Hitoyoshi Basin located at the southern tip of Kumamoto prefecture.
In the mortar shaped basin, tea is produced on a plateau of 230 m above sea level built over the years.
It was a flat land up to about 100 million years ago, due to repeated crustal deformation, the whole area of Kuma-gun collapses to form a mortar-shaped basin.
The land surrounded by mountains 360 degrees escaped from many wars, Mr. Sagara who was in this place was appointed to the stature in the 3rd year (1193) of the Kamakura period and then as the lord of the Hitoyoshi clan , Until the Meiji Restoration of Keio 3 rd year (1868), it has been a very rare area in Japan that has kept a long period of 675 years.
Kawabegawa: The Kawanabe River, which flows near this tea plant, is the largest tributary of the Kumagawa River system, one of the three rapids in Japan, and it is a first-class river flowing in the southern part of Kumamoto Prefecture. It originated from the Itsuki River of Kunimutake located in the boundary between Kumamoto Prefecture and Miyazaki Prefecture, merged with Itsuki River in the Itsukimura of Kumamoto Prefecture Kumamoto Prefecture, Kawabe River. National Route 445 flows in the southwest in parallel, and joins the Kumagawa river in the Hitoyoshi Basin.
The Kumagawa river and Kawanabe river are beautiful rivers rich in water volume that natural ayu and Yamame inhabit, and you can enjoy thrilling rafting using the rapids in the Kumagawa river. From the Kuma area to the Yatsushiro plain of the estuary, we benefit from underground water in the Kyushu mountainous area and the rich and clean water resources of the Kawanabe and Kumagawa rivers.
A stone monument in Miyahara SA in the direction of Fukuoka going up from Kyushu Expressway Hitoyoshi interchange. It was divided into The Hinokuni from a country of fertilizer, and it was divided into Hizen and Higo, later Kumamoto prefecture was called Higo later.
Handmade crafts of famous products. It is also called a pheasant car (Kiji Guruma). Simulate wild bird's pheasant with rustic wooden toy, make it by cutting wood, attach wheels and strings, tow the outdoor and play. Kijima is mainly produced in the Kyushu region, but what is produced in the Hitoyoshi region is called Hitoyoshi type.
Take the Kyushu Expressway Hitoyoshi interchange and turn left at the traffic light. Turn left at the next traffic light and enter Fur tee Road. There is a plateau where a tea field spreads about 20 km straight from there. This place is located at a corner of the plateau.