Ōita Prefecture

Ōita Prefecture (大分県, Ōita-ken; Japanese pronunciation: [oꜜː.i.ta, oː-, oː.i.taꜜ.keɴ]) is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Ōita Prefecture has a population of 1,081,646 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 6,340 km (2,450 sq mi)). Ōita Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the northwest, Kumamoto Prefecture to the southwest, and Miyazaki Prefecture to the south.

Ōita is the capital and largest city of Ōita Prefecture, with other major cities including Beppu, Nakatsu, and Saiki. Ōita Prefecture is located in the northeast of Kyūshū on the Bungo Channel, connecting the Pacific Ocean and Seto Inland Sea, across from Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku. Ōita Prefecture is famous for its hot springs and is a popular tourist destination in Japan for its onsen and ryokan, particularly in and around the city of Beppu. It has more onsen than any other Japanese prefecture.