1573-1592, Expanded and maintained RYUZOJI’s castle, Muranaka Castle. 1608 Saga Castle General Contractor. In 1611, Saga Castle General Contractor was completed and entered Katsushige NABESHIMA and inner citadel. Important cultural property (building) Castle ruins are designated as prefectural historic sites.

The shipment of spring bud cucumbers produced in 2021 is in full swing at the Kubota vegetable collection area in the JA Saga area (Saga) jurisdiction. Shipments are gradually increasing and peak around March. The amount received on February 13 was about 8 tons. Employees carefully checked the quality of the cucumbers brought in, sorted them by class, packed them in boxes of 5 kg each, and shipped them to Kansai and other parts of Kyushu. I met a friend of the market person last year and played with the conversation during the meal, but it seems that the consumer’s response was also well received. Asparagus, which has been well received nationwide in the jurisdiction and in Saga Prefecture, was introduced in 1954, and it seems that it was first cultivated on a trial basis in “Tosu City” in the eastern part of the prefecture. After that, although the cultivation was temporarily stopped, it was supported by the high level of interest of the local residents, and in 1971, open-field cultivation was started again in Tosu City on a scale of 8 hectares as a national policy of reducing acreage (under cultivation). There is. At that time, it seems that it was basically a single year, but the yield was sluggish due to the outbreak of diseases and the area was steadily decreasing, and I heard that small cultivation was continued until around 1982. In 1983, a rain shelter house was introduced as a measure against illness, and at the same time, by trying “summer dripping” on a trial basis for harvesting that was “spring dripping” until then, the yield increased dramatically, and then the prefecture. It seems that asparagus cultivation has become widespread in each region of Japan. In 1992, the planted area increased to 68 hectares, and in order to aim for the largest asparagus producing area in Japan, the Saga Prefecture Asparagus Subcommittee was established, and it seems that information sharing between prefecture producing areas and technical research have been carried out. The topography under the jurisdiction of the Saga Agricultural Cooperative Association can be roughly divided into three areas out of the terrain (5 areas) of Saga Prefecture. The Saga Flat Area, which occupies the southern part of the prefecture, consists of the Tsukushi Plain and the Saga Plain, and the land is a fertile and extremely productive breadbasket. The northern part of the prefecture, Mt. Tenzan (elevation 1,046.2 m) and the foothills of Mt. In addition, the Tara-dake area, which straddles the border of Nagasaki Prefecture, has developed fan-shaped plateaus, paddy fields between the plateaus, upland fields on the plateaus, and many warm slopes. Taking advantage of these natural environments and location conditions, it seems that a wide range of agriculture such as vegetables, fruit trees, and livestock is being carried out, centering on land-use agriculture of rice, wheat, and soybeans. Asparagus was introduced to Saga Prefecture in 1954, and it seems that it began to be cultivated on a trial basis in Tosu City in the eastern part of the prefecture. After that, the cultivation was temporarily stopped, but in 1971, open-field cultivation was started again in Tosu City on a scale of 8 hectares as a national anti-reduction policy. At that time, it seemed that it was based on “single yearly”, but the yield was sluggish due to the outbreak of diseases and the area was steadily decreasing, and it seems that small cultivation was continued until around 1982. In 1983, a rain shelter house was introduced as a measure against illness, and at the same time, by trying “summer dripping” on a trial basis for harvesting that was “spring dripping” until then, the yield increased dramatically, and then the prefecture It is said that asparagus cultivation has become widespread in each region of Japan. In 1992, the planted area increased to 68 hectares, and in order to aim for the largest asparagus producing area in Japan, the Saga Prefecture Asparagus Subcommittee was established to share information among the producing areas in the prefecture and to accumulate technical research. According to the results of system handling produced in 2009, the number of producers has increased to 693, the planted area has increased to 127 hectares, and the shipment quantity is 2,810 tons. Asparagus is cultivated in Saga prefecture, which is blessed with a warm climate, and it seems that it will be harvested for a long period from January to October using a rain shelter house. The cultivar is “Welcome”, and it seems that shipments have started from an early stage nationwide. Spring bud harvest peaks in March, and summer bud harvest peaks from late June to July. Spring buds keep the greenhouse warm and use the nutrients in the underground to harvest the young shoots that germinate, but the spring bud harvest is cut off for a certain period of time, and then the stems are stretched and the foliage grows until October. , Create new nutrients and harvest what has sprouted from the underground. After the harvest is finished, it is said that it will be exposed to a sufficiently low temperature to store nutrients in the underground part in preparation for the spring buds of the next year, but it seems that this cycle will be continued for more than 10 years after planting. Also, it seems that there is no heating facility in the rain shelter house. “Spring buds”, which are harvested in the cold season, are in an environment that is easily affected by the outside temperature, but for stable shipment, they are mainly kept warm from January to February, and during a wide period from December to March. It seems that it is working to secure the shipment volume from January to May by keeping warm at. In recent years, the temperature in summer has risen, and it seems that the conditions are becoming more prone to leaf burns and diseases. I heard that as an effort to improve the environment inside the house to maintain the tree vigor, not only the side vinyl is opened, but also light-shielding materials are used to take measures against lower temperature. By lowering the temperature, the rate of excellent products harvested in the summer is improved, labor can be expected to be reduced, and it seems that the yield is secured. At present, many production areas in the prefecture have reached the 20th year of cultivation, and it seems that the yields are declining in some production areas due to the aging of producers and the aging of stocks. In fields where productivity declined due to typhoon disasters and diseases in the early Heisei period, or fields where cultivation years were long, replanting was actively carried out in order to recover yields, but in some places it grows better than the previous crop. In some cases, the yield becomes poor and the yield decreases, and it seems that replanting may not be possible even if the strain ages. It is thought that various factors such as diseases, deterioration of soil physicochemical properties, and allelopathy (allelopathy of plants) are intertwined as the factors, but each problem is clarified and countermeasure technology for it is clarified. It seems that establishing it has been an urgent issue since that time. For the first time, I heard that there are eight subcommittee organizations in Saga Prefecture, and seven of them are shipping under a co-selection and co-sale system. Producers cut the harvested asparagus into 27 cm lengths and bring them to the fruit sorting plant. After that, it is sorted by the size and the degree of bending with an automatic sorting machine, and the length is adjusted to 25 cm and bound (100 gram bundle). With the introduction and maintenance of this fruit sorting facility, it seems that the standards have been unified and the quality has become stable. In addition, the time required for shipping preparation work is reduced for producers, and the amount can be spent on field management, which seems to lead to scale expansion and yield improvement. It seems that shipping is done mainly in the Kanto region, Kinki, and Shikoku, Chugoku, but in order to deliver fresh asparagus to the consumption area, the shipping container uses Styrofoam and transportation is also by air. It seems that they are trying to keep the freshness. This is really thankful to consumers. Regarding the expansion of asparagus consumption, the key point is how to increase the consumption of summer asparagus, which accounts for more than 60% of the shipment volume. Specifically, we are focusing on conducting tasting sales at retail stores, using posters and recipes to propose ways to eat, and working on the goal of consuming asparagus at ordinary household dining tables. That’s it. If you see it, please pick it up and line up your whole work on the table. “Saga City” is located in the southeastern part of Saga Prefecture. It merged with the surrounding seven towns and villages in 2005 and 2007. It is long from north to south facing Fukuoka City in the north and the Ariake Sea in the south. In the northern area, forests and clear streams spread out in the mountainous areas of the Sefuri Mountains, and hot spring areas are everywhere. The Restoration period at the end of the Edo period: In the center, historical heritage that led the modernization of Japan during the Meiji era remains in various parts of the city. In the southern region, you can see the reservoir and rural landscape of the Saga Plain. The southernmost tip is dotted with the Ariake Sea. Each region has a different environment and is famous as a city with various attractions. From the end of the Edo period to the Meiji era, the footprints of many great men who had a great influence on Japan are left in various places in the Saga city area. The statue of Okuma in the Okuma Memorial Hall in Saga City, Saga Prefecture was established at the site of his birthplace in April 1988. Shigenobu OKUMA, a count (Saga clique; the Constitutional Party, the former Progressive Party faction) -This standing statue shows his figure before he lost his right leg. After Shigenobu OKUMA assumed office as the Minister of Finance in 1873, he propelled a policy of encouragement of new industry adopting positive fiscal policy so called ‘Okuma finances.’Refers to the financial policy promoted by Shigenobu OKUMA, the Minister of the Treasury (concurrently filled a post of Councilor) in early Meiji Period. After the downfall of Shigenobu OKUMA, the Matsukata deflation (also known as the Matsukata finance, a financial measure to induce deflation to eliminate inflation generated by raising funds for war cost of the Seinan War) by Okura-kyo (Minister of the Treasury) Masayoshi Matsukata was adopted. etc. The ‘Nagasaki Kaido’ crosses the center, and many buildings from the Edo period to the Meiji period remain in the surrounding Yanagimachi（The thoughts and philosophies of the people who do business）. It seems that you can feel the city where the great men of the past lived. On Chuo-Odori, “Saga Castle-Sakae National festival” is held in summer, and “Saga Light Fantasy” is held in winter. Kase River riverbed about 5km west: Every year, over 100 Balloons from all over the world participate for 5 days from late October to early November. Asia’s largest international hot-air balloon competition “Saga International Balloon Fiesta” is held. The appearance of many balloons taking off all at once is overwhelming, and many tourists visit every year. The Mitsuse and Fuji areas in the northern region are mountainous areas surrounded by abundant nature, and the plateau spreads out.Mt. Tenzan ski resort and Kitayama Lake have plenty of outdoor activities such as fishing and campgrounds. There are also gourmet spots such as Furuyu-bath, Kumanokawa Hot Spring（Xing Lu Nan; By Guo Moruo）and Fagopyrum vulgare kaido, so you can enjoy the rich nature. The Yamato area has a long history, where it prospered as the capital of Hizen Province during the Nara and Heian periods about 1200 years ago. Kawakami Gorge, where you can see the scenery of the four seasons, is blessed with abundant nature and is fascinated by the pleasant and babbling sounds of the mountains. In the Ariake Sea, you can feel the blessings of the sea such as spring clamming, fishing boat operation, and seaweed farming. Mechanical engineering heritage: Chikugo river lift bridge – World cultural heritage: Mietsu Naval Dock Site. The Ramsar Convention Wetland Registration’s Higashiyoka tidal flats are located in this area, where you can feel the richness of history and the sea. The Meiji government issued the “Municipal Government” in 1888 and promoted the merger of towns and villages nationwide. This is to enhance the administrative and financial functions by merging the towns and villages that have been spontaneous generation since the Edo period. A merger of about 300-500 units as a standard scale to introduce a modern local autonomy system. As a result, the number of towns and villages nationwide will be about one-fifth. Municipal merger promotion method-Established in October 1953. Basically, the population of junior high school is about 8,000, which can be rationally operated and office work such as social welfare. Furthermore, it will be further promoted together with the “New Municipal Construction Promotion law (expired in June 1961)” which was continuously enforced in 1956. The merger has reduced the Number of municipalities by about one-third nationwide. In 1965, the “Act on Special Provisions of the Merger of Municipalities” with a 10-year term came into effect. Special measures and support measures were included to eliminate obstacles to voluntary mergers. The secret of Anmitsu Hime’s deliciousness is the cultivation method and “aging technique” that are handed down only to a small number of elite producers. It is said that post-harvest aging is managed 24 hours a day. I realize the deliciousness because it takes time and effort. In addition, because organic compost (organic matter (main component is carbon: carbon) is completely decomposed by microorganisms (microbe: mainly bacteria, yeast, mold, etc.)) is used. Differences occur in the fine roots, and efforts are made to absorb nutrients efficiently. As for “stored oranges”, the sugar content is particularly high, and the difference from other production areas is “multi-cultivation”. A pure white sheet is laid at the base of the tree to reflect the sunlight and adjust so that it does not absorb excess water. It is aged in the brewery for about 2 months (managed 24 hours a day) at 5 to 7 degrees (humidity of about 80%) to soften the acidity, and the brewery Anmitsu Hime (Anmitsu Maru) is shipped. The “Mikan” that won the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award is “Anmitsu Hime” with a sugar content of 12 degrees or higher and “Super Anmitsu Hime” with a sugar content of 13 degrees or higher. The official name of the white muscle fiber of “Satsuma mandarin” is “albedo”. It works to carry nutrients to the fruits. Albedo is rich in dietary fiber and vitamins, especially among vitamin P (a mixture of “rutin” and “hesperidin” contained with vitamin C. It is expected to prevent the permeability of capillaries from increasing). , Polyphenol “hesperidin” is contained more in bags, skins and streaks that wrap around than fruits. Until a few years ago, there were many parts that depended on intuition, and it seems that each person had a hard time growing up by the method they had cultivated. It seems that it is aiming to establish stable cultivation by collecting scientific data and making it into a manual by working in the area. The storage is also aiming to introduce mechanization of cold air and establish a more reliable aging method as in cultivation. As I forgot to say, the Saga (southern) flat area constitutes the Tsukushi Plain and the Saga Plain, and is a fertile and extremely productive grain area. (The foot of Mt. Tenzan, Mt. Sefuri in the northern part of the prefecture constitutes the western half of the Tsukushi Mountains, and the geology is mainly composed of granite (rhyolite: flow structure: magma consolidation). Plutonic rock (granite): igneous rock) quality. In December of last year, two STRAWBERRY package centers were newly put into operation in the jurisdiction. Of these, the center in the Kishima area (Shiroishi-cho, Kishima-gun) has adopted the latest smart system, which is the first in Japan to indicate which strawberry to pack by a computer. According to NARO’s information in 2014, the packing robot will be installed in the final process of the strawberry sorting line and will be handled in a special way that does not damage the fruits. By handling up to 6 fruits at the same time, it seems that it can be packed with about 40% less labor than conventional manual work. In the past, packing work became a bottleneck, limiting the processing capacity of the fruit sorting facility, and there were cases where producers could not ship all the harvested products to the fruit sorting facility. By expanding the processing capacity of the fruit sorting facility, strawberry producers will be completely freed from packing work, and more detailed cultivation management and expansion of scale will be possible, and it is expected that the production area will be activated. The developed “Strawberry Packing Robot” will be on the market from April 2015 by Yanmar Green System Co., Ltd. (Tsuruno town, Kita ward, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture). Labor saving is expected. For strawberry farmers, packing is a lot of hard work and time consuming. Therefore, the operation of the center seems to be good news for the people concerned, and it is expected that it will lead to the promotion of production of the new variety “Ichigo-san Strawberry” in the prefecture where cultivation is spreading. The center of the Kishima area is located on the grounds of the JA meeting hall in the Shiraishi district, and it seems that the conventional fruit sorting machine has become old and has been updated. In the new system, a tray of strawberries is first passed through a measuring device to measure weight, color, and shape, and when the tray is placed on the workbench, the light falls from the top and points to the strawberries, so the grains are packed in a pack. It seems that it will be the specified weight just by itself. Until now, the staff selected the grains based on the rule of thumb, and at the end they replaced the grains to adjust the weight, but it seems that the trouble is unnecessary. You can reduce the number of times you touch the strawberries, and it seems to be a way to prevent the fruit from cracking. There are 24 workbenches in total, and the daily processing capacity has doubled to 2.4 tons. In addition to Shiroishi Town, it seems to accept strawberries from 130 houses of strawberry farmers in Takeo City, Kohoku Town, and Omachi Town. Also, it seems that the fruit sorting machine at JA Saga Midori District Strawberry Package Center (Hama, Kashima City) has been updated. In addition to the traditional Kashima city, it seems to accept producers from Ureshino city and Tara town. Strawberry production in the prefecture is booming with the introduction of new varieties of strawberries with high yields and high unit prices, but the cultivated area has decreased by 40% in the last 10 years due to the aging of producers. One of the factors is the busyness of production, especially the labor and effort required for packing. JA Saga’s efforts to find a way out are expected to lead to the development and future of Japanese agriculture.