It may not be on the typical tourist itineraries, and its name may sound almost like a home appliance, but Hita is a lovely town. It sprawls between two highland rivers in a lush valley at the back of Oita Prefecture, surrounded by forests and fruit trees. Hita is just 70 minutes from Fukuoka, and easily within reach of Yufuin's or Aso's hot springs. But if you think you're heading there for a pit stop only, be warned: You may stay longer than you think.
Along with its pretty natural setting, Hita boasts one of Kyushu's real retro townscapes: Mameda-machi, the town's former core, just 15 minutes' walk from the railway station. Here you'll find beautifully restored Edo Period buildings, shops, gnarled old trees and the curved bamboo gutter covers often associated with Kyoto.
The town's prosperity dates from the days when Hita was a shogunal fief, under direct control of the Edo government. The city's cosmopolitan outlook attracted so much trade that Hita's merchants became enormously wealthy, often more so than the samurai or daimyo of nearby locales.