Takachiho 高千穂町 | |
|---|---|
Takachiho Town Office | |
![]() Location of Takachiho in Miyazaki Prefecture | |
| Coordinates:32°42′42″N131°18′28″E / 32.71167°N 131.30778°E /32.71167; 131.30778 | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Kyushu |
| Prefecture | Miyazaki |
| District | Nishiusuki |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Shingo Uchikura (内倉信吾) |
| Area | |
• Total | 237.54 km2 (91.71 sq mi) |
| Population (October 1, 2023) | |
• Total | 11,056 |
| • Density | 46.544/km2 (120.55/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
| City hall address | 13 Ōaza Mitai, Takachiho-chō, Nishiusuki-gun, Miyazaki-ken 882-1192 |
| Climate | Cfa |
| Website | Official website |
| Symbols | |
| Bird | Meadow bunting |
| Flower | Wisteria |
| Tree | Ogatama-no-ki |


Takachiho (高千穂町,Takachiho-chō) is atown inNishiusuki District,Miyazaki Prefecture,Japan. As of 1 October 2023[update], the town has an estimatedpopulation of 11,065 in 4865 households, and apopulation density of 47 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the town is 237.54 square kilometres (91.71 sq mi).
Takachiho is in the northernmost part ofMiyazaki Prefecture, in theKyushu Mountains, borderingKumamoto Prefecture on its north and northwest sides andŌita Prefecture on its north and northeast sides. The 106-kilometer Gokase River flows from the west to the southeast part of town. Takachiho Gorge located slightly south of the town center, is a famous tourist destination. The urban center is around the now-defunct Takachiho Station and the business office of Takachiho Kotsu, the town's public transportation company, and is approximately 120 km northwest ofMiyazaki, the prefectural capital, and approximately 80 km southeast ofKumamoto.
Takachiho has ahumid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classificationCfa) with hot, humid summers and cool winters. The average annual temperature in Takachiho is 14.4 °C (57.9 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,361.8 mm (92.98 in) with June as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.0 °C (77.0 °F), and lowest in January, at around 3.7 °C (38.7 °F).[2] The highest temperature ever recorded in Takachiho was 37.3 °C (99.1 °F) on 16 July 2006; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −11.1 °C (12.0 °F) on 19 February 1977.[3]
| Climate data for Takachiho (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 20.4 (68.7) | 22.7 (72.9) | 27.8 (82.0) | 29.5 (85.1) | 33.0 (91.4) | 34.1 (93.4) | 37.3 (99.1) | 36.9 (98.4) | 35.1 (95.2) | 30.6 (87.1) | 28.0 (82.4) | 22.8 (73.0) | 37.3 (99.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 9.3 (48.7) | 11.1 (52.0) | 14.9 (58.8) | 20.0 (68.0) | 24.1 (75.4) | 26.0 (78.8) | 29.8 (85.6) | 30.6 (87.1) | 27.5 (81.5) | 22.8 (73.0) | 17.2 (63.0) | 11.5 (52.7) | 20.4 (68.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.7 (38.7) | 5.0 (41.0) | 8.4 (47.1) | 13.2 (55.8) | 17.6 (63.7) | 20.9 (69.6) | 24.7 (76.5) | 25.0 (77.0) | 21.8 (71.2) | 16.2 (61.2) | 10.6 (51.1) | 5.4 (41.7) | 14.4 (57.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −1.0 (30.2) | −0.3 (31.5) | 2.7 (36.9) | 7.1 (44.8) | 12.0 (53.6) | 17.0 (62.6) | 21.1 (70.0) | 21.4 (70.5) | 17.6 (63.7) | 11.2 (52.2) | 5.3 (41.5) | 0.3 (32.5) | 9.5 (49.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −9.7 (14.5) | −11.1 (12.0) | −6.6 (20.1) | −3.5 (25.7) | 0.5 (32.9) | 7.3 (45.1) | 11.1 (52.0) | 13.0 (55.4) | 5.5 (41.9) | −0.4 (31.3) | −3.7 (25.3) | −8.2 (17.2) | −11.1 (12.0) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 59.7 (2.35) | 80.4 (3.17) | 121.9 (4.80) | 126.6 (4.98) | 164.2 (6.46) | 419.5 (16.52) | 403.1 (15.87) | 324.5 (12.78) | 380.7 (14.99) | 145.1 (5.71) | 78.2 (3.08) | 57.9 (2.28) | 2,361.8 (92.98) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 7.0 | 8.7 | 11.7 | 10.8 | 10.5 | 16.0 | 14.1 | 13.6 | 12.1 | 8.0 | 7.5 | 7.1 | 127.1 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 131.3 | 135.8 | 161.3 | 180.3 | 177.8 | 116.7 | 154.3 | 170.8 | 143.8 | 160.6 | 138.7 | 137.7 | 1,809.2 |
| Source:Japan Meteorological Agency[3][2] | |||||||||||||
Per Japanese census data, the population of Takachiho in 2020 is 11,642 people.[4] Takachiho has been conducting censuses since 1960.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 27,052 | — |
| 1965 | 24,757 | −8.5% |
| 1970 | 22,131 | −10.6% |
| 1975 | 20,523 | −7.3% |
| 1980 | 19,957 | −2.8% |
| 1985 | 19,170 | −3.9% |
| 1990 | 18,093 | −5.6% |
| 1995 | 16,780 | −7.3% |
| 2000 | 15,843 | −5.6% |
| 2005 | 14,778 | −6.7% |
| 2010 | 13,723 | −7.1% |
| 2015 | 12,755 | −7.1% |
| 2020 | 11,642 | −8.7% |
| Takachiho population statistics[4] | ||
The area of Takachiho was part of ancientHyūga Province. It features prominently inJapanese mythology as the land whereNinigi descended from the heavens, sent byAmaterasu, the sun goddess. It contains theAma-no-Iwatoshrine which is, according to myth, the location of the cave where Amaterasu hid untilAme-no-Uzume lured her out. From the lateHeian period into theSengoku period, the area was controlled by the Kikuchi clan, which was associated withAso Shrine inHigo Province. The area later was contested between theShimazu clan ofSatsuma Province and theOtomo clan ofBungo Province. After the establishment of theTokugawa shogunate, it was part of the holdings ofNobeoka Domain. The village of Takachiho withinNishiusuki District, Miyazaki was established on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. Takachiho was raised to town status on April 1, 1920. Around 1920,arsenopyrite was mined in the northern part of the town, and the production ofarsenite supported the town's economy until the mine was closed in 1962. On September 30, 1956 Takachiho annexed the neighboring towns of Iwato and Tahara, followed by the town of Ueno April 1, 1969.
During World War Two, the2nd Raiding Brigade trained in the town and were sometimes known as the Takachiho paratroopers.[5]

The main industry of Takachiho are agriculture, forestry and tourism. The town is noted for its rice terraces.
Takachiho has five public elementary schools and two public junior high schools operated by the town government and one public high school operated by the Miyazaki Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped.
Takachiho has no passenger rail service. The nearest train station isTakamori on theMinamiaso Railway Takamori Line orTateno on theJR KyushuHōhi Main Line. The town was formerly served by the 50.0Takachiho Railway, which ran from Nobeoka to Takachiho Station, with one intermediate stations within Takachiho. Services were discontinued on September 6, 2005, after flooding triggered byTyphoon Nabi washed away two bridges on the line, halting all operations. Efforts to obtain funding for rebuilding were unsuccessful, and the company was liquidated in 2009.[6]


Takachiho is the heart of the Himuka Myth Road, which extends throughoutMiyazaki.
Takachiho is featured in the manga and anime seriesOshi no Ko, as the location of the hospital where Ai Hoshino gave birth to her twins and main characters of the series, Aquamarine and Ruby Hoshino.[7]