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THE HISTORY OF HITA CITY PART ONE

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


Regional Amalgamation

The head man and local government officials of the town and 6 villages, in front of the old municipal offices.

Emperor Showa

The Emperor Showa visits Hita.

Kizan Park

Hita is a town that adjusts accordingly with each of the four seasons.

Municipal Offices

The present municipal offices when they were completed in 1952.

1953 Flood

The town's symbol turned unexpectedly into a demonic river in the flooding of 1953.

1966 Royal Visit

A visit by the Crown Prince and Princess (the present Emperor and Empress) to the summer National Athletic Meet in 1966.

Yamadabaru Plateau

Development transformed the Yamadabaru plateau into a fertile agricultural area.

Hita-Kusu Union

The establishment of the Hita-Kusu Wide-sphere Administrative Union.