【Reading】さが

【English Name】Saga

Saga Prefecture is located in the northwestern part of Kyushu and faces two seas of differing character, the Genkai Sea and the Ariake Sea. The Genkai Sea to the northwest spreads out with ria coastlines and sandy beaches, while the Ariake Sea to the southeast is a shallow sea area possessing some of the nation's largest tidal flats; each is blessed with different water resources.

The prefecture's area is about 2,441 km², the smallest among Kyushu's seven prefectures, but the proportion of cultivated land is said to reach twice the national average, and agriculture is also thriving. The Saga Plain is known as a granary district since ancient times.

In its connection to sushi culture, nori (laver) produced in the Ariake Sea is nationally known, and the rich fishing grounds of the Genkai Sea are also an important source of marine products. The prefecture is also home to renowned ceramic-producing areas such as Karatsu, Imari, and Arita, and has a deep tie as a place producing the vessels in which sushi is served.

The origin of the prefecture's name has various theories, such as the legend of the "Land of Glory" (Sakae no Kuni) recorded in the Hizen Fudoki and the legend of the wise woman (sakashime). It was once written "Saga" (佐嘉) as well, and was unified to "Saga" (Saga) in 1870. It corresponds to the eastern part of the old province of Hizen, and it also has a history of involvement in the Meiji Restoration as one corner of the Satsuma-Choshu-Tosa-Hizen alliance at the end of the Edo period.