatsu.
- 1952-05-03 - Kyūragi gains town status.
- 1954-11-01 - Kagami, Kuri, Minato and Onizuka are all incorporated into Karatsu.
- 1956-09-30 - Hamasaki and Tamashima merge to form the town of Hamasaki-Tamashima, and Nagoya and Uchiage merge to form the town of Chinzei.
- 1958-11-01 - Kirigo is incorporated into Karatsu and Irino, and Irino gains town status and is renamed Hizen.
- 1966-11-01 - Hamasaki-Tamashima is renamed Hamatama.
- 2005-01-01 - Karatsu merges with Chinzei, Hamatama, Hizen, Kitahata, Kyūragi, Ōchi and Yobuko and retains the name Karatsu.
- 2006-01-01 - Nanayama is incorporated into Karatsu.
Culture and tourism
The graceful
Karatsu Castleis a Japanese castle located in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It is a hirayama-jō, a castle built on a plains rather than a hill or mountain. At the end of the Edo period, Karatsu castle was home to the Ogasawara clan, daimyo of Karatsu Domain...
stands watch over this
castleA castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages. The term has a history of scholarly debate surrounding its exact meaning, but it is usually regarded as being distinct from the general terms fort or fortress, in that it describes a residence of a monarch or...
town.
Karatsu is famous for its
Karatsu KunchiKaratsu Kunchi is a Japanese festival that takes place annually in the city of Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, on Japan's island of Kyūshū.- About :...
festival, 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 paper mache) being carried around the city's narrow streets to chants of "Enya! Enya" or "Yoisa!", from the members of Karatsu Kunchi.
In between
Karatsu Stationis a train 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.-Environs:*Karatsu Castle*Maizuru Park*Hikiyama Exhibition Hall*Showa Bus Ōteguchi Bus Center...
(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, 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 wares' is believed to have occurred sometime "during the first half of the 16th century in the late Muromachi period."
Yobuko
The former town of
Yobukowas a town located in the Higashimatsuura District of Saga, Japan. On January 1, 2005, it merged with the city of Karatsu.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 5,895 and a density of 809.75 persons per km². The total area was 7.28 km²....
merged with Karatsu on January 1, 2005.
Yobuko is famed for its fresh squid, ika (烏賊) in Japanese, which is offered
sashimiSashimi is a Japanese delicacy primarily consisting of very fresh raw seafood, sliced into thin pieces about 2.5cm wide by 4cm long by 0.5cm thick, but dimensions vary depending on the type of item and chef, and served with only a dipping sauce , depending on the fish, and...
style, or it can be eaten while the squid is still alive. 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
Hamatamawas a town located in Higashimatsuura District, Saga, Japan until it merged on January 1, 2005 to become a part of the city of Karatsu.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 10,311 and a density of 197.79 persons per km²...
is one of the nicest beaches in
Saga Prefectureis 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...
. It is located close to central Karatsu and can be accessed by the
JR Chikuhi LineThe is a railway line in Japan running from Meinohama Station in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture to Karatsu Station in Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture, and from Yamamoto Station in Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture to Imari Station in Imari City, Saga Prefecture....
.
Sister cities
Reihoku, Kumamotois a town located in Amakusa District, Kumamoto, Japan., the town has an estimated population of 9,154 and a density of 136.5 persons per km². The total area is 67.06 km²....
,
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of 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...
YangzhouYangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China...
,
ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
YeosuYeosu is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. Old Yeosu City, which was founded in 1949, Yeocheon City, founded in 1986, and Yeocheon County were merged into a new city in 1998....
,
South KoreaSouth Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often simply referred to as Korea, is a country in East Asia, located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by China to the west, Japan to the east, and North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul, the second largest...
SeogwipoSeogwipo is a city in Jeju Province, South Korea with a pre-2008 estimated population of 155,000 inhabitants. In July, 2006, Seogwipo city was expanded to include the entire southern half of Jeju island. In 2002, it was one of the host cities for the FIFA World Cup.-External links:*...
,
South KoreaSouth Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often simply referred to as Korea, is a country in East Asia, located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by China to the west, Japan to the east, and North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul, the second largest...
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 schools and Elementary schools
- Junior High Schools: 25
- Elementary Schools: 44
Rail
- JR Kyushu
- Karatsu Line
The is a regional railway line in Saga Prefecture, Japan running from Kubota Station in Kubota 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...
- Kyūragi Station - Iwaya Station - Ōchi Station - Honmutabe Station - Yamamoto Station
Yamamoto Station is the name of two train stations in Japan:# Yamamoto Station # Yamamoto Station...
- Onizuka Station - Karatsu Stationis a train 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.-Environs:*Karatsu Castle*Maizuru Park*Hikiyama Exhibition Hall*Showa Bus Ōteguchi Bus Center...
- Nishi-Karatsu Stationis a train station in Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by Kyushu Railway Company .This station is a terminal station of the Karatsu Line, include the train from Chikuhi Line.- Adjacent stations :-Environs:...
- Chikuhi Line
The is a railway line in Japan running from Meinohama Station in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture to Karatsu Station in Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture, and from Yamamoto Station in Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture to Imari Station in Imari City, Saga Prefecture....
(connected with the Fukuoka City SubwayThe 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 . Unlike most other public operators in Japan, the company only operates subways without any bus lines....
Kūkō Line|}The is a subway line, part of the Fukuoka City Subway system in Fukuoka, Japan. It runs from Meinohama, Nishi Ward to Fukuokakūkō , Hakata Ward, all within Fukuoka. The line's color on maps is red. Officially, the line is called . The line has a through service with JR Chikuhi Line...
)
- (from Fukuoka
is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyūshū in Japan, across the Korea Strait from South Korea's Busan....
) Hamasaki Station - Nijinomatsubara Station - Higashi-Karatsu Station - Watada Station - Karatsu Stationis a train 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.-Environs:*Karatsu Castle*Maizuru Park*Hikiyama Exhibition Hall*Showa Bus Ōteguchi Bus Center...
- (to Imari
is a city located in Saga Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū, 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 was exported from the port of Imari specifically for...
) Honmutabe Station - Hizen-Kubo Station - Nishi-Ōchi Station - Sari Station
Road
- Expressways
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...
:
- National highways
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 202
National Route 202 is a national highway of Japan connecting Hakata-ku, Fukuoka and Nagasaki, Nagasaki in Japan, with a total length of 199.6 km ....
- Route 203
National Route 203 is a national highway of Japan connecting Karatsu, Saga and Saga, Saga in Japan, with a total length of 47.3 km ....
- Route 204
National Route 204 is a national highway of Japan connecting Karatsu, Saga and Sasebo, Nagasaki in Japan, with a total length of 157 km ....
- Route 323
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 ....
- 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
External links