Tokyo Metropolis Hinode has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall.

In 1983, while he was in office, Nakasone invited US president Ronald Reagan there, and held US-Japan summit in an informal atmosphere to establish friendly personal relations.

After his resignation as prime minister, Nakasone also former South Korean president, Chun Doo-hwan, former Soviet general secretary Mikhail Gorbachev and many other foreign VIPs, including several US ambassadors at the cottage.

Hinode has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 14 members.

Hinode, collectively with the municipalities of Akiruno, Fussa, Hamura, Mizuho, Hinohara and Okutama, contributes two members to the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly.

In terms of national politics, the town is part of Tokyo 25th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.