Visit Uki

03/12/2022

17/12/2019

"Okoshiki-kaigan" beach is a superb view spot selected as one of Japan's 100 best sunsets and 100 best beaches. The beach was named after a folk tale that Emperor Keikou stopped his "Okoshi", a portable shrine, to see such a beautiful landscape of the seashore.
Ariake sea has the largest tidal difference in Japan. At a low tide, crescent-shaped pattern comes up on the surface.
Through daytime, evening, and at night, the sea is colored from orange to blue. Especially in the magic hour of the combination of low tide and sunset, the landscape will take your breath away. A lot of photographers come to see this superb view which can only be seen several times a year.
○Best date for combination of low tide and sunset
※Date (Sunset time)
2020/2/12(18:01)
2/13(18:02)
2/14(18:02)
3/13(18:25)
3/14(18:26)
3/29(18:36)
4/12(18:46)

16/12/2019

Once prospering as a port town, the Matsuai district of Uki City still has white walls dozo-zukuri buildings (earthen-wall storehouse style) dating back to that old prosperous period. Local people call Matsuai by its cute nickname "Matcha".
Here in Matsuai, "Matcha Morning Market" is held every 3rd Sunday of the month. From early morning, many people come and visit this market to get local specialties like fresh fish, vegetables, konosirus (local fish) sushi, shrimp dago-jiru dumpling soup, etc.
One of the highlights of the market is the "all-you-can-pack Miso" brought by Matsuai Food,where everyone tries to pile on a heap of Miso (fermented soybean paste). Eating and buying delicious food, and meeting and chatting with the locals is the greatest charm of this food market.

12/12/2019

Midorika Dam Lake was built in 1971 for multipurpose use as an irrigation reservoir and a power plant. You can look inside the body of this huge dam which has 76.5 meters in height and 295.3 meters in length (reservation required).

The lake is surrounded by around 1,600 Sakura cherry trees. In its best time, which is from the end of March to the beginning of April, you can have a spectacular view of the cherry blossoms.

Meanwhile, at the rest house, you can enjoy popular Misato pudding which melts in the mouth. Made from fresh and newly laid eggs, it is additive‐free. They have other time-limited flavors like Sakura cherry blossom and chestnuts, which can be perfect souvenirs.

07/12/2019

Dondo Matsuri festival is a Japanese traditional event where local people bring and burn the New Year's decorative pine trees.

Touched by the fire and smoke, and grilling ""mochi"" sticky rice balls on a bamboo skewer, people wish for rich harvest and good health in the new year.

At "Midorikawa lake dondo festival" held every January, people build a very high wooden stage called "Yagura" - with about 20 meters in height it holds the record in Japan.
A fire crackles and the "Yagura" burns furiously, flames rising high in the night sky.

［Date］ January 12, 2020 (Sunday)
［Fire burning time］12:00 PM and 6:00 PM
［Venue］Midorikawa-dam Lake (Uneno, Misato-machi, Shimomashiki-gun)

04/12/2019

The 2019 World Women’s Handball Championship is being held in Kumamoto until December 15.

Meanwhile, a hospitality event will be held on December 7th at the Higo Bank in Kumamoto City. This event was planned as a place where the players from 24 countries participating in the tournament, the referee team, the family, the people who are involved in the tournament operation, and the people of Kumamoto are connected. If you are in Kumamoto, why not join us?

28/11/2019

Located on the Ariake Sea, small Tawarejima Island was already known to Kyoto, the center of Japan at that time, even more than 1000 years ago. In famous Japanese classical literature like "The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon" and "Tales of Ise" Tawarejima is mentioned.
Sumiyoshi Nature Park is a great viewing spot for Tawarejima. If you can go in June, the area is full of blossoming hydrangeas. The park is also a hot spot for photographers chasing sunsets.
The park has a monument of Ms. Kathleen Mary Drew-Baker, a British phycologist, to praise her achievement as a mother of porphyra seaweed cultivation. Uto City is known for farming porphyra. Every April, the park holds Drew Festival. The friendship between Japan and UK is going strong to this day. For instance, local people brought that seaweed for the Wales national rugby union team during the Rugby World Cup 2019.

【Sumiyoshi Nature Park】
Address: Sumiyoshi Machi, Uto City, Kumamoto
Access: 15 min by car from Sumiyoshi Station JR Misumi Line"

22/11/2019

If you are interested in art and architecture, then Shiranui Museum of Art should be your next destination!
The museum has lots of famous artists' collections, one of which is Mr. Manabu Mabe who was born in Shiranui machi. He was praised as Picasso in South America with his vivid abstract paintings and he dedicated a lot of them to the Japan-Brazil friendship.
The museum building was designed by Atsushi Kitagawara and is covered in silver stainless steel louver which delicately reflects light.

【Shiranui Museum of Art】
Address: 2352 Koura, Shiranuhi Machi, Uki City
Access: 8 min walk from JR Matsubase station
Hours: 10:00am-6:00pm on weekdays, 10:00am-5:00pm on weekends
Holiday: Mondays (if a national holiday falls on Monday, it is closed on next day) and New Year's holiday (28 Dec to 4 Jan)
Admission Fee: Adult (300yen), University and highschool student (200yen), Junior high school age or younger (Free)"

15/11/2019

The Women's Handball World Championship, held every two years, will be held in Kumamoto this year! 24 strong teams will play a total of 96 matches for 16 days from November 30 to December 15 at 5 arenas in Kumamoto.

On the match date at Aqua Dome Kumamoto, we hope to see you at the venue where we will offer Uki area's gourmet and tourism highlights at our PR booth.
During the champioship, we also hope you will visit us in the Uki area which is near Kumamoto city and it is where Park Dome Kumamoto (main venue) and Aqua Dome Kumamoto (second main venue) are located. Combining sports and travel is never a bad idea :)
2019 World Women's Handball Championship

Official Website: https://japanhandball2019.com/en/
Purchase Tickets at: https://japanhandball2019.com/en/tickets/