Higashihiroshima, College town in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan
Higashihiroshima is a city in Hiroshima Prefecture that spreads across hilly terrain and hosts several universities. The settlements scatter through different valleys and slopes, linked by roads that run between residential neighborhoods, university campuses, and older town centers.
The municipality formed in 1974 through the merger of several smaller towns to create a regional education center. The relocation of Hiroshima University to the area during the 1980s transformed the landscape and brought new facilities and residential areas.
The city carries the nickname Saijo and is known for its brewing districts where visitors can see traditional buildings with tiled roofs and chimneys. Many of these historic breweries open their doors for tastings and display the old tools used in rice wine production.
Train lines connect the main districts and offer links to larger cities in the region. Buses run between residential areas, university sites, and the brewery quarters, with schedules adjusted to student routines.
The annual festival in autumn draws thousands who want to sample over 1000 different types of rice wine. During the event, streets turn into open-air tasting rooms where brewers explain their methods and visitors can taste the differences between productions.
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