Hita Historic Town

Known as "Little Kyoto of Kyushu," Hita prospered as a territory under direct shogunate control during the Edo period, and the wealth shows in its well-preserved merchant quarter of Mameda-machi. The narrow streets are lined with white-walled storehouses converted into shops, cafes, and small museums. In summer (May through October), the Mikuma River hosts cormorant fishing demonstrations by firelight. The town is also the gateway to mountain onsen villages and pottery workshops in the surrounding hills. It's a pleasantly unhurried base for exploring rural Oita Prefecture.