Takachiho, Miyazaki

Takachiho 高千穂町
—  Town  —
Flag
Location of Takachiho in Miyazaki
Takachiho
Coordinates: 32°43′N 131°18′E
Country	Japan
Region	Kyūshū
Prefecture	Miyazaki
District	Nishiusuki
Government
• Mayor	Shingo Uchikura (内倉信吾)
Area
• Total	237.32 km2 (91.6 sq mi)
Population (February 1, 2008)
• Total	14,262
• Density	60.1/km2 (155.7/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City symbols
- Tree	Ogatama-no-ki
- Flower	Wisteria
- Bird	Meadow Bunting
Phone number	0982-73-1200
Address	13 Ōaza Mitai, Takachiho-chō, Nishiusuki-gun, Miyazaki-ken 882-1192
Website	Town of Takachiho

Takachiho (高千穂町, Takachiho-chō) is a town located in Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan.

Geography

Takachiho is located in the northernmost part of Miyazaki Prefecture, bordering Kumamoto Prefecture on its north and northwest sides and Oita Prefecture on its north and northeast sides. The Gokase River flows from the west to the southeast part of town. The heart of the town is at its center, around the now defunct Takachiho Station and the business office of Takachiho Kotsu, the town public transportation company. Takachiho Gorge, located in the southern part of town, is fairly famous as a tourist attraction.

Takachiho is about 120 km northwest of the prefectural capital of Miyazaki and about 80 km southeast of the city of Kumamoto. Because there are no public transportation facilities, nor are there any national highways to the capital of Miyazaki, it takes about three hours to get there. And because it takes about half that time to get to the city of Kumamoto, ties between Takachiho and Kumamoto are getting deeper year by year. Ties to Kumamoto are not a recent development, as transportation facilities to the base of Mt. Aso have existed since long ago.

Neighboring municipalities

The cave at Ama-no-Iwato Shrine

• Miyazaki Prefecture
  • Nishiusuki District: Gokase, Hingokage
  • Higashiusuki District: Morotsuka
• Kumamoto Prefecture
  • Aso District: Takamori
  • Kamimashiki District: Yamato
• Ōita Prefecture
  • Taketa
  • Bungo-ōno

History

View of Takachiho

Mythology

According to Japanese mythology, Takachiho is the land where Ninigi descended from the heavens, sent by Amaterasu, the sun goddess. It also contains the Ama-no-Iwato shrine which is, according to myth, the location of the cave where Amaterasu hid until Ame-no-Uzume lured her out.

Education

Prefectural high schools

• Takachiho High School

Junior high schools

• Takachiho Junior High School
• Tabaru Junior High School
• Iwato Junior High School
• Kamino Junior High School

Elementary schools

• Takachiho Elementary School
• Oshikata Elementary School
• Tabaru Elementary School
• Iwato Elementary School

• Kamino Elementary School

Transportation

Air

The nearest airport is Kumamoto Airport.

Rail

• Takachiho Railway
  • Takachiho Line (inactive)
    • Ama-no-iwato Station - Takachiho Station

Road

• National highways
  • Japan National Route 218
    • Takachiho Roadside Station
  • Japan National Route 325

Scenic and historic places

Takachiho-kyo(Gorge) and Manai waterfall

Takachiho is the heart of the Himuka Myth Road, which extends throughout Miyazaki.

• Takachiho Gorge (Japanese)
  • Manai Waterfall
• Kunimigaoka
• Ama-no-iwato Jinja Shinto Shrine
• Shonenji Temple
• Takachiho Onsen
• Takachiho Shrine

External links

• Official website (Japanese)
• Takachiho travel guide from Wikitravel