Kanzaki, Yoshinogari Historical Park: A Day Tracing Yayoi Romance and Ancient Shrines

Spend a day in Kanzaki City, Saga Prefecture, on a historical walk through Yayoi-period romance and the quiet beauty of ancient shrines. In the morning, pay quiet respects at Kushida Shrine (櫛田宮), said to be the main sanctuary of Hakata's renowned Kushida Shrine, where the legend of the Koto no Kusu camphor tree remains. At Yoshinogari Historical Park, one of Japan's largest Yayoi archaeological sites, climb the restored watchtower and contemplate the lives of the people who lived in the moat-surrounded village. For lunch, head to the Roadside Station Yoshinogari Sazanka Senbokukan perched on a mountain pass, where you can savor local flavors while gazing over the Saga Plain. In the afternoon, ascend the moss-covered stone steps of Niihiyama Shrine (仁比山神社), lovingly called 'Sanno-san,' and be welcomed by the divine monkey statues, then conclude your journey at the thatched-roof cottage of Genboku Ito, who laid the foundations of modern Japanese medicine. Experience a richly Japanese adventure through Kanzaki, where you can leap across two thousand years of time in a single day.