During the Edo period (1600-1868), Hita was a Tenryo town, 
directly controlled by the Tokugawa Shagunate. 

With the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the Prefecture of Hita was 
established, with Masayoshi Matsukata as its governor; 
in 1871 it was incorporated into Oita Prefecture as part of 
the abolishment of clans and establishment of prefectures.

 In 1901, Hita-machi was founded with the amalgamation of Mameda, 
a prospering castle town, and Kuma, a commercial town which
 had grown wealthy by selling timber floated down the river 
as rafts, and by trading agricultural and wooden products. 

The inauguration of Hita-machi allowed the industry and 
economy of Hita to expand, and they did so rapidly. 

Soon, the time came for the town to be recognised as
 a municipality, and on the 11th December 1940, 
the town of Hita and the villages of Miyoshi, 
Takase, Teruoka, Asahi, Mihana and Nishiarita were amalgamated, 
and the municipality of Hita was born.
 
Subsequently, in 1955 five villages from the neighbouring Hita 
Country (Higashiarita, Ono, Otsuru, Yoake and Gowa) were 
amalgamated, and in 1956 part of the town of Kusu in Kusu 
County (Takenohaya) was also incorporated, thus forming the 
city of Hita as it is. today.'