Hioki City

Said to be Satsuma biwa's birthplace.

Joraku-in, Satsuma biwa's start

Photo by 運動会プロテインパワー (CC BY-SA 4.0)

01 ／ Naeshirogawa kiln sites

At Naeshirogawa, the site of a domain kilnand a relocated kiln both remain.

The Naeshirogawa kiln sites lie in Miyama, Higashiichiki. The Dobira kiln site is considered the oldest at Naeshirogawa; it was excavated for road construction and preserved by relocation. The Gojoshiki kiln, built as the domain's official kiln, was used for about 120 years and closed in the early Meiji era.

Dobira kiln site: city-designated archaeological material
Gojoshiki kiln: prefectural historic site
Built in the Kan'en era (1748-51)

02 ／ Senbon-kusu

Along the approach to Onamuchi Shrine,a grove of over twenty giant camphors.

Along the approach to Onamuchi Shrine in Nakahara, Fukiage, stands a grove of over twenty giant camphor trees. A fallen, rotted tree is said to have measured 18 m around its roots, and a stump shown at an 1910 exposition was estimated to be over 800 years old. It became a prefectural natural monument in May 2023.

Over twenty giant camphors
A fallen tree said to measure 18 m at the roots
2023: prefectural natural monument

03 ／ Yakko-so site

A flowering plant 3 to 4 cm tall appearsat the foot of a chinquapin tree, October to November.

On the hill behind Yuda Inari Shrine in Yuda, Higashiichiki, it appears from October to November at the base of chinquapin trees. It stands 3 to 4 cm tall, and is said to be named for its resemblance to a walking servant, a yakko. It was designated a national natural monument in 1922.

3 to 4 cm tall
Appears October to November
1922: national natural monument

Living here

Mountains rise to the east; the East China Sea lies to the west.

about 50,000 people

In the middle-west of the Satsuma Peninsula, the city borders Kagoshima to the east, Minamisatsuma to the south, and Ichikikushikino and Satsumasendai to the north. Its plains are volcanic-ash plateaus, long known for hot springs. The gateway is JR Ijūin Station. The city was formed in 2005 from the towns of Ijuin, Higashiichiki, Hiyoshi and Fukiage.

People living here: 47,153people
Area: 253.01km²
Households: 19,415households
Rent (average for rentals): 37,501yen
Healthcare: 9 hospitals ／ 41 clinics

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

Children waiting for childcare: —21 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 4 municipalities.

Hioki City in Japan31.634°N 130.402°E

Territory of Hioki City

Boundaries: National Land Numerical Information (N03)

North to south

28.7km

鹿児島市, 南さつま市, 薩摩川内市, いちき串木野市

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

Hioki City isthis kind of town.

01Joraku-in in Fukiage is a prefectural historic site, said to be the birthplace of Satsuma biwa. Three biwa, including a blind-monk biwa, are cultural properties of the city.
02In Miyama, Higashiichiki, lie the Naeshirogawa kiln sites. The Dobira kiln site was relocated and preserved, and the Gojoshiki kiln, once the domain's official kiln, is a prefectural historic site.
03Onamuchi Shrine has a grove of giant camphors, and the hill behind Yuda Inari Shrine sees yakko-so appear in autumn. The city also holds traditions such as the Myoenji pilgrimage.

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Hioki City official site ↗Wikipedia ↗