- Yufuin, Ōita
nihongo|Yufuin|湯布院町|Yufuin-chō is a district (linktext|町) of the city of Yufu, Ōita,
Japan .Yufuin was a town located in Ōita District until
October 1 ,2005 , when Yufuin merged with the towns of Shōnai and Hasama to form the city of Yufu.Located in a green valley beneath the spectacular Mount Yufuin (由布岳), a short walk from the town centre is a mix of
paddy field s, housing and upmarketryokan , with a few temples. A common evening sound is the rhythmic ringing of temple bells. Although still connected to its rural roots, Yufuin is a tourist town. There is a picturesque lake, and rivers flow down and across the valley. Some hotels have outdoor baths called rotenburo (linktext|露|天|風|呂) with a view of the mountain.Merger
On October 1,
2005 , the former towns of Hasama, Shonai and Yufuin (all from the now-dissolved Ōita District) merged under the administration of Yufu-shi. This controversial decision resulted in the recall of the mayor and a snap election in which he regained office.Population
As of
2003 , the town had an estimatedpopulation of 11,342 and density of 88.77 persons per km². The total area was 127.77 km².pa town
Yufuin is famous for natural
hot spring nihongo|spas|温泉|Onsen , resulting in a local economy based on domestictourism and hot-spring bathing. International tourist visits to Yufuin are increasing.ights
Yufu Mountain (由布岳) and Golden Scale Lake (金鱗湖) are commonly viewed and photographed by tourists.
Annual events
* July: Yufuin Music Festival (ゆふいん音楽祭)
* August: Yufuin Film Festival (湯布院映画祭)
* October: Ushikurai Shouting Tournament (牛喰い絶叫大会)Transportation options
*
Kyushu Railway Company , Yufuin Station (由布院駅)
* Highway bus fromFukuoka-shi TV drama
* Yufuin is the setting for the
NHK Japanese television drama "Kaze no Haruka"ee also
*
Merger and dissolution of municipalities of Japan
*Mergers and dissolutions in Oita-ken
*Resort town External links
* [http://www.town.yufuin.oita.jp/ Local government office] (in Japanese)
* [http://www.city.yufu.oita.jp/ City government] (in Japanese)
* [http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Kaze_no_Haruka Kaze no Haruka] TV drama set in Yufuin
* [http://kunugi.ptu.jp/ Kunugi no Oka]pizzeria in Yufuin
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