Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto

Hitoyoshi (人吉市, Hitoyoshi-shi) is a city in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on February 11, 1942.

Hitoyoshi

人吉市
City
Kuma River running through the city
Flag
Emblem
Location of Hitoyoshi in Kumamoto Prefecture
Hitoyoshi
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 32°13′N 130°45′E
CountryJapan
RegionKyushu
PrefectureKumamoto Prefecture
Government
 • MayorHayato Matsuoka
Area
 • Total210.55 km2 (81.29 sq mi)
Population
 (October 1, 2016)
 • Total33,461
 • Density160/km2 (410/sq mi)
Symbols
 • TreeOak
 • FlowerUme
 • BirdJapanese bush-warbler
Time zoneUTC+9 (JST)
City hall address1578-1, Shimo-shiromoto-machi, Hitoyoshi-shi, Kumamoto-ken
868-8601
Websitewww.city.hitoyoshi.lg.jp

As of October 2016, the city has an estimated population of 33,461 and a population density of 160 persons per km2. The total area is 210.55 km2.

It is famous for boat trips on the river and hot springs. Aoi Aso Shrine, one of the National Treasures of Japan, is located in Hitoyoshi.

It is bounded to the north, east, and west by towns of Kuma District, and to the south by Kagoshima Prefecture.

Commerce
Hitoyoshi City Office

Hitoyoshi's main product is rice shochu (an indigenous spirit distilled from rice), or kuma-shochu, which is the official name of rice shochu produced in Kumamoto's Hitoyoshi and Kuma District. This shochu 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-shochu geographical indication status in 1994.[1] The most popular brand is Hakutake Shiro, which currently holds 50% market share on all rice shochu 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-shochu.

Climate

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.

Climate data for Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 9.3
(48.7)		 10.9
(51.6)		 14.8
(58.6)		 20.6
(69.1)		 24.3
(75.7)		 26.9
(80.4)		 30.5
(86.9)		 31.4
(88.5)		 28.3
(82.9)		 23.3
(73.9)		 17.4
(63.3)		 11.6
(52.9)		 20.8
(69.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) 3.8
(38.8)		 5.3
(41.5)		 8.8
(47.8)		 14.5
(58.1)		 18.3
(64.9)		 21.8
(71.2)		 25.5
(77.9)		 25.9
(78.6)		 22.7
(72.9)		 16.7
(62.1)		 10.9
(51.6)		 5.5
(41.9)		 15.0
(58.9)
Average low °C (°F) −0.8
(30.6)		 0.5
(32.9)		 3.4
(38.1)		 8.9
(48.0)		 13.0
(55.4)		 17.6
(63.7)		 21.8
(71.2)		 22.0
(71.6)		 18.6
(65.5)		 11.7
(53.1)		 6.0
(42.8)		 0.7
(33.3)		 10.3
(50.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 78.9
(3.11)		 95.7
(3.77)		 149.4
(5.88)		 207.9
(8.19)		 244.0
(9.61)		 453.1
(17.84)		 424.8
(16.72)		 216.4
(8.52)		 186.7
(7.35)		 98.2
(3.87)		 84.6
(3.33)		 64.2
(2.53)		 2,303.9
(90.72)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 6
(2.4)		 6
(2.4)		 1
(0.4)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 1
(0.4)		 14
(5.6)
Average relative humidity (%) 77 75 75 76 77 81 83 81 83 82 82 80 79
Mean monthly sunshine hours 122.2 124.6 152.1 156.9 167.8 133.1 173.6 193.3 150.1 158.2 124.3 118.8 1,775
Source: NOAA (1961-1990) [2]

Tourism

Notable people from Hitoyoshi

References
  1. "Branding crops and Geographical indication | The Canon Institute for Global Studies". www.canon-igs.org. Retrieved 2018-12-19.
  2. "Hitoyoshi Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
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