Hitsune

Hitsune (坤稲; hitsune) is a city located in Tagishi District, Tagi Prefecture. As of 2020, the city has a population of around 113,000.

The area of Hitsune was historically used for rice farming and was irrigated thoroughly with a complex canal system, which has now become a popular tourist attraction. Hitsune riverboats, called 'warikawa ' (堀寬), are used to transport tourists around the city.

Hitsune is the birthplace of Isoe Kanma, a poet of the 19th century and writer of children's songs. An annual three-day festival is held every November (the birth month of Kanma) in memoriam, complete with poetry readings, fireworks, music and many evening canal-boat rides. In addition, Kanma's childhood home is opened to the public for tours.

History
Hitsune was originally constructed as a rice-farming township in the mid-11th century by the Kashira clan, who owned most of Tagi Prefecture's eastern stretches and also controlled the area's trade. Flourishing as one of the steadiest and most abundant producers of rice in the prefecture, Hitsune's iconic canal system was built in 1304, along with the well-known Hitsune Castle.

Throughout most of its history, Hitsune remained a humble, peaceful and picturesque town with a middling population and a thriving economy. After the establishment of Kanton's monarchy, Hitsune flourished even more as it was given a local government and trade barriers were opened up somewhat.

At the dawn of Kanton's industrial era, Hitsune's traditional agricultural economy was marginalised somewhat by a growing pressure to industrialise and expand. This led to the construction of Hitsune's Inner District (內潘), an industrial area of factories which produced heavily processed goods such as steel parts, machinery, and other materials. Despite its detrimental impact on the city's scenic appearance, the Inner District boosted Hitsune's economy significantly.

Nowadays, Hitsune is considered a wealthy, prosperous and very safe place to live. In fact, the city's crime rate is the lowest in Tagi Prefecture. It also has one of the fastest-rising populations for any small city in western Kanton.

Geography
Hitsune is located in the eastern reach of Tagi Prefecture, and is the largest settlement of Tagishi District. It experiences cool summers, with very cold and frosty winters. Annual rainfall is one of the highest in the prefecture.

Economy
In modern times, Hitsune's economy is mainly tertiary-based, though its Inner District still contributes considerably. The traditional rice-farming industry has been nurtured, but over time it has been overtaken by more large-scale producers.