streets of Mameda-machi and the neighboring Kagestu River. The festival began in 2005. Hita Tenryō Festival Hita Tenryō Festival (日田天領まつり) is held the third weekend in November. This festival celebrates Hita's Edo period, when it was under direct Tokugawa supervision. The highlight is a procession of 200 people through the city in full Edo-period costume. The name of the festival comes from the phrase tenryō, used to describe such direct Tokugawa landholdings (Hita was part of the territory overseen by the saigoku gundai, the deputy of the western provinces). Cuisine Hita has many local specialty foods. One of the most famous is Hita Yakisoba, a noodle dish prepared in a unique manner that makes it crispier than standard yakisoba. Takanazushi is a kind of sushi made with takana (a leaf mustard) and nori. The seasoning yuzukoshō is theorized to have been first made in Hita. Transportation The principal railway station is Hita Station, with JR Kyushu running two lines through the city: the Kyūdai Main Line and the Hitahikosan Line. As a result of the July 2017 Northern Kyushu heavy rain damage, rail service on the Hitahikosan Line has been suspended between Hita and Soeda, running a replacement bus instead. The luxury Aru Ressha train was designed by Eiji Mitooka. It runs between Ōita and Hita and is in service to also revive tourism and the local economy. There are three main bus companies servicing Hita: Hita Bus, Nishitetsu, and Ōita Transportation. The Ōita Expressway passes through Hita, and highway buses connect Hita to Fukuoka, Ōita, and Nagasaki. Other routes connect Hita to neighboring regions, and a community bus provides service within the city. Notable people Hajime Isayama (manga artist and writer) Hirose Tansō (scholar and writer) Junko Maya (actress) Keisuke Kimoto (Football player) Koji Kuramoto (judo athlete) Sayami Matsushita (archer) References External links Hita City official website Hita City official sightseeing information site Cities in Ōita Prefecture Hanami spots of Japan