Oita City – Rugby's Newest Frontier

OITA CITY WAS A CRUCIAL VENUE AT THE 1 02 9 WORLD CUP AND ONE THAT HAS PLENTY TO OFFER THOSE WHO MAKE IT THERE EVEN WHEN THERE IS NO RUGBY BEING PLAYED.

After hosting a brilliant World Cup, Japan has put itself on the rugby map. But what surely became clear as the tournament played out, is that it is a country offering a rich and diverse tourism experience and it's unique culture and identity is partly what made the World Cup the success it was.

And few places in Japan have more to offer than Oita, the site of the All Blacks pool game against Canada and venue for the quarter-finals involving England, Australia, Wales and France.

Oita is nestled in the North-East of Kyushu, Japan's third largest island. It is significantly smaller than both Honshu and Hokkaido and with 12 million inhabitants, is vastly under populated by Japanese standards.

It is green and spectacular. There are mountains, rivers, lakes and in the Oita prefecture, there are hot springs. Thousands of them and geysers and bubbling mud. It's a landscape that can't easily be forgotten.

At the heart of the region is Oita City, recognised as the birthplace of Western culture in Japan.

Traces of this history remain overt in the city today. At Funai Chuo Gate Square at the entrance to Oita City's JR Station, there is a giant floor map, showing Oita's place in the world during the 16th century.

There are statues and sculptures dedicated to the most influential figures of the period and most significantly there is the Otomo Ruins Discovery Centre to visit.

The Discovery Centre is an interactive journey through history and a hugely ambitious and impressive project to rebuild the residence of Oita's most significant ancient ruler – Sorin Otomo.

Anyone wanting to get their most out of their time in Oita City needs to be familiar with the contribution of Sorin Otomo – the 21 st feudal lord of the Otomo family that ruled Bungo-Funai [now Oita City] during the warring states period 450 years ago.