| Oita is resplendent in all four seasons, and
"Sato-no Eki" (Homeland Station) and "Michi-no Eki"
(Roadside Station) are definitely places one should stop by for rest
and food while driving around the prefecture. Sato-no Eki is modeled
on Michi-no Eki, and is a facility specially designated by the Oita
Prefectural Government. Sato-no Eki is required to be easily accessible
within countryside travel routes, be equipped with a parking lot and
a toilet and be available in the daytime, provide information about
local tours, One Village One Product and other information. There
were 59 designated Sato-no Eki in FY 2001. (Reference: Furusato Guide
P 25~26) The most popular items in Sato-no Eki (Homeland Station)
are skillfully prepared dishes of fresh local produce, seasonal agricultural
and marine products, as well as processed foods. Oita's bountiful
hot springs also means that many facilities come equipped with hot
springs. Visiting the nearby tourist facilities and places of scenic
beauty and historical interest will no doubt add to the charm. Michi-no
Eki (Roadside Station) is enjoyable for the same reasons. As of FY
2001, 12 spots have been registered in the prefecture. Michi-no Eki
are established along national roads, and serve as resting places
for drivers moving around a lot, tourists and the locals. Michi-no
Eki Yayoi, which opened at Yayoi Town in the southern part of the
prefecture in 2001, has a freshwater fish aquarium "Banjo Osakana
Kan", as well as playgrounds for children. The unique characters
of each Sato-no Eki and Michi-no Eki are created by making use of
the specialties of each region. Sato-no Eki (Yumesaki Chaya in Kunisaki
Town) |
Comprehensively Improved Traffic System |
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| Transportation, which is essential to tourism
and exchange activities, has developed rapidly. Oita International
Airport may be reached in approximately 90 minutes from Tokyo, Okinawa,
Seoul in Korea and Shanghai in China. The airport is connected to
the Higashi Kyushu Expressway stretching along the northern and southern
parts of the prefecture, and the Trans-Kyushu Expressway across the
east and west of Kyushu. It is accessible to Oita City and every cornerof
the prefecture, as well as to other prefectures in Kyushu. The concept
of "60 Minutes within the Prefecture and 30 Minutes within the Region
-Transportation Network" has almost been realized. Based on this
concept, one can travel from Oita City to any of the other main cities
in Oita Prefecture within 60 minutes, and also from the closest city
to any of the local regions in the vicinity of the main cities within
30 minutes. |
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The Toyo-no Kuni Hypernetwork |
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| Nowadays, information from the internet is regarded
as indispensable for tourism and exchange. Searches on the internet
about tour information, local attractions, events and special products
have increased rapidly. Prefectures, most of the municipalities and
the main tourist facilities all have their own homepages (Please refer
to "Toyo-n o Kuni Oita Saiken" for the addresses). Oita
has taken the lead in the regional information technology project
to develop gigabit-size optical fiber network for greater broadband
access in the whole prefecture since 2001. High speed mass capacity
network has been set up across each municipal, and local information
now can be accessed from anywhere in Japan and in the world. |
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Sato-no Eki (Yumesaki Chaya in Kunisaki Town)
Sato-no Eki (Mimoza-no Yakata in Notsuharu Town)
Michi-no Eki (Yamakuni in Yamakuni Town)
Oita Airport (Aki Town)
Oita Prefecture Transport System Development Plan=>
Toyo-no Kuni Hypernetwork=>
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