2025 Fall Festival Tour

The Saga International Balloon Festival can be a fickle affair. Last year the entire event was cancelled when a typhoon swept thru the area, the second time in the last 5 years. Knowing this, we budgeted 3 days for balloon viewing and ended up needing them all. Following the banks of the Rokkaku River on day 1 we rode effortlessly thru the tall grass propelled by a fierce tailwind. Alas, our “divine wind” was too strong for the balloons and by the time we got there everyone had packed up for the day. I felt sorry for the food trucks staffing the event-never knowing whether the food they had prepared would end up sold out or thrown out. With rain forecast for the next day we had only one chance left. Setting out early in the morning we could see dozens of balloons aloft in the distance floating on the horizon like giant jellyfish. Everyone was getting excited but by the time we arrived the morning session had ended and we had to move on. Although we got close, our dream of riding with the balloons soaring overhead would have to wait another year.