Category:Ōita Prefecture

Ōita Prefecture is located in the Kyūshū region, facing the Seto Inland Sea and bordered by mountains, river valleys, and geothermal landscapes. The prefecture is known for its hot springs, including the famous resort area of Beppu, as well as rural craft communities shaped by natural resources and cooperative production. Mountain villages and agricultural hamlets have long supported workshop traditions passed down through family and community networks.

The city of Ōita serves as the prefectural capital, while towns such as Beppu and Yufuin are renowned for hot-spring culture, hospitality, and local craft markets. The inland Hita region preserves some of Japan’s best-known examples of community-based pottery and wooden toolmaking, reflecting strong ties to land, forest, and shared production practices.

Culturally, Ōita is distinguished by **crafts that express warmth, durability, and the quiet beauty of everyday use**. The prefecture is especially associated with pottery traditions rooted in communal life, as well as bamboo craft, stone carving, and woodworking reflecting the natural landscape and rural heritage.

Signature Crafts of Ōita Prefecture

• Onta ware (小鹿田焼) – community-based pottery known for rhythmic comb and brush patterns, produced using water-powered mills.
• Beppu bamboo craft (別府竹細工) – refined bamboo weaving used to create baskets, trays, and sculptural forms.
• Usuki stone carving (臼杵石仏) – historic stone Buddhas and continued stonecraft traditions rooted in local geology.
• Hita woodworking (日田の木工) – practical wooden furniture and utensils shaped with clear forms and natural finishes.