Saga Prefecture

Saga

佐賀県
Saga 佐賀県
Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
• Romaji	Saga-ken
	Flag Symbol
	Location of Saga in Japan
	Coordinates: 33°17′N 130°10′E / 33.283°N 130.167°E
Country	Japan
Region	Kyūshū
Island	Kyūshū
Capital	Saga
Government
• Governor	Yoshinori Yamaguchi
Area
• Total	2,439.58 km2 (941.93 sq mi)
• Rank	42nd
Population (February 1, 2008)
• Total	858,603
• Rank	42nd
• Density	350/km2 (910/sq mi)
ISO 3166 code	JP-41
Prefectural flower	Camphor blossom (Cinnamomum camphora)
Prefectural tree	Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
Prefectural bird	Black-billed magpie (Pica pica)
Number of districts	6
Number of municipalities	20
Website	www.pref.saga.lg.jp/; at-contents/gaikoku/; english.html

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.^[1]

History

The area of Nagasaki Prefecture and Saga Prefecture was formerly called Hizen Province.^[2] 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^[3]
August 15, 1281 (Kōan 4, 30th day of the 7th month): Battle of Kōan^[4]
1716 Hagakure, a famous Bushido manual is compiled
1874 (Meiji 7): Saga Rebellion.^[5]
1975 (Shōwa 50): Genkai Nuclear Power Plant begins operation^[6]
2011 (Heisei 23):Kyūshū Shinkansen opens^[7]

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.