SagaLeisure

Tojin Ebisu (唐人恵比須)

Flow of the course

Previous stop: Take a break before dusk at the museum and art museum area next to the castle ruins

About 15 min from the previous stop

About 150 min here

About 15 min to the next stop

Next stop: About 1,300 shells color the castle town's night sky, the climax of the Sakae no Kuni Festival

About this spot

Saga City is home to more than 830 Ebisu statues, said to be the most of any city in Japan. This is a remnant of the faith that spread among merchants who traveled the ports of the Ariake Sea (有明海) and the city's waterways during the Edo period, worshipping Ebisu as a god of water. Standing in Tojin-machi (唐人町), Tojin Ebisu is known for its open-mouthed, beaming smile, and is also a favorite pick of the chairman of the Ebisu de Machizukuri Network (恵比須DEまちづくりネットワーク). During the festival, this area becomes the heart of the celebration, lined with food stalls. Pick up dinner here, spread out a leisure sheet, and enjoy the time until the show begins.

Tips

Reachable on foot from the Saga Castle Park / museum area. Traffic restrictions and pedestrian-only zones may be set up on the day of the festival, so check the official traffic information in advance. Temporary restrooms are set up but get very crowded, so use them early. Bringing plenty to drink is reassuring.