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Toyonokuni Millennium Heritage Journey

HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > Toyonokuni Millennium Heritage Journey

Discover 1,000 years of history in this diverse region in northeast Kyushu

Toyonokuni Millennium Heritage Tourism Zone

Toyonokuni Millennium Heritage Tourism Zone is a place where you can immerse yourself in a completely unknown Japan. Comprising eight coastal municipalities in the north of Oita Prefecture, Kyushu, the multi-faceted area has a pleasant, seaside climate.

Travel from the steep, volcanic terrain of the Kunisaki Peninsula—swathed in oak forests, rice paddies, and irrigation ponds–—to the urban bustle of the famous onsen resort of Beppu, a town with more hot springs than anywhere else in the world.

The region is home to many ancient religious practices, the most important being the fusion of Buddhism and Shintoism known as shinbutsu shūgō, which was Japan’s only organized religion until the Meiji period (1868-1912). The practice of shinbutsu shūgō spread from Usa-Jingu, an important old shrine in the heart of a sacred forest on the Kunisaki Peninsula, and its legacy can still be seen and felt in the local culture and traditions.

Being adjacent to the Seto Inland Sea, Toyonokuni Millennium Heritage Tourism Zone is a great destination for seafood. Be sure to try the Nakatsu conger pike, the tiger prawns from Hime-shima, and the Shiroshita flounder from Hiji, an old castle town. Oita’s fried chicken is also famous Japan-wide, while in Beppu, you can have your meal cooked using steam from the hot springs.

If you are looking for a truly undiscovered part of Japan, head to Toyonokuni Millennium Heritage Tourism Zone and unravel its surprising history, landscape, and culture.