Ramsar Site in Saga City, Saga Prefecture

Access Guide
Yamato-cho,
Saga City

aki

gas

Na

ay

w
igh

H

N

Sagayamato IC

263

Fukuoka Airport

Kumamoto Airport
KyushuHighway264

Saga Prefectural Oﬃce
Saga Castle

KyushuShinkansen

208
208

The Guide Book to Higashiyoka-higata, Ramsar Site

Kyushu Saga Intl. Airport

NagasakiAirport34 JR Saga
Station
JR Nabeshima
StationSaga City Hall

Kubota-cho,
Saga City

Oita Highway

Nagasaki
Highway

JR IgayaStationSaga City

207

Higashiyoka-higata

Saga City,
Saga Prefecture

Morodomi-cho,
Saga City【Mechanical Engineering Heritage】

Chikugo River Lift Bridge【World Cultural Heritage】

444
Higashiyoka-cho,
Saga City

Mietsu Naval Dock

Higatayoka Park
Kawasoe-machi,
Saga City

Traﬃc

Higashiyoka-higata

By CarBy Train

Sagayamato IC

JR Hakata Station

Ariake Sea
0

1

2

3

4

5km

Kyushu Saga Intl. Airport

Information● The Ramsar Convention and Ramsar Sites

Car Approx.
45 Min.

● Field Guide to Tidal Flats

By Air

JR Saga Station

Express Bus
Approx. 1 Hour

Car Approx. 35 Min.

Higashiyoka-higata(Higatayoka Park)

http://www.pref.saga.lg.jp/sy-contents/higata_ikimono/

Car Approx. 10 Min.

● Saga City Hall

Kyushu Saga Intl. Airport

http://www.city.saga.lg.jp/● General Incorporated Association Saga Tourist Association ※Access for Higashiyoka-higata would be easier if you search for “Higatayoka Park”

http://www.sagabai.com(Address: 2885-2, Shimokoga, Oaza, Higashiyoka-cho, Saga City)

The Guide Book to Higashiyoka-higata, Ramsar Site── Protecting and Leading to the Future ──

Fukuoka Airport

Express Train
Approx. 35 Min.

(Ministry of the Environment)

http://www.env.go.jp/nature/ramsar/conv/

SubwayApprox. 5 Min.

The place which was a sea until just now
has now become a huge tidal ﬂat.
Mutsugoros are jumping,and lovely ﬁddler crabs are waving their hands on the mud of the tidal ﬂat.
Look at the sky ‒ many migratory birds are ﬂying over.

It is covered with bright red Shichimenso in full bloom in autumn.
What a beautiful scenery! Shichimenso“Higashiyoka-higata”, a Ramsar site,

has givin so many blessings to Maeumimon , birds and humans.
It is really the sea of treasures.

Published by Kyushu Regional Environment Office,Ministry of the Environment, Japan
Copyright: Ministry of the Environment, Japan 2016

Kyushu Regional Environmental Office, Ministry of the Environment, Japan
Kumamoto-chihou Godochosha B 4F,2-10-1 Kasuga, Nishi-ku, Kumamoto-shi, kumamoto 860-0047 JAPAN☎096-322-2413
Website: http://kyushu.env.go.jp/

In collaboration with : Saga city
Photo by : Chihaya Kuriyama, Mitsuo Otonari,
Saga Prefecture fishery cooperative federation,
Saga City, Saga City Tourism Association
Designed by : freedoM Co., Ltd

Published by Kyushu Regional Environment Oﬃce,
Ministry of the Environment, Japan

Overview of Higashiyoka-higata
Features of Higashiyoka-higata
shore in the Ariake Sea facing the southern part of

FukuokaPref.

Ramsar Site
Higashiyoka-higata

Saga City. This single tidal flat has developed at thissea shore and the mouths of the Rokkaku River,

NagasakiPref.

Kase River, Honjoue River, etc. flowing into thenorthern part of the Ariake Sea. Higashiyoka Tidal

Habitat of Shichimenso

As this tidal flat is also important as a relay and

Saga
Pref.

Higashiyoka-higata is located off the Higashiyoka

AriakeSea

KumamotoPref.

wintering point for migrant birds ,including

Shihimenso is an annual Chenopodiaceae plant,

endangered species, or sandpipers and plovers, theand a halophyte which can endure salt. They are

entire tidal flat area is designated as a special

designated as an endangered species. In Japan,

conservation area of National Wildlife Protection Area.

they grow only in the tidal flat area around the Ariake
Sea. The shoreline, from where Higashiyoka-higata

No.1 rated features of Higashiyoka-higata

can be seen, is the largest habitat of Shichimenso.
The shoreline turns bright red in autumn as if a red

Flat is part of a tidal flat in the Ariake Sea, and is
one of the biggest tidal flats in Japan.
The difference of high and low tides of the Ariake
Sea is said to be 6 meters. The Ariake Sea is

The largest number of visits by sandpipers and plovers

carpet were spread over. This scenery is called “redAccording to Monitoring Site 1000, a survey byleaves in the sea” and is a seasonal tradition of the
Ariake Sea.

the ministry of the Environment, the largest number
Ramsar Site Higashiyoka-higata

located off Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, andof migrant birds, sandpipers and plovers visit

Kumamoto Prefectures, and a huge tidal flat

Higashiyoka-higata (Daijugarami). Many other wild

appears at low tide. Around Higashiyoka-higata, thebirds also visit this area. More than 100 kinds of wildarea is 1,300 ha and approximately 2.5 km wide

birds can be seen throughout the year.

from the shore. In this area, you can see valuable
moorland vegetation, and abundant rare sea

Site Names

benthos (lugworms, Ostracods, etc.). Mutsugoro (akind of mudskipper) and Warasubo (a type of goby).

At High Tide

Downtown of Saga City
Higatayoka Park
Higashiyoka-cho,
Saga City

The Maximum Number of the Visit

Higashiyoka-higata(Daijugarami) 12,127
Arao Seashore 4,831
Northern Part of Lake Furen 3,474
Hikawa River 3,494
Sanbanze 3,071
Shiranui Tidal Flat 2,549
Yatsu Tidal Flat 2,218
The Mouth of the Kuma River 2,202
Kasai Marine Park 2,110
Fujimae Tidal Flat 2,108

creatures specific in the Ariake Sea, such as

Bright red Shicimenso covering the shoreline(Autumn)

High and low tide difference of the Ariake Sea
The high and low tide differences of the Ariake
Sea, where Higashiyoka-higata is located, is thebiggest in Japan, approximately 6 meters. This area
forms a huge tidal flat at low tide, 5-7 km towards
the off-shore. It is approximately 40 % of the total

Top 10 sites with the largest numbers of visiting sandpipers and plovers,
according to Spring 2015 Report by the Monitoring Site 1000 survey on
Sandpipers and Plovers.

Shichimenso Fields

tidal flats in Japan.

Higashiyoka-higata

Ariake sea
Registered Area: 218ha
Type of wetland: tidal flat
System for protection (Designation): special protection area of National Wildlife Protection Area.
Location (Municipalities involved): Saga City, Saga Prefecture
Registered on: May 28, 2015
At Low Tide

The off-shore seen from the shore. Many wild birds visit here looking for food at low tide. Norihibi (device to grow seaweeds) can also be seen in the background.
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3

The Ramsar Convention and Wise Use
What is the Ramsar Convention?

The Ramsar Convention Sites in japan

Relation between the tidal ﬂat andWise Use of Higashiyoka-higata

its creatures

The Ramsar Convention does not require people

The Ramsar Convention (formally, the Convention on

As of March 2016, 169 countries have signed theWetlands of International Importance, especially as

Ramsar Convention. Japan joined in 1980, and has

Rainwater falls on the land, and goes over theto stop entering or utilizing wetlands to protect

Waterfowl Habitat) is an international treaty for theregistered 50 wetlands as the Ramsar Convention

fields, with a lot of nutrients (nutrient matter such as

them, but rather require people to be involved andconservation and wise use of wetlands. It is named after

Sites.

nitrogen, phosphorus, and silicon, melted in theunderstand well the merits they can receive fromwater) and organic matter, through the rivers, andwetlands, so that these wetlands can bethen flows into the sea.

permanently utilized. It is called “Wise Use”.

the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the Convention was

Not only lakes, swamps and marshes, but also

signed in 1971.

various wetlands such as rivers, tidal flats,

Higashiyoka-higata has also been used and

The countries which signed the Ramsar

Mangrove forests, coral reefs, and artificial rice

Around the tidal flat, the nutrients in the water are

Convention are called Contracting Parties. They talkfields are included to the sites. 8 tidal flats including

taken in by diatoms and phytoplanktons on theabout current situation of the wetlands in each

Higashiyoka-higata are among them.

surface of the tidal flat. They are eaten byPeople in this area have developed their own

utilized in various ways.

country, actions for their conservation, future plans,

Tidal flats are often targeted for various

zooplanktons, which are eaten by fish and shellfish,

fisheries and fishing implements adapting to theetc. at the Conference of the Contracting Parties

development businesses in Japan where there arewhich are eaten by humans and birds. And then,tidal flat.They have caught sea creatures in the tidal(COP) which is held about every three years. The

not many flat lands, and approximately 40% of tidal

the nutrients in the water are returned to the land

flat such as Mutsugoro (a type of mudskipper) for

5th COP was held in Kushiro City, Hokkaido in 1993.

flats in Japan have been lost in about 50 years fromarea again.

food.)

1945 to 1994. Under this circumstance, tidal flats
are getting more valuable.

3 Principals of the Ramsar Convention
Conservation
and Reproduction

Wise Use

Conserve and reproduce wetlands,
not only as habitats of animals and plants,
but also as an important naturalenvironment to support our lives.

Realize a permanent coexistence between
humans and the natural environment,
not by strictly restricting human acts, but by
utilizing blessings and so on obtained from wetlands.

On the other hand, organic matter attached to the

In addition, many people visit around this tidal flat

mud and grains is taken in by lugworms and crabs.

to observe wild birds visiting and creatures living

These benthoses are also eaten by birds.

there. This area has also been utilized for

The connection of all creatures and theirsightseeing and leisure in recent years. For

characteristics like this is called “biologicalexample, various events are held in this area,

diversity”. Such a cycle have been repeated in themainly at nearby Higatayoka Park.
People should use the tidal flat wisely and know

Ariake Sea as well.

its values and charms. It is important to make sureto hand over Higashiyoka-higata to future
generations.

Interchange and Study
Feeding groundof wild birds

Function of a tidal ﬂatand its creatures

Create occasions for many people to learn about the importanceof wetlands, share the information, and make a system forpeople to work together and cooperate with each other.

Nutrient-rich water
flown from rivers= The Ramsar Sites in Japan= Wetlands registered as “tidal flats / river mouth tidelands”

Yatsu-higata
Fujimae-higata

Higashiyoka-higata
Hizen Kashima-higata

Arao-higata
Manko
Nagura Amparu
4

Yonaha-wan

Feeding groundof wild birds

Creatures in a tidal flat such as
crabs and lugworms eat organic
matter in the mud, and shellfish
filter the seawater

Abandunt seaweeds

Zooplanktons and phytoplanktons
Organic matter melt in the seawater,which makes the seawater nutrient-rich

5

Carcasses precipitated at the bottom of
the tidal flat are broken down by benthos
and microbes.

History of the tidal ﬂat and reclamation
History of the Saga Plain and Ariake Sea
In fact, it is since the period of Showa that thearea currently called “Higashiyoka-higata” hasformed to what it is now. The Saga Plain facing
toward Higashiyoka-higata used to be a sea before.
However, the land parts have been gradually
increased over a long period of time due to the
inflow of soil from rivers, and the vast plain has been
formed by the full-scale reclamation businessstarted since the period of Edo. Many lands havebeen cultivated to produce more foods, especially
due to the population explosion after the wars. The
reclaimed land has been extended to 260 square
km by now.

This fine soil has been carried through big andsmall rivers flowing into the Ariake Sea, and has
become silt floating in the sea along the shore,
where the sea is shallow for a good distance fromthe shore and has the biggest difference in Japanbetween high and low tides. These silts have
gradually accumulated on the shoreline, by being
pushed back by the current at high tide, and formed
the tidal flat which appears only at low tide.
This clayey soil the Ariake Sea consists of is called“Ariake Clay Layers”. It is the cause of the brownseawater of the Ariake Sea, and is the “cradle of life”
which raises many lives in the tidal flat and so on.

Ariake Clay Layers forming the Ariake Sea
Approximately 80,000 years ago, Mt. Aso in the
middle of Kyushu had a big eruption and the soil
was blown up and poured over the whole Kyushu
area. The soil has been weathered over a long
period of time and become clayey mud including
vegetable organic matters.

Saga Plain(formed by natural emergenceand reclamation)
Tidal Flat

SefuriMountains

Current Sea Level
Ariake Clay Layers

Accumulation due to pyroclastic
flow of Mt. Aso 80, 000 years ago
Soil carried from Sefuri Mountains

Schematic view of the current Saga Plain(from display, Saga Prefectural Museum)

The Higashiyoka construction area at the Ariake Sea
in March 1961

Higashimyo ruins
Yoshinogari ruins

Ogi City
Kase
River

5m above sea level contour line
(shoreline around when the
alluvial bed started accumulation)

Higashiyoka-higata Hattaｅ
River

Ariake Sea

HayatsueRiver Chikugo
River
6

Otherwise, some places have names with “籠Many places around the Ariake Sea have names(komori)”. “Komori” means a bamboo basket. As awith the Chinese charactor “搦 (karami)”. The area

method of construction, people put soil inof Higashiyoka-higata is also called “Daiju-garami”.

cylinder-shaped bamboo baskets and put them side“搦 (karami)” means “a rope is twisting around a

by side so that they would function as a dike. These
places are often older then places called

construction in old days. People drove in pilings into“something-karami”. These methods were possible

the places to be a dike. They twined branches ofdue to the big difference of the high and low tides in

Shoreline at the end of the period of Sengoku(in about 1500)

trees and bamboos around the pilings to make thethe Ariake Sea. The wisdom of the ancient people isimpressive.

Shoreline in the period of Meiji (in about 1870)

soil carried by the high tide accumulate there. They
utilized the power of nature to make the ground level

Like this, many place names still show the history

almost as high as the high tide level, then hardenedof reclamation in each area around the Ariake Sea.

Shoreline in the beginning of the period of Heian(in about 800)
RokkakuRiver

named “something-karami”.

tree”. This name is after the reclamation

4m above sea level contour line
Kaizuka Line (shoreline 2,000 years ago)

ｈｏｎ
ｊ
ｏｕｅ
River

Trace of reclamation in the namesof the places

JobaruRiver

Saga city

UshizuRiver

Spot Inspection (on “History of the reclamation of Ariake” issued by Kyushu Regional
Agricultural Administration Office)Change of the shoreline

UshizuRiver

Surveying when the reclamation of Ariake started (on “History of the reclamationof Ariake” issued by Kyushu Regional Agricultural Administration Office)Current shoreline

it. After this step, they raised a dike with humanpower. This is why many reclaimed places were7

Live with the Ariake Sea
Traditional Fisheries at the Ariake Sea
The diferrence between high and low tides of the

A hook-shaped
metal claw at the
tip of a stick

Ariake Sea is approximately 6m. It is only 20m deep
even at the highest tide, and the head of the bay, theonly opening is very narrow. With such a specificWarasubo

environment, many rare sea creatures which

Mutsugoro dipped and broiled in soy-based sauces (1967)

Mutsukakeryo (Hooking Mutsugoro)seldom can be seen in other areas, such as

A hook-shaped claw
is attached at the tipof the scratcher.

Mutsugoro (a type of mudskipper) and Warasubo (atype of goby), also can be seen.

Mutsugoro is a family of gobies. In japan, they only can beseen in the Ariake Sea. Their lovely figures jumping on the
tidal flat can be seen at low tide.
Mutsukakeryo is a way of fishing them by throwing in a
hook-shaped metal claw at the tip of a fishing pole to hookthem. The splendid skill is worth being called a technique ofan expert.

This vast tidal flat of the Ariake Sea is called“Maeumi (the front sea)”, different from the off
shore, and the sea creatures living there are called“Maeumimon (creatures living in the front sea)”.

Mutsugoro

Takapporyo (Barrel Fishing)People living around there were living with

Trap a pipe with a special structure (where a fish
enters once, it cannot get out) at the burrow of
Mutsugoro and wait for it to enter. Not like
Mutsukake (hooking), Mutsugoro can be caught
without being injured.

“Maeumimon”, catching them to eat in this richfishing ground while working as farmers at thereclaimed land.
As the farmlands around the tidal flat were thereclaimed lands, the characteristics of the soil is just

Subokaki (Warasubo Scratcher)like the one of tidal flat at low tide. That is why their

Warasubos have been adopted to a life in the mud.
Most of the eye functions have been degenerated and
it is difficult even to find the eyes. Not being expectedfrom its appearance, it has a rich taste and can beeaten by drying and boiling. As they are generally livingin the mud of the tidal flat, a stick with a metal hook at
the tip is used to catch them by scratching the mud of
the tidal flat and pulling them up.

fishing tools are also very characteristic; some ofthem used to be the farming tools, or have almost
the same shapes as the farming tools.
However, these traditional fishing tools are notoften seen anymore, because the food culture haschanged and the sea creatures to be caught withthese tools have remarkably decreased.

Catching crabs
One claw of a fiddler crab is bigger than the other.
They can be caught by inserting your hand to its
habitation hole and picking it up, or by digging thehole with a flat blade similar to a hoe, a farming
tool and grabbing it with your hands.

Fiddler crab

Catching crabs (1970)
As a Ganetebo (a bamboo basket in the photo) to put
caught crabs is deep, they cannot crawl up and run away.

Drying Warasubo

Catching Mekaja
Dried Warasubo

Gata Ski (Ski for the tidal ﬂat)

As Higashiyoka-higata is consisted of soft clayey mud,and the particles of the mud is very fine, your feet willsink under the mud when standing on it. This is why apush plate called “Gata Ski” is needed.
8

The official name of Mekaja is Lingula anatina. It isalso called a “living fossil” as it remains the same
figure for hundreds of millions of years.
As they live in the relatively shallow part of the tidal
flat, you can pick them by digging up the superficial
part of the mud with a flat blade similar to a hoe, afarming tool.
Mekaja (Lingula anatina)
9

Shappa Fumi (Stepping on giant clams)
Jappa means a giant clam, which is often used as a sushi
topping as well. They dig long u-shape holes in the shallow partof the tidal flat as burrows. You can catch them by stepping oneof the two holes as they pop out of the other hole with seawater.

Screw stick

Cultivation of seaweed
The Ariake Sea has been utilized as a seaweed bed
as well, making use of the nutritious seawater and thedifference of the high and low tides. Norihibi (device tocultivate seaweeds) is spreading out adjacent to thesouth offshore of Higashiyoka-higata as well.
The first trial seaweed cultivation at the Ariake Sea
started in around the period of Meiji. It is only after
the war that the full-scale seaweed cultivation
started in this area.
The seaweed bed area was only 112,000 metersquare (the size of 2.5 domes) in 1952, when theseaweed cultivation had been started for the first timeafter the war. Then the seaweed bed area wassignificantly increased along with the advance ofcultivating technologies such as the establishment ofartificial seedling collection techniques, mechanizationof harvesting and drying seaweeds. Now the seaweed
bed area has been expanded to more than 90 million
meter square around the entire Ariake Sea, and Saga
Nori (seaweed) has become No. 1 in Japan for
quantities of both production and sales.

Giant clam

Saga city

Shiroishi-Cho
Umitake (Barnea dilatata)

Umitake Neji (Screw to catch Barnea dilatata)

Takehazeryo

Umitake (Barnea dilatata) is a bivalve which lives burying its
shells in the mud, sticking out a long water tube outside themud. To catch Umitake, people use an iron bar perpendicularly
attached at the top of a stick to make a t-shape. They insert thisscrew into the mud and turned to tangle the water tube of the
Umitake, then pick up.

Section of the burrow

Takehazeryo is a way of fishing using
hundreds of bamboos stuck in the sea tomake a v-shape, then catch sea creatures
moving with the tide by guiding them into anet. It is the unique way of fishing possible
only in the Ariake Sea, utilizing thedifference of the high and low tides, and thehigh speed tide.

Kashima
city

1952
1963
1968
Tara-Choat Present

0 1 2 3 4 5km
Change of the seaweed bed
area in the Ariake Sea

Producing seaweeds around 1952

Ariake Sea Experience Program
With this program, you canactually experince the unique
fishing at the Ariake Sea. The
dates of the program depends on
the season, so please contact thefollowing by calling, etc.
Contact:
Saga City Tourism Association
Tel: 0952-20-2200

Takapporyo (Barrel Fising)

Clamming tour

Use a special capturing device to catch
creatures in the mud such as Mutsugoro

Go offshore by boat and enjoy clamming
at low tide.

Scenery of Norihibi (materials to cultivate seaweeds) continuing forever（photo provided by Saga Prefecture Fishery Cooperative Federation）

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Siberia

Paradise for migratory birds

Breeding ground

Winter birds
Birds breeding in northern countries
and wintering in Japan

AlaskaA three star restaurant for birds

5,000kmpecking food can be seen in Higashiyoka-higata inthe migrating season in spring and autumn.

Higashiyoka-higata is one of the biggest relay
points / wintering spots in Japan for waterfowls

Why so many wild birds fly to Higashiyoka-higata?

including endangered species such as Black-faced

It is because abundant creatures which can be their

spoonbill, Saunder’s gull, and Far Eastern Curlew.

food such as crabs and lugworms live here due to the

Especially it has the largest number of visit by

nutrient rich soil flowing into this area through rivers.

sandpipers and plovers in Japan. They breed in

For wild birds, the vast tidal flat spreading at low tide

Siberia and Alaska in summer, and go to the south

is like a three star restaurant full of delicious food.

You can observe approximately 100 kinds ofbirds throughout the year at Higashiyoka-higata.

China

As there is a promenade on the shore, you canHigashiyoka-higata is a resting
spot on the way of their journeyof more than 10,000 km

Stopping
point

find a favorite place for bird-watching. Also, 70km

winter. Thousands of sandpipers and plovers
Indonesia

Papua New Guinea

5,000kmAustralia

Summer birds
Birds breeding in Japan from Spring to Summer,
and wintering in southern countries in winterWintering spot

New Zealand

Flight route of sandpipers and plovers

10,000km

birds to rest and regain energy on the way of their◎ Please share the telescopes available on the dike.

cannot reach their destination (Siberia and◎ Please watch wild birds quietly.

Australia) without having enough rests on the way of◎ Please take your rubbish home with you.

their journey.
Common Shelduck
Vulneable◎ As high and low tide time information is shownon the internet, etc., please check it in advance.

◎ Do not park cars on the dike.

environmental developments, etc. These birds

Endangered◎ The migration peak seasons for sandpipers andplovers are the beginning of May in spring andaround September in autumn. Otherwise, you
can enjoy observing various birds and creaturesthat live in the tidal flat throughout the year.

Manners for bird-watchingless and less tidal flats in the world due toBlack-faced Spoorbill◎ Around 1 hour before and after the high tide,
especially when it is more than 5 meters, is thebest time to observe wild birds closely. Pleasecome around 2 hours before the high tide.

◎ It is very cold especially in winter. Please be
sure to keep warm.

Tidal flats are important relay points for migratory
journey of more than 10,000 km. However, there are

Near Threatenedobserve the tidal flat.

◎ At low tide, you can enjoy watching a vast tidal
flat.

To conserve tidal ﬂats

Dunlintelescopes are available on the dike to easily

Points of bird-watching

Migratory birds
Birds resting in Japan as a resting spot on theirlong journey to their breeding or wintering spots.

such as Australia and New Zealand for wintering in

Flocks of sandpipers and plovers It is just superb to see a flock of thousands of birds flying over the tidal flat.

Let go! Bird-watching

Therefore, conservation of tidal flats leads topreservation of wild birds, and also leads topreservation of biological diversity including us,
humans.
As the journey of migratory birds has noboundaries, bigger networks are also needed forconservation activities of wetlands and tidal flats,

Saunder's Gull
Vulneable

Spoon-billed Sandpiper
Critically Endangered

12

Eurasian Curlew

beyond the local limits.

Observation

13

Enjoy Higashiyoka-higata
Higashiyoka-higata
Guidance Room

Higatayoka Park
Along with the shore overlooking Higashiyoka-higata,“Higashiyoka-higata Guidance Room” wasorganized in Higatayoka Park to easily explain
about creatures and wild birds in Higashiyoka-higata.

there is Higatayoka Park full of nature and greenery.
From the dike, you can enjoy watching the sceneryof the tidal flat and birds anytime, through thetelescopes available there.
This park is a popular spot for enjoying family
leisure and so on throughout the year, as many
playground equipment, a paddling pool, and an

A commentary board about Higashiyoka-higata isequipped along with the dike so that you can learn thevalue and appeal of the tidal flats while actually seeing it.

open space lawn are also available in the park.

Higatayoka Park
Information

Parking Lot

Higasiyoka-higata

Management Guidance Room
Tower
Open Space Lawn
Jabujabu(slop-slop)
Pond

Higasiyoka-higata

Omoshiro (funny)
Bicycle Open Space

Open Space with
Playground Equipment

Telescope

Shichim

Opening Hours：9：00〜16：00
Closed days：Every Monday（if a Monday is anational holiday, then the next day）,
12/29〜1/3
Contact：Saga City Environmental Department
Environmental Policy Division
TEL 0952-40-7202

Grass Ski

enso Yard

People conserving Higashiyoka-higata
In the neighborhood, “Ramsar Club” is having activities mainly withelementary and middle school students. The future leaders are being
developped by learning the value and appeal of Higashiyoka-higata
through research on the creatures in the tidal flat, bird-watching,interchanges with other registered wetlands, etc., so that they will be able
to transmit the splendid points of the tidal flat.
Also, cleanup activities by volunteers are held to conserve the tidal flatand maintain the scenery.

Experience of tidal ﬂat

On the large monitor in front, you canenjoy watching the attractive films of
Higashiyoka-higata such as aerial films
shot by a drone.

With panels, models, and a digital
signage system, the scenery of the tidal
flat and the creatures living there areclearly introduced.

Tourism Around◎【World Cultural Heritage】
Mietsu Naval Dock◎【Mechanical Engineering Heritage】
Chikugo River Lift Bridge

It was the base for the western style navy organizedby the Saga clan to prepare for the pressure from foreigncountries in a very early stage at the end of the period of
the Tokugawa shogunate. The oldest dry dock in Japan
was also found there. It was registered as a World
Cultural Heritage in July 2015, as one of the assets
which comprise a singular ensemble of an “Industrial
Revolution Inheritance in Japan in the period of Meiji”.

The approximately 507 meter long Chikugo River Lift
Bridge, crossing the Chikugo River, is the only movable
lift bridge existing in Japan. As the Saga line ofprevious Japan National Railways used to be inoperation in this area, the elevated part in the middle ofthe bridge was lowered when a train passed. It has
been registered as a machine inheritance, and iscurrently maintained as a promenade.

Investigation of the tidal ﬂat

Cleanup program of the shore
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The exterior of the building replicates a
Jogodani-zukuri style house which was often
seen in the Higashiyoka area. The characteristic
structure is one of the highlights as well.

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