Hita
From WikiJET, the interactive website for the JET Programme
Hita (日田市 Hita-shi?) is a small town of about 75,000 people in the west of Oita Prefecture. It's actually closer to Fukuoka than Oita, the prefectural capital.
Hita is generally regarded as a nice town to be placed in. It's large enough to have lots of restaurants, bars and so that not everyone will know you, while still being small enough to have a countryside feel. It's also well served by transport links so when you want to escape somewhere bigger, you can.
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[edit] Transportation
[edit] Getting in
[edit] To/from the airport
Fukuoka Airport is far more convenient that Oita Aiport due to its proximity. Highway buses travel between Hita and Fukuoka Aiport's domestic terminals approximately every 30mins or so. The journey takes about 80 minutes and costs ¥1750. Be careful when leaving from Hita that you get on a service that stops at the airport and not the non-stop service that goes straight to Tenjin.
[edit] By train
Although Hita does have a station, the train is not as convenient as the bus, being more expensive, irregular and less frequent. Services run east to Yufuin (74min, ¥1080) and Oita (130min, ¥2070), and west to Kurume (75min, ¥1080).
[edit] By bus
Highway buses to Fukuoka (both Tenjin and Hakata) leave approximately every 20 minutes from Hita Bus Centre (1.5hours, ¥1750, Timetable link). Some buses stop at the airport which adds on about 15 minutes to the journey. You can buy a book of 4 tickets (a Super Joshaken) for ¥5600.
Highway buses to Oita and Beppu only stop on the expressway itself and there is only one bus every 2 hours (Oita: 1.5hours, ¥2450 and Beppu: 1hour, ¥2200 - Timetable link).
[edit] By car
The Oita Expressway has an exit here. Driving northwest it takes about 1 hour to drive to Fukuoka (¥1650). Going east it takes about 1 hour to get to Beppu (¥2000) and about 1 hour 20 minutes to get all the way to Oita (¥2350).
[edit] Getting around
Hita is small enough to get around on by bike alone and you should never really need to use the local buses. A car is useful to get out of town on the weekends but not essential. The ES and JHS ALTs have to drive to some out-of-town schools. City ALTs get to use the BOE's car but the prefectural ALT has to drive their own.
[edit] Working
[edit] JET placements
As of 2006/2007, Hita is home to seven ALTs. Four of them work as one-shots in Elementary and Junior High Schools (one is employed by the prefecture, the other three by the municipal Board of Education) and three work as base-school ALTs in Senior High Schools.
[edit] Incoming/Outgoing JETs
Three of the four ES/JHS ALTs are leaving (1 prefectural, 2 municipal) and two of the three SHS ALTs are leaving (1 private school, 1 academic public school).
If you know that you're coming to Hita this year, please e-mail Bobo12345!
[edit] TOIN High School ALT
[edit] The school
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- Toin high school is a private coeducational school.
- The school was founded in 1950.
- The school's academic course caters for those students wishing to continue onto university.
- The commercial course that is vocationally focused (IT/business) for those that wish to work upon high school graduation.
- The school also offers a correspondence course.
- The school is renowned as a baseball school and this is reflected in its recruitment/intake.
- Showa is the only other private high school in HITA.
[edit] Accommodation
- An old apartment that is convenient (approx 1 minute walk to school; approx 5 min walk to the station)
- 2 rooms + kitchen + bathroom + toilet
- The apartment comes with it's own fridge, stovetop, TV, VCR, xbox, air conditioner & bike.
- Rent up until 2008 has been ¥30,000 per month.
- Upon arrival, usually you are expected to pay the equivalent of 3 months rent i.e. ¥90,000 as "key money". This is similar to a bond. However, the experience of previous JETS is that this is rarely refunded.
- You may choose alternative accommodation, but you will need to research this on your own, the rent may be higher & may involve a higher "key money".
[edit] Food on Arrival & Food Budget
- The food budget will vary on whether you are a drinker and how often you eat out.
- Based on the experience of the TOIN ALT for school years 2005/2006, 2006/2007, an average weekly grocery bill of ¥8,000-10,000 (includes eating out twice a week) was observed.
- You have the choice of 2 convenience stores within 5 min of walk from the apartment (at the time of writing they are - 7/11, LAWSON).
[edit] Utility Bills
Average cost based on experience of the TOIN ALT for school years 2005/2006, 2006/2007 Utilities:
- electricity [電気]: ¥2000-9000 per month. The electricity bill fluctuates peaking in the heat of summer & the cold of winter. Outside of peaks, usually around ¥3,000.
- water: broken into two components - "スイドウリヨウ" & "ゲスイドウ". Both are under ¥1,500, thus making a combined total of about ¥3,000 a month.
- gas [ガス]: ¥3,000-6,000 per month
[edit] Extra-curricular Activities
There are a number of clubs at the school that facilitate traditional Japanese arts:
- sado [茶道] (traditional tea ceremony)
- kyuudo [弓道] (Japanese archery)
- aikido [合気道] (martial art)
- shodo [書道] (calligraphy)
Most of the Hita TOIN ALT JETS have done aikido. One of the high school teachers is a 3rd dan black belt, & the Hita dojo is well respected, teaching a gentler form of the art. You have the opportunity to attend a number of classes before enrolling.
[edit] Weather Expectations & Packing
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- Summer (June/July/August) is very hot & humid in Summer (most days in excess of 30 degrees)
- September & October is Typhoon season - whilst on most occasions, the winds barely muster beyond gale force, it is foolhardy to try and go out during a typhoon as flying debris such as roof tiles pose a hazard. School is usually cancelled in the event of a typhoon.
- Autumn is very picturesque with the changing colour of the leaves. The best place to appreciate this natural phenomenon is on a bike trail (old rail road) in Yamaguni
- Winter is cold (close to zero during the day & sub zero at night)
- Spring - the first two weeks of April is cherry blossom viewing [花見] season.
You will need to factor both extremes in your packing. Alternatively you can pack lightly and buy most of your clothes here:
- There is a chain store "Uniqlo" that sell fashionable but cheap casual & smart casual attire;
- there are many large suit stores that sell cheap suits (near KFC / Best Denki - less than 10 minutes by bike, 20 minutes on foot from the apartment).
[edit] Work Life & Attire
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- Usually the workload is 10-14 classes per week + preparation (In 2008 it was 15 hours a week of classes)
- Your class is usually denoted as 'OC' (Oral Communication)
- You will 'team-teach' with 1-2 English teachers
- The computer room is available when unbooked as a teaching resource
- Work attire is generally a shirt & suit pants
- During summer a polo shirt is fine
- In the winter, wearing a fleece top or something similar because of the cold is acceptable.
Times when you will need a full suit:
- On the first formal day at school because you'll need to do a small self-introduction to your colleagues in the staff room, and the students in the assembly hall - usually in Japanese.
- Formal ceremonies such as the drinking parties (enkais), graduations etc
Note: your first formal day at school will likely be a couple weeks after your arrival as you will be arriving during summer break.
[edit] Social Life
- Hita is a small town, so if you miss the big smoke, Fukuoka (arguably the best city in Japan) is only a 1.5 hr bus ride away.
- Kurume, a bigger town with better cinemas is only approx 20min train ride away.
- Within Hita, you have your fellow teachers @ Toin, and the other Hita JETS (6 in all I think) that hang out at a bar/restaurant called Ajito's (opp Daiei grocery store near the station).
- If you are part of a club (such as aikido), they have their social events. Aikido club holds a bbq just down the road (2 min from the apartment) every so often.
[edit] Foreign community
[edit] Sightseeing
[edit] Places to visit
[edit] Festivals
- Hina Dolls Festival (February/March): During the national Doll's Festival the museums and old houses of Mameda-machi and Kuma-machi open their doors to the public and display their collection of dolls.
- Cherry Blossom Festival (First Sunday in April): Kizan Park hosts Hita's Cherry Blossom-viewing (hanami) event, where people can enjoy a stroll by the river and a drink under the blossom.
- River Opening Festival (First weekend after May 20th): A two-day firework display that launches more than 10,000 fireworks over the Mikuma river. If you book well in advance you can watch the display from a river boat!
- Gion Festival (First Sunday after July 20th): Huge wooden floats (up to 12m high) from different areas of the city are pushed around the streets by volunteers. Foreigners have been known to be invited.
- Tenryo Festival (Third weekend in October): This festival celebrates Hita's Edo period, when the city (then called Tenryo) was the capital of Kyushu. The highlight is a procession of 200 people through the city in full Edo-period costume.
[edit] Shopping
Hita is blessed with a wide variety of shops. The only things you can't find are imported products like food, but a trip to Cosco in Fukuoka every once in a while can remedy that.
Hita's speciality products include wooden clogs called geta and stylised pottery from nearby Onta village. These types of gifts can be found in shops around Mameda-machi which cater to tourists.
[edit] Supermarkets
- Sunny (サニー), (100m east of the expressway entrance), 0973-23-3223, [1]. Open 24hrs everyday. New and very large supermarket with good veg and fruit. Downside is that it doesn't sell alcohol, but there is a sake shop right outside.
- Daiei (ダイエー), Minamimoto-machi, (100m east of the station), 0973-24-6131, [2]. 10AM-10PM everyday. A small but good supermarket right in the centre of town. Clothes sold on the second floor. At the start of each month they have a sale (一の市) which has good discounts. It's the only time I ever buy meat!
- Trial (トライアル), Kitatomoda, (6km out of town on the 386), 0973-25-6355, [3]. Open 24hrs. Amazing supermarket and general store, selling almost everything. The food is the cheapest you will find in Hita, as are the interesting Engrish T-shirts, fresh off the boat from China.
- A-Price (A-プライス), Taketashin-machi, 0973-24-4035, [4]. Open 9.30AM-6.30PM. This is a small supermarket catering to restaurants but has a few imported products like taco sauce, spices and decent sized pasta.
[edit] Home & Garden stores
- Nafco (ナフコ), Ueno-machi, (south of the river on the 210), 0973-22-2141, [5]. 8AM-8PM everyday. Big home and hardware store. Useful place to visit when you're just moving in. Small garden section too.
[edit] Book shops
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[edit] Bakerys
[edit] Others
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[edit] Eating
[edit] Fast food
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[edit] Japanese food
- Ohara-ya (大原屋), Tashima-2-chome, (50m east of the city hall), 0973-22-3661, [6]. Open 10.30AM-8.00PM Tuesday-Saturday. A very small street-corner restaurant which is run by husband and wife Luchi and Eriko. Luchi is a bit of a world traveller and speaks good English. Try their fried chicken (空揚げ kara-age) which is the best in Hita.
- Ichijiku (いちじく), Nakadzuru-machi, (Coming from the station, 1st left after Oita bank, down a few streets and on the right), 0973-23-6766, This small restaurant run by one of the friendliest old ladies in the world serves up amazing okonomiyaki. Very foreigner friendly - they even have an English menu!
- Sofuren (想夫恋), Wakamiya-machi, (On the 210, near Wakamiya Elementary School), 0973-24-3188, [7]. Chain yakisoba restaurant. Ramen also available but yakisoba is the speciality dish. The perfect way to recover from a hangover.
- Punon Pen Ramen (name taken from the Cambodian city 'Phnom Penh') (プノンペンラメン), Chuuo-icho-me, (about 30 metres west of Hita train station.), Tue-Sun Open for lunch time & dinner until 21:30. Usually closed during 15:00-16:00. Ramen restaurant. In addition to ramen, serves a wide range of dishes including Okinawan specialities such as Okinawan ramen & Goya. Main dish is Punon Pen Ramen which is a non-conventional ramen with a tomato & celery base.
[edit] Foreign food
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[edit] Drinking
[edit] Izakayas
- Ajito, Moto-machi, (opposite Daiei supermarket), 0973-24-2880, The ALT haunt and one of the best izakaya in Hita. Takaki the foreigner-friendly owner is a great cook. Bibimba (Korean spicy rice, vegetables and egg) and the Goro-Goro salad are highly recommended. ALTs hang out and catch up every Friday evening from about 9pm onwards.
[edit] Bars
- Xi Sports Bar, Chuo-2-chome, (near the central Lawson), 0973-24-5331, [8]. One of the only real "bars" in Hita. The cocktail waiters can often be seen practising their bottle throws in the local park. If you book ahead, they will put on an impressive cocktail mixing show for you!
[edit] Living
[edit] Banks
- Oita bank, Sanbon-matsu, 0973-23-2101, [9]. The central Oita bank is the largest in Hita. Best to avoid going just after lunch because the queue can get very long.
- Fukuoka bank (福岡銀行), Chuuo-icho-me, (100m west of Hita train station), [10]. Office Mon-Fri 9:00-15:00; ATM Mon-Fri 08:00-18:00 Weekends/Public Holidays 09:00-17:00. Fukuoka bank is the biggest bank on Kyuushuu island.
[edit] Post offices
- Tashima Honmachi Branch of Japan Post (田島本町郵便局), Tasima Honmachi [田島本町], (about 100m north of the city hall (heading in the direction of Showa school / Tsutaya CD store)), Provides general postage & banking services, sells collectable stamps, and has an ATM. However package collections are usually done at the Central Post Office (id such as an alien registration card will need to be provided).
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[edit] Medical facilities
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[edit] Libraries
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[edit] Hair dressers
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[edit] Sports facilities
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[edit] Travel agents
- Hita Tourist (日田ツーリスト), Tashimahon-machi, (100m west of the city hall), 0973-22-4891, Small but convenient travel agent. Ask for Yoko-san who speaks good English.
[edit] Map
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