is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Ōita-ken" in . Ōita Prefecture has a population of 1,081,646 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of . Ōita Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the northwest, Kumamoto Prefecture to the southwest, and Miyazaki Prefecture to the south.
Ōita is the capital and largest city of Ōita Prefecture, with other major cities including Beppu, Nakatsu, and Saiki.Nussbaum, "Ōita" in . Ōita Prefecture is located in the northeast of Kyūshū on the Bungo Channel, connecting the Pacific Ocean and Seto Inland Sea, across from Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku. Ōita Prefecture is famous for its hot springs and is a popular tourist destination in Japan for its onsen and ryokan, particularly in and around the city of Beppu. It has more onsen than any other Japanese prefecture.
History
Around the 6th century, Kyushu consisted of four regions: Tsukushi Province, Hi Province, Kumaso Province and Toyo Province.
Toyo Province was later divided into two regions, upper and lower Toyo Province, called Bungo Province and Buzen Province.
After the Meiji Restoration, districts from Bungo and Buzen provinces were combined to form Ōita Prefecture.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Provinces and prefectures" in . These provinces were divided among many local daimyōs and thus a large castle town never formed in Ōita. From this time that whole area became known as "Toyo-no-Kuni", which means "Land of Abundance".
The origins of the name Ōita are documented in a report from the early 8th century called the .Ōita Prefectural Government. (2006). Guide-O Ōita Prefecture Guide Book, p. 20. According to the document, when Emperor Keikō visited the Kyushu region, stopping first in Toyo-no-Kuni, he exclaimed that 'This is a vast land, indeed. It shall be known as Okita-Kuni!' Okita-Kuni, meaning "Land of the Great Fields", later came to be written as "Ōita". Present day interpretations based on Ōita's topography state that Oita's name comes from "Okita", meaning "many fields", rather than "vast" or "great" field, because of Ōita's complex terrain.
In the Edo period (1603–1867) the town of Hita was the government seat for the entire domain of Kyushu, which was directly controlled by the national government or shōgun at that time. The region became well known for the money-lending industry based out of Hita. Merchants in Hita's Mameda and Kuma districts worked with the national government to create this money-lending industry known as Hita-kin.
Shrines and temples Sasamuta-jinja and Yusuhara Hachiman-gū are the chief Shinto shrines (ichinomiya) in the prefecture."Nationwide List of Ichinomiya," p. 3; retrieved February 9, 2012.
Usa Jjingū, the head shrine of more than 40,000 Hachiman shrines, is located in Usa, Ōita."Usa Jingu Shrine (English)" retrieved May 31, 2024.
Geography Ōita Prefecture is on the north-eastern section of the island of Kyūshū. It is from east to west, and from north to south, with a total area of 6,340.71 square kilometers.
Surrounded by the Suo Channel and Honshū Island to the north, the Iyo Channel and Shikoku Island to the east, it is bordered by Miyazaki Prefecture to the south, and Fukuoka Prefecture and Kumamoto Prefecture to the west. It is divided between north and south by a major tectonic line running from Usuki City in Ōita Prefecture to Yatsushiro City in Kumamoto Prefecture, which is to the west of Ōita. There are several other tectonic lines running from east to west through the prefecture. The northern part of the prefecture features granite and metamorphic rocks, while the southern area features limestone, which is the foundation for the Tsukumi cement industry, and several limestone caves. The Kirishima Range is a volcanic belt that runs vertically through the prefecture and contributes to the many hot spring sources that make the region a popular tourist attraction and makes Ōita the prefecture with the largest number of hot springs in the whole country.Ōita Prefectural Government. (2009). Reassurance, Vitality & Growth of Ōita Prefecture, p. 5.
The mountain ranges include the peaks of Mount Yufu, Mount Tsurumi, Mount Sobo, Mount Katamuki, and Mount Kujū (which is called the "roof of Kyushu"). These mountain ranges contribute to the fact that 70% of Oita is covered by forests, and the rivers and streams that flow from these ranges give the prefecture rich water sources. The prefecture's major water sources are the Yamakuni River (with the Heisei Ozeki Dam and Yabakei Dam on it), Yakkan River, Ōita River, Ōno River (with Hakusui Dam on it), and Banjō River. The coastline features include Beppu Bay and the Bungo Channel.
Mount Kujū, a volcano, is surrounded by highlands called the Kujū Highlands and the Handa Highlands. The main agriculture activity on the plateau grasslands north and south of Mt. Kujū is dairy farming. There are open plains throughout the prefecture with Nakatsu Plain in the north, Oita Plain in the center, and Saiki Plain in the south. The inland areas consist of basin valleys in Hita, Kusu, Yufuin and Taketa, which were formed by lava buildup in combination with river erosion.
Ōita has a coastline that has shoals in the north, Beppu Bay in the center, and a jagged or sawtooth "rias coastline" in the south. Sea cliffs, caves, and sedimentary rock formations that can be found in Saiki City's Yakata Island are considered very rare outside of coral reef areas. Ōita's coastal waters contribute to a prosperous fishing industry.
As of April 1, 2014, 28% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Aso Kujū and Setonaikai National Parks; the Nippō Kaigan, Sobo-Katamuki, and Yaba-Hita-Hikosan Quasi-National Parks; and the Bungo Suidō, Jinkakuji Serikawa, Kunisaki Hantō, Sobo Katamuki, and Tsue Sankei Prefectural Natural Parks.
Current municipalities
Currently, the prefecture has 14 cities, 3 districts, 3 towns, and one village. From 2005 to 2006, all municipalities but Beppu, Tsukumi, Himeshima, Hiji, and all towns in Kusu District, were merged, and the total municipalities went down from 58 on December 31, 2004, to 18 after the creation of the city of Kunisaki by merging with 4 towns from Higashikunisaki District on March 31, 2006. As a result, the prefecture became the one with the fewest municipalities within Kyūshū, and the fourth fewest in Japan. However, Ōita Prefecture now has the fewest towns (3) and fewest towns and villages combined (4) in all of Japan.
Cities Fourteen cities are located in Ōita Prefecture: NameArea (km2)PopulationMapRōmajiKanji Beppu別府市125.34113,045 Bungo-Ōno豊後大野市603.1432,846 Bungotakada豊後高田市206.2421,980 Hita日田市666.0361,148 Kitsuki杵築市280.0826,761 Kunisaki国東市318.1025,721 Nakatsu中津市491.5382,301 Ōita (capital)大分市502.38474,804 Saiki佐伯市903.1165,870 Taketa竹田市477.5319,456 Tsukumi津久見市79.4815,492 Usa宇佐市439.0552,808 Usuki臼杵市291.2034,155 Yufu由布市319.3233,556
Towns and villages These are the towns and villages in each district: NameArea (km2)PopulationDistrictMapRōmajiKanji Hiji日出町73.3228,025Hayami District Himeshima姫島村6.981,930Higashikunisaki District Kokonoe九重町271.378,536Kusu District Kusu玖珠町286.5114,085Kusu District
Mergers and dissolutions
If the district dissolved, then the link will be in place. Hayami District: Yamaga, Hiji Higashikunisaki District: Aki, Kunimi, Kunisaki, Musashi, Himeshima Ōno District: Notsu, Asaji, Chitose, Inukai, Kiyokawa, Mie, Ogata, Ōno Ōita District: Notsuharu, Hasama, Shōnai, Yufuin Kitaamabe District: Saganoseki Shimoge District: Hon'yabakei, Sankō, Yabakei, Yamakuni Minamiamabe District: Honjō, Kamae, Kamiura, Naokawa, Tsurumi, Ume, Yayoi, Yonōzu Hita District: Amagase, Kamitsue, Maetsue, Nakatsue, Ōyama Usa District: Ajimu, Innai Nishikunisaki District: Kakaji, Matama, Ōta Naoiri District: Kujū, Naoiri, Ogi
Economy
Ōita Prefecture's industrial activity is centered on agricultural products. Fishery products and manufactured goods rank second and third respectively in terms of Ōita's industrial activity.
Ōita is Japan's number one producer of the following products:Ōita Prefectural Government, Guide-O Oita Prefecture Guide Book, p. 40-41.
Kabosu limes: Ōita Prefecture is Japan's number one producer of kabosu, a citrus fruit that is similar to a lime. Kabosu are available year-round but peak season for taste and quality is from August to October. Kabosu are rich in vitamin C and contain beneficial acids, such as citric acid. Kabosu have been produced in the Taketa and Usuki areas for many years.
Dried shiitake mushrooms: Ōita is the largest producer of dried shiitake mushrooms in Japan, and the cultivation of shiitake mushrooms is said to have originated in Ōita. Ōita's dried shiitake rank number one in Japan in production quantity and quality. Shiitake are said to be beneficial in the prevention of high blood pressure and arterial sclerosis.
Saffron: Saffron has been cultivated in Ōita since the late 19th century, and Ōita's Taketa area produces 80% of Japan's total amount of saffron, making Ōita the top producer of saffron. The quality of Ōita saffron has gained international acclaim as active component levels are several times higher than foreign saffron. Saffron is said to have many benefits including circulation enhancement and is used as a food coloring and natural medicine.
Galingale: Ōita is Japan's top producer of , a kind of rush plant, a grass with a distinctive triangular profile, belonging to the family Cyperaceae. It is grown in Kunisaki Peninsula of Ōita Prefecture and is used in the production of Ryukyu-style tatami mats, as it is dust and moisture absorbent and has a pleasant scent.
Madake bamboo: The madake variety of bamboo makes up 60% of Japan's cultivated bamboo, and Ōita is Japan's top producer. It is the most popular variety of bamboo used in handiwork and traditional crafts since it is very flexible and pressure resistant.
Ōita ranks number one in Japan (and second in the world next to America's Yellowstone National Park) for the amount of hot-spring output and geothermal power. Ōita also ranks number one in Japan for the amount of limestone production.
Other industries
Seki-aji and seki-saba are mackerels that are well-known seafood products of Ōita. Ōita has gained nationwide recognition for their promotion of "The Oita Brand", labeling local products with the prefectural name.
Key Ōita Brand products are as follows:Ōita Prefectural Government, Reassurance, Vitality & Growth, p. 34.
Agricultural products: tomatoes, leeks, strawberries, scallions, kabosu limes, greenhouse tangerines, , roses, chrysanthemums, pears (Hita City, Shonai Town in Yufu City and Kokonoe town in Kusu are all production regions for Japanese pears. Oita pears are shipped nationwide, with large distribution quantities throughout Kyushu), and Bungo beef (the Kujū highlands are a perfect feeding ground for cattle and cattle farmers in Oita are involved in breeding and shipping cattle. Bungo beef is a well known local product.).
Forest products: Dried shiitake mushrooms and Oita-style seasoned timber (Oita is one of the leading production centers for Japanese cedar, ranking second in Japan for amount of lumber reserves and number of cedars produced. Oita cedar producers use a special method for drying the wood which combines benefits of natural and artificial drying to produce cedar that has cracks and retains its natural scent and color.)
Marine products: cultured flatfish, cultured yellow jack, cultured yellowtail, cultured loach, pearl, cultured kuruma prawn, natural kuruma prawn (kuruma ebi), cuttlefish, hairtail, butterfish, blue crab, conger eel, clam, and Japanese mitten crab.