Nov 14, 2025
What do you MOST associate with Oita?
Seen as there was a good response to the same question for Ibaraki AND today is Oita Prefecture day (although they don't celebrate it), what is the first thing that comes to mind when I say "Oita Prefecture"? I have written a post about Oita Prefecture day with what I most associate with it, but I won't write it here so as not to influence your answer, but you can read the post here; https://www.city-cost.com/blogs/BigfamJapan/Mnv34-living_oita
Former nickname was "Saitama". Changed it to save confusion on place review posts! Irish, 20+ years in Japan! I also write on my personal website: insaitama.com
Best Answer
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on Nov 19
Kabosu! And bamboo crafts. Oita is probably my favorite prefecture and Onsen is a big reason for that. It's also a lot more than Beppu, Yufuin, and Oita city. People in Kyushu go there for hiking because there is A Lot of nature. Even a tiny town called Hita City has an Attack on Titan museum as it's creator is from there. https://oita-tourism.com/en/attractions/detail_1028.html PS I approve of more prefecture theme Q&As!
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on Nov 15
These posts are really fun as I think they get me thinking about what each prefecture's selling points are! For Oita I definitely think the first thing that comes to mind for me is the onsen culture. I've been to Beppu and seeing steam rising in the streets, getting to visit onsen (and even free street foot baths) and even have steam-cooked food were highlights for me. In terms of food I also think of Toriten, which is something we tried while we were there. Really yummy and I'd recommend it for anyone looking to try one of their regional specialties.
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on Nov 15
When I lived in Ehime Prefecture, I could see Kyushu from the peaks of mountains I climbed there. My coworkers at the schools said it's an onsen paradise. However, I didn't go as there are plenty of hot springs in Ehime Prefecture. Beppu and Oita travel websites focus on the hot springs and scenery.
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on Nov 16
@genkidesu I am enjoying everyone's answers and it is really interesting to see what people associate with each prefecture. I've added one for Saitama! But please do feel free to ask the same question about any prefecture you are interested in. The answers could lead to an article or two too! I was thinking of maybe writing a summary of the answers for Ibaraki and in turn Oita or Saitama if I get a few more answers on each.
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on Nov 16
@TonetoEdo "hot springs" was the first thing that came to my mind when I was writing up the article about "Oita Prefecture Day". They have done a good job at marketing their onsen culture!
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on Nov 16
@BigfamJapan I think a summary blog would be good, especially if we get new members to the site who might be moving to those prefectures. I think it's always helpful to know what certain regions are known for!
6 Answers