Olle is a type of hiking or walking trail which was invented on Jeju island in Korea and brought to Kyushu by a Korean woman working for Fukuoka's Kyushu Tourism Promotion Organisation. "Olle" is a word from the Jeju island dialect meaning "a small alley leading from a house to the street", but it has come to be representative of these numerous walking trails. There are 19 courses for olle in Kyushu, with 3 of those located in Oita prefecture. The Asaji - Taketa course (also called the "Oku-Bungo Course") was established in 2012 and is one of the most popular, with around 2,500 people hiking the trail each year, including a large number of foreign visitors.
The Asaji-Taketa course starts at Asaji station in Bungo Ono, and ends at Bungo Taketa station in Taketa. It is most popular for the beautiful maple leaves that can be found along the course in Autumn, but people also visit during cherry blossom season in early Spring. Along the course are a variety of historical and natural sites, including the ruins of Oka Castle, Yujaku Park, and Fukoji Temple's stone buddhas. At the end of the course, there is also Taketa's Hanamizuki Onsen, where you can relax and unwind after your walk!
Length of course: 12 km Average time taken: 4 hours