Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto

Hitoyoshi
人吉市
City
Kuma River running through the city
Kuma River running through the city
Flag of Hitoyoshi
Flag
Official seal of Hitoyoshi
Emblem
Map
Location of Hitoyoshi in Kumamoto Prefecture
Hitoyoshi is located in Japan
Hitoyoshi
Hitoyoshi
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 32°12′37″N 130°45′45″E / 32.21028°N 130.76250°E / 32.21028; 130.76250
CountryJapan
RegionKyushu
PrefectureKumamoto
Government
 • MayorHayato Matsuoka
Area
 • Total
210.55 km2 (81.29 sq mi)
Population
 (April 31, 2024)
 • Total
29,842
 • Density140/km2 (370/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address1578-1, Shimo-shiromoto-machi, Hitoyoshi-shi, Kumamoto-ken 868-8601
ClimateCfa
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
BirdJapanese bush-warbler
FlowerUme
TreeOak
Hitoyoshi City Hall
Panorama of Hitoyoshi and Kuma River from Hitoyoshi Castle
Hitoyoshi Castle ruins

Hitoyoshi (人吉市, Hitoyoshi-shi) is a city in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 August 2024, the city had an estimated population of 29,842 in 15292 households, and a population density of 140 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the city is 210.55 km2 (81.29 sq mi).[2]

Geography

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Hitoyoshi is located about 70 kilometers due south of the prefectural capital of Kumamoto City in a straight line and is the southernmost part of Kumamoto Prefecture. The northern and southern parts of the city are mountainous, forming part of the Kyushu Mountains. The southern part of the city is also mountainous, with an elevation of about 1,000 meters, and borders Miyazaki Prefecture and Kagoshima Prefecture. The city center is at the western edge of the Hitoyoshi Basin, with the Kuma River running through it from east to west

Neighboring municipalities

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Kagoshima Prefecture

Kumamoto Prefecture

Miyazaki Prefecture

Climate

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Hitoyoshi has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, and is heavier in the summer months, especially June and July. The average annual temperature in Hitoyoshi is 14.7 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2283 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25,0 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.7 °C.[3]

Climate data for Hitoyoshi (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1943−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 22.3
(72.1) 		24.0
(75.2) 		26.9
(80.4) 		30.4
(86.7) 		34.0
(93.2) 		34.9
(94.8) 		37.0
(98.6) 		37.8
(100.0) 		36.4
(97.5) 		33.2
(91.8) 		27.6
(81.7) 		22.7
(72.9) 		37.8
(100.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 10.3
(50.5) 		12.4
(54.3) 		16.1
(61.0) 		21.3
(70.3) 		25.5
(77.9) 		27.3
(81.1) 		31.2
(88.2) 		32.3
(90.1) 		29.4
(84.9) 		24.4
(75.9) 		18.1
(64.6) 		12.2
(54.0) 		21.7
(71.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) 4.7
(40.5) 		6.2
(43.2) 		9.8
(49.6) 		14.6
(58.3) 		19.1
(66.4) 		22.4
(72.3) 		26.1
(79.0) 		26.6
(79.9) 		23.6
(74.5) 		18.0
(64.4) 		11.9
(53.4) 		6.3
(43.3) 		15.8
(60.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 0.2
(32.4) 		1.0
(33.8) 		4.5
(40.1) 		8.9
(48.0) 		13.7
(56.7) 		18.7
(65.7) 		22.4
(72.3) 		22.8
(73.0) 		19.5
(67.1) 		13.3
(55.9) 		7.3
(45.1) 		1.9
(35.4) 		11.2
(52.1)
Record low °C (°F) −9.8
(14.4) 		−9.1
(15.6) 		−6.1
(21.0) 		−3.5
(25.7) 		3.0
(37.4) 		7.8
(46.0) 		15.0
(59.0) 		15.3
(59.5) 		7.4
(45.3) 		−0.4
(31.3) 		−4.2
(24.4) 		−7.8
(18.0) 		−9.8
(14.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 75.4
(2.97) 		109.0
(4.29) 		160.7
(6.33) 		177.8
(7.00) 		215.6
(8.49) 		560.9
(22.08) 		491.0
(19.33) 		226.3
(8.91) 		229.3
(9.03) 		108.8
(4.28) 		96.9
(3.81) 		83.3
(3.28) 		2,535
(99.8)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 2
(0.8) 		2
(0.8) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		1
(0.4) 		5
(2)
Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) 8.0 9.0 11.5 10.5 9.7 15.9 14.0 12.2 10.6 7.2 8.5 8.2 125.3
Average snowy days (≥ 1 cm) 0.6 0.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.1 1.2
Average relative humidity (%) 76 74 73 72 73 81 81 79 80 79 82 80 78
Mean monthly sunshine hours 123.0 133.9 161.6 175.8 182.1 117.1 167.2 183.5 156.5 163.6 125.6 118.6 1,808.5
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[4][5]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data, the population of Hitoyoshi is as shown below

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1940 32,890—    
1950 45,169+37.3%
1960 47,259+4.6%
1970 42,196−10.7%
1980 42,236+0.1%
1990 40,173−4.9%
2000 38,814−3.4%
2010 35,611−8.3%
2020 31,108−12.6%

History

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The area of Hitoyoshi was part of ancient Higo Province. From the Kamakura period it was under the control of the Sagara clan, which continued to rule as daimyō of Hitoyoshi Domain through the end of the Edo Period. Hitoyoshi Castle and much of the castle town were destroyed in a fire in 1862. The town of Hitoyoshi was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. On February 11, 1942 Hitoyoshi merged with the villages of Nishise, Nakahara, and Aida to form the city of Hitoyoshi.[6]

Government

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Hitoyoshi has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 18 members. Hitoyoshi contributes one member to the Kumamoto Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Kumamoto 4th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

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Hitoyoshi is a regional commercial center and transportation hub. Important sectors of the local economy include tourism, agriculture, and sake brewing.

Commerce

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Hitoyoshi's main product is rice shōchū (an indigenous spirit distilled from rice), or kuma-shōchū, which is the official name of rice shōchū produced in Kumamoto's Hitoyoshi and Kuma District. This shōchū must be produced in these areas from Japanese rice and with water from the Kuma River, which runs through the town. The World Trade Organization granted kuma-shōchū geographical indication status in 1994.[7] The most popular brand is Hakutake Shiro, which currently holds 50% market share on all rice shōchū sold in Japan. However, Takahashi Distillery, the producer of Hakutake Shiro, is just one of 28 distilleries in Hitoyoshi in the surrounding region that produce kuma-shōchū.

Education

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Hitoyoshi has six public elementary schools and three public junior high schools operated by the city government and two public high schools operated by the Kumamoto Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

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Railways

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JR Kyushu - Hisatsu Line

■ Nishi-Hitoyoshi - Hitoyoshi - Okoba - Yatake <currently suspended>

Kumagawa Railroad - Yunomae Line

■ Hitoyoshi-Onsen - Sagarahan-Ganjōji

Highways

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Sister city relations

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Local attractions

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Aoi Aso Shrine in Hitoyoshi
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Hitoyoshi is the inspiration for and setting of "Ohitoyo" in the anime Rail Romanesque and the visual novel game that the anime is derived from. The setting for Natsume's Book of Friends is also based on Hitoyoshi.

Notable people from Hitoyoshi

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Hitoyoshi City official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. ^ "Hitoyoshi official website" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-12-04.
  3. ^ Hitoyoshi climate: Average Temperature, weather by month
  4. ^ 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  5. ^ 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  6. ^ "Hitoyoshi's Historical Chronology" (in Japanese). 人吉市政府. Archived from the original on 2006-10-06. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
  7. ^ "Branding crops and Geographical indication | The Canon Institute for Global Studies". www.canon-igs.org. Retrieved 2018-12-19.
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