"What kind of city is Saga City?"
Saga City, Saga Prefecture, is a city that consistently ranks last in prefectural attractiveness rankings. (In the latest survey published in 2026, it was ranked 47th, the lowest position).

However, I actually found it to be a surprisingly interesting city when I walked around.

The area around the station is well-maintained, and the roads in Saga City (population 220,000) seem wider and cleaner than those in Kurume City (population 300,000). There's also a lively restaurant district called "Sagahatsu" under the elevated railway tracks. In the autumn, the "Saga International Balloon Fiesta," one of Asia's largest hot air balloon festivals, which has been held since the 1980s, takes place here, and there's also the "Saga Balloon Museum" that showcases its culture. And, surprisingly, I was able to get a minced pork cutlet set meal (with free extra rice) for only 880 yen at the Saga Prefectural Government's basement cafeteria.

I walked around and experienced the "present" of Saga City, a city with many faces: a regular contender for last place in attractiveness rankings, a historical castle town, and a surprisingly urban station area.

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【Table of Contents/Chapters】
0:00 Opening: Saga City's True Face - Though it's Ranked 45th in Attractiveness
0:50 Saga Station, Sagahatsu, and Combox Saga Station
5:22 Main Street from Saga Station to Saga Castle Ruins
9:35 Hakusan Shopping Arcade/Gofukumotomachi Area
17:18 Menchi Katsu Set Meal at the Saga Prefectural Government Building's Basement Cafeteria
[What you'll learn from this video]
Q. What kind of city is Saga?
A. It's the capital of Saga Prefecture with a population of approximately 220,000. While it ranked 45th in the latest prefectural attractiveness ranking (2025 survey, up from 47th the previous year), it has a history as a castle town of the Nabeshima clan (360,000 koku), and hosts the "Saga International Balloon Fiesta" every autumn, attracting approximately 1 million people.

Q. Despite its low attractiveness ranking, what was the area around the station like?
A. The area around Saga Station is undergoing redevelopment, and compared to Kurume City (population 300,000), Saga seemed more organized in terms of road width and cleanliness. There are about 15 restaurants lined up in "Saga 8" under the elevated railway tracks.

Q. Why is there a Saga Balloon Museum?

A. Saga is the host city of Asia's largest international hot air balloon competition, which has been held there since the 1980s. To convey its charm regardless of the weather, Japan's first permanent hot air balloon museum opened in 2016. The construction site was originally the site of the Marukyo Saga supermarket.

Q. Can the general public enter the Saga Prefectural Government cafeteria?

A. Yes, they can. I had a minced pork cutlet set meal for 880 yen (free extra rice) in the basement cafeteria. The atmosphere was like a local diner, a very comfortable place.

From now on, I will introduce not only the standard tourist spots, but also places that might make people say, "Why did you choose that place?"

If any Saga residents know of places they recommend or dislike, please let me know in the comments!

#SagaCity #SagaPrefecture #CityWalk #Vlog #CastleTown