Oita Winter with a Kotatsu and Oranges, and Exploring the Charming Town of Kitsuki

Hello everyone!

How has this chilly New Year been treating you?

Perhaps you’ve all found creative ways to stay warm during these colder months of the year. Like many of us in Japan, the unseasonably snowy weather we’ve been experiencing compel us to find ways to combat the cold,
especially in older Japanese houses and apartments without central heating. That’s where the ‘Kotatsu’ comes
in. This low table with a built-in heater and comforter between the table frame and tabletop is a winter saviour
and one of the ways that make winter so tolerable in Japan. If you’ve ever sat under one, you’ll know that a cup of piping hot tea, centrepiece bowl of mandarin oranges, and friendly gathering of family members often
accompanies the Kotatsu.

Speaking of oranges and tea, did you know that Kitsuki City is known for its citrus and tea production? The
temperate climate of the Kunisaki Peninsula has long produced high-quality citrus fruits and black and green
teas. A rare variety of orange called the Amakusa ‘Miko’ is prized for its tangy-sweet flavours and makes its
appearance in grocery stores in Oita around this time of year.

Kitsuki is also home to Kitsuki Castle, Japan’s smallest castle, and a well-preserved quarter of Edo-period
samurai houses. If you’ve ever wanted to walk through a historical samurai district dressed in a kimono,
Kitsuki would be the place to do it. The stone-paved roads and white plastered walls of the ‘Kitadai’ samurai
district is the perfect backdrop for your samurai-era photo shoot. Kimonos are available for rent in town, and you can pick your outfit, obi belt, and accessories before you go off to explore the thatched-roof houses and
immaculate private gardens of old samurai residences. Your kimono will also grant you a fee reduction or even
free admission to certain samurai houses, giving you more a reason to get decked out in this traditional
Japanese wear.

As we move forward into 2021, we keenly await a time when travel opens up soon, and look forward to
welcoming you to Oita!