Geography

Saga is located in the northwestern part of Kyushu, facing the Sea of Ariake on the south and the Sea of Genkai on the north. It shares a border with Fukuoka on the east and Nagasaki on the west. The Islands of Iki and Tsushima, both of which belong to Saga, are located only 200 kilometers off the shoreline of South Korea. Saga has three main geographic features: the Seburi Mountain Chain in the north, hill countries in the west, and the Saga Plain in the south. The climate throughout Saga is relatively mild except for the mountainous regions and the area around the Sea of Genkai where an occasional winter front brings cold weather.

Industry & Economy

Saga's economy is solidly based on agriculture. In fact, rice grown on the Saga Plain was so successfully irrigated by its many canals that the prefecture once ranked as the nation's number one producer of rice. The more popular products of Saga include tangerines grown at the base of the mountains and seaweed from the Sea of Genkai. A well-known specialty of the district is Arita's traditional ceramic ware. The overall economy relies heavily on neighboring Fukuoka, the economic center of Kyushu, and it is unlikely that Saga will ever be economically independent. The few tourist sites include Yoshinogari, an ancient ruin, and some hot spnngs.

Cultural Background

People of Saga are known for their conservative nature. However, they are also known to be warmhearted, even having the nickname, "Saga, The Developer of Kind People." Many influences have shaped the culture here. Korea and China certainly brought their cultures in ancient days. The Kirishitan influence was felt throughout Kyushu. During the Edo period, Saga was ruled by various feudal clans including the Saga clan headed by Lord Nabeshima. This background has given them their conservative nature, as well as an openness to the new. The fact that one of the first baptized Kirishitan was from Saga provides an interesting symbol of this characteristic.

Religious Milieu

Traditional shrines found in Saga include the Yutoku Inari Shrine in Kashima, the Taku Shrine of Confucius in Taku, and the Matsubara Shrine where Lord Nabeshima of the Saga clan is worshiped. One of the newer religions, "Taido Preservation of Health" group, began here and is headquartered in the town of Fuji, north of Saga City. It grew quickly and started branches throughout the country. It has now run into a money scandal that has become a major social issue.

The Mission

When Wakasanokami Masanori Murata, the counselor of the Saga clan, was in Nagasaki as a navy officer, he came upon a Bible which had been retrieved from the ocean. Missionary Guido Verbeck later led him and his brother, Ayabe Murata, to faith and baptism. Over many years the samurai spirit has served as a spiritual support to the people of Saga. In the beginning of the Meiji era the first Lutheran Church in Japan was begun in Saga City. The examples of the Murata brothers and the first Lutheran Church, coupled with the samurai spirit of the area, should encourage us in prayer and vision for the area.