Taimei Town is located in Kumamoto Prefecture in northern Japan, near Fukuoka and facing the Ariake Sea. It has a temperate climate with hot, humid summers and mild winters with little snow. The town has abundant wildlife including frogs, turtles, beetles, fireflies, woodpeckers and crows. Famous crops include oranges, tomatoes, watermelons and strawberries. Well-known local foods are horse meat (basashi), rice cakes (ikinaridango) and lotus root chips (karashirenkon). A major tourist attraction is the ancient cycads in Onoshimo that are between 700-1000 years old.