The biggest event of light up the superb view in Japan! Mifune Sanraku Park –Momiji Festival

In Japan Sakura blossoms and autumn scenery is very popular, for this many foreign tourists travel to Japan during the spring and autumn seasons.

This time, we will introduce an event where you are able to enjoy the autumn leaves even during night. Mifune Sanraku En “Momiji Festival” (「紅葉（もみじ）まつり」) is known to be Japan’s number one autumn leaves light up event.

１．Mifune Sanraku En –Momiji Festival

(御船山楽園「紅葉まつり」)

Every year during the period when the autumn leaves flourish, the Momiji Festival is held, this famous fall festival brings in almost half of Mifune Sanraku Park’s annual visitors of 10,000 people.

The festival is held from November 2nd (SUN) until December 06th (SUN), and the light up event is held for 23 days, from November 07th (SAT) until November 29th (SUN)

The path through the park is lit with garden lights, where visitors are able to enjoy Ikeizumi Stroll Garden’s (池泉回遊式庭園)unique maple viewing.

This year roughly 132,000㎡ of the park was lit for the light up area, with the addition of the parks oldest maple tree of 170 years old as the main attraction. This pushed Japan’s largest autumn leaves festival to a whole different scale.

 

２．All About Mifune Sanrakuen Park –(御船山楽園)

Located in Takao City (武雄市)in Saga Prefecture, northwest of Kyushyu region. Which is also the home to the famous Takeo Hot Spring (武雄温泉)with a history of 1,300 years.

 

TAKASUGI Shinji/Wikipedia

The City where Mifune Sanraku Park is located in, spent roughly 3 years to complete their most renowned Ikeizumi Stroll Garden(池泉回遊式庭園). This was conducted under the blue print that Mr. Nabeshima Shigeyoshi the 28th chief of the Nabeshima Clan(鍋島藩の第２８代武雄領主・鍋島茂義公), requested to an artist educated in Japan’s most celebrated artist of the Kano School. The blue print itself was created when Mr. Nabeshima was invited the artist from Kyoto.

The park itself is approximately 150,000 square meters, which is roughly 10 Tokyo Dome Worth of space. This massive park consists of azalea, sakura(桜）, maple trees（紅葉） and other varieties of plants, adding up to several thousand that changes face every turn of the season.

Especially, Furimuki Hill, the most prized park in all of Saga Prefecture, that reflect beautifully on the surface of Hyoutan Lake （ひょうたん池）and is the home to roughly 500 tress that shine brightly with the autumn leaves.

３． The Afternoon Stroll

The various lakes, hills, trees and tea houses located within the massive park gives that hint of accent, and every time one changes their point of view, ones is able to enjoy a whole new experience.

During daylight the whole range of the park is open for anyone and every to stroll, the more ones strolls the park they are able to meet and enjoy the autumn season.

４． Night –Time Stroll

On top right in the depth of the park their stands a 170 years old massive Maple tree, that is lit to show its fine features. The face of both dark and light can be experienced in this beautiful park.

５．Rest Place / Restaurant

Hagino-ochaya　Cafe (萩野尾御茶屋)

This Japanese style cafe was built as a summer home for the 28th feudal lord of Takeo Mr. Nabeshima、（２８代武雄領主鍋島公）. It is only open to the public in the spring and autumn seasons, the scenery is astounding from the veranda

Open 8:00 - 22:00 *Evening time menu starts from 17:30

Daytime menu 《Green tea & sweet rice cake on the stick plate》（「粉茶と串団子」セット）

Day time hours: 8:00~17:30 

Night time hours: 17:30~22:00

Let's enjoy the beautiful view of autumn colors from the pond side while eating sweet rice cake and drinking green tea.

Enjoying the beautiful view of the garden while eating a delicious steak or hamburger steaks made from 100% Saga Kurgewagyu beef (佐賀黒毛和牛).

This restaurant is also only opened during the spring and autumn seasons.

Lunch time: 11：30~15:30 (last order 14:30)

Tea time: 14: 30~17:00 (last order 16:30)

Dinner time: 17:30~21:30 (last order 20:30) 

*Dinner time is only during the light-up event period of FRI, SAT, SUN & HOLIDAY.

No scheduled closed dates.

Why don't you stop by the rest area whether it is inside or outside of the park?!                        

６．Hotel

Mifuneyama　Kanko Hotel (御船山観光ホテル)

This hotel has a main and secondary building . The secondary building has the rebuilt house of the eleventh Saga feudal lord Naohiro Nabeshima.

You can tell this one is the Daimyo's mansion.　(大名屋敷)

〒843-0022　Takeo-cho takeo4100 Takeo-city, Saga

Tel 0954-23-3131

http://www.mifuneyama.co.jp

※Mifuneyama Kanko hotel or Mishuku chikurintei hotel guests get in free to Miuneyama rakuen park

Oyado Chikurintei hotel （御宿竹林亭）

The hotel is 1, 487.6 ㎡ （450 坪）was built with 40 different kinds of  building materials including pine trees, cherry trees, a hinoki.

And they have a beautiful view of the huge garden that we can enjoy from the hall.

The hotel is a nice and calm Sukiya-type(数寄屋造りの宿） building inside of a huge garden.

〒843-0022　Takeo-cho takeo4100 Takeo-city, Saga

Tel 0954-23-0210

http://www.chikurintei.jp

※Mifuneyama Kanko hotel and Mishuku chikurintei hotel guests get in free to Miuneyama rakuen park

 

７．Sightseening Takeo city （武雄市）

Onsen （温泉）hotspring area is located middle of Takeo city.

There are 2 important cultural properties of the country which were designed by Kingo Tatsuno.

He also designed Bank of Japan(日本銀行)and Tokyo station (東京駅) buildings.

The Romon gate （楼門）is symbol of Takeo Onsen hot spring

This building’s shape and color are a reminder of the Ryugu-jo(竜宮城）castle.

This type gate is called a "Tenpyoshiki Romon"(天平式楼門)which is built without the use of nails.

The new Takeo Onsen Hotel building was restored in 2003. (平成15年)

Nobuyuki Kondo/Flickr

We can see the splendid and most precious Majolica tile and Toban-design tile　from 1915

(大正4年).

Takeo Onsen hot spring（武雄温泉）

There are 6 bathes on the premises , the most popular is Moto-yu (「元湯」).

This public bath is for local citizens. But of course you can use it , too. The fee is only 400yen.

Moto-yu has 2 kinds of bathtubs; one is[Yuru-yu/warm water]( 「ぬる湯」)other one is[Atsu-yu/hot water](「あつ湯」). People say that the Atsu-yu has the hottest hot spring water in Japan

This public bath is also really historic. They have old record from Edo period(江戸時代)

And we found the names Philipp Franz Balthasar von Siebold,　Musashi Miyamoto , and Masamune Date, Tadataka Ino, ect…

If you are interested in this history and/or the public bath, please come.

Address: Takeo-cho ooaza takeo7425 Takeo-city, Saga
Tel: 0945-23-2001

http://www.takeo-kk.net

Takeo Jinjya-shinto shrine(武雄神社)

Takeo Jinjya-shinto shrine(武雄神社)

Where the world's best lighting lanterns Festival is held.

Huugama is the largest pottery facility in the world where 120,000 teacups can burn at the same time.

You can enjoy experiences such as using potter's wheel while making and designing mugs, mini-lighting lanterns, Tegata cards, and nameplates here. The entering charges for this place is free.

Address: Takeuchi –cho mateno2400-1 Takeo-city,Saga( 15 minute by car from JR Sasebo line /Takeo Onsen –Station)

Open: 9:00~17:00 Wednesday -Monday

Close: Tuesday(Wednesday if Tuesday is holiday ) and  12/28~1/3

Tel :0954-27-339-83

http://www.asobo-saga.jp

Huugama(飛龍窯)Facebook　https://ja-jp.facebook.com

８．Detail of the Events

[Koyo Matsuri festival] (『紅葉まつり』)Nov 1st(sun)~Dec 6th(sun)  8:00-17:30

 [Lightning Up]  Nov 7th(sat)~Nov29th(sun)17:30-22:00*extend the park time during "colored leaves light up" period and open if rain , too.

Free

Adult(13years and over )\\600 Child 12years and under\\300(day or night)

Adult(13years and over )\\900 Child 12years and under\\400(day and night)

Parking lot

Free (space for 150 cars and 15 buses)

Address

〒843-0022 Takeo-cho takeo4100 Takeo-city, Saga

Access

12 minute by the bus from JR Sasebo line /Takeo Onsen –Station(武雄温泉駅)

*Take the bus of the route toward the Ureshino-Onsen（嬉野温泉）get off at Mifuneyana rakuen park（御船山楽園）- bus stop

※In addition, during the period of from November 7 to November 29, They issue free shuttle bus only on Saturday and Sunday, a holiday.

Busstop　Takeo-Onsen Station（武雄温泉駅） north exit (3 is going to commute an hour) departing from and arriving at at service time for from 8:00 to 22:00

 http://www.mifuneyamarakuen.jp

Tel 0954-23-3131  Mifuneyama Kanko Hotel（御船山観光ホテル）

Access to Mifuneyama rakuen Park(御船山楽園)

Fukuoka Airport (福岡空港)　subway and JR line  about 1hour20min約１時間２０分
Nagasaki Airport(長崎空港) taxi 40min
Saga Airport (佐賀空港)　taxi 60min

Shinkansen /Hakata Station（博多） Sasebo express lien (1hour) to Takeo onsen station

(武雄温泉駅) then taxi 5min