The JR Chikuhi Line does not stop at Itoshima. Beyond Chikuzen-Maebaru it runs along the edge of the sea for much of the way — one of the most scenic local train rides in northern Kyushu — and after about 45 minutes reaches Karatsu, in neighbouring Saga Prefecture.
Karatsu is a former castle town with a celebrated pottery tradition and a famous autumn festival. Half an hour further by bus, the fishing port of Yobuko is known across Japan for one dish: squid served so fresh that it is still translucent.
Top things to do: Karatsu & Yobuko
Karatsu Castle
The white keep stands on a wooded hill where the Matsuura River meets the sea, with a museum inside and a wide view of the bay from the top floor. The present tower is a 20th-century reconstruction on the old castle site.
Niji-no-Matsubara
A belt of black pines several kilometres long curves around Karatsu Bay — one of the best-known pine groves in Japan. The Chikuhi Line runs beside it, and Nijinomatsubara Station puts you right in the trees.
Pottery and floats
Karatsu ware, an earthy stoneware prized for the tea ceremony, is sold in galleries around the town. The huge lacquered floats of the Karatsu Kunchi festival, held each year on 2–4 November, are displayed in an exhibition hall when they are not on the streets.
Squid in Yobuko
Yobuko’s restaurants serve ika no ikizukuri — squid sliced and brought to the table within moments, the legs then fried as tempura. A morning market runs along the harbour street. Go early: restaurants queue at weekends and may stop serving when the day’s squid runs out.
How to get there
- By train: the JR Chikuhi Line from Chikuzen-Maebaru to Karatsu takes about 45–50 minutes; some trains run through from Fukuoka, otherwise change at Chikuzen-Maebaru.
- To Yobuko: buses run from Karatsu’s bus centre in about 30 minutes; by car it is around 30 minutes from Karatsu.
- By tour: one private tour from Fukuoka combines Itoshima’s beaches with Karatsu Castle.
Insider tips
- Sit on the sea side of the train — the right-hand side heading west — for the views beyond Chikuzen-Fukae.
- Itoshima and Karatsu together make a long day by train. With a car it is comfortable; otherwise consider a night in Karatsu.
- Squid catches depend on the weather, and restaurants occasionally substitute other species or close early.
Best tours & tickets: Karatsu & Yobuko
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Karatsu & Yobuko and the rest of Itoshima:
Private tour from US$614 Fukuoka: Itoshima, Karatsu Castle & Shrines Private Tour
A private, customizable day with pickup that continues west along the coast from Itoshima to Karatsu in Saga Prefecture, linking Itoshima’s beaches with Karatsu Castle and shrines along the way.
- Itoshima’s beaches
- Karatsu Castle
- Shrines along a scenic coastal drive
Private tour from US$95 Customized Itoshima Photogenic Tour
A six-hour private tour that you shape with the guide: choose the coast, nature spots or local food and skip what does not interest you. With pickup available and one of the highest ratings of any Itoshima product, it is the flexible alternative to the fixed coach routes.
- A private guide and a route built around your interests
- Nature spots and local food stops
- Pickup available
