Yame City

Xu Fu's tomb, they say. A yearly fire.

Donanzan Kofun, Donanzan Fusube

Photo by Saigen Jiro (CC0)

01 ／ Donanzan Kofun and Fusube

A bonfire based on the tale of Xu Fuhas been lit every year since the Edo period.

Donanzan Kofun (童男山古墳) in Yamanouchi is a round tomb about 48 m across, with a two-chamber horizontal stone chamber holding a stone house and sarcophagus. Xu Fu (徐福), wrecked and washed ashore, is said to have been nursed with smoke by villagers before he died; the Donanzan Fusube (童男山ふすべ) to console his spirit is held every January 20.

Prefectural historic site (designated 1956)
Round tomb about 48 m in diameter (city)
"Donanzan Fusube" every January 20 (city)
Enshrined as a god of the ears, from the name "Donanzan" (city)

02 ／ Bekku at Iwatoyama Kofun

From the square area "Bekku" in the northeast cornerand the mound, stone figures and horses were unearthed.

Iwatoyama Kofun (岩戸山古墳) in Yoshida is a keyhole-shaped tomb said to be that of Tsukushi no Kimi Iwai (筑紫君磐井); the Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that parts of it match the record of Iwai's tomb in the Chikugo Fudoki (筑後風土記). The mound's main axis is about 145 m. From the square area "Bekku" in the northeast corner and from the mound came stone figures, horses, shields and more.

One of the Yame Kofun Group, a national historic site (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
Main axis of the mound about 145 m (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
Stone figures, horses, shields and more unearthed (Agency for Cultural Affairs)

03 ／ Hifumiyo Bridges

Named for their number of arch spans,they are called the "Hifumiyo Bridges."

Among the stone arch bridges of Joyo, the "Hifumiyo Bridges" (ひふみよ橋) is the collective name for Senkyoku Bridge (洗玉橋, 1 span), Yorikuchi Bridge (寄口橋, 2), Ose Bridge (大瀬橋, 3) and Miyagaharu Bridge (宮ヶ原橋, 4). The latter three became registered tangible cultural properties in 2023, and Yorikuchi Bridge still supports local traffic.

Senkyoku 1 span, Yorikuchi 2, Ose 3, Miyagaharu 4 (city)
Yorikuchi completed 1920, Ose 1917, Miyagaharu 1922 (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
All three are registered tangible cultural properties (registered August 7, 2023)

Living here

Two preservation districts lie in the city: Fukushima, once a castle town, and Kurogi, of waterways.

about 60,000 people

Yame Fukushima was formed as a castle town in the early modern period and, after the castle was abandoned, flourished as a collection point for farm and forest products of the surrounding area. Kurogi is a post-town that arose in the early Edo period along the middle Yabe River, where waterways running through town, weirs and terraced fields across the river remain.

People living here: 60,608people
Area: 482.44km²
Households: 22,296households
Rent (average for rentals): 43,676yen
Healthcare: 8 hospitals ／ 57 clinics

Area and habitable land at the same scalee-Stat B1101 / B1103

Population from 2010 onward (municipal boundary changed).2006-10-01 に編入合併（上陽町）。2010年調査から市域が変わっている。2010-02-01 に編入合併（黒木町・立花町・矢部村・星野村）。2010年調査から市域が変わっている。

Children waiting for childcare: —19 nurseries and similar
Home purchase subsidy: —
Average annual temperature: —

These 3 items are waiting on a nationwide data source. We do not fill them with estimates.

Shape

Borders 8 municipalities across 2 prefectures.

Yame City in Japan33.212°N 130.558°E

Territory of Yame City

Boundaries: National Land Numerical Information (N03)

North to south

22.5km

Fukuoka Prefecture: 広川町, うきは市, みやま市, 久留米市, 筑後市
Kumamoto Prefecture: 山鹿市, 和水町
Oita Prefecture: 日田市

Travel times per leg are not published by the municipality, so they are not shown.

Yame City isthis kind of town.

01Donanzan Kofun (童男山古墳) is a round tomb about 48 m across in Yamanouchi, Yame, and a prefectural historic site. Locally it has long been a place to pray for safe travel, through the tradition that it is the tomb of Xu Fu (徐福), who came from China, and a bonfire, the Donanzan Fusube (童男山ふすべ), is lit every January 20.
02The city has Toro Ningyo (燈籠人形) of Yame Fukushima, a national Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, the national Natural Monument Kurogi no Fuji (黒木のフジ) wisteria, and two Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings, Yame Fukushima and Kurogi. In Yabe is Yametsuhime Shrine (八女津媛神社), said to be the origin of the name "Yame"; in Hoshino, Aso Pond (麻生池), with its prefectural Natural Monument Ogura-kohone (オグラコウホネ) habitat; and in Kurogi, Reiganji Temple (霊巌寺), with its prefectural Natural Monument strange rocks.
03Located in southern Fukuoka Prefecture, the city took in Joyo Town in 2006 and Kurogi, Tachibana, Yabe and Hoshino in 2010 to become what it is today. Yame Fukushima butsudan (仏壇) and Yame lanterns (提灯) are nationally designated traditional crafts, and it is also a producer of Yame tea.

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Yame City official site ↗Wikipedia ↗