Tosu: Medicine Museum, Festival and Views

Tosu offers cultural history, sweeping views and an annual festival as distinct reasons to visit. The Nakatomi Memorial Medicine Museum explores the production and peddling of Tashiroyaku medicines; Asahiyama Park offers views of the Saga Plain, Kurume and the cityscape of Tosu. The Nagasaki Kaidō Festival takes place in Uryūno, Todoroki and Tashiro.

Medical history at the Nakatomi Memorial Medicine Museum

The Nakatomi Memorial Medicine Museum focuses on Tashiroyaku medicines. Exhibits include materials on their production and peddling, an interactive station and a video about the history of this trade. There are also about 100 specimens of crude drugs. The exhibition thus connects several aspects of the subject: the trade is explored through the history of production and peddling, while the specimens showcase crude drugs. The interactive station and video also offer a different experience from viewing the materials and specimens. If you are interested in the subject, the museum offers more than just one type of exhibit, with a range of ways to explore it.

Medicinal herb garden as part of the museum

The museum includes a medicinal herb garden covering about 800 tsubo and featuring around 350 species. It adds a botanical focus to the exhibition. While the museum displays materials on the production and peddling of Tashiroyaku medicines, as well as specimens of crude drugs, the garden focuses on medicinal plants. Its area and number of species describe the garden from two perspectives: one figure indicates its size, while the other shows the variety of species. This way, the garden expands the museum’s theme to include a focus on plants.

Views from Asahiyama Park

Asahiyama Park is located on a hill 132.9 meters high. From the summit, you can look out over the Saga Plain, Kurume and the cityscape of Tosu. The view takes in both the plain and the city; the park is also a popular spot for enjoying the city at night. Unlike the museum, the focus here is not on an exhibition but on the surrounding landscape and city panorama. The park is a five-minute walk from Shin-Tosu Station. Check travel conditions before you set out.

Nagasaki Kaidō Festival in three districts

The Nagasaki Kaidō Festival is held annually in Uryūno, Todoroki and Tashiro. Volunteer guides lead tours of historical sites, and stage performances take place at shrines. The festival promotes the passing on of traditional culture and the protection of cultural properties. The two formats have different focuses: the tours center on historical sites, while the performances are held at shrines. In this respect, the festival offers a different kind of travel experience from a museum visit or a viewpoint in the park. Dates and individual program items may change. If you plan to time your trip around the festival, check the exact dates and program in advance.

Discover more destinations: Karatsu, Takeo, Imari, Saga, Ogi, Taku, Shiroishi, Tara

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