
In four recent Feed articles, we have introduced some of the best places to shoot in Gunma.
・Gunma Part 1: 2,000m mountains just 1 hour or two from Tokyo
・Gunma Part 2: Water, gift from the mountains
・Gunma Part 3: Hot Spring Kingdom
・Gunma Part 4: Other attractions
We visited Saga on a recce last November and we would like to introduce some of the wonderful places in this prefecture that we were able to see during our visit. Saga Prefecture is located in Kyushu in south-west Japan and is the smallest of them all, both in terms of area and economic size, but from our perspective as fixers, it is a wonderful place with a lot to offer. Saga Airport is about an hour and a half flight from Tokyo and an hour's drive from Fukuoka, the centre of Kyushu. We would like to introduce some of the places we particularly liked during our visit.
Mifuneyama Rakuen Hotel

Mifuneyama Rakuen Hotel is a luxury resort hotel located in Takeo Onsen in western Saga Prefecture, where nature and history are in harmony. The hotel is surrounded by a beautiful Japanese garden called Mifuneyama Rakuen, which exudes an atmosphere of tranquillity and elegance. It is highly recommended both as your accommodation for your location visit and as a filming location itself. We would like to introduce two points of particular interest.
The collaboration with teamLab

The Mifuneyama Rakuen Hotel is collaborating with teamLab to offer visitors an innovative and immersive art experience. TeamLab is an art collective that uses digital technology to create inspiring experiences by colouring spaces with a fusion of art and technology, and its exhibition facilities in Tokyo and Osaka are very popular with Japanese and foreigners alike. As shown in the photo here, a fantastical space is created in hotel lobbies and other areas, making use of colourful lighting and lamps. The colours change every few minutes, changing the atmosphere and creating an extraordinary experience, so you should not miss this beautiful location for shooting spectacular videos.
The Rakan Onsen and Sauna


Takeo Onsen, the source of this hotel’s onsen, has a history of more than 1,000 years and is also very famous for its excellent thermal properties and skin-brightening hot water. However, it is the sauna that we would like to draw your attention to, and it is a wonderful one that won the Grand Prix in 2019 and 2020 in Saunachelin, which rates the best saunas in Japan. The sauna is a 'self löyly’style where you can freely perform löyly to the sauna stones with Saga Prefecture's speciality 'Hojicha' to generate hot steam, which raises the temperature of the room quickly and promotes perspiration. In the adjoining rest area, a wood-burning stove is lit to provide a constant temperature environment, and salt pudding and sweet potato Kankoromochi are provided.
Fixer's Filming Tips
Mifuneyama Rakuen Hotel
https://www.mifuneyama.co.jp/en/
Address: 4100 Ooazatakeo, Takeocho, Takeoi, Saga (50 minutes drive from Saga Airport)
Tel: +81 954 23 3131
Email: info@mifuneyama.co.jp
For filming permission and current exhibition, please contact teamLab.
https://www.teamlab.art/jp/contact/
Yobuko Squid

Yobuko is a fishing port on the coast of Saga Prefecture, known for its fresh squid. It is often served straight from the catch of the day and can be tasted raw as Ikizukuri or Sashimi. This time we dined at a very popular restaurant called Kawataro, and although there was a 90-minute wait, the quality of the food did not disappoint. The restaurant has a Corf (a small fish tank) and the squid we ordered was so fresh that it was still moving.
A little cruel, but very tasty and excellent. We left the legs and then had them tempura-ed, which was also crispy and very tasty.
Fixer's Filming Tips: Kawatarou
http://www.kawatarou.jp/
Address: 1744-17 Yobukocho Yobuko, Karatsu, Saga (1.5 hours drive from Fukuoka Airport)
Tel: +81 955 82 3208
Yanagawa

Although the city of Yanagawa is technically part of neighbouring Fukuoka Prefecture, it is actually more easily accessible from Saga. It takes 1 hour and 10 minutes by car from Fukuoka Airport, but only 30 minutes from Saga Airport. This place has long been known as a prosperous commercial town, and merchants brought a bustling activity to Yanagawa during the Edo period. The historical area of Yanagawa retains a strong Edo period atmosphere, with cobbled lanes and traditional buildings attracting visitors.
One of the most famous attractions of Yanagawa is river cruising. The Yanagawa river cruise is an atmospheric activity in which boatmen guide visitors through the tourist and historical areas as they paddle their boats, allowing them to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the four seasons. Especially during the cherry blossom season, the cherry blossoms along the riverbank can be enjoyed from the boat, creating a fantastic atmosphere. The highlight is when the boat passes under the bridge, where some boatmen perform by climbing onto the bridge and jumping off the boat, as shown in this video, making for a very powerful scene to film.
If you visit Saga Prefecture, why not make a trip to Yanagawa as well?
Fixer's Filming Tips: Suigo Yanagawa Kanko
This time we joined a tour of Suigo Yanagawa Kanko, which is highly recommended.
Suigo Yanagawa Kanko
http://kawakudari.com/english
Address: 1-6 Mitsuhashimachi Shimohyakucho, Yanagawa, Fukuoka (30 minutes drive from Saga Airport)
Tel: +81 944 73 4343
Email: info@mifuneyama.co.jp
The tours take place between 9am to 5pm every day and are about 1 hour long.
We have introduced some of the highlights of the Saga area. We will continue to write articles from a Fixer's point of view on useful information for filming all over Japan.