is a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

located in

Ōita Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Ōita Prefecture has a population of 1,081,646 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 6,340 km2 (2,448 sq mi). Ōita Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the northwest, K ...

Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan's Japanese archipelago, four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa Island, Okinawa and the other Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Ryukyu Islands, Islands ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. , the city had an estimated

population Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...

of 21,980 in 11038 households, and a

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

of 96 persons per km². The total area of the city is .

Geography

Bungotakada is located in the western part of the

Kunisaki Peninsula The Kunisaki Peninsula (国東半島, ''Kunisaki Hantō'') is a peninsula in northern Ōita Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan that juts out into the Seto Inland Sea. The peninsula is almost circular. There is Mount Futago ( 両子山, ''Futago-san'') in t ...

in northern Ōita Prefecture, facing the Gulf of Suō at the edge of the

Seto Inland Sea The , sometimes shortened to the Inland Sea, is the body of water separating Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, three of the four main islands of Japan. It serves as a waterway connecting the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Japan. It connects to Osaka Ba ...

. The city center is located in the Takada area, which stretches across the plains along the Katsura River ( 桂川, ''Katsura-gawa'') and was once a prosperous shipping and commercial town. It is located approximately 30 minutes by car from Nakatsu City and approximately one hour by car from the prefectural capital, Ōita City. In the Tamatsu district in the north of the city center, there is a hilly area which is the site of the former Takada Castle. Its ''

jōkamachi The were centres of the domains of the feudal lords in medieval Japan. The ''jōkamachi'' represented the new, concentrated military power of the daimyo in which the formerly decentralized defence resources were concentrated around a single, cent ...

castle town A castle town is a settlement built adjacent to or surrounding a castle. Castle towns were common in Medieval Europe. Some examples include small towns like Alnwick and Arundel, which are still dominated by their castles. In Western Europe, ...

was developed from the

Edo period The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...

onwards. Moving in the direction of the central Kunisaki Peninsula from the city center, many mountain valleys can be seen. These numerous valley radiate from Mount Futago ( 両子山, ''Futago-san''), an inactive volcano located at the center of the peninsula. Among these valleys is Ebisu Valley ( 夷谷, ''Ebisudani''). The valley contains the rocky trekking course ''Nakayama Senkyo'' (中山仙境) which was designated as a "

Place of Scenic Beauty is a collective term used by the Japanese government's Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties to denote Cultural Properties of JapanIn this article, capitals indicate an official designation as opposed to a simple definition, e.g "Cultural ...

" by the Japanese government in 2018.

Neighboring municipalities

* Kitsuki *

Kunisaki is a small coastal city located in Ōita Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 25,721 in 13082 households, and a population density of 81 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Kunisaki co ...

Usa The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...

Climate

Bungotakada has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

''Cfa'') with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is somewhat lower in winter. The average annual temperature in Bungotakada is . The average annual rainfall is with June as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around , and lowest in January, at around . The highest temperature ever recorded in Bungotakada was on 17 July 1994; the coldest temperature ever recorded was on 3 February 2012.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Bungotakada in 2020 is 22,112 people. Bungotakada has been conducting censuses since 1950.

History

The area of Bungotakada was part of ancient

Bungo Province was a province of Japan in the area of eastern Kyūshū, corresponding to most of modern Ōita Prefecture, except what is now the cities of Nakatsu and Usa. Bungo bordered on Hyūga to the south, Higo and Chikugo to the west, and Chikuze ...

, although some portions were part of ancient

Buzen Province was a Provinces of Japan, province of Japan in the area of northeastern Kyūshū, corresponding to part of southeastern Fukuoka Prefecture and northwestern Ōita Prefecture. Buzen bordered on Bungo Province, Bungo to the south, and Chikuzen Pro ...

. From the

Nara period The of the history of Japan covers the years from 710 to 794. Empress Genmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō (present-day Nara). Except for a five-year period (740–745), when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capita ...

and

Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kammu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means in Japanese. It is a ...

, numerous Buddhist temples were constructed in the mountains of the

which became known as ''

Rokugō Manzan Rokugō Manzan (六郷満山) refers to both a group of temples and a unique religious culture on the Kunisaki Peninsula (国東半島, ''Kunisaki Hantō'') surrounding Mount Futago ( 両子山, ''Futago-san'') in Ōita Prefecture, Japan. The '' ...

'' (六郷満山). Many of these ''Rokugō Manzan'' temples, which are said to be the origin of the syncretism of Buddhism and Shinto in Japan, are located within the borders of Bungotakada. During the

it was mostly under control of

Shimabara Domain was a Japanese domain of the Edo period. Originally known as Hinoe Domain, its administrative center was initially established at Hinoe Castle in Minamishimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture. However, it was later relocated to Shimabara Castle ...

and was ruled by a cadet branch of the

Matsudaira clan The was a Japanese samurai clan that descended from the Minamoto clan. It originated in and took its name from Matsudaira village, in Mikawa Province (modern-day Aichi Prefecture). During the Sengoku period, the chieftain of the main line of the ...

, with smaller areas under control of

Nobeoka Domain file:Masataka Naito.jpg, 270px, Naito Masataka, final ''daimyō'' of Nobeoka Domain was a Han (Japan), feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, in what is now central Miyazaki Prefecture. It was centered around Nobeoka Ca ...

. After the

Meiji restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored Imperial House of Japan, imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Althoug ...

, the town of Takada within

Nishikunisaki District, Ōita was a district located in Ōita Prefecture, Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from ...

was established on May 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. It changed its name to Bungotakada on May 10, 1954 and on May 31 of the same year was raised to city status. On March 31, 2005, the towns of Kakaji and Matama (both from Nishikunisaki District) were merged into Bungotakada.

Government

Bungotakada has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a

unicameral Unicameralism (from ''uni''- "one" + Latin ''camera'' "chamber") is a type of legislature consisting of one house or assembly that legislates and votes as one. Unicameralism has become an increasingly common type of legislature, making up nearly ...

city council of 16 members. Bungotakada contributes one member to the Ōita Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Ōita 3rd district of the

lower house A lower house is the lower chamber of a bicameral legislature, where the other chamber is the upper house. Although styled as "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has come to wield more power or otherwise e ...

of the

Diet of Japan , transcription_name = ''Kokkai'' , legislature = 215th Session of the National Diet , coa_pic = Flag of Japan.svg , house_type = Bicameral , houses = , foundation=29 November 1890(), leader1_type ...

Economy

The economy of Bungotakada is based primarily on agriculture, with the area being a top producer of negi,

buckwheat Buckwheat (''Fagopyrum esculentum'') or common buckwheat is a flowering plant in the knotweed family Polygonaceae cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. Buckwheat originated around the 6th millennium BCE in the region of what ...

peanuts ''Peanuts'' (briefly subtitled ''featuring Good ol' Charlie Brown'') is a print syndication, syndicated daily strip, daily and Sunday strip, Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz. The strip's original run ext ...

, and ''

Alkekengi ''Alkekengi officinarum'', the bladder cherry, Chinese lantern, Japanese-lantern, strawberry groundcherry, winter cherry, alchechengi berry, or Klabuster cherry is a species of flowering plant in the nightshade family Solanaceae. It is a close r ...

'' in Western Japan.

Education

Bungotakada has ten public elementary schools, five public junior high schools and one combined elementary/junior high school operated by the city government. There is one public high school operated by the Ōita Prefectural Board of Education ( 大分県教育委員会).

Transportation

Railways

Bungotakada has no passenger railway service. The nearest station is

Usa Station is a passenger railway station located in the city of Usa, Ōita Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by JR Kyushu. Lines The station is served by the Nippō Main Line and is located 75.8 km from the starting point of the line at . Layout ...

on the

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. It formerly operated the Beetle hydrofoil service across the Tsushima Strait be ...

Nippō Main Line The is a railway line in Kyushu, in southern Japan, operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). Also known as the Fukuhoku Nippo Line, The line connects Kokura Station in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, and Kagoshima Station in Kagoshima, Kagoshima, K ...

, which is approximately four kilometers away from the Bungotakada urban center. The former Usa Sangū Line ( 大分交通宇佐参宮線) once connected Bungotakada to a former railway station at

Usa Jingū , also known as , is a Shinto shrine in the city of Usa in Ōita Prefecture in Japan. Emperor Ojin, who was deified as Hachiman-jin (the tutelary god of warriors), is said to be enshrined in all the sites dedicated to him; and the first and ear ...

. The line was closed in 1965.

Highways

Airports

The nearest airport is

Oita Airport is an international airport in Kunisaki City, Ōita Prefecture Japan, northeast of Ōita City. Oita Airport is an offshore airport built on reclaimed coastal waters off the Kunisaki Peninsula. It opened as New Oita Airport in 1971 as a ...

located in

Festivals and events

* Horan-enya p/small>, a January naked festival in which men in funodshi throw

mochi A mochi ( ; Japanese ) is a Japanese rice cake made of , a short-grain Japonica rice, japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The steamed rice is pounded into paste and molded into the ...

to spectators from a fishing boat and occasionally dive into the cold Katsura River. * Shujo Onie Festival p/small> ( Tennenji Temple p/small>), a fire festival involving ''

oni An ( ) is a kind of ''yōkai'', demon, orc, ogre, or troll in Japanese folklore. They are believed to live in caves or deep in the mountains or in hell. Oni are known for their superhuman strength and have been associated with powers like th ...

'' held during the

Lunar New Year Lunar New Year is the beginning of a new year based on lunar calendars or, informally, lunisolar calendars. Lunar calendar years begin with a new moon and have a fixed number of lunar months, usually twelve, in contrast to lunisolar calendar ye ...

. * Wakamiya Hachiman Shrine Fall Festival p/small>, a naked festival in November. A large

torch A torch is a stick with combustible material at one end which can be used as a light source or to set something on fire. Torches have been used throughout history and are still used in processions, symbolic and religious events, and in juggl ...

is lit with

fire arrows Fire arrows were one of the earliest forms of weaponized gunpowder, being used from the 9th century onward. Not to be confused with earlier incendiary arrow projectiles, the fire arrow was a gunpowder weapon which receives its name from the tra ...

before men donning

fundoshi is a traditional Japanese undergarment for men and women, made from a length of cotton. Before World War II, the fundoshi was the main form of underwear for Japanese men and women. However, it fell out of use quickly after the war with the int ...

carry a

mikoshi A is a sacred religious palanquin (also translated as portable Shinto shrine). Shinto followers believe that it serves as the vehicle to transport a deity in Japan while moving between main shrine and temporary shrine during a festival or when ...

across the Katsura River p/small>. File: Wakamiya Hachiman Naked Festival.jpg, Men carrying

across the Katsura River while the large torch burns File:Shujo Onie (Bungotakada).jpg, Shujo Onie Festival File:Horan-enya boat.jpg, Boat carrying men in

during Horan-enya

Local attractions

Fuki-ji is Buddhist temple located in the city of Bungotakada, Ōita Prefecture Japan. it is a temple of the Tendai sect, and its '' honzon'' is a statue of Amida Nyorai. Claimed to have been founded in 718 AD, the temple was also called "Amida-ji". ...

, Buddhist temple established in 718 AD with

National Treasure A national treasure is a structure, artifact, object or cultural work that is officially or popularly recognized as having particular value to the nation, or representing the ideals of the nation. The term has also been applied to individuals or ...

Main Hall * Kumano Magaibutsu, National Historic Site *

Maki Ōdō is an historic temple in Bungotakada, Ōita Prefecture, Japan. The current buildings are the Edo-period Hondō and an exhibition hall dating to 1955. Inside are nine Heian-period statues that have been designated Important Cultural Properties. ...

, historic temple containing Heian-period

statues A statue is a free-standing sculpture in which the realistic, full-length figures of persons or animals are carved or cast in a durable material such as wood, metal or stone. Typical statues are life-sized or close to life-size. A sculpture ...

* Matama Coast p/small>, famous for its beautiful sunsets and

tidal flats Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats or, in Ireland, slob or slobs, are coastal wetlands that form in intertidal areas where sediments have been deposited by tides or rivers. A global analysis published in 2019 suggested that tidal ...

* Nagasakibana p/small>, a

cape A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment of any length that hangs loosely and connects either at the neck or shoulders. They usually cover the back, shoulders, and arms. They come in a variety of styles and have been used th ...

with a campground and flower park with seasonal flowers such as ''

nanohana ''Nanohana'' (菜の花) is a Japanese generic name for flowers of the Brassicaceae family. The related term, , refers to the flowers and leaf stalks of turnip, napa cabbage, cabbage, brown mustard, zha cai, and broccoli, belonging to the Bra ...

'',

sunflowers ''Helianthus'' () is a genus comprising around 70 species of annual and perennial flowering plants in the daisy family Asteraceae commonly known as sunflowers. Except for three South American species, the species of ''Helianthus'' are native to ...

cherry blossoms The cherry blossom, or sakura, is the flower of trees in ''Prunus'' subgenus '' Cerasus''. ''Sakura'' usually refers to flowers of ornamental cherry trees, such as cultivars of ''Prunus serrulata'', not trees grown for their fruit (although ...

, and ''cosmos''. There are also

sea caves A sea cave, is also known as a littoral cave, a type of cave formed primarily by the wave action of the sea. The primary process involved is erosion. Sea caves are found throughout the world, actively forming along present coastlines and as rel ...

, a beach for

sea bathing Sea bathing is swimming in the sea or in sea water and a sea bath is a protective enclosure for sea bathing. Unlike bathing in a swimming pool, which is generally done for pleasure or exercise purposes, sea bathing was once thought to have curati ...

, and an

art museum An art museum or art gallery is a building or space for the display of art, usually from the museum's own Collection (artwork), collection. It might be in public or private ownership, be accessible to all, or have restrictions in place. Although ...

called "Art Museum of Nature and Human Non-Homogeneity" (不均質な自然と人の美術館). Nagasakibana is sometimes called the "cape of flowers and art." * Showa no Machi, town popular for its nostalgic streets reminiscent of the

Shōwa Period Shōwa most commonly refers to: * Hirohito (1901–1989), the 124th Emperor of Japan, known posthumously as Emperor Shōwa ** Shōwa era (昭和), the era of Hirohito from 1926 to 1989 * Showa Corporation, a Japanese suspension and shock manufactu ...

File:富貴寺大堂.JPG, Main hall of Fuki-ji File:Kumano-magaibutsu.jpg, Fudō-Myoō (不動明王) Statue in Kumano Magaibutsu (熊野磨崖仏) File:Showa no Machi 04.jpg, Shōwa-Style visitor attraction in Shōwa-no-Machi File:Dusk at the Matama Coast tidal flats.png, Dusk at the Matama Coast tidal flats File:Showa no Machi 09.jpg, Sign marking the entrance to the Shōwa-no-Machi

shopping street A shopping street or shopping district is a designated road or quarter of a municipality that is composed of Retail, retail establishments (such as Retail store, stores, boutiques, restaurants, and Shopping center, shopping complexes). Such are ...

File:Nakasakibana Gyōja Cave.jpg, Gyōja Cave, a sea cave at Nagasakibana

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bungotakada, Oita Cities in Ōita Prefecture Populated coastal places in Japan Bungotakada, Ōita