Saga Prefecture

Official Host Destination

Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants remains extremely grateful to its host destination partner, Saga Prefecture, for its efforts in preparing to welcome the gastronomic community to its unique and beautiful region. The brand aims to facilitate further opportunities for chefs, partners and media to experience the wonderful food, culture and landscape of Saga in the future.

Saga is blessed with abundant nature, including two unique seas – the Ariake Sea, with expansive mudflats to the south, and the picturesque Genkai Sea to the north – as well as clean water springing from gently sloping mountains and vast, fertile plains. This has allowed Saga to produce the best quality nori (dried seaweed) in Japan, the “Saga beef” brand, sake awarded first place at the International Wine Challenge, and many more amazing products. Saga is also the birthplace of Japanese porcelain, being home to Arita ware, which enthralled the European nobility in the 17th century.

Spectacular events are held all across Saga Prefecture, notably the Karatsu Kunchi festival, which is registered on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List, and the Saga International Balloon Fiesta, a major hot air ballooning competition. Every May, more than one million people flock to the town of Arita for the Arita Ceramics Fair, demonstrating that Saga is one of the foremost porcelain and ceramic production areas in Japan. Saga’s ceramics have a 400-year history, and new and innovative ware continues to be made in Saga. These ceramics have been met with great praise from creative chefs around the world.