Saito, Miyazaki
Encyclopedia
is a city
located in Miyazaki
, Japan
.
As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 34,676 and the density
of 79.07 persons per km². The total area is 438.56 km².
The agricultural products of Saito include green peppers, cucumbers and sweet corn. And the Saito is famous for its eel from Hokita and the Saito Baru Burial Mounds.
The myth of the all night Kagura dance in Shiromi goes thus: When Amatsuhiko-Hiko-Hononinigi-no-Mikoto (Hononinigi) descended from heaven onto the peak of Mt. Takachiho in a place called Himuka of Tsukushi, with him came many servants and gifts received from the sun god Amaterasu, among the gifts were a sickle
, a sword
and a mirror
.
When he met Konohana-no-Sakuya-Bime (Tree-Blossom-Blooming-Princess), a beautiful princess he asked her father for her hand in marriage and her father agreed sending with her many gifts and her sister Ihanaga-Hime (Eternal-Rock-Princess), Ihanaga-Hime's father wanted to endow Hononinigi's children with long life like that of a rock.
However Hononinigi found Ihanaga-Hime so ugly he sent her back to her father and then proceeded to consummate his marriage with Konohana-no-Sakuya-Bime, which was the first marriage between a deity of earth with one of heaven. On returning home Ihanaga-Hime bemoaning her misfortune threw away a mirror reflecting her own image in its glass, the mirror fell in Shiromi. So the Shiromi shrine is dedicated to Ihanaga-Hime.
The Flower Festival is a chance to enjoy Saitobaru's 2000 sakura
trees as they flower for the short time at the end of March and beginning of April. Saitobaru is also full of .
'Kofun Matsuri'
Summer matsuri (festivals) are a regular occurrence and popular summer event all over Japan.
Saitobaru
Saitobaru kofungun
is a collection of 9 clusters of tumuli comprising 311 burial mounds which lay on a plateau roughly 4 by 2 km in size, making it one of the largest collections of burial mounds in Japan. It was designated a Special Historic site by the Japanese government in 1952.
Tsuma Temple
Yamajibishamonten
Tonokori Castle Ruins
Sugiyasu
Translated from the Saito Homepage
Note: Where question marks (?) accompany kanji characters a translation is needed.
Cities of Japan
||A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of...
located in Miyazaki
Miyazaki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Miyazaki.- History :Historically, after the Meiji Restoration, Hyūga Province was renamed Miyazaki Prefecture....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 34,676 and the density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 79.07 persons per km². The total area is 438.56 km².
The agricultural products of Saito include green peppers, cucumbers and sweet corn. And the Saito is famous for its eel from Hokita and the Saito Baru Burial Mounds.
Geography
Saito is the 5th largest city in the Miyazaki prefecture. 70% of the city is mountainous, and a river cuts through the city from northwest to southeast. Many other smaller streams cut through the valleys in Saito. Much of the city is covered by mountains and forest (approximately 80%). It is bordered by Kijo Town, Takanabe Town, Shintomi Town in the East and Sadowara Town and Kunitomi Town in the South, and Nango Village and Shiba (椎葉) Village in the north.- Mountains: Higuchi Yama (樋口山), Soubugaku (掃部岳)
- Rivers: Hitotsuse Gawa (一ツ瀬川), Sakura Kawa (桜川)
- Lakes and Marshes: Komeryoujinzouko (米良人造湖), Chigokeike (稚児ケ池)
- Dams: Hitotsuse Dam（一ツ瀬ダム）
Mythology
The Kojiki is an ancient manuscript which tells many creation and origin stories which attribute to different traditions and in Saito.The myth of the all night Kagura dance in Shiromi goes thus: When Amatsuhiko-Hiko-Hononinigi-no-Mikoto (Hononinigi) descended from heaven onto the peak of Mt. Takachiho in a place called Himuka of Tsukushi, with him came many servants and gifts received from the sun god Amaterasu, among the gifts were a sickle
Sickle
A sickle is a hand-held agricultural tool with a variously curved blade typically used for harvesting grain crops or cutting succulent forage chiefly for feeding livestock . Sickles have also been used as weapons, either in their original form or in various derivations.The diversity of sickles that...
, a sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
and a mirror
Mirror
A mirror is an object that reflects light or sound in a way that preserves much of its original quality prior to its contact with the mirror. Some mirrors also filter out some wavelengths, while preserving other wavelengths in the reflection...
.
When he met Konohana-no-Sakuya-Bime (Tree-Blossom-Blooming-Princess), a beautiful princess he asked her father for her hand in marriage and her father agreed sending with her many gifts and her sister Ihanaga-Hime (Eternal-Rock-Princess), Ihanaga-Hime's father wanted to endow Hononinigi's children with long life like that of a rock.
However Hononinigi found Ihanaga-Hime so ugly he sent her back to her father and then proceeded to consummate his marriage with Konohana-no-Sakuya-Bime, which was the first marriage between a deity of earth with one of heaven. On returning home Ihanaga-Hime bemoaning her misfortune threw away a mirror reflecting her own image in its glass, the mirror fell in Shiromi. So the Shiromi shrine is dedicated to Ihanaga-Hime.
Festivals and Traditions
Saito City Flower Festival- Date: 31 March ~ 8 April
- Time: 10am - 10pm daily
- Location: Saitobaru
The Flower Festival is a chance to enjoy Saitobaru's 2000 sakura
Sakura
A cherry blossom is the flower of any of several trees of genus Prunus, particularly the Japanese Cherry, Prunus serrulata, which is sometimes called sakura after the Japanese . Many of the varieties that have been cultivated for ornamental use do not produce fruit...
trees as they flower for the short time at the end of March and beginning of April. Saitobaru is also full of .
'Kofun Matsuri'
- Date: 27th - 29 August
- Time: 10am -10pm daily
- Location: Saitobaru
Summer matsuri (festivals) are a regular occurrence and popular summer event all over Japan.
Places of interest
There are many places of interest in Saito. These include shrines, temples, museums and buildings of architectural or historical interest. Saito is perhaps most famous for Saitobaru which is a National Special Historic site and historical research site. Other notable places include Saito's Sports Center, Concert Hall and Irifune Eel Restaurant.Saitobaru
Saitobaru kofungun
Saitobaru kofungun
Saitobaru kofungun is a group of three hundred thirty three kofuns or tumuli in Saito city, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. This is one of the largest kofun groups in Japan, and the largest group in Kyushu situated on a 70-meter hill composed of diluvium....
is a collection of 9 clusters of tumuli comprising 311 burial mounds which lay on a plateau roughly 4 by 2 km in size, making it one of the largest collections of burial mounds in Japan. It was designated a Special Historic site by the Japanese government in 1952.
Tsuma Temple
Yamajibishamonten
Tonokori Castle Ruins
Sugiyasu
History
| Year | Month Day | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1924 | April 1 | Koyugunshimohokita Village (児湯郡下穂北 ) became Shimohokita（ 下穂北) Town. |
| 1924 | August 1 | Koyugunshimohokita Town became Tsuma Town |
| 1952 | March 29 | Saitobaru Burial Mounds appointed a special historical place |
| 1953 | July 22 | The Hibi (日肥) line (Hitoyoshi – Tsuma National Railway bus) opened to traffic。 |
| 1958 | April 1 | Koyogun—Saito Town, Sanzai Village and Tonokori Village were abolished and replaced by Saito City. |
| 1958 | September 1 | Saitobaru and Sugiyasu gorge were appointed as prefectural parks |
| 1958 | November 1 | Koyugun—Saito Town became Saito City (And the city was founded). |
| 1962 | April 1 | Saito City, Sanzai Village and Higashinishimera village amalgamated . |
| 1963 | January 24 | A large fire on Heisuke (平助通) Street damages 100 houses, injures 418 and kills 4 people. |
| 1963 | June 4 | Kyūshū Kyushu is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands.... Electric Company’s Hitotsuse plant completed. |
| 1964 | October 27 | The Shimozuruusu Taiko Taiko means "drum" in Japanese . Outside Japan, the word is often used to refer to any of the various Japanese drums and to the relatively recent art-form of ensemble taiko drumming... Dance appeared in a folk art public performance at the Tokyo Olympics. |
| 1966 | November 17 | The Fuudoki Hill (風土記の丘) Project began, a project to turn the Saitobaru Burial Mounds into a public park. |
| 1971 | October 8 | The Shimozuruusu Taiko dance was appointed a national cultural asset |
| 1979 | October 16 | The Emperor visited Saitobaru |
| 1981 | March 10 | Ohae kagura was appointed a prefectural cultural asset |
| 1984 | November 30 | National Railway’s Tsuma line closes after 70 years in service, leaving neighbouring town Sadowara to the west as the closest station on the JR Railway. |
| 1988 | July 1 | Sugiyasu River Nakashima Park Opened |
| 1994 | November 28 | Mokuzo Yamaji Bishamonten appointed as a prefectural cultural asset |
| 1995 | May 29 | Construction began on the Saito-Kiyotake link of the Eastern Kyūshū Motorway |
| 1995 | June | Saitobaru burial mounds selected to be part of a national large scale project to preserve remains |
| 1996 | November 1 | 木喰上人造仏五体 appointed a prefectural cultural asset. |
| 1998 | October 1 | Ceremony to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the foundation of the city. |
| 1998 | October 12 | Maintenance of the Saitobaru Burial mounds and surrounding area selected as part of the Ministry of Home Affairs Reading Project. |
| 2000 | September 6 | The ruins of Tonokori Castle were appointed as a National Historical place. |
| 2004 | April 25 | 55th National Tree Planting ceremony held in Saito city. |
| 2006 | November | 20th Saitobaru Kofun Festival takes place. |
Translated from the Saito Homepage
Mayors of Saito City
| First Name | Last Name | In Office From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 武男 (Takeo) | 落合 (Ochiai) | November 1958 |
| 2nd | 武男 (Takeo) | 落合 (Ochiai) | April 1962 |
| 3rd | 守 (Mamoru) | 岩倉 (Iwakura) | April 1966 |
| 4th | 重美 (Shigemi) | 中武 (Nakatake) | April 1970 |
| 5th | 重美 (Shigemi) | 中武 (Nakatake) | April 1974 |
| 6th | 重美 (Shigemi) | 中武 (Nakatake) | April 1978 |
| 7th | 重美 (Shigemi) | 中武 (Nakatake | April 1982 |
| 8th | 重美 (Shigemi) | 中武 (Nakatake) | April 1986 |
| 9th | 招 (Sho?) | 黒田 (Kuroda) | February 1989 |
| 10th | 招 (Sho?) | 黒田 (Kuroda) | February 1993 |
| 11th | 招 (Sho?) | 黒田 (Kuroda) | February 1997 |
| 12th | 光幸 (Mitsuyuki) | 日野 (Nichino) | February 2001 |
| |和実 (Kazumi) | 橋田 (Hashida) | February 2005 |
Note: Where question marks (?) accompany kanji characters a translation is needed.
External links
- Official website
- Information
- Pictures Pictures of places and events in Saito
- Saito Burial Mounds in Japanese and English