Takeo – Travel guide at Wikivoyage

Takeo (武雄市) is a city of 49,000 people (2016) in Saga Prefecture, Japan.

Takeo and its hot springs have existed for over a thousand years.

Takeo is approximately 28 km (17 mi) west of Saga City and approximately 30 km (19 mi) east of Sasebo.

Takeo Onsen Station is the eastern terminus for the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen. From Nagasaki, the Shinkansen is the fastest way to reach Takeo Onsen Station. The eventual plan is to connect it to Hakata Station however, until then, Limited Express Trains are the fastest way to get here from Hakata Station. There are also Limited Express Trains from Sasebo.

Takeo is not completely walkable; buses run from Takeoonsen Station.

Most shops in the city are small with a handful of goods. Larger stores in the city are Youme Town (ゆめタウン) and Manga Sogou (マンガ倉庫).

• 1 Gyoza Kaikan (餃子会館), 武雄町富岡12397-1, ☏ +81 954-22-3472. Friday-Wednesday 11:00~18:00. Eat with the locals at Gyoza Kaikan, 5 minutes from Takeo Station. The gyoza and ramen here are cheap "B-class gourmet," but they're well-known in the area and the atmosphere is always lively. ¥550~¥650 per item. 
• 2 Saga Hirakawaya (佐嘉平川屋 武雄温泉本店), 武雄町大字武雄7411, ☏ +81 954-27-8481. 10:00~18:00 (last order: 16:30). A modern building across from Takeo Onsen can make it easy to spot. The restaurant serves Onsen Yudofu (温泉湯豆腐), a tofu dish. The tofu is made with local hot springs, the dish therefore tastes different from a normal tofu stew. Every person must order at least one dish. If it looks too much for you, try their ice cream instead. Although the store set the main shop in Takeo, the store started from Ureshino. If you are going to Ureshino, consider enjoying the dishes there. ¥2,500 or ¥3,000. (updated Dec 2024)

Direct to the station's west, is a street of bars and nightclubs. The American hamburger restaurant there closes at midnight.

• Ureshino
• Arita
• Imari
• Kashima
• Karatsu
• Saga
• Hasami
• Sasebo
• Nagasaki