A New Saga Landmark Born from Love for the Region! The Story Behind the Creation of the “Kingdom Reading Embankment”

“Ignite the Fire of Regional Pride” is a series that explores the ambitious initiatives and underlying passions of the “people” who love their region, bring out its charm, and revitalize it.

In the first installment, we focus on the collaboration project between “Kingdom” (published by Shueisha) and Saga Prefecture—which has generated significant buzz in the media and on social media—titled “Kingdom × (Running) Saga Prefecture ~Don’t Let Saga’s Fire Go Out!~”(January–September 2026), which has generated significant buzz in the media and on social media. We spoke with Masataka Ikeda of “Saga Surprise!” in the Public Relations and Public Affairs Division of Saga Prefecture’s Policy Department, as well as Creative Planners Daiki Yamada and Takafumi Nakahara from Dentsu Kyushu Inc.

Can You Read Every Page of “Kingdom” on a Breakwater!? A New Landmark Over 300 Meters Long Has Just Debuted in Saga Prefecture

――First, could you give us an overview of “Kingdom × (Running) Saga Prefecture”?

Ikeda: This is a collaboration project made possible because Yasuhisa Hara, the author of the hugely popular manga “Kingdom” currently serialized in “Weekly Young Jump” (published by Shueisha), is a native of Saga Prefecture, and this year marks the 20th anniversary of the series’ serialization—a truly memorable milestone. There are four main initiatives.

The first is “Saga Kingdom Airport.” For a limited time, we’ve added a nickname to the airport and decorated the interior in Kingdom-themed style. We’re also holding the “Saga Kingdom Airport Special Exhibition” under the theme of “Passing on Our Aspirations.”

The second is the “Kingdom Read-Through Breakwater,” stretching over 300 meters. This unprecedented project—which displays every page from Volumes 1 through 78 of the manga series on a breakwater offering a panoramic view of the Ariake Sea, allowing visitors to read the entire series in one go—has become a major talking point on social media.

Third, a campaign is underway where visitors who tour the Furuya Onsen hot spring town—said to be associated with Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of Qin—can win merchandise featuring the popular character General Oki.

Fourth is a collaboration with “Arita Ware,” a source of pride for Saga Prefecture. Although the lottery-based sale of the collaborative pieces has ended, you can still view them at the “Saga Kingdom Airport Special Exhibition” through the end of September.

――This is truly a collaboration that brings together the charm of Saga Prefecture and the appeal of the series. How has the response been?

Ikeda: In the roughly two months from the start of the collaboration in January 2026 through the end of March, a total of over 210,000 people visited the airport, the Dokuha Embankment, and Furuya Onsen.The area around the Yomoha Embankment is difficult to access without a car, but these days, there are even days when it’s so bustling that you might wonder, “Is there a festival going on?” (laughs). Social media posts by celebrities have also generated a lot of buzz, and more people are coming from outside the prefecture specifically to visit the Yomoha Embankment, making it a new tourist destination.

Many people have also participated in the Furu-yu Onsen campaign. Furu-yu Onsen is known for its “lukewarm waters” of around 38 degrees, making it a hot spring that can be enjoyed even in the summer; conversely, winter is typically the off-season. Nevertheless, thanks to this project, the Furu-yu Onsen town has been bustling from January through March, and we’ve received messages of gratitude and joy from local residents saying, “We’re truly grateful.”

Behind the Success Lies “Love for Saga”!

――What challenges was Saga Prefecture facing that led to the creation of this project?

Ikeda: This “Kingdom × (Running) Saga Prefecture” campaign is the 43rd installment of the “Saga Surprise!” information dissemination project. While we’ve previously carried out projects with the goal of “maximizing buzz,” we wanted to go beyond that and also aim to “create opportunities for visitor engagement.” Since the methods for “generating buzz” and “attracting visitors” are fundamentally different, balancing the two was the challenge.

――The Yomaha Embankment project truly succeeded in balancing “generating buzz” with “attracting visitors,” didn’t it? What approaches did the team at Dentsu Kyushu Inc. take to achieve this balance?

Nakahara: To create an initiative that would make people want to visit, we wanted to pursue something “they’d never seen before.” We wanted to create something that people would genuinely want to go see—not just a snippet shared on social media.

When the idea of creating a space where every volume of “Kingdom” could be displayed came up during our team discussions, we said, “It’s interesting, but it might be difficult to pull off.” That’s when Yamada suggested using the seawall.

Yamada: Actually, my son kept complaining that we were always going to the same park (laughs). I was looking for a nice park when I stumbled upon “Higata Yoka Park,” which has this seawall—that’s how it all started.

I currently live in Fukuoka, but I’m originally from Saga Prefecture. I remember thinking, “That’s so typical of Saga,” when I saw the long breakwater offering a panoramic view of the Ariake Sea.

Nakahara: In the city center, it’s difficult to implement initiatives that encourage people to linger, isn’t it? This breakwater is a place that’s usually pretty empty, but I strongly believe that leveraging the unique characteristics of that location is exactly what makes this “something only Saga can do” and “something that can only be done in Saga.”

Yamada: That said, even when we first proposed it, we never imagined it would actually come to fruition… (laughs). We submitted the plan with some trepidation, but I’m truly grateful to everyone at the Saga Prefectural Government, the author Mr. Hara, and the team at Shueisha for saying, “Let’s definitely do this!” to such a wild idea.

When we saw the completed “Yomihate” embankment, it was truly breathtaking, and I remember how moved the entire team was.

Ikeda: It was truly moving, wasn’t it! We’re so grateful for the understanding and cooperation of so many people.

By the way, there’s a facility called “Higasasu” within the park where the “Yomihate Embankment” is located. It introduces creatures and migratory birds found only in tidal flats. Thanks to the “Yomihate Embankment,” more families have been visiting this facility, which has also helped people discover the charm of Saga Prefecture in that regard.

――So this was a project that could only be realized because you’re a planner with ties to Saga.

Yamada: Yes. Actually, aside from the breakwater, Yuki Inoue—the ceramic artist who participated in the Arita ware collaboration—was a senior of mine in high school, and the person who made the decorative box for it was also a classmate of mine (laughs). I feel that it was precisely because the members lived in Saga and loved the region that they participated so enthusiastically, and it was through these “personal connections” that we were able to create such a great collaboration.

Ikeda: For this “Kingdom × (Running) Saga Prefecture” campaign, we’ve adopted the tagline “Don’t let Saga’s fire go out!”—a play on a famous line from *Kingdom*. The theme of the “fire of determination” depicted in *Kingdom* aligns perfectly with the values that people have passed down across generations—such as the crafts, culture, and nature that Saga takes pride in.

Yuki Inoue is the grandson of the late Manji Inoue, a Living National Treasure. He is currently at a pivotal moment in his life, having inherited the Manji Inoue Kiln from his great grandfather, and he was the perfect person to embody this concept. I am deeply grateful that someone like him agreed to collaborate with us.”

Passion sparks new ideas, and ideas drive action. Toward a future that local people can take pride in

――Have there been any changes in Saga Prefecture as a result of this project?

Ikeda: One change is that people have come to recognize the appeal of Saga Airport. Saga Airport has the advantages of good access and free parking, but these conveniences hadn’t been fully communicated to local residents, so some people were still using Fukuoka Airport instead. I believe that this project served as a catalyst for residents of Saga Prefecture and people in the surrounding areas to realize the appeal of Saga Airport—this is a very significant and meaningful change.

Also, while I’ve mostly worked with advertising agencies in Tokyo up until now, I really felt that working with people who truly understand Saga Prefecture leads to projects that are more than just “interesting.”

What struck me most was that, since *Kingdom* contains some rather explicit content, we needed to mask parts of the “Kingdom Reading Embankment” installation—a project designed for children as well. It was when someone suggested, “Let’s do it with Saga nori!” (laughs).Masking parts of the artwork can, in a sense, dampen fans’ enthusiasm, but by using Saga nori, they actually found it incredibly entertaining. It turned a negative into a positive—and in a way that’s uniquely Saga. I believe that kind of creative thinking could only have come from people with such deep love for their region.

――Is there anything you’d like to try or take on in Saga from now on?

Ikeda: Yes. When people from outside the prefecture ask, “What’s there in Saga?” many locals respond, “Nothing at all.” It’s so commonplace that they don’t even realize its value. But to people from outside the prefecture, it’s incredibly unique and something they really appreciate. I hope that by promoting these local resources even more—fostering what you might call civic pride—we can strengthen the love Saga residents have for their hometown. In fact, one of Saga’s greatest strengths is the extremely high satisfaction rate among visitors.

Yamada: I share Mr. Ikeda’s sentiments. In fact, Saga Prefecture is one of the top three places in Japan for raising children, with the highest proportion of children under 15 relative to the total population. So, I want to focus on initiatives that help people develop pride and a sense of attachment to the prefecture where they were born. Having lived away from Saga myself, I’ve come to appreciate many of its unique values, and as someone involved in communications, I believe there’s still much more we can do.

Nakahara: I’d like to continue working on initiatives that “don’t end after a single event.” As mentioned in the discussion about Saga Airport, once “behavior” changes, it becomes a “habit,” takes root, and ultimately leads to the region’s long-term vitality and growth. I want to keep creating initiatives that serve as catalysts for that change.

This project grew larger as the “passion” of people who love Saga was combined with various aspects of “what makes Saga unique” and “what only Saga can do.” I truly believe that each individual’s love for their region holds the power to transform every part of Japan.