Saga Prefecture Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Saga Prefecture



Japanese:	佐賀県
	Saga-ken

Capital

Saga

Region

Kyūshū

Island

Kyūshū

Governor

Yoshinori Yamaguchi

Area (rank)

2,439.58 km² (42nd)

- % water

1.7%

Population (February 1, 2008)

- Population

858,603 (42nd)

- Density

352 /km²

Districts

Municipalities

ISO 3166-2

JP-41

Website

www.pref.saga.lg.jp/
at-contents/gaikoku/
english.html

Prefectural Symbols

- Flower

Camphor blossom (Cinnamomum camphora)

- Tree

Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora)

- Bird

Black-billed magpie (Pica pica)

- Fish

Symbol of Saga Prefecture

Saga Prefecture (佐賀県, Saga-ken) is a prefecture of Japan in the Kyūshū region of Japan on the island of Kyūshū. The capital city is Saga.

History
- Seven Wise Men of Saga
- Timeline
Geography
Shrines and Temples
Related pages
Images for kids
See also

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 Saga Domain (佐賀藩, Saga-han).

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.