Asahi Town, the smallest town in Mie Prefecture, developed as an industrial town during the period of rapid economic growth, with many small and medium-sized enterprises setting up factories there. In recent years, transportation convenience has improved with the establishment of JR Asahi Station and the opening of the Mie Asahi Interchange on the Isewan Expressway, and residential development is also underway. Asahi Town in Mie County hosts the Hachioji Festival, a fire festival designated as an intangible cultural asset, every year on August 13th. This is a religious ritual in which men hit each other with burning bundles of straw to drive away illness. Another popular event, the Summer Festa Asahi, which is open to local residents, is also a popular event that attracts large numbers of visitors.