Hōki, Tottori

Hōki (伯耆町, Hōki-chō) is a town in Saihaku District, Tottori Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 December 2021, the town had an estimated population of 10,420 in 3871 households and a population density of 75 persons per km². The total area of the town is 139.44 square kilometres (53.84 sq mi). On the west side of the train tracks just after leaving Hōki-Mizoguchi station, a very large green statue of an Oni is visible on the hill overlooking the town and the Hino River. Before the Kishimoto-Mizokuchi town merger which created Hōki, the oni was Mizokuchi's town mascot and as such is featured on manhole covers, phone booths, post boxes and even the town's highway rest stop (where the building housing the restrooms is shaped like a giant oni head).