Hita and Amagase are home to tourist attractions such as Matuma-iwa, Kotohira Onsen, and Reimeikan, tourist events such as Hita Kawabiraki Sightseeing Festival, Hita Tenryo Festival, and Hita Gion Festival, and local delicacies such as dango soup, zabieru, and Hita yakisoba.
Hita, also known as "Little Kyoto," was a bustling town in the Edo period (1603-1867), where the culture of the townspeople flourished. Even today, the town still retains its old-fashioned atmosphere, and visitors can take a rickshaw ride to explore the area.
The Hirose Museum, which occupies the mansion of the Hirose family, who made their fortune in the financial business under the store name "Hakataya" during the Edo period, still has evidence of loans made to various clans, which shows the influence of the townspeople of the time, even over the samurai community.
Iwao Yakuho Nihonmarukan, a drug wholesaler, is an imposing three-story wooden structure, and the kitchen, back room, and observation tower remain as they were in the Edo period. Kaorucho Sake Brewery Museum, located in a sake brewery, exhibits tools used from the Edo period to the early Showa period, such as masu and vats. The brewery also has a direct sales store and a café, perfect for taking a break.
On the other hand, Amagase Onsen, with a history of 1,300 years, is called one of Bungo's major hot springs along with Beppu and Yufuin. There are five open-air hot springs along the river, where visitors can enjoy the sensation of being immersed in the river.
The Ekimae Onsen, where you can bathe while enjoying a view of the railroad, and Tsurumai-no-yu, which changes color from pink to blue depending on the time of day, are all unique, so you will want to use the special Onsen Passport to complete your visit. If you take a drive to "Yuyake-no-yu," you can bathe in a unique hot spring that is the color of coffee.
We also recommend taking a retro bus that looks like it appeared in a Ghibli movie to visit tourist attractions. The area is also famous for its many famous waterfalls, such as the powerful Jion Falls, which cascade down in two stages, the Sakura Falls, with its elegant spray like falling flowers, and Kannon Falls, whose center resembles a statue of the Goddess of Mercy.
For families, "Flower Park Amagase" is also a good choice. Visitors can enjoy grass skiing, go-card playing, and other activities amidst seasonal flowers blooming on a small hill.
Rose Hill Amagase is home to more than 2,000 roses in 150 varieties, and the air is filled with their fragrance during the blooming season. Visitors can taste sweets made from roses at the café, and "Amagase rose jam" is a popular souvenir.
Hita Yakisoba is a popular local noodle dish from Hita City in Oita Prefecture. Its defining feature is the contrast between noodles grilled until their surfaces become crisp and bean sprouts that retain their fresh, crunchy texture. Combined with pork and a specially prepared sauce, these ingredients create a satisfying dish with a distinctive balance of textures. Hita Yakisoba is commonly found...»
Hittan Sushi is a local specialty from Hita City in Oita Prefecture. It is an assortment of colorful, bite-sized sushi featuring a variety of ingredients, including ayu sweetfish, eel, shiitake mushrooms, pickles, and seasonal vegetables. At the heart of this regional sushi is takana-maki, a distinctive sushi roll said to have originated in Hita. The combination of traditional ingredients and col...»
Momiji is a traditional local dish from the Hita area of Oita Prefecture, made using the feet of chickens. The Japanese word momiji means “maple leaves,” and the name comes from the shape of the chicken feet, which resembles the distinctive outline of a maple leaf. Chicken feet are used in various cuisines around the world. They are often used to make stock for Chinese and Western dishes, as well...»
Hita City in Oita Prefecture is surrounded by mountains and has the characteristic landscape of a basin. Numerous rivers flow into the area, creating a water-rich environment that has earned Hita a reputation as a town of abundant water. From spring through autumn, the area is sometimes covered in a thick fog known as sokogiri, or basin fog. In summer, the green of the pear orchards spreads acros...»
Handmade Karinto is a traditional-style Japanese snack produced by a local food-processing group in Oita Prefecture. These additive-free sweets are known for their satisfyingly crisp and crunchy texture, which makes them hard to stop eating once you have tried them. This particular variety combines the simple, familiar taste of traditional karinto with the distinctive flavor of purple sweet potat...»
Melty Black Sesame Konnyaku Dessert is an original sweet created with beauty and health in mind. It is made from konnyaku, a traditional Japanese food produced from the corm of the konjac plant, and flavored with black sesame. The dessert is produced by Kumaegae, a food company in Hita that specializes in konnyaku products. It uses clear water from Hita and powdered konnyaku made from domesticall...»