July 2003 ▼Population of Oita Prefecture Ranks 34th in the Country The population census in Oita Prefecture as of October 1st, 2000 shows --- males : 576,000, females : 645,000, the total number of households : 454,000, the average male age : 41.7, the average female age : 45.2, ages 65 and over : 21.8%, under 15 : 14.7%, foreign residents : 4,699 (increase of 948 as compared to the census of 1995). The total land area is 6,338 km2 and the population density is 192/km2. ▼The Largest Number of Tunnels in Japan The length of the first and second-class rivers -3,066 km, is the longest in Kyushu, and the 12th longest in Japan. There are Mt. Nakadake, which has an altitude of 1,791m, the highest peak in Mainland Kyushu, the Kuju Mountain Ranges, the Sobo-Katamuki Mountain System, the Kunisaki Peninsula divided into 6 parts by steep ridges and a rias coastline along the Bungo Channel. These areas are blessed with scenic beauty and plenty of natural products, although road construction here is a task requiring much effort. ▼Registered Number of One Village and One Product Movement (FY2001) The list includes special products such as kabosu citruses and distilled liquor made from barley, activities for regional revitalization and cultural activities such as the Yufuin Film Festival and Shonai "Kagura" Sacred Dancing. The movement started in 1979 and has expanded into China, Louisiana in U.S.A, the Philippines and many other countries. ▼Ranked 3rd in Japan for the Highest Number of Piano Holders per 1,000 Households (Statistics by the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications for FY 1999) Oita takes piano contests and competitions seriously. The piano competition chair-judged by world-famous pianist SONODA Takahiro, has been renowned in the country for being one of the most difficult and high-standard competitions, where competitors have to go through 4 elimination rounds for the final selection. In the annual music festival held in Beppu City, the General Director is the world-class pianist Martha Argerich. It promotes the fostering of human resources through training young pianists and providing free concerts for children. ▼Exceptional Consecutive Wins : Record Created by a Great Sumo Wrestler, FUTABAYAMA Sadaji. −It has not been broken still now. This record was established from January 1936 to January 1939. During he advanced the successive victories, he was promoted from "Sekiwake" position to "Ozeki" and finally he received an honor to be a "Yokozuna" grand champion of sumo. He also won 12 championships. He was born in Usa City. In the baseball world, the iron-armed pitcher INAO Kazuhisa from Beppu City, who is worshipped by many, achieved a record of 42 wins, the most wins in a professional baseball season. And pitcher YAMANAKA Masatake from Saiki achieved 48 wins, the most wins in the Tokyo Big-Six Universities Baseball League. Such able-bodied and spirited sports men from Oita are our pride. ▼The Number of Stone Arch Bridges in Existence (as of the end of July 1996) The Yabakei Bridge with 8 arches and 116m in length is renowned. There are over 200 stone bridges other than arch bridges and stone crafts by excellent stonemasons on temple gates or parts of private warehouses in the prefecture. In Ajimu Town and many other areas in the prefecture, we can enjoy iron relieves of family crests, cranes and tortoises, the god of wealth and more. The relieves are made under the eaves and on the shutter casings of houses. Plasterers curved them with plaster and trowels. The works were made mostly from the Edo to the Meiji era. ▼World Best Record for Men Established in the Oita International Wheelchair Marathon (42.195 km) Heinz Frei (Switzerland) established the record in 1999. The women's world best record holder is TSUCHIDA Wakako from Tokyo who marked 1 h. 38 min. 32 sec. in 2001. This competition was initiated in 1981 as the world's first international competition exclusive to wheelchair athletes, through the efforts of Dr. NAKAMURA Yutaka who founded Japan Sun Industries with the motto of "No Charity but a Chance". Nearly 400 athletes from about 30 countries/territories have competed annually. ▼The Largest Output of Dried Shiitake Mushrooms in Japan Both the output and the quality of Oita's shiitake mushrooms have been nationally recognized and won the first prize for 3 consecutive year and the 35 time in the national fair in 2001. Shiitake is available in preserved form, and a very healthy food that gains higher nutritive value(vitamins) when dried. There are various types of shiitake cuisine and these have been awarded for 2 consecutive years, the most valuable prize in the national contest. Not only the mushrooms, the water to reconstitute them can also be used for cooking. Oita is said to be the place of origin of cultivation of shiitake mushrooms. ▼The Largest Total Number of Hot Springs Sources (Usage) in Japan. The output of hot springs in Oita is ranked 2nd in the country, after Hokkaido. Hot springs throughout the prefecture have been used mainly as baths, used for curing diseases and as tourist resources since long age. Nowadays, hot spring usage is expanding to heating, green houses, geothermal power generation and other forms of clean energy. The view created by steam haze from hot springs in Beppu City was selected as the best 2 in Japan after Mt. Fuji, in a search conducted by NHK for the Beautiful Scenery of Japan for the 21st century. (Source : Oita prefecture's environmental white paper) ▼The Number of Calves Registered as those of Stud Bull-"Itofuku-Go"- "Itofuku-go"is the best beef cow in meat productivity in Japan and has contributed to the good reputation of "Bungo Beef" cattle in the whole country. Its calves were traded at a market value of more than 100,000 yen and also had outstanding results in the quality and quantity of the meat. It died of old age at the Oita Livestock Experimental Station in Kuju Town in January 2002. In honor of its achievements, its bronze statue was erected at the station as well as in Kusu Town where it was born, and a memorial service was held by the concerned.