Tara, Saga


Tara is a town and peninsula located in Fujitsu District, Saga Prefecture, Japan.

Geography

Tara is bordered by Isahaya, Ōmura, Kashima and the Ariake Sea. On a clear day, it is possible to see the mountains across the sea. Tara includes Mount Tara and Mount Kyoga, which are two of the highest mountains in Kyūshū and part of the Tara Mountains. Tara is composed of two traditional — and to a lesser extent, linguistic — sections, which were once independent towns: Tara and Ōura. Tara is located quite close to the Kashima Gatalympics, which takes place near Hizen-Iida station.
Ōura harbor is the main port of entry via sea.

Significant locations

Famous, tourist, and historic sites of note include:
;Kinsenji
;Takezaki Kanze Onji
;Tara Takezaki onsen
;Shirahama beach;
;Kenkou no Mori Park
;Camp Nakayama
;Mount Tara and the Tara mountains
;Mount Kyōga
;Takezaki Castle Ruins
;Takezaki Castle Observatory
;Lighthouse Ruins

History

Due to influence from Nagasaki, Christianity existed in the area, but after the results of the Shimabara Rebellion, most of the Christians were killed or went underground and became Kakure Kirishitans. The only evidence remaining is grave stones that are scattered throughout Tara.

Legends

Local legend has it that a force from the south once tried to invade Tara. The villagers wore demon masks to scare the intruders, and won the skirmish.
Another local legend originating in the 9th century is that of a handsome warrior-monk, Takeno Shintaro, whose looks so charmed the ladies that they sang a song whenever he came down from the mountains. The lyrics of the song ask for him to fall and break his leg so that he would have to stay among the women. Women could not go into the mountains at that time in history because of the mountains' sacred nature. The mountains themselves were worshiped as the realm of gods, and the temple at Mount Tara, Kinsen-ji, had authority over more than 70 shrines in Kyūshū. However, under the Meiji restoration, the god-buddha connection became taboo and today Kinsen-ji lies in disrepair. During 1780, a song named "Zanza-bushi" spread through Japan. Saga people adapted the melody and used it to recreate the song "Takeno Shintaro-san". The first two stanzas:
There is a legend about the origins of the Doro Mochi Tsuki festival. In the legend, set about 200 years ago, the village was poor. On occasion of the village elder being away on a pilgrimage, the town's people all had the same dream. In the mysterious dream, an itinerant monk came to the village as they were discussing how to pray for rain and in hunger stole some mochi. The villagers blamed him and killed him. Out of regret, they buried him. Rain fell upon the place where he was buried. The villagers believed the rain was due to the monk, and offered mochi to him, thus starting the traditional festival.

Festivals and religious occasions

There are many festivals in Tara, some with history spanning back hundreds of years. These are listed below, in order of date.
Some festivals have recently stopped being performed, or are rarely observed anymore. Among them are: the cucumber festival, in which cucumbers were piled in hopes of blessings such as safety and babies, and the demon fires events, in which large bonfires were made.

Industry

Tara was once a thriving tourist destination, but as Japan's economy has slowed down, so has Tara's. Most young people relocate to the larger cities when they become adults. Tara is on a main railroad line and traversed by route 207, and benefits somewhat from the tourism this brings. As a result, many people in Tara are opposed to new train lines that would make commerce through Tara all but obsolete. However planning has gone ahead, and Tara has received a payoff to compensate.
It is regionally famous for its crabs, mikans, and oysters, the latter of which is in season during the winter. During oyster season, it is common for people to come from surrounding prefectures and enjoy grilled kaki. Many restaurants have special, bare-bones plastic and wood sections that are only open during this season. Most of such business happens on the weekends, and this is also a good business time for the local farmer's market.
Other industry in Tara includes animal husbandry, especially chicken farms, and forestry. But Tara's most profitable industry probably lies in the surrounding sea. Besides fishing and marine life, Tara boasts thousands of nori collecting poles and nets.

Education

Tara has one prefectural highschool, Tara High School, and two junior high schools. There are also two elementary schools and scattered kindergartens.

Transportation

Most travelers come to Tara by National Route 207 or via the Nagasaki Main Line, operated by JR Kyushu.

Stations

Tara is serviced by the JR Kyushu railroad company. It has two stations and one switchbox.
The closest airport is Saga Airport, followed by one in Nagasaki. Most travelers go to Fukuoka Airport for travel abroad.

Roads

runs through the length of the town, and is the only road to Nagasaki Prefecture. The mountains are seeded with small roads, many of them one lane and unpaved. A road leads from camp Nakayama towards Kashima and Ureshino.

Sea

While fishing is a huge industry, there is no known sea travel, nor are there ferries available.

Language

While standard Japanese is spoken and understood in the area, the locals also speak the local dialect, Saga-ben, which is further broken down into Tara-ben and Ōura-ben. Some examples of speech include: