is a
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
located in
Ōita Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Ōita Prefecture has a population of 1,136,245 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 6,340 km2 (2,448 sq mi). Ōita Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the northwest, Kumam ...
,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
that was founded on December 11, 1940. It is an agricultural and industrial centre that primarily produces lumber, furniture, and pottery. Its attractions and scenic beauty also make it a popular tourist destination.
On March 22, 2005, the towns of
Amagase and
Ōyama, and the villages of
Kamitsue,
Maetsue and
Nakatsue (all from
Hita District) were merged into Hita.
As of December 31, 2019, Hita has a population of 64,874.
Geography
Hita is located in the far west of
Ōita Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Ōita Prefecture has a population of 1,136,245 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 6,340 km2 (2,448 sq mi). Ōita Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the northwest, Kumam ...
, and borders the neighboring prefectures of
Fukuoka
is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancie ...
and
Kumamoto
is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 738,907 and a population density of 1,893 people per km2. The total area is 390.32 km2.
had a population of 1,461,000, ...
. Surrounding cities include
Kurume
is a city in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, the city has an estimated population of 303,579 and a population density of 1,320 persons per km². The total area is 229.96 km².
On February 5, 2005, the town of Kitano (from ...
to the west,
Nakatsu to the north, and
Kusu to the east. Hita is a natural
basin surrounded by mountains, with several rivers that eventually become the
Chikugo River
The flows through Kumamoto, Ōita, Fukuoka and Saga prefectures in Japan. With a total length of , it is the longest river on Kyūshū. It flows from Mount Aso and empties into the Ariake Sea. It is also nicknamed "Chikushijirō".
The up ...
. Due to this connection, although Hita is placed within Ōita Prefecture, it shares a historical connection to Fukuoka Prefecture. The dialect used in Hita has characteristics of the
Hichiku dialect
The Hichiku dialect is a group of the Japanese dialects spoken in western Kyushu. The name ''Hichiku'' (肥筑) is constructed by extracting a representative kanji from ''Hizen'' (肥前), '' Higo'' (肥後), '' Chikuzen'' (筑前) and '' Chiku ...
used in Fukuoka, Nagasaki, and Saga Prefectures.
Many rivers that run through Hita join up to the Mikuma River, and later the Chikugo River. These rivers were used to distribute lumber to
Kurume
is a city in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, the city has an estimated population of 303,579 and a population density of 1,320 persons per km². The total area is 229.96 km².
On February 5, 2005, the town of Kitano (from ...
and
Ōkawa at the end of the Edo Period, but with the completion of the Yoake Dam, the use of this route stopped.
The mountains surrounding the Hita basin reach 1000 meters (3,281
ft) above sea level, while some mountains around
Nakatsue,
Maetsue, and
Kamitsue reach 1200 meters (3,937 ft) above sea level.
Surronding municipalities
Ōita Prefecture
*
Nakatsu
*
Kusu
Kumamoto Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Kumamoto Prefecture has a population of 1,748,134 () and has a geographic area of . Kumamoto Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the north, Ōita Prefecture to ...
*
Kikuchi
*
Yamaga
*
Aso
*
Oguni
*
Minamioguni
Fukuoka Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Fukuoka Prefecture has a population of 5,109,323 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,986 Square kilometre, km2 (1,925 sq mi). Fukuoka Prefecture borders S ...
*
Yame
is a city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on April 1, 1954.
As of 2003, the city had an estimated population of 39,372 and a population density of 1,000.81 persons per km². The total area was 39.34 km².
On Oct ...
*
Asakura
*
Ukiha
*
Soeda
*
Tōhō
Climate
Hita has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''Cfa''). As a basin, the change in temperature from day to night during summer and winter is steep. Hita has a high annual precipitation rate, with over one third of the rain falling during the
rainy season
The rainy season is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs.
Rainy Season may also refer to:
* ''Rainy Season'' (short story), a 1989 short horror story by Stephen King
* "Rainy Season", a 2018 song by Monni
* ''T ...
months of June and July. Heavy rainfall is frequent, and severe flood damage has occurred in the past. From spring to autumn, a deep fog known locally as ''sokogiri'' (底霧, shallow ground fog) often appears in the morning.
Summer gets very hot, with temperatures often rising above , while winter gets notably cold. At times the temperature falls to -5 ℃ (23 °F). Hita gets more snow than average for Ōita Prefecture. While snow inside the main city area accumulates to less than a year, the mountain regions can accumulate more than of snow.
In the Maetsue mountain area the precipitation rate is high. While this helps grow the
Japanese cedar
''Cryptomeria'' (literally "hidden parts") is a monotypic genus of conifer in the cypress family Cupressaceae, formerly belonging to the family Taxodiaceae. It includes only one species, ''Cryptomeria japonica'' ( syn. ''Cupressus japonica'' L ...
and
Japanese cypress trees used in the forestry industry, it also causes landslides.
Towns and villages
Towns and villages of note that lie within Hita's boundaries include:
*
Amagase: Popular hot-spring spa town
*
Maetsue: Mountain village
*
Nakatsue: Mountain village
*
Kamitsue: Home to international racing circuit
Autopolis
is a international racing circuit located near Kamitsue village in Ōita Prefecture, Japan on the Northeast of Kumamoto. Nippon Autopolis">F1 News - Grandprix.com > GP Encyclopedia > Circuits > Nippon Autopolis/ref>
Tsurumaki ordered 30 Buic ...
*
Ōyama: Agricultural town famous for ''
ume
''Prunus mume'' is an East Asian and Southeast Asian tree species classified in the ''Armeniaca'' section of the genus ''Prunus'' subgenus ''Prunus''. Its common names include Chinese plum, Japanese plum, and Japanese apricot. The flower, long ...
'' and mushrooms
*Onta: Scenic pottery village producing distinct
Japanese pottery
, is one of the oldest Japanese crafts and art forms, dating back to the Neolithic period. Kilns have produced earthenware, pottery, stoneware, glazed pottery, glazed stoneware, porcelain, and blue-and-white ware. Japan has an exceptionally ...
called
Onta ware
, also spelled ''Onda'', is a type of Japanese pottery produced in and around the village of Onta, Ōita, Onta in Ōita Prefecture, Japan.
History
The production dates back to the early 18th century CE. Onta ware is closely associated with Mi ...
(''Onta-yaki'')
For the municipal timeline of Hita, see
Hita District (Japanese). Hita has shared borders with the former
Hita District since 1889.
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Hita in 2020 is 62,657 people.
[ Hita has been conducting censuses since 1920.
]
History
In 1593, Hita came under the direct control of the Toyotomi Household as the main city overseeing Kyushu. After the completion of Hinokuma castle and fortification of Nagayama castle, Hita passed from the Toyotomi household to the new daimyō Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fellow ...
and became a "Tenryo
The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia' ...
" town, in which the town was under direct control of the Tokugawa Shogunate. After the Meiji period
The is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912.
The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization ...
it was known as Hita Prefecture, and after that, it was assimilated into Ōita Prefecture.
Economy
Traditional crafts
*Wooden geta
Geta may refer to:
Places
*Geta (woreda), a woreda in Ethiopia's Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region
*Geta, Åland, a municipality in Finland
*Geta, Nepal, a town in Attariya Municipality, Kailali District, Seti Zone, Nepal
*Get ...
, made from the trees surrounding Hita
*Onta ware
, also spelled ''Onda'', is a type of Japanese pottery produced in and around the village of Onta, Ōita, Onta in Ōita Prefecture, Japan.
History
The production dates back to the early 18th century CE. Onta ware is closely associated with Mi ...
, pottery created in the mountain village of Onta
Industry
Forestry
Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. Th ...
has long flourished in Hita due to the abundant tree supply in the surrounding mountains. Japanese cedar trees called "Hita Cedar" are used to make geta and lacquerware
Lacquerware are objects decoratively covered with lacquer. Lacquerware includes small or large containers, tableware, a variety of small objects carried by people, and larger objects such as furniture and even coffins painted with lacquer. Befor ...
. In recent years the forest industry has declined as a result of the importation of cheap foreign lumber.
From the 1960s, after large areas of cultivated land became difficult to obtain, agriculture in Hita has been shifting its focus from rice to crops grown in the mountains, such as ume
''Prunus mume'' is an East Asian and Southeast Asian tree species classified in the ''Armeniaca'' section of the genus ''Prunus'' subgenus ''Prunus''. Its common names include Chinese plum, Japanese plum, and Japanese apricot. The flower, long ...
, Japanese chestnuts, and mushrooms.
A fishing industry is present, with ayu and other fish captured in the Mikuma River.
Hita is well-known for its high quality water. Hita Tenryosui produces mineral water, and many distilleries produce sake and shōchū.
Recently, companies such as TDK
is a Japanese multinational electronics corporation that manufactures electronic components and recording and data-storage media. Its motto is "Contribute to culture and industry through creativity".
"TDK" is an initialism of the original Ja ...
, Kyushu Sumidenso, Sapporo Breweries
is a Japanese beer brewing company founded in 1876. Sapporo is the oldest brand of beer in Japan. It was first brewed in Sapporo, Japan, in 1876 by brewer Seibei Nakagawa. The world headquarters of Sapporo Breweries is in Ebisu, Shibuya, Toky ...
, and Sanwa Shurui have expanded manufacturing in the area.
Culture
Tourism
During the Edo period, Hita was modeled after Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
and its merchant culture, and even now is nicknamed "Little Kyoto". Traces of old Kyoto are apparent in the streets of Mameda-machi (豆田町), a town where buildings of the time period have been preserved. Prominent buildings include the Hirose Museum (廣瀬資料館), the Kusano House (草野本家), the Nihongan Medicine Museum (日本丸館), and the Tenryō Hita Museum (天領日田資料館). There is also the Kuncho Shuzō Sake Brewery (薫長酒蔵資料館), which has a museum and shop.
Kangien (咸宜園跡) was a private school built by Hirose Tansō in 1805. The school's name means "everyone is welcome," and students from all over Japan came to study in Hita, regardless of age, gender, or social status. Kangien has been designated as a Japan Heritage site and two buildings remain standing: Shūfūan (秋風庵) and Enshirō (遠思楼). An education research center has also been built at the site.
Taio gold mine is located in Nakatsue village; the mine was in operation from 1898 to 1972, but now remains as a museum.
From July to November, fishermen erect bamboo fish traps in the Mikuma River to capture ayu fish, which are covered in salt and grilled.
Hita has many onsen
In Japan, are the country's hot springs and the bathing facilities and traditional inns around them. As a volcanically active country, Japan has many onsens scattered throughout all of its major islands. There are approximately 25,000 hot ...
hot springs, particularly along the Mikuma River and in Amagase.
There are also many shrines, temples, and parks located throughout the city.
File:Mikuma River and Hita Onsen.jpg, The Mikuma River running through Hita. Hita Hot Springs in the centre picture and Kizan Park in the foreground.
File:Amagase Onsen 01.jpg, Amagase Onsen hotels and ryokans along Kusu River.
Festivals
Hita has many festivals throughout the year that attract a steady stream of visitors.
Tenryō Hita Ohina Festival
Tenryō Hita Ohina Festival (天領日田おひなまつり) is a girl's doll festival held every year from February 15 through March 31, around the time of the national Hinamatsuri
, also called Doll's Day or Girls' Day, is a religious (Shinto) holiday in Japan, celebrated on 3March of each year. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2005)"Hina Matsuri"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 313. Platforms covered with a red carpet–mater ...
. During this festival, the museums and old houses of Mameda-machi and Kuma-machi open their doors to the public and display their collection of dolls.
Hita Kawabiraki Kankōsai River Opening Festival
Hita Kawabiraki Kankōsai (日田川開き観光祭), or River Opening Festival, is held the first weekend after May 20. This festival celebrates the start of the ayu fishing season on Mikuma River, and more than 10,000 fireworks are launched over the river in a two-day firework display.
Hita Gion Festival
Hita Gion Festival (日田祇園祭) is held the first weekend after July 20. It is modeled after the famous Gion Festival
The is one of the largest and most famous festivals in Japan, taking place annually during the month of July in Kyoto. Many events take place in central Kyoto and at the Yasaka Shrine, the festival's patron shrine, located in Kyoto's famous Gion ...
in Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
. Huge wooden ''yamaboko'' floats (up to 12m high) from different areas of the city are pushed around the streets by volunteers. These floats can also be seen at the Gion Yamaboko Hall (日田祇園山鉾会館) in Kuma-machi throughout the year.
Sen-nen Akari Bamboo Light Festival
Sen-nen Akari (千年あかり) is held from Friday to Sunday during the third week in November. On these three nights, bamboo lights illuminate the streets of Mameda-machi and the neighboring Kagestu River. The festival began in 2005.
Hita Tenryō Festival
Hita Tenryō Festival (日田天領まつり) is held the third weekend in November. This festival celebrates Hita's Edo period
The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...
, when it was under direct Tokugawa supervision. The highlight is a procession of 200 people through the city in full Edo-period costume. The name of the festival comes from the phrase tenryō, used to describe such direct Tokugawa landholdings (Hita was part of the territory overseen by the saigoku gundai, the deputy of the western provinces).
Cuisine
Hita has many local specialty foods. One of the most famous is Hita Yakisoba, a noodle dish prepared in a unique manner that makes it crispier than standard yakisoba
''Yakisoba'' ( ja, 焼きそば ), "fried noodle", is a Japanese noodle stir-fried dish. Usually, soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour, but soba in yakisoba are Chinese noodles (Chuuka soba) made from wheat flour, typically flavored with ...
. Takanazushi is a kind of sushi made with takana (a leaf mustard) and nori
Nori is a dried edible seaweed used in Japanese cuisine, made from species of the red algae genus ''Pyropia'', including ''P. yezonesis'' and '' P. tenera''. It has a strong and distinctive flavor, and is often used to wrap rolls of sushi or '' ...
. The seasoning yuzukoshō is theorized to have been first made in Hita.
Transportation
The principal railway station is Hita Station, with JR Kyushu
The , also referred to as , is one of the seven constituent companies of Japan Railways Group (JR Group). It operates intercity rail services within Kyushu, Japan and the JR Kyushu Jet Ferry Beetle hydrofoil service across the Tsushima Strait ...
running two lines through the city: the Kyūdai Main Line
The is a railway line in Kyushu, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Kurume Station, Kurume in Fukuoka Prefecture and Ōita Station, Ōita in Ōita Prefecture. It is also known as the Yufu Kōgen Line.
The ...
and the Hitahikosan Line. As a result of the July 2017 Northern Kyushu heavy rain damage, rail service on the Hitahikosan Line has been suspended between Hita and Soeda, running a replacement bus instead.
The luxury ''Aru Ressha
The is a replica of a J. G. Brill Company two-car deluxe coach operated as an excursion train by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) in Japan since August 2015.
Overview
Details of the planned excursion train, provisionally called the "Sweets T ...
'' train was designed by Eiji Mitooka
is a Japanese industrial designer, illustrator, and managing director of the industrial design company . He also works as a design consultant for Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu).
Biography
Mitooka graduated from Okayama Technical High Sch ...
. It runs between Ōita and Hita and is in service to also revive tourism and the local economy.
There are three main bus companies servicing Hita: Hita Bus, Nishitetsu
The , also called or NNR, is one of Japan's "Big 16" private railroad companies. With headquarters in Fukuoka, it operates local and highway buses, supermarkets, real estate and travel agencies, as well as railways in Fukuoka Prefecture ...
, and Ōita Transportation. The Ōita Expressway
is a Japanese expressway in Kyushu that travels from Tosu to Hiji, where it connects to the Higashikyushu Expressway. It runs through the southern half of Fukuoka Prefecture, and the northern half of Ōita Prefecture. The total length of Ōi ...
passes through Hita, and highway buses connect Hita to Fukuoka
is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancie ...
, Ōita, and Nagasaki
is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan.
It became the sole port used for trade with the Portuguese and Dutch during the 16th through 19th centuries. The Hidden Christian Sites in the ...
. Other routes connect Hita to neighboring regions, and a community bus provides service within the city.
Notable people
* Hajime Isayama
is a Japanese manga artist. His first series, '' Attack on Titan'' (2009–2021), became one of the best-selling manga series of all time with 110 million copies in circulation as of September 2022.
Biography
Isayama was born in Ōyama, Ōi ...
(manga artist and writer)
* Hirose Tansō (scholar and writer)
* Junko Maya (actress)
* Keisuke Kimoto
is a former Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or cu ...
(Football player)
* Koji Kuramoto (judo athlete)
* Sayami Matsushita
is an athlete from Japan. She competes in archery.
Matsushita represented Japan at the 2004 Summer Olympics. She placed 35th in the women's individual ranking round with a 72-arrow score of 624. In the first round of elimination, she faced ...
(archer)
References
External links
Hita City official website
Hita City official sightseeing information site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hita, Oita
Cities in Ōita Prefecture
Hanami spots of Japan