Hayato (隼人町, Hayato-chō) is a town located in Aira District, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.
On November 7, 2005, Hayato, along with the city of Kokubu, the towns of Kirishima (former), Fukuyama, Makizono, Mizobe and Yokogawa (all from Aira District), was merged to create the city of Kirishima and no longer exists as an independent municipality.
Covering an area of 66.49 square kilometers, Hayato is a land rich in nature with Kinko Bay to the south and Kirishima mountains to the north.
In the nearby waters one can see the small islands of Kamitsukuri floating in the distance, famous for Takachiho Shrine, where the shinto god Hikohohodemi no Mikoto rested in ancient times.
Ruins surrounding this as well historical sites of the Kumaso Aborigines, who wielded power anciently in southern Kyushu, offer us many diverse legends and romanticism.