is a city located in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on April 1, 1950. As of June 1, 2019, the city has an estimated population of 44,154 and a population density of 78.4 persons per km². The total area is 562.95 km². Like the city of Miyakonojō, Kobayashi is suffering from a declining population.
History
Mergers
On March 20, 2006, the village of Suki (from Nishimorokata District) was merged into Kobayashi, roughly doubling the city's size.
On March 23, 2010, the town of Nojiri (also from Nishimorokata District) was also merged into Kobayashi.
Geography
Surrounding municipalities
Miyazaki Prefecture
Ebino
Aya
Nishimera
Miyakonojō
Miyazaki
Takaharu
Taragi
Asagiri
Kagoshima Prefecture
Kirishima
Climate
Kobayashi has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot, humid summers and cool winters. The average annual temperature in Kobayashi is . The average annual rainfall is with June as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around , and lowest in January, at around . The highest temperature ever recorded in Kobayashi was on 18 August 2020; the coldest temperature ever recorded was on 25 January 2016.
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Kobayashi in 2020 is 43,670 people. Kobayashi has been conducting censuses since 1920.
Industry
Products
Kobayashi is famous for producing pears.
Tourism
Places of interest
Inyoseki A fertility shrine a which people pray to conceive children. The site has a natural rock formation that resembles a phallus.
Ikoma Plateau At an elevation of , the plateau offers a view of the city from its magnificent flower garden with the Kirishima Mountain Range at its back. October is Cosmos season while April/May feature Icelandic poppies.
Idenoyama Park Home of the Firefly Festival every May. Features a freshwater aquarium, restaurants specializing in carp dishes, and beautiful lakefront scenery.
Idenoyama Spring Water (Japan's 100 remarkable waters)
Idenoyama mountain freshwater fish aquarium
Idenoyama Park is located in south west from center of Kobayashi city. This park has a pond where the water source is from Idenoyama mountain, and its spring water is selected as Japan's 100 remarkable waters. This is the home place of the Firefly Festival every May. Features a freshwater aquarium, restaurants specializing in carp dishes, and a beautiful lakefront scenery.
Overview of Idenoyama Park
One of the spring waters of the Kirishima Mountains, abundant water flow of 1 ton per second flows into the largest reservoir in Kobayashi, Idenoyama Pond. Idenoyama Pond was created by the Satsuma Domain in 1614 (Keicho 19) as irrigation water, and around this area a large number of flora and fauna inhabit. In late May to early June, it is a great habitat of Genji fireflies. There is a promenade so you can walk by the pond and enjoy the fireflies dancing. At the adjacent Miyazaki Prefectural Fisheries Experimental Station Kobayashi Branch, the sturgeon has been successfully hatched using spring water, and its caviar has been commercialized in cooperation with the private sector. There is a restaurant where you can taste river fish such as carp trout, and sturgeon.
Mythology
The inhabitants, who lived in the mountains of Kuma-gun in Higo, Kurino, Yokokawa, Hyokiyama, and Soo-gun in Osumi, defeated the court and did not donate their annual tribute to the court. Emperor Keiko visited the Kyushu region to subdue them and to make this clear. He departed from Kyoto, passed through Nagato and Toyokuni, then at Hyuga, he established Takaya-no-miya (near the western city) to fight the bear attack and settle down. On his way back to Kyoto, he stopped by Hinamori, nearby Kobayashi city. At that time, the hills surrounding the Mt. Idenoyama were said to have housed the royal family, and there was a beautiful lady called Izumihime. Izumihime poured tea made with the spring water from Idenoyama to the Emperor. The cup of tea made him comforted and healed the tiredness of the battle. The emperor and Izumihime grew warm affection one day. The time of return came and the Emperor departed for Kyoto. It is said that she mourned herself in the pond and turned into a snake as a guardian angel. Even now, the Benzaiten Festival is held every April to celebrate Mizugami-sama, and there is still a stone that is connected to the grave of Izumihime next to the cemetery in Oidemizu district. Excerpt of the legendary "Izumihime Monogatari"