Kashima City

Kashima City is located in the southwestern part of Saga Prefecture, facing the shallow waters of the Ariake Sea. A particular area of the Ariake Sea known as the Hizen Kashima Tidal Flat was registered as a wetland under the Ramsar Convention (an international treaty for the conservation of habitats for waterfowl) in 2015 as an important stopover point and wintering ground for migratory birds such as sandpipers and plovers. To the south is a series of tall mountains, including Mt. Kyogatake (elevation 1,076 meters), the tallest in Saga Prefecture, and the high-quality rice and sake made with the clear water flowing from these mountains are quite popular. During the Edo Period, the time from the 1600s to the 1800s when shoguns ruled the country, the Kashima Nabeshima domain, which ruled this area, created a special traditional craft called “Kashima Nishiki”. It is an elegant woven fabric made by applying gold leaf or silver leaf to Washi (traditional Japanese paper) with lacquer, then cutting it into thin strips. The Washi is used for the warp (vertical) threads, while silk is used for the weft (horizontal) threads. Additionally, Yutoku Inari Shrine, known as one of the three great Inari shrines in Japan, receives as many as three million visitors a year. It was opened in 1687 by the great-grandson of Emperor Goyozei, who married the third lord of the Nabeshima Domain. In these way, the city of Kashima still maintains a rich natural environment while also being a place with many attractions that highlight its history and tradition.