The Isahaya, Omura and Hasami areas are adjacent to Isahaya Bay, one of the world's leading tidal flats, the Ariake Sea, one of the best fishing grounds in Japan, and Omura Bay. You can enjoy fresh seafood as well as citrus fruits such as mandarin oranges.
The Isahaya-Omura-Hasami area offers sightseeing spots such as Kumano Shrine, Nagasaki Bio Park and Shiroyama Park, sightseeing events such as the Gion Festival, Hasami Pottery Festival and Nagasaki Saikai Triathlon, and local delicacies such as whale cuisine, Omura sushi and squid sashimi.
The Isahaya, Omura and Hasami area is located on the north side of the calm Omura Bay. The most famous tourist spot is Huis Ten Bosch. With seasonal flowers in full bloom and medieval-style Western-style buildings lined up along the canal, you will almost forget that you are in Japan.
With hotels, restaurants, museums, stores, and other facilities, you will never get bored even if you stay for a long time. You can also enjoy canal cruising on a canal cruiser or renting a bicycle. With a reservation, you can even try your hand at Segway riding with an instructor. Horse-drawn carriage tours are also available and include a visit to the stables, which is a nice feature.
Huis Ten Bosch is recommended throughout the year, but during the "Kingdom of Light," one of Japan's largest illumination events held from November to February, you can enjoy a particularly romantic time.
Higashisonogi has long been famous for its giga-cha (green tea), which was exported to foreign countries during the Edo period. Even today, there are many tea estates and tea plantations scattered throughout the area, including the Akagi Tea Plantation, which boasts one of the largest group tea plantations in western Japan, and offers a view of Omura Bay below.
The area also produces strawberries, asparagus, rice, and mandarin oranges, which can be enjoyed along with sea cucumbers and other seafood from the surrounding waters. Whale fishing used to be very active in the area, and there are traces of the whaling and trading center here and there in the town.
The Enokushigawa River, which flows from Higashisonogi to Omura Bay, has been developed into a friendly river park in line with Nagasaki Prefecture's "Hometown River Model Project," making it an enjoyable day out for the whole family. Seasonal flowers such as daffodils and irises are always in bloom to soothe visitors' hearts.
Visitors can also enjoy the beautiful view of the two waterfalls, Otaru and Otaru, while taking in the spray from the falls. The Omura Ama Hot Makuro! Curry" looks so black that some people may hesitate to put it in their mouths for a moment, but once they experience its rich flavor, many people will never forget it.
Hasami Yakimono Park is a pottery-themed park in Hasami Town, Higashisonogi District, Nagasaki Prefecture. It introduces visitors to the history and craftsmanship of Hasami ware, a traditional ceramic style with a history spanning approximately 400 years. The park is particularly notable for its open-air exhibition of reconstructed kilns inspired by pottery-making traditions from Japan and other p...»
Sweet and Spicy! Black Curry, known in Japanese as Omura Ama-Kara Makkuro! Curry, is a regional specialty from Omura City in Nagasaki Prefecture. Its strikingly dark color and distinctive balance of sweetness and heat make it stand out from more familiar Japanese curry dishes. The curry was developed to reflect Omura's history and make use of locally produced ingredients. It is more than just a d...»
Rakuyaki eel is a distinctive local dish from Nagasaki Prefecture, particularly associated with the area around the Honmyo River. It is known for its unusual cooking method: the eel is grilled first and then steamed, creating a combination of a smoky, caramelized surface and soft, fluffy flesh. The dish is especially appealing to visitors who enjoy traditional Japanese eel cuisine. The grilling d...»
Omura sushi is a traditional local specialty from Omura City in Nagasaki Prefecture. This distinctive pressed sushi is known for its colorful appearance and its place in the area's food culture. Unlike sushi served as individual pieces, Omura sushi is prepared by layering rice and ingredients, pressing them together, and cutting the finished sushi into portions. The dish is associated with Omura'...»
Hijiki noodles are a distinctive specialty from Nagasaki Prefecture, particularly associated with the Isahaya, Omura, and Hasami area. They are made by kneading hijiki, an edible seaweed, into wheat flour to create noodles with a pleasantly chewy texture and a smooth, easy-to-swallow finish. Although hijiki is used in the dough, the noodles do not have an unusually dark appearance. Their color is...»
Soft-shelled turtle cuisine is a traditional part of Japanese food culture. In Nagasaki Prefecture, it is included among the regional specialties enjoyed by people interested in distinctive Japanese dishes. Soft-shelled turtles have a flexible shell covered with skin rather than the hard, rigid shell associated with many other turtles. In Japanese cuisine, the meat is valued for its delicate flav...»
Omura Bay, located in Nagasaki Prefecture, is known for its distinctive marine environment and the seafood harvested from its waters. Sea cucumber is one of the area's seafood specialties and offers visitors a chance to discover a less familiar part of Nagasaki's local food culture. Sea cucumbers are marine animals with elongated, soft bodies. In Japanese cuisine, they are valued for their unique...»