Hitoyoshi (人吉市, Hitoyoshi-shi) is a city in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on February 11, 1942.^[1] As of November 2022,^[update] the city has an estimated population of 30,752 and a population density of 144 per km². The total area is 210.55 km².^[2]

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Quick Facts 人吉市, Country ...

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
Country	Japan
Region	Kyushu
Prefecture	Kumamoto Prefecture
Government
• Mayor	Hayato Matsuoka
Area
• Total	210.55 km2 (81.29 sq mi)
Population  (November 1, 2022)
• Total	30,752
• Density	144/km2 (370/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address	1578-1, Shimo-shiromoto-machi, Hitoyoshi-shi, Kumamoto-ken 868-8601
Climate	Cfa
Website	www.city.hitoyoshi.lg.jp
Symbols
Bird	Japanese bush-warbler
Flower	Ume
Tree	Oak

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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.

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.^[3] 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.

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.

• Hitoyoshi Station
• Aoi Aso Shrine
• SL Hitoyoshi
• Hitoyoshi Castle
• Kuma River (Japan)

• kuma River Rafting
• KAJIYA-MACHI STREET
• KOYA-MACHI
• Sekaiichi Chiisana Bijutsukan Chobit
• Eikokuji
• MOZOKA station 868

Hitoyoshi is the inspiration for and setting of "Ohitoyo" in the anime Rail Romanesque and the visual novel game that the anime is derived from.

This section does not cite any sources. (January 2014)

• Tetsuharu Kawakami, baseball player and manager
• Miki Tori, manga artist
• Teruyoshi Uchimura, comedian

• 2020 Kyushu floods