Hita city [日田]

Hita is a city located about 70 km west of Oita city.
It is in Oita Prefecture, but it is closer to some main cities in Fukuoka Prefecture rather than Oita and Beppu.

Mikuma River flows through this city to the west.
This river comes from around Mount Aso and flows through Hita.
It changes the name to Chikugo River in Fukuoka Prefecture, and flows into Ariake Sea.

Hita city is in the basin surrounded with many mountains.
So, the area has dense fog in winter by the water of the river.

A castle was built in the 9th century.

In 1593, Hita became the government-ruled area.
So the castle was demolished but the government office was set up.

In the result, a tidy town was formed.
And the culture like Kyoto or Edo (current Tokyo) developed in this city.

The old town is Mamedamachi (豆田町), and is located about 1.2 km north of JR Hita station.
It is sometimes called "Little Kyoto".

The north end of the town is along Kagetsu River.
It is a tributary of Mikuma River.

In November, the evening festival "Sennen Akari" is held there.
Over 30 thousand bamboo lantern create the fantastic atmosphare.

And Hita Gion Festival held in July is also popular.

Oide Hita

Mamedamachi was constructed in 1616.

It is on the south side of Kagetsu River and is about 400 meters from north to south and about 200 from east to west.

Miyuki street and Kamimachi street run from north to south, and there are many old houses along the streets.

There is Kusano Honke (草野本家) by Miyuki street on the west side of the town.

It is the oldest merchant residence in Oita Prefecture.
Kusano Family opened the shop in 1688 and had produced and sold wax.

Tenryo Hita Museum (天領日田資料館) is next to Kusano Honke.

It is the museum introducing old culture of Hita, and old paintings, books, maps are displayed.
"Tenryo" means "government-ruled area in Edo Period (1603-1868)".

Hirose Museum (廣瀬資料館) is located to the east of Tenryo Hita Museum.

It is the museum about folk culture and economy in Hita.
The building is former residence of Hirose family which was a merchant in Hita, and the residence was built in the 1670s.

Nippongwan Museum (日本丸館) is by Kamimachi street on the east side of the town.

It is the museum of a medicine "Nippongwan".

Iwao pharmacy was founded in 1855, and they invented and started selling the panacea "Nippongwan" in 1887.

But they had not make Nippongwan anymore after the World War II, because it is extremely hard to procure musk and rhino's horn which were the main ingredients of the panacea.

So they stopped producing the panacea in the 1960s, then decreased the phermacy in size.
And the building was opened as the museum in 1993.

There is a few spots out of Mamedamachi.

Kangien (咸宜園) is a former private boarding school.
It is located about 0.4 km south of Mamedamachi and 0.8 km northwest of JR Hita station.

It was established by Hirose Tansou (1782-1856), a Confucianist in Hita, in 1805.
In feudal period, he accepted both samurai and commoner and both boys and girls to cultivate excellent human resources.

The school was closed in 1897, but about 4,800 students were educated equally.

Hita Gion Yamaboko Kaikan (日田祇園山鉾会館) is the museum of floats using in Hita Gion Festival.
It is located about 0.8 km west of JR Hita station.

The festival held in July models Gion Festival in Kyoto, and beautiful floats parade in the festival.

This museum displays six floats and many other articles using in the festival.

How to get here

By special limited express "Yufuin-no-mori", "Yufu" of JR Kyudai Line, about 1 hour and 50 minutes from Oita, about 1 hours and 20 to 25 minutes from Hakata.

Other Tourist Attractions in Oita Prefecture

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