Saga Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan in the Kyūshū region of Japan on the island of Kyūshū. The capital city is Saga.

## History

The area of Nagasaki Prefecture and Saga Prefecture was formerly called Hizen Province. The current name dates from the Meiji Restoration.

In the Edo period this area was called the .

### Seven Wise Men of Saga

"The Seven Wise Men of Saga" is the name for seven men from Saga. Each of them was important to the development of modern of Japan. They began changing the country around the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate. They continued modernizing Japan during the Meiji Restoration.

- Lord Naomasa Nabeshima was lord of the Nabeshima clan. He brought in European technology and culture.
- Sano Tsunetami started the Japanese Red Cross.
- Shima Yoshitake explored Hokkaidō.
- Soejima Taneomi was a Diet member, Foreign Minister, and Minister of Domestic Affairs. He was also a well-known writer and poet.
- Ōki Takatō was Minister of Civil Affairs, Education, and Legal Affairs. He was a Diet member.
- Eto Shimpei, also once a Minister of Legal Affairs He was a Diet member and started Japan's system of courts and judges.
- Ōkuma Shigenobu was Prime Minister of Japan. He also started Waseda University.

### Timeline

- **November 19, 1274** (_Bun'ei 11, 20th day of the 10th month_): Battle of Bun'ei
- **August 15, 1281** (_Kōan 4, 30th day of the 7th month_): Battle of Kōan
- 1716 Hagakure, a famous Bushido manual is compiled
- **1874** (_Meiji 7_): Saga Rebellion.
- **1975** (_Shōwa 50_): Genkai Nuclear Power Plant begins operation
- **2011** (_Heisei 23_):Kyūshū Shinkansen opens

## Geography

Saga is the smallest prefecture on Kyūshū.  It is bordered by the Genkai Sea and the Tsushima Strait to the north and the Ariake Sea to the south. Nagasaki Prefecture is on its western border. Fukuoka Prefecture and Kumamoto Prefecture are east of Saga.

### National Parks

National Parks are established in about 11% of the total land area of the prefecture.

## Shrines and Temples

_Yodohime jinja_ and _Chiriku Hachiman-gū_ are the chief Shinto shrines (_ichinomiya_) in the prefecture.

## Related pages

- Provinces of Japan
- Prefectures of Japan
- List of regions of Japan
- List of islands of Japan
- Sagan Tosu
- Kyushu Ceramic Museum

## Other websites

- http://www.pref.saga.lg.jp/web/saga-english.html ,  
- http://www.city.saga.lg.jp/en/ ,  
- SagaJET website

## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Saga
- **native name**: 佐賀県
- **native name lang**: ja
- **settlement type**: Prefectures of Japan, Prefecture
- **translit lang1**: Japanese
- **translit lang1 type**: Romaji
- **translit lang1 info**: Saga-ken
- **image flag**: Flag_of_Saga_Prefecture.svg
- **image seal**: Emblem of Saga Prefecture.svg
- **seal type**: Symbol
- **image map**: Map_of_Japan_with_highlight_on_41_Saga_prefecture.svg
- **map caption**: Location of Saga in Japan
- **subdivision type**: Country
- **subdivision type1**: Regions of Japan, Region
- **subdivision name1**: Kyūshū region, Kyūshū
- **subdivision type2**: Island
- **subdivision name2**: Kyūshū
- **seat type**: Capital
- **seat**: Saga, Saga, Saga
- **leader title**: Governor
- **leader name**: Yoshinori Yamaguchi
- **area total km2**: 2,439.58
- **area rank**: 42nd
- **population as of**: February 1, 2008
- **population total**: 858,603
- **population rank**: 42nd
- **population density km2**: auto
- **iso code**: JP-41
- **blank name sec1**: Prefectural flower
- **blank info sec1**: Camphor blossom (_Cinnamomum camphora_)
- **blank1 name sec1**: Prefectural tree
- **blank1 info sec1**: Camphor tree (_Cinnamomum camphora_)
- **blank2 name sec1**: Prefectural bird
- **blank2 info sec1**: Black-billed European Magpie, magpie (_Pica pica_)
- **blank3 name sec1**: Prefectural bird
- **blank name sec2**: Number of districts
- **blank info sec2**: 6
- **blank1 name sec2**: Number of municipalities
- **blank1 info sec2**: 20
- **website**: [http://www.pref.saga.lg.jp/at-contents/gaikoku/english.html www.pref.saga.lg.jp/
at-contents/gaikoku/
english.html]