In a small city,
the most important buildings are
always the train station,
the bus terminal,
and public buildings like city hall.
Karatsu, a small city with a population of around 110,000,
is no different.
The downtown area of Karatsu that I showed last time was
a large block located between the train station and the city hall.
This time,
I will show Karatsu Station, the city hall,
and the streets around them.
After all, the streets in places like this often shape the impression of a city.
When you go in front of Karatsu Station,
the first thing that catches your eye is the large lion statue.
It is said to be the largest single piece of Karatsu ware.
Karatsu ware (唐津焼) refers to the pottery of this region.
It developed based on techniques brought over
when Joseon potters were taken to Japan during the Imjin War.
The nearby Nagoya Castle ruins (名護屋城跡) were built
by Toyotomi Hideyoshi
as a forward base in preparation for the war.
In many ways, Karatsu is a place deeply connected with Joseon.
Anyway,
that lion statue is modeled
after the lion used in the Karatsu Kunchi (唐津くんち) festival.
When Karatsu Kunchi takes place,
a total of 14 Hikiyama (曳山) parade through the streets.
Each Hikiyama represents one of the 14 districts
and is shaped like mythical animals
such as lions, carp, and phoenixes.
The scene is said to be quite impressive.
It was designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 1980.
Karatsu is a relatively small city,
so you will not find places like Don Quijote or Daiso
in the downtown area.
Fortunately, there is a large drugstore chain,
Matsumoto Kiyoshi (マツモトキヨシ) inside Karatsu Station.
If you need to do some shopping, this is where you should go.
If you need to buy souvenirs,
it is better to visit Alpino (唐津市ふるさと会館アルピノアルピノ),
a local heritage hall located in front of the station.
There is a fairly large specialty goods section on the first floor
where you can buy traditional sweets and local sake.
And finally,
when night falls,
my favorite place in front of the station opens.
It was a place I had no idea about
during my pre-trip research.
I found out about it while drinking somewhere else.
It is the yatai street (唐津屋台街ガード下).
Although it is called a yatai street,
it is not a “real” yatai like the ones in Nakasu, Fukuoka.
It is a place where about eight small shops are gathered
under the railway overpass of Karatsu Station.
It feels like a place for real locals, far from tourists.
Karatsu City Hall was completed in 2022,
so it is a very recently built building.
The overall shape is a rectangular structure,
but the slabs of each floor extend outward,
and the rows of columns give the facade a strong finish.
The large use of glass also gives it a modern feeling.
In front of this modern building,
there is a moat flowing as if it were a Japanese castle.
Behind the moat,
there is a stone wall that gives a traditional impression,
making the city hall feel like a modern-day castle.
That is why I really liked this building.
I first saw it while passing by on a bus on my first day.
It was a building I decided I had to visit
at least once during the trip to take photos.
It takes about 15 minutes to walk to the hotel,
so it is possible to walk.
But since it is a winter night and I have had a bit to drink,
taking a taxi would be better.
You can call a taxi using apps like GO!,
but since there is an additional fee of about 300 yen,
it is more convenient to go where taxis are waiting.
Late at night, taxis wait in front of Oteguchi (大手口).
During the day, it is a hub for buses,
and at night, it becomes a gathering point for taxis.
In fact, the real transportation center of Karatsu
might be Oteguchi rather than Karatsu Station.
And before returning to the hotel,
if you need to buy ramen or beer to eat at the hotel,
you should head toward the city hall.
Strangely, there are almost no convenience stores in downtown Karatsu.
There are some large ones in residential areas,
but in the downtown area, this is almost the only one.
So if you want to stop by a convenience store
before heading back to the hotel,
you should go to the FamilyMart in front of the city hall.
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