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CITY GUIDE

HOSHINOMORI CITY

HOSHINOMORI CITY // Land where stars are clearly visible

A medium-sized city with a population of about 270,000, located in a rural area of modern Japan. A gentle sea spreads to the east, and deep mountains and forests spread to the west, with residential and commercial areas formed by weaving between them. While sufficiently convenient as a city, at night you can hear the chirping of insects and the sound of waves—a town on the border between urban and rural.

■ Appearance of the City

Just a short distance from the station area lined with high-rise buildings, you'll find old shopping streets, shrines, and residential areas with many slopes. The convenience of the city and the tranquility rooted in the land coexist on the same horizon.

■ Education and Culture

Known as a city of education and culture within the prefecture. Educational facilities such as universities, high schools, libraries, and art museums are concentrated in the city, and in spring, the cherry blossom-lined streets bloom all at once.

It has long been called "the land where stars are clearly visible," and its name comes from the forest spreading in the western part of the city and the beauty of the night sky.

CENTRAL DISTRICT

CHUO WARD

HOSHINOMORI CENTRAL // City of Mikage River

The Mikage River flows through the center of the city and empties into Hoshimi Bay to the east. The northern part has a plateau where universities and public facilities are concentrated, the southern part has old residential areas, the eastern part has the coast and port, and the western part has mountains and shrines. The central commercial area is relatively flat, but the educational district and residential areas have many gentle slopes. On clear days, you can overlook both the sea and the mountains from the high ground in the city.

■ Topography of the Ward

Universities and public facilities on the northern plateau, old residential areas to the south, coast and port to the east, and mountains and shrines to the west. While having different characteristics in each direction, the central commercial area is flat, with gentle slopes extending into the educational and residential areas.

■ HOSHINOMORI STATION FRONT / CENTRAL DISTRICT

The center of HOSHINOMORI CITY. Centered around JR HOSHINOMORI Station, it is home to commercial buildings, restaurants, bookstores, movie theaters, karaoke bars, and banks. It is crowded with students and shoppers during the day, but the number of people rapidly decreases after 8 PM.

ACADEMIC DISTRICT

HOSHIMIGAOKA ACADEMIC DISTRICT

HOSHIMIGAOKA // Plateau of Cherry Blossom Lined Streets

An academic district formed on the plateau in the northern part of the city. HOSHINOMORI University, the Municipal Central Library, and a sports park are concentrated here. It is about a 15-minute bus ride from the station. A long slope lined with cherry blossoms is the symbol of the district.

■ Character of the District

It is bustling with new students in spring, but there are hardly any people during lecture-free hours or on holidays. Large school buildings, empty lecture halls, quiet corridors—there are many places where students who want to avoid attention can spend time alone. Bustle and solitude coexist on the same plateau.

■ HOSHINOMORI UNIVERSITY

The largest university in the city. It has a modern campus with a glass-fronted entrance and offers faculties such as Literature, Education, Sociology, and Economics. Many students commute from outside the city, but it is not nationally famous, and it is perceived locally as "an ordinary university."

OLD TOWN

MORINOMIYA OLD TOWN

MORINOMIYA // Town Where Time Has Stopped

An old town that existed before HOSHINOMORI CITY took its current form. Cobblestone alleys, wooden houses, and small shops remain. Many shops have closed due to the influx of large retailers, but old bookstores, Japanese confectionery shops, cafes, and photo studios continue to operate on a small scale.

■ Remaining Shops

Many shops have closed due to the influx of large retailers, but old bookstores, Japanese confectionery shops, cafes, and photo studios continue to operate on a small scale.

RESIDENTIAL AREA

MINAMIHOSHI RESIDENTIAL AREA

MINAMIHOSHI // Quiet Town of Slopes

A residential area spreading across the southern part of the city. It consists mainly of low-rise houses and small apartment buildings, with narrow roads and gentle slopes winding through them. Many residents have lived here for a long time, and the distance between neighbors is close.

■ Night View

It is very quiet at night, and you can even hear the sound of trains running in the distance. Some roads have few streetlights, and if you return home late, it shows a different kind of loneliness than during the day.

■ SHINO KIRISHIMA's Home

ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT

YOIBOSHI STREET

YOIBOSHI // Higashi Hoshi Town

A 10-minute walk from the east exit of HOSHINOMORI Station, this is the largest entertainment district in the city, located in Higashi Hoshi Town. It is more commonly known by the name of the street that runs through its center, "YOIBOSHI STREET." Izakayas, bars, snack bars, karaoke, and live music venues line the street. Although not as large as the prefectural capital, it attracts night-time customers from the surrounding areas and is lively until late on Fridays and Saturdays.

■ Overview