An unrestrained trip to Saga’s Ureshino Onsen spent just like going out for a little walk with plenty of time.
"Want to join me on a trip to Hasami in Nagasaki? I haven’t been there yet," my older sister said, inviting me. She loves tableware and has been visiting production areas across the country. Though I wasn’t into tableware much, I was up for the idea of staying at Ureshino Onsen, a hot spring known to be good for beautiful skin.
The flight from Haneda to Nagasaki Airport takes about two hours, and there are fixed-route buses available to get around the area. Since we wanted to experience the local mood, we chose to take a bus to travel, instead of renting a car.
The flight from Haneda to Nagasaki Airport takes about two hours, and there are fixed-route buses available to get around the area. Since we wanted to experience the local mood, we chose to take a bus to travel, instead of renting a car.
Discovered a stylish café at the Michi-no-Eki (roadside station) in front of Ureshino-Onsen Station!
We stayed at Fairfield by Marriott Saga Ureshino Onsen, located just in front of the station and the bus stop.
You can also find the Michi-no-Eki Ureshino Maruku nearby, which promises a fun stay already!
After collecting information about the area at the Tourism exchange facilities called "Maruku Is," we found a shop & café called "UPLIFT SHIMOJYUKU." We heard that there is a café here, run by a dairy farmer in Ureshino City.
You can also find the Michi-no-Eki Ureshino Maruku nearby, which promises a fun stay already!
After collecting information about the area at the Tourism exchange facilities called "Maruku Is," we found a shop & café called "UPLIFT SHIMOJYUKU." We heard that there is a café here, run by a dairy farmer in Ureshino City.
According to Nakashima, a dairy farmer who operates this place with the owner, Furuta, many of the products are made by farmers. He told us that they started the business to support people who haven't had a place to sell their products or those still new to creating their products. We ordered the milk-brewed tea and the milk-brewed coffee, brewed with freshly squeezed milk of the day, which was his recommendation.
According to Nakashima, their first café is in the downtown area, which is a renovated Japanese storehouse that is a registered tangible cultural property. The place looked so charming and quaint as we checked it on social media. Of course, we both bookmarked it immediately.
According to Nakashima, their first café is in the downtown area, which is a renovated Japanese storehouse that is a registered tangible cultural property. The place looked so charming and quaint as we checked it on social media. Of course, we both bookmarked it immediately.
Feeling good and cozy at a relaxing bar surrounded by music.
Having refreshed ourselves at the café from tiredness from traveling, we decided to take a walk around the area.
We could see buildings unchanged since olden times everywhere and we felt as if time had slowed down.
Attracted by the painting on display at the bus terminal, we wandered over. We checked the timetable to see if we could go somewhere if any buses were coming but found that we needed to wait for another hour for the next bus. We could laugh it off saying, "Maybe not!" because it was a local trip without a packed schedule.
We could see buildings unchanged since olden times everywhere and we felt as if time had slowed down.
Attracted by the painting on display at the bus terminal, we wandered over. We checked the timetable to see if we could go somewhere if any buses were coming but found that we needed to wait for another hour for the next bus. We could laugh it off saying, "Maybe not!" because it was a local trip without a packed schedule.
Settling on a bench, we searched on the map for a place to go and found an interesting-looking bar nearby!
The bar is called "Music Bar OOMURAYA" and it says that it has a high-quality sound system and a collection of 3,000 vinyl records! Though located in a ryokan (Japanese-style inn), they are open to non-hotel guests as well, so we decided to pay a visit.
The bar is called "Music Bar OOMURAYA" and it says that it has a high-quality sound system and a collection of 3,000 vinyl records! Though located in a ryokan (Japanese-style inn), they are open to non-hotel guests as well, so we decided to pay a visit.
I asked the bartender, Uchimura, for a recommendation unique to Ureshino, and she suggested a cocktail called "Ureshino-cha Beer (Ureshino Tea Beer)." But as she mentioned that it tastes slightly bitter, I decided to try the Hyuganatsu (a type of citrus fruit) cocktail, as I preferred a sweeter taste.
Perhaps because it was around 6 pm, there were no other customers in the bar. When asked what the atmosphere is usually like, she replied, "There are many locals, and we often see them talking to tourists. The owner wants to make this bar a place for socializing, and the atmosphere is as nice as it should be."
"There’s a song called ‘Ureshino Cha-cha-cha’ written by an artist called VIDEOTAPEMUSIC together with the local people. Would you like to listen to it?"
Uchimura asked and played a groovy song with a nice beat. She said that the song also has a dance. It is a standard of the bar where everyone would dance to the music when it is played. I enjoyed the time spent with music, talking about how my sister and I would love to dance with the local customers someday.
Uchimura asked and played a groovy song with a nice beat. She said that the song also has a dance. It is a standard of the bar where everyone would dance to the music when it is played. I enjoyed the time spent with music, talking about how my sister and I would love to dance with the local customers someday.
We saw a beautiful sunset as we left the bar and walked through the hot spring district. We ended the first day feeling that tomorrow would be another great day.
"Yuttsura" with the locals in a nostalgic hot spring facility.
We had a pleasant morning and ate breakfast on the terrace on the first floor of the hotel. We planned to head to Hasami-cho on the second day, but we added a morning bath to our plans as we were in the mood to try out the hot spring we saw the previous day.
It takes a little more than 15 minutes by bus and on foot to Ureshino Onsen Public Bathhouse – Siebold’s Bath. We bought an admission ticket from the ticket machine and went to the large public bath. As we were wondering what the "delivery" button on the ticket machine meant, an elderly woman who happened to be there told us that we could get deliveries from local restaurants and eat them at the main hall. Hearing such stories is one of the fun elements of traveling locally.
On the second floor, you can find a gallery that exhibits the history of Ureshino Onsen and Siebold’s Bath. Here, we also learned that the name of the character we had seen around town was Yuttsura-kun. We asked the staff at the facility the meaning of "Yuttsura" and they told us that it meant "slowly" and is used when you want to say, "Take your time (Yuttsura)." We left Siebold’s Bath saying "Okay, shall we go yuttsura?"
Visiting the unique stores in Hasami delivering the creators’ spirits.
After enjoying a relaxing morning bath, we headed to Hasami-cho, our main destination. Among the many kilns and galleries dotting the town, we headed to Nishinohara. The place used to be a pottery that dates back to the Edo period, but now the building houses general stores and cafés.
It takes about 15 minutes to get to Nishinohara by the fixed-route bus. As we arrived, we found the nostalgic atmosphere of the buildings and the narrow paths covered with greenery that made the place look more like a small town than a market! We enjoyed a little walk instead of going into the stores right away.
After wandering past all the various stores, we stopped at HANA Wakusui, which specializes in household goods. The store offers a range of items, selected from all over Japan and overseas, that can be used for a long time and convey the identity of the creators.
"This is Hasami ware made in collaboration with a glass artist," Morimura, the store manager explained to me as I gazed at a lovely plate. The colored lines on the rim were also carefully hand-painted one by one, and I couldn’t help but admire it. It was also a pleasure to know the background of the plate, which is something you will never know just by gazing at it.
"This is Hasami ware made in collaboration with a glass artist," Morimura, the store manager explained to me as I gazed at a lovely plate. The colored lines on the rim were also carefully hand-painted one by one, and I couldn’t help but admire it. It was also a pleasure to know the background of the plate, which is something you will never know just by gazing at it.
Afterwards, we had lunch at a café restaurant called "monne legui mooks," which we found while strolling around. Everything about this place was so lovely, from the nostalgic atmosphere of the building to dishes filled with vegetables, and especially the use of the tableware!
We ordered the same dish, but they were served in Hasami ware with different motifs and shapes. We realized that the impression of the food can be completely different, depending on the tableware, and we were even more excited to visit the stores after lunch.
We ordered the same dish, but they were served in Hasami ware with different motifs and shapes. We realized that the impression of the food can be completely different, depending on the tableware, and we were even more excited to visit the stores after lunch.
After filling our bellies, we headed to Minamisouko. The store features eight different brands of Hasami ware, all with totally different impressions.
According to Tsuru, a staff member at the store, the number of stores and galleries has increased over the past ten years in Hasami-cho, which used to be a town mainly consisting of craftspeople, and now, they have more visitors who have heard about the town. "That’s just like me!" my sister said with a grin.
According to Tsuru, a staff member at the store, the number of stores and galleries has increased over the past ten years in Hasami-cho, which used to be a town mainly consisting of craftspeople, and now, they have more visitors who have heard about the town. "That’s just like me!" my sister said with a grin.
I already bought some tableware at HANA Wasukui, so I was telling my sister that I’m going to be careful about what I am buying. But with all the tableware in front of me, I was already starting to want this and that...!
"It’s now or never! If it sparked joy in you, you’ll regret not buying it!" my sister said, laughing at me who could not make up my mind. Needless to say, after this trip, our tableware collection became incredibly abundant.
"It’s now or never! If it sparked joy in you, you’ll regret not buying it!" my sister said, laughing at me who could not make up my mind. Needless to say, after this trip, our tableware collection became incredibly abundant.
Our trip to Ureshino, which started with my sister inviting me to join her, was soon coming to a close. Although our schedule was not packed and we seemingly spent a relaxing time, the two days went by in a flash, thanks to a series of unexpected encounters.
Perhaps because we fully enjoyed the local atmosphere, my sister and I felt Ureshino was our second hometown. "We need to practice ‘Ureshino Cha-cha-cha’ by the time we come back again!" we laughed as we made our way home.
