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During studying business marketing, NAKATOMI was fascinated by Bamboo art by Shono Shounsai, the living National Tresure.

He had an apprenturship by the master Shoryu Honda. Hajime became independent in 2005. After moving in Taketa, he cultivates Bomboo in Oka Castle ruin himself, dry it and make into the condition of actually able to use for his art works.
Hajime’s works are exhibited museums and galleries internationally,including Boston Art Museum. He gets commission works by hotels and shops. His work was presented for the opening of Japan House Sao Paulo in Brazil in May 2017.

http://www.h-nakatomi.com/
http://www.japanhouse.jp/en/
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/03/arts/design/bamboo-japanese-style-from-dynastic-masters-of-the-art.html

taketa.de/taketa-now/hajime-nakatomi-bamboo-artist

Hiromi is specialized in making products for daily use from green bamboo, mainly baskets and bags; work that requires great skill and precision to produce a perfect finish. He enjoys a harmonious life in the natural surroundings that Taketa offers and now he has the opportunity of harvesting his own bamboo. His work has long been admired by his many fans who value his superb craftsmanship.

http://bamboolife.web.fc2.com/
https://www.facebook.com/aotakekobo.kiriyama/

taketa.de/taketa-now/hiromi-kiriyama-bamboo-craftsman

Born in Taketa to a family with a long tradition in the art of calligraphy, he began writing and drawing at an early age. Having finished school, he left Taketa but then returned. He now works as a key person in the movement to revitalise traditional skills and to set up a thriving cultural scene, by offering young creative people good working and living conditions. In his space, Mitsuketa, you will find fine antiques, other traditional objects as well as hundreds of calligraphy brushes and other specialised tools.

Under the pseudonym Shouhou Kusakari, he won many prizes and now frequently serves on the juries of national calligraphy competitions.

taketa.de/taketa-now/jun-kusakari-calligrapher-interior-designer-and-photographer

The landscape around Taketa is formed from layers of ashes and stones from the ancient eruptions of nearby Mount Aso. It is known to have erupted four times in the past. The most recent layer of ashes was deposited about 90,000 years ago. The name Taketa means “bamboo field”. When the first people settled there, that was their first impression of the area.

The entire region, including the Northern Fukuoka Prefecture, was originally designated as the “Toyo Province” by the Emperor Keiko. It means “prosperous land”. It has always been known for its good quality of life. For many centuries, Taketa existed as a prosperous cultural centre, in harmony with nature. However, like many other rural Japanese towns, young people have been leaving for the big cities; the population is decreasing and the average age of the inhabitants is rising.

The City of Taketa, led by its mayor Katsuji Shuto, has formulated a strategy to reverse this trend: the Nouson Kaki Project – The Return to Rural Life. It offers young creative people ideal conditions in which they can make a living. Since 2012, 29 young innovators have moved to Taketa and set up businesses there and local people who had left for the big cities have now returned. Young artists and crafts people are also now coming to settle there. Taketa offers them an alternative way of life in the twenty-first century.

General Information

Size and population
Town centre, area: 42 k㎡ population 1,280 (2015)
Taketa region, area 447 k㎡ population 22,815 (2015)

Tourist Information

Taketa City Tourism Association
2250-1 Aiai, Taketa
Tel. +81 974 630585
http://en.visit-oita.jp/spots/detail/4432
https://www.taketan.jp/en/

taketa.de/about/about-taketa

For a comparatively small town, Taketa seems to have been home to more than its fair share of famous people.

Taketa Banjo (active 7th – 8th century)

Architect

There is a Japanese saying: “Carpenters come from Hida and architects who build with wood come from Taketa”
(Hida is a town near Gifu in the centre of the mainland.)

The oldest wooden temple in Kyushu, Fukiji Amida-do, was built with massive Torreya timbers by Taketa Banjo in 718. His work can be seen not only in Kyushu but also in the Yamaguchi Prefecture on the mainland. Taketa Banjo, and other highly skilled itinerant architects of the period, built temples and buildings for the imperial court that have always enjoyed a high reputation. These remarkable traditional buildings were constructed entirely with wood and other natural materials, secured with pegs and wedges, without metallic nails.

taketa.de/about/famous-people-from-taketa

Ancient Toyo Province – Bungo

The landscape around Taketa is formed from layers of ashes and stones from the ancient eruptions of nearby Mount Aso. It is known to have erupted four times in the past. The most recent layer of ashes was deposited about 90,000 years ago.

The name Taketa means “bamboo field”

When people first settled there, that was their initial impression of the area. The entire region, including the Northern Fukuoka Prefecture, was originally designated as the “Toyo Province” by the Emperor Keiko. It means “prosperous land”. It has always been known for its good quality of life. In the 7th century, Toyo Province was divided in two: Buzen and Bungo. Taketa, and most of what is now the Oita Prefecture, were located in Bungo.

The founding of Oka Castle

According to the Bungo Kokushi – the History Book of Bungo Province, 1803 – the history of Oka Castle goes back to 1185 to the time of Ogata Koreyoshi, a famous soldier. Ogata was expecting to be joined by Minamoto Yoshitune, who was in conflict with his half-brother, Minamoto Yoritomo, the founder of the Kamakura Shogunate. Ogata hoped to make an alliance with Yoshitsune so that together they could rule the entire island of Kyushu but the boat carrying Yoshitsune to Kyushu from the mainland was wrecked in a storm and he was drowned.

Shiga, the ruling family in Taketa and Otomo, the feudal lord of Bungo

Shiga Sadatomo was a relative of Otomo, the feudal lord of Bungo Province. In 1334, he expanded the Castle. It is located on the hilltop between the Inaba River and the Shirataki River where they merge. The town was founded next to the castle.

In the 16th century, Portuguese merchants and Christian missionaries began to arrive in Kyushu. The 21st feudal lord of Bungo, Otomo Sourin, a Buddhist, met the Spanish priest, Francisco de Xavier, adopted the name Don Francis, and became a Christian.

Chikayoshi, a member of the Shiga family, married a niece of Otomo Sourin when he was 18 years old. Under the influence of his wife he too became a Christian. The number of Christians in the region increased until the Edo central government banned Christianity and cut off all contact with the outside world.

Shiga Chikayoshi was a capable soldier and he successfully defended Oka Castle against a siege by an army of 35,000 men of the Shimazu clan, from what is now the Kagoshima Prefecture. Thanks to his military skill and its hilltop location, Oka Castle survived the siege and became known one of the three strongest Japanese castles of the time.

277 Years of the Nakagawa Family and the Oka Feudal Domain

In 1594, Nakagawa Hideshige came from Harima on the main land and established the Oka Feudal Domain in Taketa. He joined Tokugawa Ieyas and fought on the winning side at the Battle of Sekigahara (1600). This marked the beginning of the Edo Shogunate. The Nakagawa family ruled Taketa until 1871.

Nakagawa Hideshige re-planned the town. He moved houses from Tamarai and Sougawa, 2 km away from Taketa. The town was divided up according to professions. The Samurai and merchants were settled near the castle; there are temples in the western part, and workers in the centre of town. The form of the old town has not changed much and the original names of the streets remain.

Oka was an extremely prosperous clan, although their territory was actually rather small. Taketa produced 70,000 Goku (150kg) of rice a year. The quality of their rice and soya beans was very good and could be sold for high prices.

They also had the good fortune that Taketa lay on the road leading to Edo, so that many Daimyos and other important travellers passed through the town and stayed there.

Modernisation and Industrialisation

After the Meiji restoration, all feudal domains were abolished and the modern Prefectures were established. Oka Castle was razed to the ground and only a stone platform now remains. Since then, Taketa forms a part of the Oita Prefecture. In 1954, a larger Taketa-City was founded and the adjoining towns of Hagi, Kujuu and Naoiri were incorporated in 2005.

taketa.de/about/history-of-taketa

This temple, marked with its date 1635, is the oldest remaining wooden building by a local architect. It was originally constructed in the Taishoin temple complex on the Hachiman mountain. It was dedicated to Aizen myo-ou, Ragaraja, the god of love, responsible for good luck and the avoidance of disaster. Like many other temples and shrines, the Taishoin complex was closed after the Meiji Restoration but Aizen-do was transported to the Ganseiji temple complex on Atago mountain.

The temple is constructed without internal columns. Inside, there are colourful drawings of birds and musicians. Aizen-myo-ou is considered as a match-maker, so the temple is frequented by young people and the lovelorn. You can see inside the temple twice a year, in spring and in autumn, during the Chikuraku festival.

Teramachi, Oaza Taketa, Taketa-City

taketa.de/sightseeing/aizen-do

Where to stay?

Taketa offers hotels, Ryokan, guest houses and private accommodation, with or without meals. There is a wide range of prices.
Some places have their own hot springs 温

https://www.taketan.jp/stays/
For reservation and further information, please contact: info@taketan.jp

Would you like to stay in guest houses in the middle of the town?

http://machi-hotel.jp

taketa.de/eat-sleep/where-to-stay

The quality of the drinking water in Taketa is recognised as being in the top 100 in Japan. Cool fresh water is available throughout the region from many free wells and fountains.

Hot Spring

Taketa Hot Spring Hanamizuki 竹田温泉 花見月
Close to the station, in the Tourist Office building, Hanamizuki offers both public and private baths.
Free Wifi connection.
Open: 11:00-22:00
Closed: Thursdays

taketa.de/about/water

Taketa Hot Spring Hanamizuki 竹田温泉 花見月

Close to the station, in the Tourist Office building, Hanamizuki offers both public and private baths.
Free Wifi connection.
Open: 11:00-22:00
Closed: Thursdays

taketa.de/sightseeing/hot-spring

This was the birthplace and home of Chikuden Tanomura (1777-1835), a painter and the founder of the Bungo Nanga school. The elegant two-storey main house was re-built in 1790 and entirely restored in 1983. Some of his paintings were inspired by the view from his window. Chikuden was also a poet, a master of flower arrangement and the tea ceremony and skilled in the preparation of incense. The site includes his tea house, his library and a house for his disciples. The Gaseido – art temple – was built a century after his death and is dedicated to Chikuden and to the sculptor, Osami Watanabe (1874-1952), the elder brother of the sculptor Fumio Iwakura.

Open: 9:00-16:30
Admission: 300 Yen
Tonomachi Taketa, Taketa City

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The composer Rentaro Taki lived here from 1891 to 1894 while his father, a civil servant, was working in Taketa. The house was bought by Taketa City after the war. The house and its garden were restored and turned into a museum about his life and work. The exhibition includes a soundscape of the local noises he would have heard as a child.

Open 9:00-17:00, Closed from December 29th to January 3rd.
Admission: 300 Yen
2120-1 Oaza-Taketa Taketa City
Tel. 0974 63 0559

taketa.de/sightseeing/memorial-museum-of-rentaro-taki

The castle stands on a steep 325m hill formed of ash from an ancient eruption of Mt. Aso. The castle is protected by the Inaba River to the north and the Shirataki River to the south. It was founded in 1185. Legend has it that Ogata Koreyoshi built the castle to receive Minamoto Yoshitsune with whom he wished to form an alliance. It was extended by Shiga Sadatomo and the masonry foundations were built in 1594 by Nakagawa Hideshige, ruler of the Oka domain. Like the castles of many other feudal lords, the superstructure was destroyed after the Meiji Restoration and today only the stone foundations of residential buildings and gateways remain. Nevertheless, the ruins on this 100 hectare site are well worth a visit.

Open: 9:00-17:00
Admission: 300 Yen
2761 Oaza-Taketa Taketa City

taketa.de/sightseeing/oka-castle

Christianity was tolerated in Taketa until 1612, when it was forbidden by the Tokugawa dynasty. Three Christians were executed in Taketa so during this period Christians had to practise their religion in secret.

Their small chapel, the size of 6 tatami mats, was hidden within a bamboo thicket quite close to the Samurai quarter. From about 1617, an Italian priest, Francisco Boldrino continued his secret missionary work with the help of a senior Oka administrator, Shigeji Furuta.

Tonomach, Taketa city

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During the rule of Nakagawa family, there were 13 Samurai houses in this 120m long street. The original houses, built in the Edo period, have impressive gateways, thick white walls and refined wooden construction.

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Kabosu Citrus

During the Edo Period, Kabosu Citrus seedlings were brought from Kyoto to nearby Usuki. The Kabosu-trees that were planted, over 200 years ago, can still be seen here today. Taketa is one of the major Kabosu-producing areas in the Oita-Prefecture. Its characteristic taste and scent is well known as a pleasant appetiser and used in many recipes.

Saffron

Saffron was first cultivated by Bunpei Kira in 1903. He obtained bulbs from the Kanagawa-Prefecture and encouraged local farmers to grow them. Today, 80% of Japanese saffron is produced in Taketa and is used in medicine, cooking, dyeing and in cosmetics.

Dried Shiitake Mushrooms

The tradition of dried Shiitake goes back hundreds of years. The idea of drying mushrooms originally came from China but local farmers improved the product so much that Chinese gourmets were soon importing dried Shiiake from Japan. The most exquisite dried Shiitake is the variety known as Donko. Its globular shape gives it a particularly intensive flavour.

Himeno Ichiro Shoten has specialized in selling dried Shiitake mushrooms since 1887. The Himeno family has always worked closely with local producers and they offer the finest varieties of dried Shiitake mushrooms: Donko, Kouko and Koushin.

Himeno Ichiro Shoten
235 Taketa-machi, Ooji, Taketa
Tel. 0974 63 2853

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Saffron Gohan さふらんごはん

Lunch served in many small dishes, saffron-rice, soup, dessert and coffee. You will feel that you are dining with a family. Be there on time or you will find they have sold out.
2105 Oaza Taketa, Taketa Tel.0974 622326
Open 11:00-15:00 Closed: Thursdays

Taketa Marufuku Shokudo 竹田丸福食堂

A prize-winning fried chicken restaurant. Reasonable in price and very popular among locals.
550-2, Taketamachi, Taketa Tel.0974 63 3457
Open: 10:00-21:00

Osteria e Bar RecaD リカド

An authentic Italian restaurant with fresh local ingredients. RecaD is now the meeting spot for young creatives. The owner, Takahiko Kuwashima, is one of the key people who have helped rejuvenate Taketa by initiating crowd-funding and organising cultural events. And of course RecaD has free Wifi.
498 Taketamachi, Taketa Tel.0974 622636
Open:11:30-14:00, 18:00-24:00

Art Space Café Okura Shimizuyu アートスペースカフェ 大蔵清水湯

Famed as an official National Cultural Asset, this public bath has recently been refurbished and features an art gallery and a modern café. They offer an attractive lunch menu and Macha tea.
507 Taketamachi, Taketa Tel.0974 633321
Open:11:00-16:00

Restaurant Ozawa レストランおざわ

“Champon” means a mixture. Their original homemade Champon noodle soup is famous. All the ingredients come from the region and people come from far and near to enjoy their full fresh flavour.
365 Taketamachi, Taketa Tel.0974 63 0141

Tajimaya Dandan 但馬屋 茶房だんだん

Founded in 1804, this is the oldest traditional confectionery shop in Oita. Tajimaya also has a more informal café in the same main building. You can enjoy their seasonal specialities with green tea, Macha or coffee. They also serve small meals.
40 Taketamachi, Taketa Tel.0974 631811
Open: 9:00-18:00
http://www.tajimaya-roho.co.jp

Sabo Himen, Himeno Ichiro Shoten 茶房ひめ野

Dried Shiitake Mushroom shop, Himeno Ichiro Shoten has an elegant tatami room, over a hundred years old where you can sit and eat while enjoying work by local artists from the same period. They offer a menu of organic food.
239 Taketamachi, Taketa　Tel.0974 632385
Open: 9:00-17:00 Closed:
http://shiitake-himeno.co.jp/

Meisuien 命水苑

Here you can enjoy trout taken from the oldest fresh water fish pond in West Japan, both as Sashimi and deep-fried or local Enoha-fish, grilled. The meal is served in a traditional manner.
20 Nyuta, Taketa, Oita Tel.0974 632163
Open: 11:00-18:00, 18：00-20:00 (reservation needed)

taketa.de/eat-sleep/eat-out-in-taketa

This website is the result of a friendly cooperation by people in Taketa, Oita Prefecture, Japan and people in Berlin, Germany. These web pages are the first product of our work together. We would like to keep the information and photos up to date so, if you have any attractive stories and useful information about Taketa, please join in and let us know!

Our greatest wish is that this historic city, set in a beautiful landscape and with a thriving creative community, will be visited by many people from all over the world.

Berlin, Summer 2017

Special Thanks

Akira Akita Sensei, Akiyoshi Akaza Sensei, Kumiko Goto (Himedaruma), Ryosuke Itai (Tajimaya Roho), Tetsunobu Adachi (Meisuien), Jun Kusakari, Takahiro Kudo, Masato Goto, Takako Horita, Shigeki Yabuuchi, Yoshimasa Nakanishi

Taketa Art Culture
Toshihiko Nishida, Tomomi Sawada
Olectronica (Ryo Kato, Junpei Kodama)

Drawing and Design: Mareike Jacobi
Map: Tomoko Mori
Text: Yumiko Urae, Martin Riches
Web Design: Peter Brune

Photos: Taketa Art Culture, Naoyuki Hata, Yoshimi Sato Kinenkan, Jun Kusakari, Hiroaki Seo, Taketa-city, goto-himedaruma-kobo

taketa.de/thank-you

Having lived in nearby Bungo Ono for 13 years, Kai and his family moved to Taketa and founded his studio, Somekahi, in a former sake brewery building from the Meiji Period. He grows indigo plants and extracts their colour for painting; both freehand and using stencils.

His ambition is to develop several standard products that his children and grandchildren will be able to reproduce and sell to make their living in the future.

taketa.de/taketa-now/kai-tsujioka-indigo-artist

Having studied art at Oita University, Ryo KATO and Junpei KODAMA started their partnership Olectronica. Besides running their exhibition space Katamuku Ie – Leaning House, they also make clay and wood sculptures. Other activities include interior design and experimental architecture and they are core members of the event-planning team Taketa Art Culture.

In 2016, Olectronica won an architectural prize presented by the Aichi Prefecture.

taketa.de/taketa-now/olectronica-artist-duo

Yoko set up as an independent designer in Tokyo in 1997. She found that she needed more space and the tranquillity to concentrate on her creativity, so in 2001, she moved to Oita-Prefecture. After living in Kunisaki and Beppu, she finally came to Taketa, where she opened her Yoko Takeshita Gallery House. Her sensitive and original knitwear and other items are now exhibited and sold in exclusive boutiques and galleries throughout Japan.

taketa.de/taketa-now/yoko-takeshita-knitwear-designer