Hita, Tenryo Town
Hita is in the center of Kyushu. In the Edo period, the government placed the governing role here.
Mameda Town
Hita thrived in the Edo period as Tenryō, a place directly ruled by the Shogunate. It produces high-quality cedar lumber. This area retains many merchant houses and their dozō (earthen-walled storehouses) built in the Edo and Meiji periods, giving the impression of a town from a bygone era. It is designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.
More about Tenryo , Click here.
Hina Doll Palace in Soy Sauce Shop
Hita Shōyu, a shop selling soy sauce and miso paste, houses a hina doll museum inside. It displays more than 3,000 hina dolls, many dating back to the Edo period. Visitors can see dolls in gorgeous kimonos, oki-age (simple handmade hina dolls produced only in certain regions), rare examples from 200–250 years ago, and modern pieces.
More about Hina Dolls , Click here.
Kangien
Kangien was a private school founded by the Confucian scholar Tanso Hirose in the late Edo period. While he taught Confucian teachings, he also incorporated Western subjects such as mathematics, astronomy, and medicine into the curriculum. The name “Kangien” combines “Kangi,” meaning “all things good,” and “En,” meaning “garden.” Several of its students went on to become notable contributors to the Meiji government.
Quotes from Tanso Hirose
「人材を教育するのは善の大なるものなり」
---Teaching people is the greatest virtue.
「心高身低」
---High in spirit, humble in demeanor.
「鋭さも鈍さも共に捨て難し、錐と槌とに使い分けなば」
---Both the sharp and the dull are important. It is like needing both a drill and a hammer.
Nihon-gan Kan
This is a preserved shop and residence of a medicine merchant from the Edo and Meiji periods. Nihon-gan was the name of a popular panacea sold by the Iwata family, whose formulation was known only to the head of the household. Though the medicine sold very well in its time, it is no longer produced due to a lack of certain key ingredients. Today, visitors can enter and tour the historic house for a small fee.
More about Japanese Houses , Click here.
Hita Cedar
Hita cedar is considered one of Japan’s top three most beautiful cedar woods. Many everyday items are made from Hita cedar, with geta wooden clogs being the most famous.
Geta: Traditional Japanese wooden clogs with a thong on the upper side and two “teeth” on the sole. When walking in geta, they make a distinctive sound—Karan, Koron! While geta were once everyday footwear, today they are mainly worn on special occasions, such as summer festivals with a yukata.
Other Souvenirs
The Hita Bell is a small pottery bell that serves as a charm to ward off evil. It is often hung in homes or carried for protection.
Onta-yaki (Onta Pottery) is a traditional pottery produced in the Sarayama area of Hita, Kyushu. It is known for its rustic, handmade appearance and distinctive geometric designs. One of its most recognizable patterns is “Tobikanna” (flying planer), which consists of a continuous spiral of small, elongated diamond shapes carved into the clay surface.
More about Pottery and Porcelain , Click here.
