HITA

city, Oita ken (prefecture), Kyushu, Japan, in the centre of the Hita plateau. It grew as a castle town in the late 16th century and is now a market for the rice, wheat, and vegetables produced on the plateau. Forests of Japanese cedar on the surrounding mountains are the basis of the city's lumber industry and its manufacture of geta (wooden clogs) and furniture. The pottery industry still uses 18th-century Korean techniques. Hita is also a popular summer resort, known for its quiet atmosphere and beautiful surroundings. Cormorant fishing is carried out on the Mikuma River, and the city is the starting point for shooting the Mikuma Rapids. Pop. (1985) 65,730.