A BLOG FOR TRAVELLERS

Sendai , Japan

2007-11-01T03:35:00.000-07:00

Sendai
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Learn more about citing Wikipedia •
Jump to: navigation, search

This article does not cite any references or sources. (April 2007)Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.
Sendai City仙台市
Sendai City's location in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.
Location
Country
Japan
Region
Tōhoku
Prefecture
Miyagi Prefecture
Physical characteristics
Area
788.09 km² (304.3 sq mi)
Population (as of 2005)
Total
1,028,214
Density
1,305/km² (3,379.9/sq mi)
Location
38°16′05″N, 140°52′11″E
Symbols
Tree
Japanese zelkova
Flower
Japanese clover
Symbol of Sendai City
Sendai City Government Office
Mayor
Katsuhiko Umehara
Address
〒980-8671Sendai-shi, Aoba-ku, Kokubun-cho 3-7-1
Phone number
022-261-1111
Official website: Sendai City
For the former city of Sendai in Kagoshima Prefecture, see Satsumasendai, Kagoshima.
Sendai (仙台市, Sendai-shi?) is the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the largest city in the Tōhoku (northeast) region. The city has a population of one million and is one of Japan's fourteen designated cities. The city was founded in 1600 by the daimyo Date Masamune (伊達政宗, Date Masamune?), and is well known by its nickname, the "City of Trees" (杜の都, Mori no Miyako?).
Contents[hide]
1 History
2 Geography
3 Climate
4 Demographics
5 Wards
6 Politics
7 Economy
8 Education
9 Transportation
9.1 Train stations
10 Culture
10.1 Streets
10.2 Festivals
10.3 Sports
10.4 Museums
10.5 Historical sites
10.6 Natural sites
10.7 Specialties and crafts
10.8 Churches
10.9 Other sites
11 Sister and Friendship cities
11.1 International sister and friendship cities
12 References
13 External links
//

[edit] History
Although the Sendai area was inhabited as early as 20,000 years ago, the history of Sendai as a city begins from 1600, when the daimyo Date Masamune relocated to Sendai.
Masamune was not happy with his previous stronghold, Iwadeyama. Iwadeyama was located to the north of his territories and was also difficult to access from Edo (modern-day Tokyo). Sendai was an ideal location, placed in the center of Masamune's newly defined territories, upon a major road from Edo, and near the sea. Tokugawa Ieyasu gave Masamune permission to build a new castle in Aobayama, Sendai after the Battle of Sekigahara. Aobayama was the location of a castle used by the previous ruler of the Sendai area.
At this time, Sendai was written as 千代 (literally means "a thousand generations"), because a temple with a thousand Buddha statues (千体, sentai?) used to be located in Aobayama. Masamune changed the kanji to 仙臺, which later became 仙台 (literally means "hermit on a platform"). The kanji was taken from a Chinese poem that praised a palace created by the Emperor Wen of Han China, comparing it to a mythical palace in the Kunlun Mountains. It is said that Masamune chose this kanji so the castle would prosper as long as a mountain inhabited by an immortal hermit.
Masamune ordered the construction of Sendai Castle in December 1600 and the construction of the town of Sendai in 1601. The grid plan roads in present-day central Sendai are based upon his plans.

Downtown Sendai from the nearby Atago shrine
Sendai was incorporated as a city on April 1, 1889, as a result of the abolition of the han system. At the time of incorporation, the city's area was 17.45 km² and its population was 86,000. However, the city grew through seven annexations that occurred from 1928 to 1988. The City became a designated city on April 1, 1989. The city's population exceeded one million in 1999.
Sendai was (and still is) considered to be one of Japan's greenest cities, mostly because of its great numbers of trees and plants. Sendai became known as The City of Trees at least before World War II. This was because the Sendai han encouraged residents to plant trees in their yards. As a result, many houses, temples, and shrines in central Sendai had household forests (屋敷林, yashikirin?), which were used as resources for wood and other everyday materials. Air raids during World War II destroyed much of the greenery, and more was lost during the post-war rehabilitation and growth. Sendai is still well known as The City of Trees, but this is mainly because of massive efforts to restore greenery in the city.

[edit] Geography

The Hirose-gawa River, seen from the Otamaya-bashi Bridge.
Sendai is located at lat. 38°16'05" north, long. 140°52'11" east. The city's area is 788.09 km², and stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the Ōu Mountains, which are the east and west borders of Miyagi Prefecture. As a result, the city's geography is quite diverse. Eastern Sendai is a plains area, the center of the city is hilly, and western areas are mountainous. The highest point in the city is Mt. Funagata which stands 1,500 m over sea level.
The Hirose-gawa River flows 45 km through Sendai. The river is well-known as a symbol of Sendai, especially because it appears in the lyrics of Aobajō Koiuta (青葉城恋唄; literally, The Aoba Castle Love Song), a popular song sung by Muneyuki Sato. Sendai castle was built close to the river, intending to use it as a natural moat. The river frequently flooded until the 1950s, but dams and levees constructed in the 1960s and 1970s have made such floods rare. The river is now known for its exceptionally clean water and natural beauty, and was selected by Japan's Environment Agency as one of Japan's 100 Great Waters.

Sendai panorama view from Aobayama Hill.
Most mountains in Sendai are dormant volcanoes, much older than the more famous Zaō and Narugo volcanoes in nearby municipalities. However, many hot springs can be found in the city, indicating hydrothermal activity. The Miyagi Oki earthquake occurs offshore Sendai once every 25 to 40 years. The 2005 Miyagi earthquake, which occurred on August 16, 2005 had an epicenter close to the Miyagi Oki earthquake area. However, the Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion concluded that it was not the Miyagi Oki earthquake, saying "...the recent event is not thought to be this earthquake. This is because the magnitude of the earthquake was small, and the source area, which was estimated from the aftershock distribution and seismic waves, did not cover the whole expected source region. Although, the recent event ruptured a part of the focal region of the expected earthquake."

[edit] Climate

Average temperature and precipitation in Sendai.
Sendai is situated in a temperate climate zone and has a moderate climate. The city's average temperature is 12.1°C (53.8°F) and its average annual precipitation is 1,241.8 mm. The highest recorded temperature in the city is 36.8°C (98.2°F), and the lowest recorded temperature is -11.7°C (10.9°F). The average year has 16.8 days with a high temperature over 30°C and only 2.2 days with a low temperature below 0°C, which is smaller compared to other major Japanese cities. The city is rarely hit by typhoons, and experiences only 6 days with more than 10 cm of snowfall in the average year. Sendai's rainy season usually begins in late June to early July, which is later than most cities in Japan. And cold wind from the Okhotsk air mass, called "Yamase", blows in this season.

[edit] Demographics
As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 1,028,214 and a density of 1,304.69 persons per km². The city's total area is 788.09 km². Most people in the city live in urban areas close to train and subway stations. The 2000 National Census revealed that 88.5% of the city's population (892,252 people) live in a 129.69 km² area, which is 16.6% of the city's total area. The population density in this area is 6,879.9 persons per km², which is more than 5 times higher than the city's population density at that time, 1,286.6 persons per km². Approximately 10,000 people in Sendai are non-Japanese citizens.
Sendai has 444,514 households as of 2005. The average household has approximately 2.31 members. The average household is becoming smaller every year, because single-member households are increasing. Sendai has many people in their early 50s and in their 20s and early 30s compared to other age groups. This is a result of the first and second baby boom in Japan, and the presence of many young students that study in Sendai. The average age in Sendai is 38.4, which makes the city one of the youngest major cities in Japan.

[edit] Wards
Sendai has five wards ("ku"), which were created when it became a designated city in 1989. The city consciously avoided names that included directions (e.g., north 北, center 中央) when it chose names for the new wards.
Aoba-ku(青葉区)
Izumi-ku(泉区)
Miyagino-ku(宮城野区)
Taihaku-ku(太白区)
Wakabayashi-ku(若林区)

[edit] Politics

Sendai City Hall.
Sendai's political system is similar to other cities in Japan, because the Local Autonomy Law makes all municipalities uniform in terms of organization and power. However, Sendai is a designated city, so it has the same jurisdiction as prefectures in some areas.
Sendai's local government is essentially a mayor-council government with a strong mayor system. The mayor is elected from a citywide election. Sendai City Assembly members are elected from 5 elective districts, which correspond to the city's 5 wards. The number of assembly members allocated to each ward is based upon population. As of May 2005, the city has 60 assembly members; 17 from Aoba Ward, 11 from Miyagino, 8 from Wakabayashi, 13 from Taihaku, and 11 from Izumi. The City Assembly elects an Assembly Chairperson and Vice Chairperson. Sendai has two vice mayors, which are not elected by the populace.
Sendai is known to be a relatively liberal area, which tends to favor the Democratic Party in national elections.

[edit] Economy
Sendai is the center of the Tōhoku region's economy, and is the base of the region's logistics and transportation. The city's economy heavily relies upon retail and services – the two industries provide approximately two thirds of the employment and close to half of the establishments.
Sendai is frequently called a branch office economy, because very few major companies are headquartered in the city. Various authorities are cooperating to alleviate this problem, primarily by encouraging high-tech ventures from Tohoku University, which is well-known for its science and engineering departments. Several high-profile projects, such as the Sendai-Finland Wellbeing Center, have emerged from these attempts, but tangible results in the city's economy and employment are yet to be seen.
Tohoku Electric Power Co., Inc., a major regional supplier of electric power, has its headquarters in Sendai.

[edit] Education

Sendai Second High School
Sendai is sometimes called an "Academic City" (学都; gakuto) because the city has many universities compared to its population. Tohoku University is the center of the city's higher education. Tohoku University is known in Japan to be the leader in the field of material science. Recipient of the 2002 Nobel prize in chemistry, Koichi Tanaka graduated with a bachelor's degree from Tohoku University. The university was one of the nine Japanese imperial universities and was ranked as the best Asian multi-disciplinary university in a 1999 Asiaweek survey. Also it was the first University to accept female students as well as foreign students in Japan.
Another of Sendai's universities is Tohoku Gakuin University. Also in the city are Sendai Shirayuri Women's College, Tohoku Seikatsu Bunka College, Tohoku Bunka Gakuen University, a campus of Miyagi University, Miyagi Gakuin Women's University, Miyagi University of Education, Tohoku Fukushi University, and Miyagi Agriculture College.

[edit] Transportation

JR Sendai Station
JR Sendai Station is the center of transportation in the city. The station is served by eight JR lines and is a major station for the Tōhoku and Akita Shinkansen lines. An underground passage connects the station to the Sendai City Subway Line.
Sendai has a North-South subway line, one of the most expensive in Japan with a basic fare starting at 200 yen. The city is starting the construction of an East-West line, scheduled for completion in 2015. The East-West line has been criticized for being excessively costly, based upon extremely optimistic estimates, and hostile to the natural environment. Proponents maintain that the new subway line is necessary to prevent urban sprawl, will decrease the city's environmental load by encouraging use of public transportation, and is based upon adequate estimates. Sendai citizen (仙台市民, Sendai Shimin?) Ombudsman has filed a suit against the Mayor of Sendai to prevent construction fees from becoming approved. The suit is pending at the Sendai district courts.

Kōtōdai Kōen Station
The city is served by Sendai Airport (Natori), which has international flights to several countries, and Sendai Port. Contrary to the name, the Sendai International Airport terminal is actually south of the city in neighboring Natori, and the 3000 metre main runway straddles the border between Natori and Iwanuma while a 1200 metre diagonal runway is located entirely within Iwanuma. A rail link to Sendai began service on March 18, 2007.
Sendai is surrounded by a network of highways. The Tōhoku Expressway runs north-south through western Sendai, and is interconnected to other highways, such as the Sendai Nambu Road, Sendai Tobu Road, Sanriku Expressway (Sendai-Matsushima Road), and Sendai Hokubu Road.

[edit] Train stations
JR East
Tōhoku Shinkansen: Sendai
Tōhoku Main Line: Minami-Sendai - Nagamachi - Sendai - Higashi-Sendai - Iwakiri
Jōban Line: Minami-Sendai - Nagamachi - Sendai
Senzan Line: Sendai - Tōshōgū - Kita-Sendai - Kitayama - Kunimi - Kuzuoka Station - Rikuzen-Ochiai - Ayashi - Rikuzen-Shirasawa - Kumagane - Nishi-Sendai Hi-Land - Sakunami - Yatsumori - Okunikkawa
Senseki Line: Aoba-dōri - Sendai - Tsutsujigaoka - Miyaginohara - Rikuzen-Haranomachi - Nigatake - Kozurushinden - Fukudamachi - Rikuzen-Takasago - Nakanosakae
Sendai City Subway Line (All stations)

[edit] Culture

[edit] Streets

The promenade of Jozenji-Dori
The streets with a lot of Japanese zelkovas in Sendai are well-known. The typical streets are called Jozenji-Dori (定禅寺通り, Jōzenji Dōri?) and Aoba-Dori (青葉通り, Aoba Dōri?). These are symbols of "City of Trees". Jozenji-Dori has a promenade and a few sculptures, it is a place of relaxation. And Jozenji-Dori and Kōtōdai Park (匂当台公園, Kōtōdai Kōen?) are often taken placed many events and festivals, Sendai Pageant of Starlights. Aoba-Dori is mainstreet of Sendai and a bussiness road in Sendai.
Besides them, Hirose-Dori(ginkgo), Higashi-Nibancho-Dori and so on are in Sendai.

[edit] Festivals

The Sendai Tanabata Festival.
The most famous festival in Sendai is the Sendai Tanabata Festival, which attracts more than 2 million visitors every year and is the largest Tanabata Festival in Japan. The festival is relatively quiet compared to other traditional Japanese festivals, because its main attractions are the intricate Tanabata decorations. The Aoba Matsuri Festival follows more typical Japanese festival traditions, with a mikoshi, floats, a samurai parade, and traditional dancing. Local people burn their New Year decorations and pray for health in the new year during the Dontosai Festival, the oldest festival in Miyagi Prefecture.

Sendai Pageant of Starlights
Various contemporary festivals also take place in Sendai, such as the Jōzenji Streetjazz Festival, the Michinoku Yosakoi Festival, and the Sendai Pageant of Starlights. The Jōzenji Streetjazz Festival is one of the largest amateur music festivals in Japan, with more than 700 groups participating in recent years. It began as a jazz festival in 1991, but soon began to accept applications from all genres. The festival is called a "Streetjazz" festival to indicate this fact. The Michinoku Yosakoi festival is a dance festival, derived from the Yosakoi Festival that takes place in Kochi. Trees in downtown Sendai are decorated with lights during the Sendai Pageant of Starlights. The event provided the idea for the Festival of Lights annually held in Riverside, Sendai's sister city. In 2005, streets was lit up with one million miniature bulbs.

[edit] Sports

Fullcast Stadium Miyagi
Although the Lotte Orions briefly used Sendai as a temporary home for the franchise from 1973 to 1977, the city was largely ignored by professional sports until 1994. In that year, the Tohoku Electric Power football team was changed into a club team, Brummel Sendai, with the goal of eventually promoting the team into the J. League. The team achieved this goal when the J. League expanded in 1999 with the creation of a second division. The name of the team was simultaneously changed to Vegalta Sendai. Although the team has not been performing well in recent years, it is known for being exceptionally well supported by its fans.
In 2005, the number of professional sports teams based in Sendai suddenly increased to three. The Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles was introduced as a new Pacific League baseball franchise after widely publicized turmoil involving the merger of the Kintetsu Buffaloes and the Orix Blue Wave developed into the first strike in Nippon Professional Baseball. Additionally, the Basketball Japan League, which began its innaugural season in November 2005, included the Sendai 89ers among its first six teams. The 89ers are still relatively unknown, even to natives of Sendai.
Annual sporting events include the Sendai Cup, an international football tournament for U-18 teams, and the Sendai International Half Marathon. Various sporting venues can be found in Sendai, such as Sendai Stadium, Fullcast Stadium Miyagi, Sendai City Gymnasium, Izumigatake Ski Resort, Izumi Kogen Spring Valley Ski Resort, Sendai Highland, and Shellcom Sendai. The city is also known as the origin of figure skating in Japan, and 2006 Olympic gold medalist Shizuka Arakawa trained in Sendai as she was growing up. Tohoku Fukushi University and Sendai Ikuei Gakuen High School are well known for strong sports programs, the latter for baseball.
In 2006, Sendai hosted some games of the Basketball World Championship 2006.

[edit] Museums

The Miyagi Museum of Art
The Sendai City Museum displays various artifacts related to the Date family and the history of Sendai. Date Masamune's famous suit of armor and artifacts related to Hasekura Tsunenaga's visit to Rome are sometimes on display. Other historical artifacts can be seen in various temples and museums in the city, such as the Zuihoden Mausoleum.
The Miyagi Museum of Art is Sendai's largest art museum. A total of 24 sculptures have been installed in various public locations in Sendai through its City of Sculptures project. The Tohoku University Museum of Natural History is the city's primary science museum, while the Sendai Children's Space Museum and the Sendai Science Museum mainly target children. Sendai is also home to various museums that deal with more specific topics, such as the Sendai Literature Museum, the Serizawa Keisuke Art Museum, and the Sendai Streetcar Museum.
The Tomizawa site museum in the southern part of the city preserves a fossilized forest where the remains of human habitation from 20,000 years ago can be seen. As well as the preserved forest itself, there is an exhibition on the lives of the people who dwelt there. Information is in Japanese and English. [1]

[edit] Historical sites

Dainenji
Sendai is home to various historical sites related to the Date family. The ruins of Sendai Castle are located close to downtown in Mt. Aoba, which also gives a panoramic view of the city. The Zuihoden Mausoleum is the grave of Date Masamune, and also is home to artifacts related to the Date Family. It is located on a hill called Kyogamine, which is the traditional resting place for members of the Date family. The Ōsaki Hachiman Shrine, built in 1607 by Date Masamune, is designated as a national treasure.
Newer historical sites include the former home of Doi Bansui, a famous lyricist, and a monument at Sendai City Museum that commemorates the Chinese writer Lu Xun. Another statue of Lu Xun can be found in the Tohoku University Katahira Campus, where Lu Xun studied medical science. Older historical sites include the Tōmizuka Tomb, a historical tomb that dates back to the late 4th century or early 5th century, and the Tomizawa Preserved Forest site, where the excavated remains of stone age human settlement (Upper Palaeolithic - roughly 20,000 years ago) have been protected by a large museum structure built in 1996.

[edit] Natural sites

Western Sendai is home to many sites of natural beauty, much of them found around Akiu(秋保) and Sakunami(作並), which are both hot spring resorts. Sites around the Akiu area include the Akiu Otaki Falls, sometimes counted as one of Japan's three great waterfalls, and the Rairai Gorge, known for its autumn colors. The Futakuchi Gorge contains several waterfalls that have been designated as natural monuments and the Banji Cliffs, an example of columnar basalt.
The Sakunami area is also known for its natural beauty, with cherry blossoms in the spring, and beautiful colors in the autumn. The nearby Hōmei Shijuhachi Taki Falls is the name of various waterfalls found in the higher reaches of the Hirose-gawa River. The origins of the name "Hōmei" (鳳鳴; literally, Chinese phoenix cry) is said to be because ancient people said the sound of the waterfalls was similar to the legendary bird's call.
Many places close to downtown Sendai are full of nature. The Tatsunokuchi Gorge offers a breathtaking view, petrified wood can be found next to the nearby Otamaya-bashi bridge, and many locals enjoy cherry blossoms at Nishi-Kōen park and Tsutsujigaoka park. The Hirose-gawa River and the Gamo Tideland are both home to diverse wildlife. Sendai City Hall has created a list of 100 places in the city with beautiful greenery and nature (in Japanese).
Matsushima, which is one of the Three Views of Japan, is out of the city, Matsushima-shi. A. Einstein and Matsuo Bashō visited here, praised and said that the view here was unparalleled in its beauty.

[edit] Specialties and crafts
Sendai is the origin of several foods, including gyutan (牛タン, cow tongue, usually grilled), hiyashi chūka (cold Chinese noodles), and robatayaki (Japanese-style barbecue). However, robatayaki was later introduced to Kushiro, which developed and popularized the dish. As a result, many people believe Kushiro is the origin of Robatayaki. Zundamochi (ずんだ餅, mochi balls with sweet, bright green edamame paste), and sasakamaboko (笹かまぼこ, kamaboko shaped like bamboo leaves) are also considered to be Sendai specialties. Sendai is also known for good sashimi, sushi, and sake. This is because Sendai is near to several major fishing ports, such as Kesennuma, Ishinomaki, and Shiogama, and the fact that Miyagi Prefecture is a major producer of rice. Although Sendai is often said to be the origin of conveyor belt sushi, it was actually created in Osaka. However, the first conveyor belt sushi store in eastern Japan opened in Sendai.
Many crafts from Sendai were originally created under the influence of the Date family during the Edo period. Examples are Sendai Hira, a hand woven silk fabric, Tsutsumiyaki pottery, and Yanagiu Washi paper. However, some crafts, such as umoregi zaiku (crafts created from fossil wood) were developed by low-ranking Samurai who needed side jobs to survive. Kokeshi dolls were popularized by hot spring resorts that sold them as gifts. Some relatively recent developments include Sendai Tsuishu lacquerware and Tamamushinuri lacquerware, both which were developed after the Meiji Restoration.

[edit] Churches
There are several Christian Churches in Sendai. Most central among churches where English is spoken are Mototerakoji Catholic Church (022-222-5507), within walking distance of Sendai Station (lat/lon: 38.2636, 140.8782); and the Evangelical Sendai English Fellowship (022-279-6625), which meets in a Baptist church right next to Kita Yobancho subway station (Exit N2).

[edit] Other sites

Sendai Mediatheque, a building designed by Toyo Ito.
Sendai Mediatheque is a multipurpose facility that houses the city library, galleries, and film studio facilities open for use by the general public. The building was designed by Toyo Ito and is known for its innovative architecture.
The AER Building, the Miyagi Prefectural Office, and the SS30 Building are all relatively high buildings in downtown Sendai that offer panoramic views. The Sendai Daikannon is an approximately 100 meter high Kannon statue. The statue was built during Japan's bubble economy by a now defunct company. Although it is possible to enjoy a panoramic view from the statue, it is disliked by many locals, partially because it looks rather out of place in the middle of a residential district, and partially because most people see the statue as a symbol of greed, not faith.

[edit] Sister and Friendship cities

[edit] International sister and friendship cities
Sendai has a long history of international sister city relationships. Its affiliation with Riverside, California on March 9, 1957 is the second oldest sister city in Japan.
Riverside, California, USA
Rennes, France
Acapulco, Mexico
Minsk, Belarus
Gwangju, Republic of Korea
Dallas, Texas, United States
Changchun, People's Republic of China
Oulu, Finland
Tainan City, Republic of China

Niigata , Japan

2007-11-01T03:33:00.000-07:00

Niigata Prefecture
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Learn more about using Wikipedia for research •
Jump to: navigation, search
Niigata Prefecture (新潟県 Niigata-ken)

Capital
Niigata (city)
Region
Chūbu
Island
Honshū
Governor
Hirohiko Izumida
Area
12,582.47 km² (5th)
- % water
0.2%
Population (March 1, 2005)
- Population
2,444,108 (14th)
- Density
194 /km²
Districts
10
Municipalities
35
ISO 3166-2
JP-15
Website
www.pref.niigata.jp/sougouseisaku/kokusai/english/
Prefectural Symbols
- Flower
Tulip (Tulipa gesneriana)
- Tree
Camellia (Camellia japonica)
- Bird
Crested Ibis (Nipponia nippon)
Symbol of Niigata Prefecture
Niigata Prefecture (新潟県, Niigata-ken?) is located on Honshū island on the coast of the Sea of Japan. The capital is the city of Niigata. The name Niigata literally means "New Lagoon".
Contents[hide]
1 History
2 Geography
2.1 Cities
2.2 Towns and villages
2.3 Mergers
2.4 Future mergers
3 Economy
3.1 Agriculture, forestry and fishing
3.2 Mining and manufacturing
4 Demographics
5 Culture
5.1 Food
5.2 Niigata's firsts
5.3 Niigata in film, literature and music
6 Tourism
7 Prefectural symbols
8 Notables
8.1 Politics and the military
8.2 Arts and culture
8.3 Sports
9 Professional sports clubs
10 External links
11 References
//

[edit] History
Niigata prefecture was originally divided into Echigo Province and Sado Province until the Meiji Restoration. During the Sengoku period it was ruled by Uesugi Kenshin.
Niigata-shi (the city) is the largest and most important among the cities which face the Sea of Japan. It has been an important seaport since the opening of Japan by Matthew Perry in the mid-1800s, especially for trade with Russia and northern Korea, and was the first port on the Sea of Japan to be opened to foreign trade.
The Etsuzankai organization, led by prime minister Tanaka Kakuei, was highly influential in bringing infrastructure improvements to Niigata in the 1960s and 1970s, including the Joetsu Shinkansen high speed rail line and Kanetsu Expressway to Tokyo.
Today, Niigata is well-known for being visited by a freighter from North Korea once a month: one of the few direct contacts with the communist country.
On October 23, 2004, the Chūetsu earthquake struck Niigata Prefecture, causing shaking measured at Shindo 6+ at Ojiya.
On January 9, 2006, a heavy winter storm caused much trouble in the prefecture and its surroundings. At least 71 people died and over a thousand were injured.
On July 16, 2007, the area saw the 2007 Niigata earthquake.

[edit] Geography

Map of Niigata Prefecture.
Niigata prefecture stretches about 240 km along the Sea of Japan from southwest to north east, with a coastal plain between the mountains and the sea. It also includes Sado Island.
Because of the shape, Niigata prefecture is often called small Honshū-Main Island. It could be placed in either the Hokuriku or Koshinetsu regions, each considered part of the greater Chūbu region.
The prefecture is generally divided into four geographical areas: Joetsu (in the south), Chūetsu (in the center), Kaetsu (in the north), and Sado Island. It is home to the mouth of the Shinano River, the longest river in Japan.

Reconstruction of a 19th century peasant farmer's house and rice paddy at the Northern Culture Museum, Niigata.

[edit] Cities
20 cities are located in Niigata Prefecture:
Agano
Gosen
Itoigawa
Jōetsu
Kamo
Kashiwazaki
Minamiuonuma
Mitsuke
Murakami
Myōkō
Nagaoka
Niigata (capital)
Niigata is divided into 8 wards (-ku)
Kita-ku
Higashi-ku
Chūō-ku
Kōnan-ku
Akiha-ku
Nishi-ku
Minami-ku
Nishikan-ku
Ojiya
Sado
Sanjō
Shibata
Tainai
Tōkamachi
Tsubame
Uonuma

[edit] Towns and villages
Towns and villages in each district:
Higashikanbara District
Aga
Iwafune District
Arakawa
Asahi‡
Awashimaura‡
Kamihayashi‡
Sanpoku‡
Sekikawa
Kariwa District
Kariwa
Kitakanbara District
Seirō
Kitauonuma District
Kawaguchi
Minamikanbara District
Tagami
Minamiuonuma District
Yuzawa
Nakauonuma District
Tsunan
Nishikanbara District
Yahiko
Santō District
Izumozaki
‡ Scheduled to be dissolved following mergers in 2008.

[edit] Mergers
January 1, 2001
the town of Kurosaki from Nishikanbara District was amagalated into the city of Niigata.
July 7, 2003
the town of Toyoura from Kitakanbara District was amagalated into the city of Shibata.
March 1, 2004
the city of Ryotsu merged with all towns and villages within Sado District (dissolved with this merger) to form the city of Sado.
April 1, 2004
the towns of Suibara and Yasuda and the villages of Kyogase and Sasakami (all from Kitakanbara District) merged to form the city of Agano.
November 1, 2004
The towns of Muika and Yamato from Minamiuonuma District merged to form the city of Minamiuonuma.
The towns of Horinouchi and Koide and the villages of Hirokami, Irihirose, Sumon and Yunotani (all from Kitauonuma District) merged to form the city of Uonuma.
January 1, 2005
The town of Yasuzuka and the villages of Maki, Oshima and Uragawara (all from Higashikubiki District) the towns of Itakura, Kakizaki, Ogata and Yoshikawa and the villages of Kiyosato, Kubiki, Nakagou and Sanwa (all from Nakakubiki District)+the town of Nadachi from Nishikubiki District=>the city of Joetsu.
March 19, 2005
The city of Itoigawa merged with the remaining parts of Nishikubiki District (dissolved by this action) - the towns of Nou and Oumi to form the city of Itoigawa.
March 21, 2005
The city of Niitsu, Shirone and Toyosaka, the towns of Kameda, Kosudo and Yokogoshi from Nakakanbara District and the town of Nishikawa and the villages of Ajikata, Iwamuro, Katahigashi, Nakanokuchi and Tsukigata from Nishikanbara District were all merged into the city of Niigata.
April 1, 2005
The remaining parts of Nakakubiki District (dissolved by this action) - the town of Myokokogen and the village of Myoko were merged into the city of Arai. Arai changed its name to Myōkō at the same time.
The town of Oguni from Kariwa District, the village of Yamakoshi from Koshi District, the town of Nakanoshima from Minamikanbara District and the towns of Koshiji and Mishima from Santo District merged into the city of Nagaoka. (Koshi District was thereby dissolved.)
The city of Tokamachi merged with the towns of Matsudai and Matsunoyama from Higashikubiki District (dissolved by this merger) and the town of Kawanishi and the village of Nakasato from Nakauonuma District to create the city of Tokamachi.
All municipalities within Higashikanbara District merged to form the town of Aga.
May 1, 2005
The towns of Nishiyama and Takayanagi from Kariwa District were merged into the city of Kashiwazaki.
The town of Shiunji and the village of Kajikawa from Kitakanbara District were merged into the city of Shibata.
The city of Sanjo merged with the town of Sakae and the village of Shitada (both from Minamikanbara District) to create the city of Sanjo.
September 1, 2005
The town of Nakajo+Kurokawa (both from Kitakanbara District) merged to form the city of Tainai.
October 1, 2005
The town of Shiozawa from Minamiuonuma District merged into the city of Minamiuonuma.
October 10, 2005
The town of Maki from Nishikanbara District merged into the city of Niigata.
January 1, 2006
the city of Gosen merged with the town of Muramatsu from Nakakanbara District (dissolved by this merger) to form the city of Gosen.
The city of Tochio, the towns of Teradomari and Yoita and the village of Washima from Santo District were all absorbed into the city of Nagaoka.
March 20, 2006
The city of Tsubame merged with the towns of Bunsui and Yoshida from Nishikanbara District to create the city of Tsubame.

[edit] Future mergers
The city of Murakami is scheduled to merge with the municipalities of Kamihayashi, Asahi, Sanpoku, and Awashima from Iwafune District somewhere around April 2008.

[edit] Economy

[edit] Agriculture, forestry and fishing
The major industry in Niigata is agriculture. Rice is the principal product, with Niigata ranking 2nd (after Hokkaidō) among the prefectures for total rice output. The area around Uonuma is especially known for its Koshihikari variety of rice, which is widely thought of as the highest quality rice in Japan.
Rice-related industries are also very important to the local economy. Niigata prefecture is known throughout Japan for its quality sake, senbei, mochi, and arare. In sake production, Niigata is third in the country after Gunma and Kyoto prefectures.
The prefecture is famous as the original home of the ornamental carp known as koi, and the best-quality koi are still considered to come from the farms of Niigata.
The production volume of azaleas and cut lilies grown in Niigata is one of the highest in Japan. Niigata also enjoys increasing volumes of cut flowers and flower bulb production: along with Toyama prefecture, Niigata produces the most tulips in the country.

[edit] Mining and manufacturing
Niigata is a source for crude oil, not often found on the Japanese islands. Relating to this, there is also much production of kerosene heaters (useful in the cold Niigata winters).
Ginsan on Sado Island was an active gold mine until its closing in 1989.
Metal manufacturing is also prevalent. Sanjo and Tsubame produce 9% of all metal silverware in Japan, by far the most for one area in the country. After Osaka, the two cities also produce the most scissors, kitchen knives, and wrenches.
Niigata supposedly produces the most knitted textile products in the country. However, it has been suggested that some of these are actually from China.
The nuclear power plant with the highest energy output in the world is located in the tiny village of Kariwa.

[edit] Demographics
In 1885, Niigata was the most populous prefecture, beating out even Tokyo and Osaka prefecture. However, according to the 2003 census Niigata ranks as the 14th most populous.
Like much of Japan, Niigata shows signs of an aging population, specifically in the more rural areas.

[edit] Culture

[edit] Food
Niigata is known for the following regional specialities:
Uonuma koshihikari rice: considered the best quality rice in Japan.
Shoyu (soy-sauce) and Yofu (western-style) katsudon.
Shoyu sekihan.
Noppe stew.
Wappa-han (seafood and rice steamed in a bamboo basket).
Sasa-dango (mochi balls filled with red bean paste, seasoned with mugwort and wrapped in bamboo leaves).
Po-po-yaki (steamed bread flavored with brown sugar).
Hegi-soba (soba from the Uonuma and Ojiya areas that uses a special kind of seaweed).
"Tsubame-Sanjo ramen" (ramen made using thick udon-style noodles).
Tochio aburage (aburaage is called "aburage" in Tochio).
Kirazu (dishes using okara).
Kakinomoto (edible chrysanthemums).
Kanzuri (a special seasoning from Myōkō made by leaving chili pepper exposed on snow, then adding flour, salt and yuzu).

[edit] Niigata's firsts
Joetsu is the home to Japan's first vineyard.
Nagaoka was home to the first drive-through restaurant in Japan.
Shirone in Niigata City was the first place to grow Western pears in Japan.
Joetsu is the original birthplace of the Japanese postal service.
Snow skiing was first introduced into Japan in the Joetsu region.

[edit] Niigata in film, literature and music
Snow Country: a 1947 novel by Nobel laureate Yasunari Kawabata set in Yuzawa.
Blue: a 1996 manga and 2001 film about high-school girls, set in Niigata City.
Whiteout: a 1995 novel and 2000 action film.
Kura: a film / TV series (1995) plus book (1993) by Tomiko Miyao. An award winning period drama set in a Niigata family sake brewery.
My Mother is a Tractor a 2006 memoir by Nicholas Klar, a former resident of Oumi (now Itoigawa).
Niigata Snow is the title of a track on Derek Bailey's 1980 record Aida

[edit] Tourism
Much of the tourism in Niigata centers around the popular winter activities of skiing and going to onsen, especially in the alpine areas of Myōkō and Yuzawa.
Sado Island off the west coast of Niigata is also another popular tourist spot. It is easily accessible (1-2.5 hours) via ferry from Naoetsu or Niigata City.

[edit] Prefectural symbols

This short section requires expansion.
http://www.pref.niigata.jp/seisaku/kokusai/english/symbol/symbol.html

[edit] Notables

[edit] Politics and the military
Hachiro Arita (1884-1965), former Foreign Minister of Japan, from Sado Island.
Kita Ikki (1883-1937), nationalist author and intellectual, from Sado Island.
Isoroku Yamamoto (1884-1943), former commander of the Japanese Imperial Navy, from Nagaoka.
Kakuei Tanaka (1918-1993), former Prime Minister, from Kashiwazaki.
Hisashi Owada (born 1932), diplomat and father of Crown Princess Masako, from Shibata.
Makiko Tanaka (born 1944), first female Foreign Minister of Japan, from Kashiwazaki. Currently an independent politician.

[edit] Arts and culture
Ryōkan (1758-1831), Zen Buddhist monk and poet, from Izumozaki.
Inoue Enryo (1858-1919), Buddhist philosopher, from Nagaoka.
Yaichi Aizu (1881-1956), poet, calligrapher and historian, from Niigata City.
Hayashi Fubo (1900-1935), novelist from Sado Island.
Ango Sakaguchi (1906-1955), novelist and essayist, from Niigata City.
Haruo Minami (1923-2001), enka singer, from Nagaoka.
Kimio Yanagisawa (born 1948), manga artist, from Gosen.
Yoshifumi Kondo (1950-1998), animator, from Gosen.
Keiko Yokozawa (born 1952), seiyu, from Niigata City.
Bin Shimada (born 1954), seiyu, from Niigata City.
Kazuyuki Sekiguchi (born 1955), bass player for the rock group Southern All Stars, from Agano.
Yukari Nozawa (born 1957), actor and seiyu.
Rumiko Takahashi (born 1957), manga artist, from Niigata City.
Shuichi Shigeno (born 1958), manga artist, from Tokamachi.
Makoto Kobayashi (born 1958), manga artist, from Niigata City.
Motoei Shinzawa (born 1958), manga artist, from Kashiwazaki.
Ken Watanabe (born 1959), stage, TV and film actor, from Niigata.
Yoko Soumi (born 1965), seiyu.
Kazuya Tsurumaki (born 1966), animator, from Gosen.
Akiko Yajima (born 1967), seiyu, from Kashiwazaki.
Hiroki Yagami (born 1967), manga artist, from Kashiwazaki.
Kazuto Nakazawa (born 1968), animator.
Takeshi Obata (born 1969), manga artist, from Niigata City.
Etsushi Ogawa (born 1969), manga artist.
Rumi Kasahara (born 1970), seiyu, from Itoigawa.
Nobuhiro Watsuki (born 1970), manga artist, from Nagaoka.
Kiriko Nananan (born 1972), manga artist, from Tsubame.
Daisuke Hirakawa (born 1973), seiyu.
Yoko Ishida (born 1973), singer, from Niigata City.
Daisuke Sakaguchi (born 1973), seiyu, from Kashiwazaki.
Hitomi Nabatame (born 1976), seiyu, from Sado Island.
Ryo Hirohashi (born 1977), seiyu, from Nagaoka.
Ayana Sasagawa (born 1983), seiyu.
Makoto Ogawa (born 1987) and Koharu Kusumi (born 1992), members of J-pop girl-group Morning Musume, from, respectively, Kashiwazaki and Nagaoka.

[edit] Sports
Shohei Baba (1938-1999), professional wrestler, from Sanjo.
Sawao Kato (born 1946), winner of 12 Olympic medals in gymnastics
Killer Khan (born 1947), professional wrestler, from Tsubame.

[edit] Professional sports clubs
Albirex Niigata: J-League Division 1 Soccer Club.
Niigata Albirex BB: BJ (Basketball Japan) League team.

Nagaoka , Japan

2007-11-01T03:32:00.000-07:00

Nagaoka, Niigata
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Learn more about citing Wikipedia •
Jump to: navigation, search
Nagaoka (長岡市)
Municipal Emblem
Region
Chūbu, Hokuriku
Prefecture
Niigata
Land area
840.88 km²
Population
282,829 people(As of July 1, 2006)
Population density
336.35 ppl. per km²(As of July 1, 2006)
No. of households
96,048(As of July 1, 2006)
City flower
Azalea
City tree
Zelkova

The location of Nagaoka
Nagaoka (長岡市) is a city located in the central part of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It is the second largest city in the prefecture, behind the capital city of Niigata. Nagaoka is located at longitude 138° E and latitude 37° N.
The size of Nagaoka increased on April 1, 2005, when the town of Oguni, the village of Yamakoshi, the town of Nakanoshima, the town of Koshiji, and the town of Mishima in were absorbed into the city of Nagaoka. As of June 1, 2005, the city has an estimated population of 237,115 and a density of 450.88 persons per km². The total area is 525.89 km².
It once again increased on January 1, 2006, when the city of Tochio, the towns of Yoita and Teradomari, and the village of Washima in were absorbed into the city of Nagaoka. As of July 1, 2006, the city has an estimated population of 282,829 and a density of 336.35 persons per km². The total area is 840.88km².
Contents[hide]
1 Geography
1.1 Adjoining communities
1.2 Data of the former city of Nagaoka
2 History
2.1 Municipal timeline
3 Economy
3.1 Industry
4 Sister cities
5 Transportation
5.1 Railroad
5.2 Bus
5.3 Roadways
6 Places of interest
7 Higher Education Institutions
8 Festivals
9 Famous people from Nagaoka
10 External links
//

[edit] Geography
Nagaoka is located in the center of Niigata prefecture and the surrounding Chūetsu region. It is 80 minutes from Tokyo by way of the Joetsu Shinkansen or 3 hours on the Kan-Etsu Expressway. Nagaoka was an inland city until January 1, 2006 when the city merged with four municipalities-two were touching the Sea of Japan. The current Nagaoka now touches the Sea of Japan on the north and after the merger, it is still considered a strategic traffic point in the region. The Shinano River flows through it from south to north and industrial development occurs on both banks of the river. The Higashiyama mountain range lies to the east.

[edit] Adjoining communities
From the north, following Nagaoka's border counterclockwise:
Tsubame
Yahiko, Nishikanbara District
Niigata
Izumozaki, Santo District
Kashiwazaki
Kariwa
Tokamachi
Ojiya
Uonuma
Sanjo
Mitsuke
However, Sado Island is connected by sea and air routes.

[edit] Data of the former city of Nagaoka
former city of Nagaoka(旧・長岡市)
Merger date
April 1, 2005 January 1, 2006
Reason
Merger by absorption (編入合併)
Following Municipalities were involved(2005)
Nagaoka (-March 2005), Nakanoshima, Koshiji,Mishima, Yamakoshi、Oguni→Nagaoka (April-December 2005)
Following municipalities were involved(2006)
Nagaoka (April-December 2005), Tochio, Teradomari,Yoita, Washima→Nagaoka(2006-Present)
Current municipality
Nagaoka (2006-Present)
Data during the mergers
Total Area
262.45km²
Total Population
192,292人（February 1, 2005）
Surrounding municipalities
Tree
Flower
The data of before the pre-massive merger city of Nagaoka is listed on the right. Nagaoka was an inland city, but after the double decker mergers held in 2005 and 2006, the city of Nagaoka is now connected to the Sea of Japan.
The former Nagaoka City Hall is still used as their city hall after the 2006 mergers.

[edit] History
The Tokugawa shogunate appointed Naoyori Hori lord of Nagaoka-han in 1616. Hori established the castle town of Nagaoka and built a castle in the Zaôdô area on the Shinano River. However, this area was prone to flooding and a new castle was built at the site of present-day Nagaoka Station by 1617.
Nagaoka flourished as a castle town under the reign of the 13 generations of the Makino clan of the Edo period. In the Boshin War of 1868 during the Meiji Restoration, clan military general Tsuginosuke Kawai lead the forces of Nagaoka against the Meiji Government. Nagaoka was defeated and the city was reduced to rubble. A gift of one hundred sacks of rice from a neighboring province was sold to finance a new school during the reconstruction of Nagaoka, from which the anecdote of Kome Hyappyo was born.
The town of Nagaoka and surrounding clan holdings became part of Kashiwazaki Prefecture (now Niigata Prefecture) at the beginning of the Meiji period. The modern municipality of Nagaoka was established on April 1, 1906.

[edit] Municipal timeline
1906
April 1 - The municipality of Nagaoka is established.
1945
August 1 - Nagaoka is reduced to rubble by 125 B-29 bombers in a late-evening air raid. 1,470 lives are lost.
1963
January - A record-breaking heavy snowfall hits Nagaoka.
1982
November 15 - Joetsu Shinkansen service arrives at Nagaoka Station.
2004
July 12 & July 13 - A heavy downpour causes extensive flooding in Nagaoka.
October 23 - The Chūetsu Earthquake strikes, causing extensive damage in Nagaoka and surrounding areas.
2005
February - Nagaoka experiences the heaviest snowfall in 19 years.
April 1 - Oguni, Yamakoshi, Nakanoshima, Koshiji, and Mishima are absorbed into Nagaoka. Prior to the merger, the size of Nagaoka was 262.45 km² and the population was 192,292.
2006
January 1 - Washima, Yoita, Teradomari, and Tochio are officially absorbed into Nagaoka.

[edit] Economy

[edit] Industry
The manufacturing industry prospered in Nagaoka following the war, due in part to favorable location and good transportation infrastructure. Current industrial production includes precision instruments and the machine tools.
Nippon Seiki, a manufacturer of automotive instruments, is headquartered in Nagaoka.
Densei-Lambda, a manufacturer of switched-mode power supplies, has a plant in Nagaoka.

[edit] Sister cities
Fort Worth, Texas, United States (November 9, 1987)
Trier, Germany (April 1, 2006)
Romainmôtier-Envy, Switzerland (April 1, 2006)

[edit] Transportation
Privately-owned cars are the primary means of civic transportation. The city has a wide network of bus routes, with Nagaoka Station as the hub. Most of the roadways are improved and the pavement is top class in the nation. Nagaoka's location in the center of the prefecture makes it an important transportation junction, with rail lines and roadways from the east splitting in Nagaoka to go to Niigata and Joetsu.

Nagaoka Station

[edit] Railroad
East Japan Railway Company serves the city of Nagaoka with the Joetsu Shinkansen as well as two traditional rail lines, the Joetsu Line and the Shinetsu Main Line. Nagaoka Station is the primary railroad station in Nagaoka, and there are also several smaller stations.
A private railway managed by Echigo Kotsu once served Nagaoka with two rail lines, but they have since been abandoned.
A monorail system was proposed for Nagaoka, but it was not implemented.

[edit] Bus
Local bus service in Nagaoka is managed by Echigo Kotsu. The bus terminal located at the east entrance of Nagaoka Station serves as the hub for the route network. Service extends to all parts of the city as well as many outlying suburban areas and villages.
A high-speed bus service connecting Nagaoka Station to Niigata, Niigata Station runs at intervals of approximately 30 minutes. Additionally, highway bus service is available to all major cities in the prefecture as well as Tokyo.

[edit] Roadways
The Hokuriku National Expressway and the Kanetsu National Expressway pass through Nagaoka, as well as several smaller national highways.
A new regional highway called the Nagaoka East-and-West Road is currently being constructed. It will eventually include the longest bridge over the Shinano River.

[edit] Places of interest

Fireworks of Nagaoka Festival
Kome Hyappyo Monument
Tsuginosuke Kawai Monument in Yukyuzan Park
Haibu Nagaoka Stadium
The Niigata Prefectural Museum of Modern Art
The Niigata Prefectural Museum of History
Yukyuzan Park
National Government Echigo Hillside Park
Nagaoka Lyric Hall
Nagaoka City Local Museum

[edit] Higher Education Institutions
Nagaoka University of Technology
Nagaoka National College of Technology
Nagaoka University
Nagaoka Institute of Design

[edit] Festivals
Nagaoka Festival and Grand Fireworks Festival (August)
Nagaoka Aki Matsuri (Autumn Festival) and Kome Hyappyo Festival (October)

[edit] Famous people from Nagaoka
Inoue Enryo (Buddhist philosopher and founder of Toyo University)
Isoroku Yamamoto (Commander of the Japanese Navy during the first four years of World War II)
Hoshino Tomoko (Actress)
Jushiro Konoe (Actor)
Minami Haruo (Enka singer)
Nobuhiro Watsuki (Mangaka)
Ryo Hirohashi (Seiyū)

Akita Prefecture

2007-11-01T03:30:00.000-07:00

Akita Prefecture
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Learn more about citing Wikipedia •
Jump to: navigation, search
Akita Prefecture (秋田県 Akita-ken)

Capital
Akita (city)
Region
Tōhoku
Island
Honshū
Governor
Sukeshiro Terata
Area
11,612.11 km² (6th)
- % water
0.7%
Population (January 1, 2003)
- Population
1,174,905 (35th)
- Density
101 /km²
Districts
6
Municipalities
25
ISO 3166-2
JP-05
Website
www.pref.akita.jp/e/
Prefectural Symbols
- Flower
Fuki (a kind of butterbur, Petasites japonicus)
- Tree
Akita-sugi (Cryptomeria japonica)
- Bird
Copper pheasant (Phasianus soemmerringii)
Symbol of Akita Prefecture
Akita Prefecture (秋田県, Akita-ken?) is located in the Tōhoku Region of northern Japan. The capital is the city of Akita.
Contents[hide]
1 History
2 Geography
2.1 Cities
2.2 Towns and villages
2.3 Mergers
3 Economy
4 Culture
5 Tourism
6 Medias
6.1 Television
7 References
8 External links
//

[edit] History
Separated from the principle Japanese centres of commerce, politics, and population by several hundred kilometres and the Ou and Dewa mountain ranges　to the East, Akita remained largely isolated from Japanese society until after the year 600CE. Populated principally by the Ainu people, Akita was a region of hunter-gatherers and principally nomadic tribes. The first historical record of Akita-ken dates to 658CE, when the General Abe no Hirafu (阿部比羅夫) conquered the native Ezo tribes at Akita city and Nushiro. Hirafu, then governor of the Koshi region (the Northwest part of Honshu island bordering the Sea of Japan), established a fort on the Mogami river, and thus began the Japanese settlement of the region.
In 733, a new military settlement--later renamed Akita Castle (秋田城)--was built in modern-day Akita city at Takashimizu, and more permanent roads and structures were developed. The region was used as a base of operations for the Japanese empire as it drove the native Ezo people from northern Honshu.
Shifting hands several times in the interim, during the Tokugawa shogunate it was appropriated to the Satake family in 1602, who ruled the region for 260 years, developing the agriculture and mining industries that are still predominant today. Throughout this period, it was classified as part of Dewa Province, and remained politically quite stable. In 1871, during the Meiji Restoration, Dewa province was reshaped and the old daimyo regions (called "han") were abolished and administratively reconstructed, resulting in the modern-day borders of Akita.
The famous Heian period waka poet, Ono no Komachi, is said to have been born here (but the true location of her birth is uncertain).

[edit] Geography
Located in the north of Honshū Island, Akita Prefecture faces the Sea of Japan in the west and is bordered by Aomori in the north, Iwate in the east, Miyagi in the south east, and Yamagata in the south.
Akita Prefecture is rectangular in shape, roughly 181 km from north to south and 111 km from west to east. The Ōu Mountains mark the eastern border of the prefecture, and the higher Dewa Mountains run parallel through the center of the prefecture. Like much of northern Japan, the prefecture has cold winters, particularly away from the sea.
The Oga Peninsula is a prominent feature of the coastline.

[edit] Cities
Thirteen cities are located in Akita Prefecture:
Akita (capital)
Daisen
Katagami
Kazuno
Kitaakita
Nikaho
Noshiro
Oga
Odate
Semboku
Yokote
Yurihonjo
Yuzawa

[edit] Towns and villages

Map of Akita Prefecture.
These are all of the towns and villages in each district.
Kazuno District
Kosaka
Kitaakita District
Kamikoani
Minamiakita District
Gojome
Hachirogata
Ikawa
Ogata
Ogachi District
Higashinaruse
Ugo
Senboku District
Misato
Yamamoto District
Fujisato
Happo
Mitane

[edit] Mergers
Main article: List of mergers in Akita Prefecture

[edit] Economy
Like much of Tōhoku, Akita's economy remains dominated by traditional industries, such as agriculture, fishing, and forestry. This has led many young people to migrate to Tokyo and other large cities. Akita is famous for its Sake breweries.

[edit] Culture
Akita is renowned for having the highest consumption of sake in Japan.[1]

[edit] Tourism

Samurai house in Kakunodate.

Tazawako (Lake Tazawa).
Near Lake Tazawa, there are a number of hot springs resorts (onsen), these are popular with tourists from all over Japan. In addition there are a number of seasonal festivals (matsuri) which offer a glimpse of rural or traditional Japan. Some famous festivals are the Akita Kanto festival, the Omagari fireworks festival, and the Yokote Kamakura festival.
Kakunodate is a particularly charming old town, full of preserved samurai houses. The Aoyagi house is the former residence of Odano Naotake, the man who illustrated Japan's first modern guide to the human anatomy. The house is now a museum and gallery of medical illustrations and traditional crafts.

[edit] Medias

[edit] Television
Akita Broadcasting System(ABS)
Akita Television(AKT)
Akita Asahi Broadcasting(AAB)

Akita City

2007-11-01T03:29:00.000-07:00

Akita, Akita
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Ten things you may not know about images on Wikipedia •
Jump to: navigation, search
Akita City秋田市
Akita City's location in Akita prefecture, Japan.
Location
Country
Japan
Region
Tōhoku
Prefecture
Akita prefecture
Physical characteristics
Area
905.67 km² (349.7 sq mi)
Population (as of 2005)
Total
335,455
Density
370/km² (958.3/sq mi)
Symbols
Tree
Japanese zelkova
Flower
Satsuki azalea
Symbol of Akita City
Akita City Government Office
Mayor
Norihisa Satake
Address
〒010-8560Akita-shi,Sanno 1 chome, 1-1
Phone number
018-863-2222
Official website: Akita City
Akita (秋田市, Akita-shi?) is the capital city of Akita Prefecture in the Tohoku region of Japan.
As of January 11, 2005 with the merger of the former Kawabe District (including the former towns of Kawabe and Yuwa), the city has an estimated population of 336,250 and density of 371 persons per km². The total area is 905.67 km².
While the modern city was officially founded on April 1, 1889, Akita has been one of the most important cities in the Tohoku region since the medieval period. The Ashina and Satake daimyo clans established their capital in present-day Akita.
Contents[hide]
1 Demographics
2 Economy
3 Geography
3.1 Rivers and canals
3.2 Neighboring cities
4 History
4.1 Meiji
4.2 Showa
4.3 Heisei Era
5 Merger with Kawabe District
6 Sister / Friendship Cities
6.1 International Sister / Friendship Cities
6.2 Domestic Sister Cities
7 Transportation
7.1 Rail
7.2 Road
7.3 Bus
7.4 Air
7.5 Boat
8 External links
//

[edit] Demographics
Population: 333,058 (As of December 1, 2005)
Population density: 367.74 people/k㎡
Area: 905.67k㎡

[edit] Economy
Akita is within proximity of the most important oil fields in Japan. Oil refining, wood, metalworking, and the production of silk textiles are the main industries. Akita is also home to two regional banks that serve Akita prefecture and the greater Tohoku region: Akita Bank and Hokuto Bank.

[edit] Geography

[edit] Rivers and canals
Omono River
Akita-unga Canal (Formerly Omono-gawa River)
Asahi-kawa River
Iwami-gawa River

[edit] Neighboring cities
Kita-Akita
Katagami
Yurihonjō
Daisen
Minami-Akita District: Gojōme, Ikawa
Kita-Akita District: Kamikoani
Senboku District: Nishiki

[edit] History
Historically, Akita has seen changes throughout at least four historcial Japanese periods; Edo, Meiji, Showa and Heisei. The first beginnings were of Akita were in the Edo period. A settlement, known as Kubota Castle Town, was formed which would later become the center of Akita. Construction is dated to 1604.

[edit] Meiji
Progress in the Meiji era included the renaming of the Taihei School (太平学校), Akita Normal School (師範学校) April 12, 1878. In July, the school system was divided into 2 systems, the Kitaakita and Minamiakita districts. A year later, on April 1, 1889, Akita was officially established. In July the city hall of Akita is located inside the former Minamiakita District office. Transportation by horsecar began in July from Shindaikumachi to Tsuchizaki. This later became the Akita City Rail service. in May the first bank opened.

[edit] Showa
War devastated the city on August 14, 1945. 137 people are killed in an air raid of 134 B-29s, attacking the city from midnight to the early dawn of August 15. This was reportedly the farthest-range and also the last bombing mission in World War II, coming only hours before Japan announced its surrender.

[edit] Heisei Era
On April 1, 1997 Akita was designated as a core city in Japan. In August 2001 The World Games are held in Akita, opening ceremony is held in the Yabase Track and Field Stadium. In 2004, the city celebrated its 400th anniversary and its beginnings as Kubota Castle town.

[edit] Merger with Kawabe District
On January 11, 2005, the city added the towns of Kawabe and Yuwa to become the new city of Akita. The merger celebration was held at AL☆Ve.
The location of Akita City Hall doesn't change, and former Kawabe and Yuwa Town Halls are used as the civilian center.
Go to the city of Akita's website for more info

[edit] Sister / Friendship Cities

[edit] International Sister / Friendship Cities
August 5, 1982: Lanzhou, People's Republic of China
April 8, 1984: Passau, Germany
January 22, 1992: Kenai, United States of America
June 29, 1992: Vladivostok, Russia

[edit] Domestic Sister Cities
Hitachiōta, Ibaraki
Daigo, Kuji District Ibaraki

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Rail
East Japan Railway Company
Akita Shinkansen: Akita
Ōu Main Line: Ōbarino, Wada, Yotsugoya, (Akita Service Center), Akita, (Akita Freight Station), (Akita General Service Center: Adjacent to Tsuchizaki, branches to the right hand side before the station), Tsuchizaki, Kami-Iijima, Oiwake
Oga Line: Oiwake
Uetsu Main Line: Katsurane, Araya, Ugo-Ushijima, Akita
Akita Rinkai Railway (Freight)
Tsuchizaki — Port of Akita
North Line: Port of Akita — North Port of Akita
South Line: Port of Akita — Mukaihama
Akita District Forest Service
Nibestu Shinrin Railway (Abolished)

[edit] Road
Expressways
Akita Expressway: Akita North Interchange, Akita Chūō Interchange, Akita South Interchange
Japan Sea-Tōhoku Expressway: Akita Airport Interchange
Kawabe Junction：Akita Expressway, Japan Sea-Tōhoku Expressway
Akita Central Highway (Under construction)
National Highways (Ordinary)
Highway 7
Highway 13
Highway 341

[edit] Bus
Akita Shiei Bus (Planned to cease operations April 1, 2006)
Akita Chūō Kōtsū

[edit] Air
Akita Airport

[edit] Boat
Port of Akita (designated port)
North Port of Akita (Akita Ferry Terminal)
South Port of Akita

Aomori Prefecture

2007-11-01T03:28:00.000-07:00

Aomori Prefecture
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Ten things you may not know about Wikipedia •
Jump to: navigation, search
Aomori Prefecture (青森県 Aomori-ken)

Capital
Aomori (city)
Region
Tōhoku
Island
Honshū
Governor
Shingo Mimura
Area
9,606.26 km² (8th)
- % water
1.2%
Population (October 1, 2000)
- Population
1,475,728 (28th)
- Density
154 /km²
Districts
8
Municipalities
40
ISO 3166-2
JP-02
Website
http://www.pref.aomori.lg.jp/en/
Prefectural Symbols
- Flower
Apple blossom (Malus domestica)
- Tree
Hiba (Thujopsis dolabrata)
- Bird
Bewick's Swan (Cygnus bewickii)
Symbol of Aomori Prefecture
Aomori Prefecture (青森県, Aomori-ken?) is located in the Tōhoku Region of Japan. The capital is the city of Aomori. Aomori was named after the Aomori Bay (青森湾; Aomori-wan), which the Ainu described simply as the "big bay" (大湾/アオモイ; Ao-moi).[citation needed]
Contents[hide]
1 History
2 Geography
2.1 Cities
2.2 Towns and villages
2.3 Mergers
3 Economy
4 Demographics
5 Culture
6 Tourism attractions
7 Prefectural symbols
8 Miscellaneous topics
9 Medias
9.1 TV
10 References
11 External links
//

[edit] History
This section is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding this section.
The Aomori Prefecture came into existence in 1871. Aomori Town was established in 1889. The town was incorporated as a city in 1898 with a population of 28,000.
Around one o'clock in the afternoon of May 3, 1910 a fire broke out in the Yasukata district. Fanned by strong winds, in four short hours the fire devastated the whole city. The conflagration claimed 26 lives and injured a further 160 residents. It destroyed 5,246 houses and burnt 19 storage sheds and 157 warehouses.
At 10:30 p.m. on July 28, 1945 a squadron of American B29 bombers approached Aomori from the west and, in less than two hours bombed over 90% of the city.
Radio Aomori (RAB) made its first broadcast in 1951. Four years later, the first fish auctions were held. 1958 saw the completion of the Municipal Fish Market as well as the opening of the Citizen's Hospital. In the same year, the Tsugaru Line established a rail connection with Minmaya Village at the tip of the peninsula.
Meanwhile, various outlying towns and villages were being incorporated into the growing city and with the absorption of Nonai Village in 1962, Aomori became the largest city in the prefecture.
In March 1985, after 23 years of unremitting labor and an enormous financial investment of 700 billion yen, the Seikan Tunnel finally linked the islands of Honshū and Hokkaidō, thereby becoming the longest tunnel of its kind in the world. Almost exactly three years later, on March 13, railroad service was inaugurated on the Tsugaru Kaikyo Line.
That same day saw the end of the Seikan Ferry service, thus closing a chapter of history which began in 1908. During their 80 years of service, the familiar ferries of the Seikan line sailed between Aomori and Hakodate some 720,000 times, carrying 160 million passengers.
In April 1993, the enthusiasm of Aomori City and a group of six other local communities was rewarded with the opening of Aomori Public College. Defining its mission as "turning out graduates with an awareness both of their own city and of the world beyond it", the college has assumed the core functions necessary to provide such learning and culture. At the same time, it strives to serve the local community at large and to play a leading role in this age of internationalization and information exchange.
In August 1994, Aomori City penned an "Education, Culture and Friendship Exchange Pact" with Kecskemet in Hungary. One year later a similar treaty was signed with Pyongtaek City in South Korea, and cultural exchange activities began with exchanges of woodblock prints and paintings.
Also, in April 1995, Aomori Airport became the first airport in the northern Tohoku region to offer regular international air service to Seoul, South Korea, and Khabarovsk, Russia.[1]
In June, 2007, 4 North Korean defectors reached Aomori Prefecture, after having been at sea for 6 days, marking the second known case ever where defectors have successfully reached Japan by boat.[2]

[edit] Geography

Map of Aomori Prefecture.
Aomori Prefecture is the northernmost prefecture on Honshū and faces Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait. It borders Akita and Iwate in the south. Oma, at the northwestern tip of the axe-shaped Shimokita Peninsula, is the northernmost point of Honshū. The Shimokita and Tsugaru Peninsulas enclose Mutsu Bay. Between those peninsulas lies the Natsudomari Peninsula, the northern end of the Ōu Mountains. The three peninsulas are prominently visible in the prefecture's symbol, a stylized map.
Lake Towada, a crater lake, straddles Aomori's boundary with Akita.

[edit] Cities
Ten cities are located in Aomori Prefecture:
Aomori (capital)
Goshogawara
Hachinohe
Hirakawa
Hirosaki
Kuroishi
Misawa
Mutsu
Towada
Tsugaru

[edit] Towns and villages

Osorezan, the Mountain of Dread, in Mutsu.

Hirosaki Castle, a reminder of the Edo period.

Lake Towada
These are the towns and villages in each district.
Higashitsugaru District
Hiranai
Imabetsu
Sotogahama
Yomogita
Kamikita District
Noheji
Oirase
Rokkasho
Rokunohe
Shichinohe
Tohoku
Yokohama
Kitatsugaru District
Itayanagi
Nakadomari
Tsuruta
Minamitsugaru District
Fujisaki
Inakadate
Owani
Nakatsugaru District
Nishimeya
Nishitsugaru District
Ajigasawa
Fukaura
Sannohe District
Gonohe
Hashikami
Nanbu
Sannohe
Shingō
Takko
Shimokita District
Higashidori
Kazamaura
Oma
Sai

[edit] Mergers
Main article: List of mergers in Aomori Prefecture

[edit] Economy
Like much of Tōhoku, the Aomori region remains dominated by traditional industries such as farming, forestry, and fishing.

[edit] Demographics
Many young people depart Aomori for cities such as Tokyo or Sendai, looking for jobs and entertainment. Aomori records its population as having peaked in 1983.

[edit] Culture
This section is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding this section.

[edit] Tourism attractions

Monument to soldiers who perished in Hakkoda Mountains.
Aomori is especially famous for its apple orchards.
Lake Towada, a beautiful caldera, lies on the boundary between Akita and Aomori Prefectures. The Oirase river drains Lake Towada; in the summer it is refreshing and in the autumn the leaves are breathtaking.
Mount Osore, the Mountain of Dread, is near Mutsu on the Shimokita Peninsula.
The Hakkoda Mountains in Aomori provide excellent hiking in the warmer seasons. However, the winter proved disastrous to over 200 soldiers who died during a military maneuver in the area in deep snow.
Asupamu
Hakkoda Ship
Aomori Bay Bridge
Munakata Shiko Memorial Museum of Art
Aomori City Forestry Museum
Aomori Prefectural Folk Museum
Aomori City History and Folk Arts Museum
Nebuta-no-sato Museum
Mount Hakkoda
Oirase Mountain Stream
Sannai-Maruyama Remains
Shirakami-Sanchi
There is a localized Japanese legend that Jesus Christ did not die on the cross but made his way to Shingo, Aomori where he became a rice farmer, married, and had a family [3]. The legend owes its existence to a supposed 1930s discovery, "the discovery of what were claimed to be ancient Hebrew documents detailing Jesus' life and death in Japan" [4]; the local legend also posits that his grave is located in Aomori.

[edit] Prefectural symbols
The Aomori prefectural symbol is a stylized map of the prefecture, showing the crown of Honshū: the Tsugaru, Natsudomari and Shimokita Peninsulas.

[edit] Miscellaneous topics
The two major dialects of Japanese spoken in Aomori Prefecture are Tsugaru-ben (津軽弁) and Nambu-ben (南部弁); the former is prevalent in the area around Aomori City, and the latter is heard in and around the city of Hachinohe.

[edit] Medias

[edit] TV
Aomori Broadcasting Corporation(RAB)
Aomori Television(ATV)
Asahi Broadcasting Aomori(ABA)

[edit] References
Japan News Review - 4 North Korean defectors reach Japan after 6 days on the open sea 03/06/2007, accessed 07/06/2007.
Aomori City Homepage - The Story of Aomori, accessed 07/06/2007.

Toyota city ,Japan

2007-11-01T03:27:00.000-07:00

Toyota, Aichi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Toyota city)
• Ten things you may not know about Wikipedia •
Jump to: navigation, search
Toyota City豊田市
Location
Country
Japan
Region
Chūbu, Tokai
Prefecture
Aichi prefecture
Physical characteristics
Area
918.47 km² (354.6 sq mi)
Population (as of October 1, 2005)
Total
411,137
Density
447.63/km² (1,159.4/sq mi)
Symbols
Tree
zelkova
Flower
Sunflower
Toyota City Government Office
Mayor
Kōhei Suzuki
Official website: Toyota City
Toyota (豊田市; -shi) is a city located in the Mikawa region of Aichi, Japan, east of Nagoya.
Contents[hide]
1 Koromo and Toyota
2 History
3 Sister Cities
4 External links
//

[edit] Koromo and Toyota
Koromo Town (挙母町), the predecessor of present day Toyota, was a major producer of silk, and prospered in the Mikawa Region from the Meiji Era through the Taisho period. As the demand for raw silk declined in Japan and abroad, the town entered a period of gradual decline. That decline encouraged Kiichiro Toyoda, cousin of Eiji Toyoda, to look for manufacturing alternatives to the family's automatic loom manufacturing business. This in turn led to the founding of what became the Toyota Motor Corporation.

Toyota City Hall
The town gained city status on March 1, 1951. The town changed its name to Toyota in 1959 and became the sister city of another automotive industry headquarters, Detroit, Michigan, one year later. Toyota-shi is also twinned with the County of Derbyshire, England.
On March 25, 2005, Expo 2005 opened with its main site being in Nagakute and additional activity in Seto and Toyota. The expo continued until September 25, 2005.

[edit] History

The Center Of Toyota City
The Matsudaira clan, one member of which took the name Tokugawa Ieyasu and became the first of 15 Tokugawa shoguns, derived its name from a village of the same name, now part of Toyota.
March 1, 1951: The town of Koromo from Nishikamo District gained city status.
September 30, 1956: The city absorbed the village of Takahashi from Nishikamo District.
January 1, 1959: The city changed its name to Toyota.
1960: Became a sister city with Detroit, Michigan, United States.
March 1, 1964: The city absorbed the town of Kamigo from Hekikai District.
March 1965: The Sunflower became the city's flower.
September 1, 1965: The city absorbed the town of Takaoka from Hekikai District.
April 1, 1967: The city absorbed the town of Sanage from Nishikamo District.
1968: The Inaugural Toyota Festival was held.
April 1, 1970: The city absorbed the village of Matsudaira from Higashikamo District.
1979: The Nagoya Railroad (Meitetsu) opened the Toyota New Line (now Toyota Line).
1988: The Aichi Loop Line opened.
1998: Became a Core City.
1999: The Toyota Ohashi opened.
2001: Toyota Stadium opened.
2005: Aichi Rapid Transit opened the Tobukyuryo Line.
April 1, 2005: The city absorbed the towns of Fujioka and Obara from Nishikamo District and the towns of Asuke, Shimoyama, Asahi and Inabu from Higashikamo District to become the current city of Toyota.

Hiroshima info

2007-11-01T03:25:00.000-07:00

Hiroshima
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Ten things you may not know about images on Wikipedia •
Jump to: navigation, search
For other uses, see Hiroshima (disambiguation).
Hiroshima City広島市
Location
Country
Japan
Region
Chūgoku, Sanyō
Prefecture
Hiroshima prefecture
Physical characteristics
Area
905.01 km² (349.4 sq mi)
Population (as of January 2007)
Total
1,159,391
Density
1,281.1/km² (3,318/sq mi)
Location
34°23′N 132°27′E Coordinates: 34°23′N 132°27′E
Symbols
Tree
Camphor Laurel
Flower
Oleander
Symbol of Hiroshima City
Hiroshima City Government Office
Mayor
Tadatoshi Akiba
Address
〒730-8586Hiroshima-shi,Naka-ku, Kokutaiji 1-6-34
Phone number
082-245-2111
Official website: Hiroshima City
The Japanese city of Hiroshima (広島市, Hiroshima-shi?) is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshū, the largest of Japan's islands. It is most known throughout the world as the first city in history subjected to nuclear warfare with the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II by the United States of America.
Hiroshima gained municipality status on April 1, 1889 and was designated on April 1, 1980 by government ordinance. The city's current mayor is Tadatoshi Akiba who assumed the office on February 23, 1999.
Contents[hide]
1 History
1.1 Atomic bomb
1.2 After the war
2 Geography
2.1 Wards
3 Demographics
4 Economy
5 Culture
5.1 Cuisine
5.2 Media
5.3 Sports
5.4 Education
6 Transportation
7 Sister cities
8 See also
9 Notes
10 References
11 Further reading
12 External links
//

[edit] History
Hiroshima was founded by Mori Terumoto in 1589, on the coast of the Seto Inland Sea, who made it his capital after leaving Koriyama Castle in Aki Province.[1] Hiroshima castle (Rijo) was quickly built, and Terumoto moved in in 1593. Terumoto was on the losing side at the Battle of Sekigahara. The winner, Tokugawa Ieyasu, deprived Mori Terumoto of most of his fiefs including Hiroshima and gave Aki province to Masanori Fukushima, a daimyo who had supported him.[2] The castle passed to Asano Nagaakira in 1619, and Asano was appointed the daimyo of this area. Under Asano rule, the city prospered, developed, and expanded, with few military conflicts or disturbances.[2] Asano's descendants continued to rule until the Meiji Restoration in the 19th century.[3]
Hiroshima served as the capital of Hiroshima han during the Edo period. After the han was abolished in 1871, the city became the capital of Hiroshima prefecture. Hiroshima became a major urban center during the Meiji period, as the Japanese economy shifted from primarily rural to urban. Ujina Harbor was constructed in the 1880s, allowing Hiroshima to become an important port city. The Sanyo Railroad was extended to Hiroshima in 1894, and a rail line from the main station to the harbor was constructed for military transportation during the First Sino-Japanese War.[2] New industrial plants, including cotton mills, were established in Hiroshima in the late 1800s.[4] Further industrialization in Hiroshima was stimulated during the Russo-Japanese War in 1904, which required development and production of military supplies. The Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition Hall was constructed in 1915 as a center for trade and exhibition of new products. Later, its name was changed to Hiroshima Prefectural Product Exhibition Hall, and again to Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall.[5]

[edit] Atomic bomb
Main article: Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Atomic Bomb Dome the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, a remnant of the city near ground zero of its nuclear bombardment.

Atomic Effects- Hiroshima City
During World War II, the Second Army and Chugoku Regional Army were headquartered in Hiroshima, and the Army Marine Headquarters was located at Ujina port. The city also had large depots of military supplies, and was a key center for shipping.[6]
During spring and summer of 1945, firebombings of Tokyo and other cities of Japan led to widespread destruction. There were numerous air raids in Hiroshima. To protect against potential firebombings in Hiroshima, students were mobilized to demolish houses and create firebreaks.[7]
On August 6, 1945, the nuclear weapon Little Boy was dropped on Hiroshima by the crew of the American B-29 bomber Enola Gay, directly killing an estimated 70,000 people. By the end of the year, injury and radiation brought total casualties to 90,000-140,000. [8] Approximately 69% of the city's buildings were completely destroyed, and 6.6 percent severely damaged.
Research about the effects of the attack was restricted under Allied occupation, and information censored until the signing of the San Francisco Peace Treaty in 1951, restoring control to the Japanese.[9]

[edit] After the war

Folded paper cranes representing prayers for peace and Sadako Sasaki.

Current Atomic Bomb Dome (left) and modern buildings

Hiroshima at night
On September 17, 1945, Hiroshima was struck by the Makurazaki Typhoon (Typhoon Ida), one of the largest typhoons of the Shōwa period. Hiroshima prefecture suffered more than 3,000 killed or injured, about half the national total.[10] More than half the bridges in the city were destroyed, along with heavy damage to roads and railroads, further devastating the city.[11]
Hiroshima was rebuilt after the war, with the help from the national government through the Hiroshima Peace Memorial City Construction Law passed in 1949. It provided financial assistance for reconstruction, along with land donated that was previously owned by the national government and used for military purposes.[12] Several U.S. civic leaders and scholars were consulted about the rebuilding plan.[citation needed]
In 1949, a design was selected for the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, the closest surviving building to the location of the bomb's detonation, was designated the Genbaku Dome (原爆ドーム) or "Atomic Dome", a part of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum was opened in 1955 in the Peace Park.[13]
Hiroshima was proclaimed a City of Peace by the Japanese parliament in 1949, at the initiative of its mayor, Shinzo Hamai (1905–1968). As a result, the city of Hiroshima received more international attention as a desirable location for holding international conferences on peace as well as social issues. As part of that effort, the Hiroshima Interpreters' and Guide's Association (HIGA) was established in 1992 in order to facilitate translation services for conferences, and the Hiroshima Peace Institute was established in 1998 within the Hiroshima University. The city government continues to advocate the abolition of all nuclear weapons.[14][15]

[edit] Geography
Hiroshima (which means wide island in Japanese) is located on the broad, flat delta of the Ōta River, which has 7 channel outlets dividing the city into six islands which project into Hiroshima Bay. Enkogawa and Kyobashigawa are river channels that pass through the eastern side of the city. The main downtown area lies between Kyobashigawa (on the east) and Motoyasugawa (on the west). Downtown districts include Nagarekawa, which is a popular entertainment district, though includes some dodgy sections.[16] Naka-ku is the business and shopping central district and the main shopping areas run along and out from the covered mall, called Hondori, which is located to the west, between Nagarekawa and the Peace Park. Aioi-dori goes past the main department stores and the A-bomb (Genbaku) dome, it is a primary east-west road through the center of Hiroshima. Hatchobori is located to the north of Aioi-dori, and north of Hondori and Nagarekawa. Hiroshima Castle is a major landmark, to the north of Jonan-dori. Hiroshima's baseball stadium and arena (only at this location until 2008), as well as Chuo Park are located in the area between Hiroshima Castle and the A-Bomb Dome. Heiwa-o-dori (Peace Boulevard) is a major east-west artery through Hiroshima. The Peace Park in Hiroshima is located between Motoyasugawa and Kyuohotagawa. Eba is an area of Hiroshima, located on the west side of the city, between Kyuohotagawa (Honkawa) and Tenmagawa.
The city is almost entirely flat and barely above sea level. Hiroshima is sandwiched between the Chugoku Mountains to the north and the sea to the south. Numerous small islands are located in Hiroshima Bay, including Miyajima, Etajima, and Ninoshima. Hiroshima is located in a seismically active region. On March 24, 2001, a major earthquake with magnitude of 6.4 on the Richter scale had its epicenter in Hiroshima Bay. Major earthquakes previously included one with magnitude 7.2 in 1857, another in 1905, and one in 1949 with a magnitude of 6.2.[17] Hiroshima has mild winters with very little snowfall, hot and humid summers (up to 43 degrees C in August,2007), and generally abundant rainfall.

[edit] Wards
Hiroshima has eight wards (ku):
Emblem
Ward
Population
Area (km²)
Density(per km²)

Aki-ku
78,176
94.01
832

Asakita-ku
156,368
353.35
443

Asaminami-ku
220,351
117.19
1,880

Higashi-ku
122,045
39.38
3,099

Minami-ku
138,138
26.09
5,295

Naka-ku
125,208
15.34
8,162

Nishi-ku
184,881
35.67
5,183

Saeki-ku
135,789
223.98
606
Population as of October 31, 2006

[edit] Demographics

Hondori shopping arcade in Hiroshima
As of 2006, the city has an estimated population of 1,154,391, while the total population for the metropolitan area was estimated as 2,043,788 in 2000.[18] The total area of the city is 905.08 km², with a density of 1275.4 persons per km².[19]
The population around 1910 was 143,000.[3] Before World War II, Hiroshima's population had grown to 360,000, and peaked at 419,182 in 1942.[19] Following the atomic bombing in 1945, the population dropped to 137,197.[19] By 1955, the city's population had returned to pre-war levels.[20]

[edit] Economy

Hiroshima port and ferry terminal
Hiroshima is the center of industry for the Chūgoku-Shikoku region, and is by and large centered along the coastal areas. Hiroshima has long been a port city and Hiroshima port or Hiroshima International Airport can be used for the transportation of goods.
Its largest industry is the manufacturing industry with core industries being the production of cars (Mazda) car parts and industrial equipment. Mazda Motor Company, now controlled by the Ford Motor Company, is by far Hiroshima's dominant company. Mazda accounts for 32% of Hiroshima's GDP.[21] Mazda makes many models in Hiroshima for worldwide export, including the popular MX-5/Miata and Mazda RX-8. The Mazda CX-7 has been built there since early 2006[citation needed]. Other Mazda factories are in Hofu and Flat Rock, Michigan.

Mazda 787B at the Mazda Museum in Hiroshima
General machinery and equipment also account for a large portion of exports. Because these industries require research and design capapilities, it has also had the offshoot that Hiroshima has many innovative companies actively engaged in new growth fields (for example, Hiroshima Vehicle Engineering Company [HIVEC]).[22] Many of these companies hold the top market shares in Japan and the world, or are alone in their particular field. Tertiary industries in the wholesale and retail areas are also very developed.
Another result of the concentration of industry is an accumulation of skilled personnel and fundamental technologies. This is considered by business to be a major reason for location in Hiroshima. Business setup costs are also much lower than other large cities in the country and there is a comprehensive system of tax breaks, etc on offer for businesses which locate in Hiroshima. This is especially true of two projects: the Hiroshima Station Urban Development District and the Seifu Shinto area which offer capital installments (up to 501 million yen over 5 years), tax breaks and employee subsidies.[23] Seifu Shinto which translates as West wind, New town is the largest construction project in the region and is an attempt to build "a city within a city." It is attempting to design from the ground up a place to work, play, relax and live.
Hiroshima recently made it onto Lonely Planet's list of the top cities in the world. Commuting times rank amongst the shortest in Japan and the cost of living is lower than other large cities in Japan such as Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, or Fukuoka.

[edit] Culture

A-Bomb Dome

Hiroshima Castle

Shukkei-en
Hiroshima has a professional symphony orchestra, which has performed at Wel City Hiroshima since 1963.[24] There are also many museums in Hiroshima, including the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, along with several art museums. The Hiroshima Museum of Art, which has a large collection of French renaissance art, opened in 1978. The Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum opened in 1968, and is located near Shukkei-en gardens. The Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, which opened in 1989, is located near Hijiyama Park. Festivals include Hiroshima Flower Festival and Hiroshima International Animation Festival.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, which includes the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, brings many visitors from all around the world, especially around the time of the annual commemoration called Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony. And there are Children's Peace Monument and Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims.
Hiroshima's rebuilt castle (nicknamed Rijō, meaning Koi Castle) houses a museum of life in the Edo period. Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine is within the walls of the castle. Other attractions in Hiroshima include Shukkei-en, Mitaki-dera, and Hijayama.

[edit] Cuisine

A man prepares okonomiyaki in a restaurant in Hiroshima
Hiroshima is known for okonomiyaki, cooked on a hot-plate (usually right in front of you). It is cooked with various ingredients, which are layered rather than mixed together as done with the Osaka version of okonomiyaki. The layers are typically egg, cabbage, moyashi, sliced pork/bacon with optional items (mayonnaise, fried squid, octopus, cheese, mochi, kimuchi, etc.), and noodles (soba, udon) topped with another layer of egg and a generous dollop of okonomiyaki sauce (Carp or Otafuku). The amount of cabbage used is usually 3 - 4 times the amount used in the Osaka style, therefore arguably a healthier version. It starts out piled very high and is generally pushed down as the cabbage cooks. The order of the layers may vary slightly depending on the chef's style and preference, and ingredients will vary depending on the preference of the customer.

[edit] Media
The Chugoku Shimbun is the local newspaper serving Hiroshima. It publishes both morning paper and evening editions. Television stations include Hiroshima Home TV, Hiroshima TV, TV Shinhiroshima, and the RCC Broadcasting Company. Radio stations include HIROSHIMA FM, Chugoku Communication Network, FM Fukuyama, ITSUKAICHI Community Broadcast, and Onomichi FM. Hiroshima is also served by NHK, Japan's public broadcaster, with television and radio broadcasting.

[edit] Sports

Hiroshima Municipal Stadium
Hiroshima is home to several professional and non-professional sports teams. Baseball fans immediately recognize the city as the home of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Six-time champions of Japan's Central League, the team has gone on to win the Japan Series three times. Kohei Matsuda, owner of Toyo Kogyo, was primary owner of the team from the 1970s until his death in 2002.[25] The team is now owned by members of the Matsuda family, while Mazda has minority ownership of the team. The Carp play at Hiroshima Municipal Stadium, which was built in 1957. The stadium is located in central Hiroshima, near the A-Bomb Dome. The city is in planning stages for building a new baseball stadium near the JR Hiroshima Station, to be ready for the 2009 season.[26] Sanfrecce Hiroshima is the city's J. League football team. In 1994, the city of Hiroshima hosted the Asian Games.
Symbol
Club
Sport
League
Venue
Established
Hiroshima Toyo Carp
Baseball
Central League
Hiroshima Municipal Stadium
1950

Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Soccer
J. League
Hiroshima Big Arch
1938

JT Thunders
Volleyball
V.League
Nekota Kinen Taiikukan
1931

Hiroshima Maple Reds
Handball
Japan Handball League
Hirogin no mori Taiikukan
1994

[edit] Education

Satake Memorial Hall at Hiroshima University
Hiroshima University was established in 1949, as part of a national restructuring of the education system. One national university was set-up in each prefecture, including Hiroshima University, which combined eight existing institutions (Hiroshima University of Literature and Science, Hiroshima School of Secondary Education, Hiroshima School of Education, Hiroshima Women's School of Secondary Education, Hiroshima School of Education for Youth, Hiroshima Higher School, Hiroshima Higher Technical School, and Hiroshima Municipal Higher Technical School), with the Hiroshima Prefectural Medical College added in 1953.[27]

[edit] Transportation
Local public transportation in Hiroshima is provided by a streetcar system, operated by Hiroshima Electric Railway called "Hiroden" (広電, "Hiroden"?) for short. Hiroden also operates buses in and around Hiroshima Prefecture. Hiroshima Electric Railway was established on June 18, 1910 in Hiroshima. While many other Japanese cities abandoned the streetcar system by the 1980s (during the 60s and the 70s, Japanese cities were anxious to get rid of their streetcar systems (Tram))[citation needed], Hiroshima retained it because the construction of a subway system was too expensive for the city to afford, as it is located on a delta. During the 1960s, Hiroshima Electric Railway, or Hiroden, bought extra streetcars from other Japanese cities. Although streetcars in Hiroshima are now being replaced by newer models, most retain their original appearance. Thus, the streetcar system is sometimes called a "Moving Museum" by railroad buffs. Of the four streetcars that survived the war, two are still in operation as of July 2006.(Hiroden model 650, (Japanese) Number 651 and 652). There are seven streetcar lines, many of which terminate at Hiroshima Station.

Hiroden streetcar
The Astram Line opened for the 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima, with one line from central Hiroshima to Seifu Shinto and Hiroshima Big Arch, the main stadium of the Asian Games. Astram uses rubber-tyred metro cars, and provides service to areas towards the suburbs that are not served by Hiroden streetcars.[28] The Skyrail Midorizaka Line is a monorail that operates between Midoriguchi and Midori-Chūō, serving three stops.

Hiroshima Station entrance
The JR West Hiroshima Station offers inter-city rail service, including Sanyō Shinkansen which provides high speed service between Shin-Ōsaka and Fukuoka. Sanyō Shinkansen began providing service to Hiroshima in 1975, when the Osaka-Hakata extension opened.[29] Other rail service includes the Sanyō Main Line, Kabe Line, Geibi Line, and Kure Line.
Ferries are operated by JR Miyajima Ferry and Miyajima Matsudai Kisen to Miyajima. Hiroden provides service to Miyajimaguchi Station, which is located near the ferry terminal for service to Miyajima. Hiroshima Port is the main passenger ferry terminal for Hiroshima, with service to Etajima, Matsuyama, and other destinations. There is also an international ferry terminal which has service to Busan and Ulsan in South Korea, Shanghai, Dalian, Qingdao and Ningbo in China, Keelung and Kaohsiung in Taiwan, as well as Hong Kong.[30] There is also a boat taxi service that runs along the ota-gawa channels into the city center.
Clean Transport Hiroshima is a great city to get around by bicycle, due to the many beautiful and convenient riverside paths that have been created to encourage pedestrians and cyclists. You can rent bicycles around the city, at some rental car companies, backpacker hostels, bicycle shops and other locations (see the GetHiroshima map (pick up at the station and hotels) for detailed locations). Most months in the year you can also pop across town in a Velo-taxi (bicycle taxi) for a few hundred yen. Locations for these bicycle taxi's are on Namiki-dori (next to Parco/Alice Garden) and on Miyajima island next to the ferry terminal. When parking your bicycle, you should use one of the many 100yen bicycle parking areas (find locations on the Gethiroshima map). Bikes not parked in these facilities are often picked up and taken to an area near Ujina port where you have to pay a fine to get your bike returned.
Hiroshima Airport, located nearby in the city of Mihara, provides air service within Japan to Tokyo, Sapporo, Okinawa, and Sendai. International air service is provided to Seoul, Bangkok, Guam, Taipei, Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou. Commuter air service is also available at Hiroshima-Nishi Airport.

[edit] Sister cities
Hiroshima has six overseas sister cities:[31]
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Chongqing, China
Daegu, South Korea
Hannover, Germany
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Volgograd, Russia
Within Japan, Hiroshima has a similar relationship with Nagasaki.

[edit] See also
Barefoot Gen
Kokura
Yoshito Matsushige
Masaharu Morimoto, celebrity chef born and raised in Hiroshima and perhaps the city's most famous former resident by way of the popular show Iron Chef

[edit] Notes
^ The Origin of Hiroshima. Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation. Retrieved on 2007-08-17.
^ a b c Kosaikai, Yoshiteru (2007). "History of Hiroshima", Hiroshima Peace Reader. Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation.
^ a b Terry, Thomas Philip (1914). Terry's Japanese Empire. Houghton Mifflin Co, p. 640.
^ Jacobs, Norman (1958). The Origin of Modern Capitalism and Eastern Asia. Hong Kong University, p. 51.
^ Sanko (1998). Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome). The City of Hiroshima and the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation.
^ United States Strategic Bombing Survey (June 1946). U. S. Strategic Bombing Survey: The Effects of the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. nuclearfiles.org.
^ Japan in the Modern Age and Hiroshima as a Military City. The Chugoku Shimbun. Retrieved on 2007-08-19.
^ [http://www.rerf.or.jp/general/qa_e/qa1.html Radiation Effects Research Foundation
^ Ishikawa and Swain (1981), p. 5
^ Makurazaki Typhoon
^ Ishikawa and Swain (1981), p. 6
^ Peace Memorial City, Hiroshima. Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
^ Fifty Years for the Peace Memorial Museum. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Retrieved on 2007-08-17.
^ http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/hiroshima.htm
^ http://www.nuclearfiles.org/menu/library/media-gallery/video/hiroshima-aftermath
^ And That's Official. GetHiroshima. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
^ "Two killed in west Japan quake", The Japan Times, March 25, 2001.
^ Population of Japan, Table 92. Statistics Bureau. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
^ a b c 2006 Statistical Profile. The City of Hiroshima. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
^ de Rham-Azimi, Nassrine, Matt Fuller, and Hiroko Nakayama (2003). Post-conflict Reconstruction in Japan, Republic of Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, East Timor. United Nations Publications, p. 69.
^ Parker, J. (2004). "In Praise of Japanese Engineering; In Praise of Hiroshima" in 47th Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems. Circuits and Systems 1.
^ http://www.hivec.com
^ http://www.seifu-shinto.jp/index_f.html
^ Wel City Hiroshima
^ "Carp owner dies", The Japan Times, July 12, 2002.
^ Graczyk, Wayne. "New stadium in Hiroshima looking good for 2009 season", The Japan Times, March 4, 2007.
^ History of Hiroshima University. Hiroshima University. Retrieved on 2007-06-25.
^ Astram Line. Design Soken Hiroshima Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
^ Shinkansen. japan-guide.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-17.
^ Access-Sea Transport. Chugoku Bureau of Economy,Trade and Industry. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
^ http://www.city.hiroshima.jp/kikaku/joho/toukei/08_dijest/english/18/shisei-e18.html

[edit] References
Ishikawa, Eisei, David L. Swain (1981). Hiroshima and Nagasaki: The Physical, Medical, and Social Effects of the Atomic Bombings. Basic Books.
Kowner, Rotem (2002). "Hiroshima", in M. Ember & C. Ember (eds.): Encyclopedia of Urban Cultures (Vol. II). Grolier, pp. 341-348. ISBN 0717256987.

[edit] Further reading
Pacific War Research Society, Japan's Longest Day (Kodansha, 2002, ISBN 4-7700-2887-3), the internal Japanese account of the surrender and how it was almost thwarted by fanatic soldiers who attempted a coup against the Emperor.
Richard B. Frank, Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire (Penguin, 2001 ISBN 0-14-100146-1)
Robert Jungk, Children of the Ashes, 1st Eng. ed. 1961
Gar Alperovitz, The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb, ISBN 0-679-76285-X
John Hersey, Hiroshima, ISBN 0-679-72103-7
Michihiko Hachiya, Hiroshima Diary: The Journal of a Japanese Physician, August 6 - September 30, 1945 (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1955), since reprinted.
Masuji Ibuse, Black Rain, ISBN 0-87011-364-X
Hara Tamiki, Summer Flowers ISBN 0-691-00837-X

OSAKA , JAPAN

2007-11-01T00:24:00.001-07:00

Osaka
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Ten things you may not know about images on Wikipedia •
Jump to: navigation, search
For other uses, see Osaka (disambiguation).
Osaka大阪市
Osaka's location in Osaka Prefecture, Japan.
Location
Country
Japan
Region
Kansai
Prefecture
Osaka Prefecture
Physical characteristics
Area
222.11 km² (85.8 sq mi)
Population (as of January 1, 2007)
Total
2,636,256(19,220,000 in Metropolitan Area)
Density
11,869/km² (30,740.6/sq mi)
Location
34°42′N, 135°30′E
Symbols
Tree
Sakura
Flower
Pansy
Osaka Government Office
Mayor
Jun'ichi Seki
Address
〒530-82011-3-20 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Ōsaka-shi, Ōsaka-fu
Phone number
06-6208-8181
Official website: City of Osaka
Osaka (大阪市, Ōsaka-shi?) listen (help·info) is a city in Japan, located at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, in the Kansai region of the main island of Honshū.
The city is the capital of Osaka Prefecture. Often dubbed the second city of Japan, Osaka was historically the commercial capital of Japan, and to date the heart of Japan's second largest, and the world's ninth largest metropolitan area of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto, whose population is 19,220,000.
A unique title that the city of Osaka holds is the first place in Japan for day to night population ratio of 141%,[1] a depiction of Osaka's economical and commercial centric character. While at night time the population ranks third place in the country at 2.6 million, in daytime it surges to 3.7 million, second only after Tokyo.[2]
Also, Osaka is traditionally considered the "nation's kitchen" (天下の台所, tenka no daidokoro?) or the gourmet food capital of Japan.[3][4][5][6]
Contents[hide]
1 History
1.1 The beginnings - Kofun Period
1.2 Asuka and Nara Period
1.3 Heian - Edo Period
1.4 Modern Osaka
1.5 "Osaka" (大阪), Etymology
2 Geography
2.1 Shopping Districts
2.2 Wards
2.2.1 Climate
3 Demographics
4 Economy
4.1 Major companies based in Osaka
4.2 Major factories and research institutes in Osaka
5 Transport
5.1 Air
5.2 Rail
6 Culture
6.1 Museums and Galleries
6.1.1 Municipal Museums
6.1.2 Other Museums
6.2 Theatres and Multi-purpose Halls
6.3 Culinary
7 Places of interest
7.1 Amusement Parks
7.2 Parks
7.3 Temples, Shrines and other Historical sites
7.4 Sports Stadiums
7.5 Entertainments
7.6 Shopping
8 Education
8.1 Libraries
9 Sister cities
10 References
11 External links
//

[edit] History

[edit] The beginnings - Kofun Period
Some of the earliest signs of habitation in the area of Osaka were found at the Morinomiya ruins (森の宮遺跡, Morinomiya iseki?), with its shell mounds, including sea oysters and buried human skeletons from the 5 - 6th centuries BC. It is believed that what is today the Uehonmachi area consisted of a peninsular land, with an inland sea in the east. During the Yayoi Period, permanent habitation on the plains grew as rice farming became popular.[3]
By the Kofun Period, Osaka developed into a hub port connecting the region to the western part of Japan. The large numbers, and the growing of the size of tomb mounds found in the plains of Osaka, are seen as evidence of political power concentrating, leading to the formation of a state.[3][7]

[edit] Asuka and Nara Period
In 645, Emperor Kōtoku built his palace (難波長柄豊碕宮 Naniwa-no-nagara-no-toyosaki-no-Miya) in Osaka[8], making this area the capital (Naniwa-kyō). The area which now consists of Osaka city was called by this time Naniwa, a name which still exists as the names of districts in central Osaka as Naniwa (浪速) and Namba (難波).[9] While the capital was moved to Asuka (in Nara Prefecture today) in 655, Naniwa has always been a vital connection, by land and sea, between Yamato (modern day Nara Prefecture), Korea, and China.[3][10]
In 744, Naniwa was once again named capital by Emperor Shōmu. Naniwa ceased to be the capital in 745, when the Imperial Court moved back to Heijō-kyō (now Nara). The sea port function was gradually lost over to neighbouring lands by the end of Nara Period, but it remained a lively transit of river, channel and land transportation between Heian-kyō (Kyoto today) and other destinations.

[edit] Heian - Edo Period

Osaka Castle
In 1496, the Jōdo Shinshū Buddhist sect set up their headquarters: the heavily fortified Ishiyama Hongan-ji on top of the ruins of the old Naniwa imperial palace. In 1570, Oda Nobunaga started a siege of the temple that lasted for 10 years. The monks finally surrendered in 1580, the temple was razed, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi took the place for his own castle: Osaka Castle.
Osaka was for a long time Japan's most important economic center with a large percentage of the population belonging to the merchant class (see Four divisions of society). Over the course of the Edo period (1603–1867), Osaka grew into one of Japan's major cities and returned to its ancient role as a lively and important port. Its popular culture was closely related to ukiyo-e depictions of life in Edo. Developing in parallel with the urban culture of Kyoto and Edo, Osaka likewise featured bunraku and grand kabuki productions, pleasure quarters, and a lively artistic community.

[edit] Modern Osaka
The modern city was initially designated in 1889 by government ordinance, starting up with an area of merely 15 km², overlapping today's Chūō and Nishi wards. Later the city went through three major expansions to reach current size of 222 km².

[edit] "Osaka" (大阪), Etymology
Osaka literally means "Large Hill".
It is unclear when the name Ōsaka gained prominence over Naniwa, but the oldest usage of the name dates back to 1496 in a text written about the foundation of the Ishiyama Hongan-ji. At this time, the second kanji was "坂," instead of the "阪" used today. In the beginning of Meiji Era, the government changed the second kanji 坂 to 阪 because the previous one could, if the radicals were read separately, be interpreted as "(will) return to soil" (土に返る), which seemed a bit gloomy. This remains the official spelling today, though the old one is still in very limited use to emphasize history.

[edit] Geography

Osaka at night.

Neon

Tsutenkaku

A crowd in Namba
The city of Osaka has its west side open to Osaka Bay. It is otherwise completely surrounded by over ten smaller cities, all of them in Osaka Prefecture, with one exception: the city of Amagasaki, belonging to Hyōgo Prefecture, in the northwest. The city occupies a larger area (about 12%) than any other city or district within Osaka Prefecture.
The two most crowded centers of the city of Osaka are often called by their synonyms: Kita (キタ, lit. north) and Minami (ミナミ, lit. south). Kita is roughly the area including or surrounding the business and retail district of Umeda. On the other hand, Minami is home to the Namba, Shinsaibashi and Dōtonbori shopping districts. The entertainment area around Dōtonbori Bridge with its famous giant mechanical crab, Triangle Park and Amerikamura ("America Village") is in Minami. The traditional business district, including the courts and regional headquarters of major banks, is primarily located in Yodoyabashi and Honmachi, between Kita and Minami. The newer business district is the OBP, Osaka Business Park, located in the neighborhood of Osaka Castle. Business districts have also formed around the city's secondary rail termini, such as Tennoji Station and Kyobashi Station.
“The 808 bridges of Naniwa” was a famous expression for awe and wonder in old Japan, an almost proverbial adage which was known all across the land. “Naniwa” is the ancient name of Osaka and “808” is a large number that in Japan symbolizes the concept “uncountable”.[11]

[edit] Shopping Districts
American Village (Ame-mura)
Den Den Town electrical goods shopping district
Dōtonbori
Namba
Shinsaibashi
Umeda (theaters , boutiques and department stores)

[edit] Wards
Osaka has 24 wards (ku), one more than Tokyo:
Abeno-ku
Asahi-ku
Chūō-ku
Fukushima-ku
Higashinari-ku
Higashisumiyoshi-ku
Higashiyodogawa-ku
Hirano-ku
Ikuno-ku
Joto-ku
Kita-ku
Konohana-ku
Minato-ku
Miyakojima-ku
Naniwa-ku
Nishi-ku
Nishinari-ku
Nishiyodogawa-ku
Suminoe-ku
Sumiyoshi-ku
Taisho-ku
Tennoji-ku
Tsurumi-ku
Yodogawa-ku

[edit] Climate
Osaka avg taken at Chuo-ku, 2004
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Avg high °C
13.1
21.2
23.1
28.1
31.6
33.7
36.4
36.2
34.2
30.1
24.2
21.3
27.7
Average °C
5.8
7.9
10.2
16.4
21.1
24.8
29.5
28.4
26.2
19.0
15.2
10.2
17.9
Avg low °C
-2.2
0.2
0.5
5.9
12.6
16.2
22.2
21.6
19.4
8.5
7.8
0.7
9.8
Avg Humidity %
59
56
57
54
65
66
63
66
67
69
66
64
63
Rainfall milimeters
19.0
47.5
75.5
125.0
281.5
133.5
42.0
106.5
202.5
356.0
117.5
88.0
132.9

[edit] Demographics
According to the 2005 Population Census of Japan, the city of Osaka has a population of 2,628,811, which is an increase of 30,037, or 1.2%, since the previous Census of year 2000, however, but much lower than its peak of over 3 million in the sixties. Many other cities in the Kinki area have populations far below their peaks. The population density was 11,836 persons per km². The number of households was 1,242,489, with an average of approximately 2.1 members per household. ately 2.31 members. There were 99,775 Registered Foreigners, with the two largest group being Korean (71,015 people) and Chinese (11,848 people). The largest portion of registered Zainichi Korean is the 27,466 people residing in Ikuno-ward, where the so-called Korean town, Tsuruhashi, is located.
Commonly spoken dialect of this area is Osaka-ben. An example, among many other particularities that characterizes Osaka-ben is the use of the suffix hen instead of nai in the negative of verbs.

[edit] Economy

Osaka WTC Building
The gross city product of Osaka for fiscal year 2004 was ¥21.3 trillion, an increase of 1.2% over the previous year. This amount is about 55% of the Osaka Prefecture and 26.5% of the Kinki region. As of 2004, commerce, services and manufacturing have been the three major industries with a respective share of 30%, 26% and 11% of total industry. The per capita income was about ¥3.3 million, 10% higher than that of the Osaka Prefecture.[12]
The GDP in the greater Osaka area (Osaka and Kobe) is $341 billion. Osaka has one of the most productive hinterlands in the world, making it a match even for Paris and London. [3]
Historically, Osaka was the center of Japanese commerce, especially in the middle and pre-modern ages. Today, many major companies have since moved their main offices to Tokyo, principally in the 1970's, but several major companies are still based in Osaka. Recently, the city began a program, headed by Mayor Junichi Seki, to try to attract domestic and foreign investment in the city. [4]

[edit] Major companies based in Osaka
See Companies headquartered in Osaka

[edit] Major factories and research institutes in Osaka
See Hanshin Industrial Region.

[edit] Transport

[edit] Air
Kansai International Airport is the main airport: it is a rectangular artificial island that sits off-shore in Osaka Bay and services Osaka and its surrounding cities of Nara, Kobe, and Kyoto. Kansai is the geographical term for the area of western Honshū surrounding Osaka. The airport is linked by a bus and train service into the centre of the city and major suburbs.
Osaka International Airport, laid over the border between the cities of Itami and Toyonaka, still houses most of the domestic service from the metropolitan region.

[edit] Rail
The Osaka Municipal Subway system is Osaka's extensive rapid transit system. The system ranks 8th in the world by annual passenger ridership, serving over 912 million people annually. Besides this, there is a network of both JR and private lines connecting the suburbs of the city, and Osaka to its neighbours. Keihan and Hankyu lines connect to Kyoto, Hanshin and Hankyu lines connect to Kobe, the Kintetsu line connects to Nara and Nagoya, and the Nankai line to Wakayama.

[edit] Culture

[edit] Museums and Galleries

[edit] Municipal Museums
Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka [5] Founded in 1982. It houses 2000 pieces of ceramics. It also features a natural-light gallery for its Korean celadon pottery.
Osaka City Museum of Modern Art [6]
Osaka Municipal Museum of Art [7]
Osaka Museum of History [8]
Osaka Museum of Natural History [9]
Osaka Science Museum [10]

[edit] Other Museums
Kamigata Ukiyoe Museum [11]
Osaka International Peace Center (Peace Osaka)

[edit] Theatres and Multi-purpose Halls
Festival Hall
Namba Grand Kagetsu
National Bunraku Theater [12]
Osaka Central Public Hall
Osaka-jō Hall
Osaka Shin-Kabuki-za
The Osaka Shiki Theater [13] - Shiki Theatre Company.
The Symphony Hall
Umeda Arts Theater, the former Umeda Koma Theater

[edit] Culinary
Osaka is also known for its food, as supported by the saying "Dress (in kimonos) 'til you drop in Kyoto, eat 'til you drop in Osaka" (京の着倒れ、大阪の食い倒れ).[13]
Osaka regional cuisine includes okonomiyaki (pan-fried batter cake), takoyaki (octopus dumplings), udon (a noodle dish), as well as regional sushi and other traditional Japanese foods.

[edit] Places of interest
Osaka is known for bunraku (traditional puppet theatre) and kabuki theatre, and for manzai, a more contemporary form of stand-up comedy. Tourist attractions include:

[edit] Amusement Parks
Expoland
Festival Gate
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan (海遊館) — an aquarium located in Osaka Bay, containing 35,000 aquatic animals in 14 tanks, the largest of which holds 5,400 tons of water and houses a variety of sea animals including whale sharks. This tank is the world's second largest aquarium tank, behind the Georgia Aquarium, whose largest tank holds approximately 29,000 tons of water.
Tempozan Harbor Village Ferris wheel, located next to the aquarium
Tennōji Zoo
Universal Studios Japan
Umeda Joypolis Sega
Shin-Umeda city - an innovative structure which has the floating garden observatory 170 m from the ground which gives you a 360 panoramic view of Osaka spectacular by night and fantastic by day great for photographs, a superb structure which also houses an underground mall with restaurants and is styled in the early Showa period in the 1920's, a very pretty zen garden is also here.

[edit] Parks
Nakanoshima Park: In the vicinity of the City Hall.
Osaka Castle Park: About 106 ha. Holds: Osaka-jō Hall, a japanese apricot garden, etc.
Sumiyoshi Park
Tennōji Park : About 28 ha. Holds: Tennōji Zoo, an art museum (established by contribution from Sumitomo family in 1936) and a japanese garden, Keitaku-en (慶沢園). Keitaku-en was constructed in 1908 by Jihei Ogawa (小川治兵衛), an illustrious gardener in Japan. This was originally one of Sumitomo family's gardens until 1921.
Nishinari Park
Utsubo Park
Nagai Park The IAAF World Championships in Athletics are currently being held at Nagai Stadium, located in this park.
Tsurumi-Ryokuchi Park with the Sakuya Konohana Kan: held a flower expo in 1990.

[edit] Temples, Shrines and other Historical sites
Mitami Shrine
Osaka Castle
Sanko Shrine
Shitennō-ji The oldest buddhist temple in Japan, established in 593 AD by Prince Shōtoku.
Sumiyoshi Taisha One of the oldest Shinto shrines; many people go and worship at this shrine on the new year day. It is said this shrine was built in 211 AD.
Tamatsukuri Inari Shrine

[edit] Sports Stadiums
Osaka Dome
Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium
Nagai Stadium

[edit] Entertainments
Doyama-cho Gay District
Shinsekai district and Tsutenkaku Tower
Tobita red-light district

[edit] Shopping
Nippombashi Den Den Town
Tenjinbashi-suji shopping arcade
Shopping Districts
Osaka has a vast number of shopping areas to choose from. Not only are there malls everywhere you turn but they also have a large number of shopping arcades which are basically roofed shopping streets, these are seen all across Japan, but Osaka has the longest in the country. Tenjinbashi-suji stretches from the road approaching the Tenman-gu shrine and continues for 2.6km going north to south. It has all types of stores including commodities, clothing and catering outlets on both sides of the arcade. Other key shopping areas are Den Den Town the electronic and manga/anime district which is as good as if not better than Akihbara and the Umeda district which has the Hankyu Sanbangai shopping mall and Yodobashi Camera which is a huge electrical appliance store which also offers a vast range of fashion stores, restaurants and a Shonen Jump store.

[edit] Education
Public elementary and junior high schools in Osaka are operated by the city of Osaka. Its supervisory organization on educational matters is Osaka City Board of Education [14]. Likewise, public high schools are operated by Osaka Prefectural Board of Education.
Osaka city once had a large number of universities, but because of growing campuses and the need for larger area, many universities chose to move to the suburbs.
Osaka Prefecture's most prestigious university, Osaka University, is located in the nearby Suita.
Kansai University (関西大学)
Osaka City University (大阪市立大学)
Osaka University of Economics (大阪経済大学)
Osaka Institute of Technology (大阪工業大学)
Osaka Jogakuin College (大阪女学院大学)
Osaka Seikei University (大阪成蹊大学)
SOAI University (相愛大学)
Osaka University of Arts (大阪芸術大学) , Minamikawachi District, Osaka
Osaka University of Education (大阪教育大学)

[edit] Libraries
International Institute for Children's Llterature, Osaka [15]
Osaka Public Nakanoshima Library

[edit] Sister cities
Osaka has eight sister cities and relationships of various sorts with several others[14]
Sister cities:
Chicago, United States
Hamburg, Germany
San Francisco, United States
São Paulo, Brazil
Shanghai, China
Melbourne, Australia
Milan, Italy
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Friendship and cooperation cities:
Budapest, Hungary
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Osaka also has a number of sister ports, and several business partner cities including Manila.

YOKOHAMA , JAPAN

2007-11-01T00:21:00.000-07:00

Yokohama
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Interested in contributing to Wikipedia? •
Jump to: navigation, search
For the town of Yokohama in Aomori Prefecture, see Yokohama, Aomori.
For a tire company, known by Yokohama Tyre, see Yokohama Rubber Company.
Yokohama横浜市
Yokohama's location in Kanagawa, Japan.
Location
Country
Japan
Region
Kantō
Prefecture
Kanagawa
Physical characteristics
Area
437.35 km² (168.9 sq mi)
Population (as of August 2007)
Total
3,625,000
Density
8,288/km² (21,465.8/sq mi)
Location
35°27′N, 139°38′E
Symbols
Tree
Camellia, Chinquapin, Sangoju Sasanqua, Ginkgo, Zelkova
Flower
Rose
Symbol of Yokohama
Yokohama Government Office
Mayor
Hiroshi Nakada
Address
〒231-00171-1 Minato-chō, Naka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa-ken
Phone number
045-671-2121
Official website: City of Yokohama
Yokohama (横浜市, Yokohama-shi?) is the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture and, with a population of 3.6 million, Japan's largest incorporated city and second largest urban area after Tokyo [1], located in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshū. Yokohama is a major commercial hub of the Greater Tokyo Area.
It developed rapidly as Japan's prominent port city following the end of Japan's isolation in the late 19th century, and is today one of its major ports along Kobe, Osaka, Nagoya, Hakata, Tokyo and Chiba.
Contents[hide]
1 History
2 Geography
3 Economy
4 Places of interest
5 Politics and government
5.1 Wards
6 Sister cities
7 Education
8 See also
9 References
10 External links
//

[edit] History
Yokohama was a small fishing village up to the end of the feudal Edo period, a time when Japan held a policy of national seclusion, having little contact with Western foreigners. A major turning point in Japanese history happened in 1853 and again in 1854, when Commodore Matthew Perry arrived just south of Yokohama with a fleet of American warships, demanding that Japan open several ports for commerce, getting the ruling Tokugawa shogunate to agree in 1853. It was initially agreed that one of the ports to be opened to foreign ships would be the bustling town of Kanagawa-juku (in what is now Kanagawa Ward) on the Tōkaidō, a strategic highway which linked Edo to Kyoto and Osaka. However, the Tokugawa shogunate decided that the location of Kanagawa-juku was too close to the Tōkaidō for comfort, and port facilities were built across the inlet in the sleepy fishing village of Yokohama instead. The Port of Yokohama was opened on 2 June 1859.

Landing of Commodore Perry, officers & men of the squadron, to meet the Imperial commissioners at Yoku-Hama (Yokohama?) July 14, 1853. Lithograph by Sarony & Co., 1855, after Wilhelm Heine.
The Port of Yokohama quickly became the base of foreign trade in Japan. Japan's first English language newspaper, the Japan Herald, was first published in Yokohama in 1861. Foreigners occupied a district of the city called "Kannai" ("inside the barrier"), which was surrounded by a moat, and were protected by their extraterritoriality status both within and outside the moat. Many individuals crossed the moat, causing a number of problems. The Namamugi Incident, one of the events that preceded the downfall of the shogunate, took place in what is now Tsurumi Ward in 1862. Ernest Satow wrote about the incident in his A Diplomat in Japan.
After the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the port was developed for trading silk, with the main trading partner being Great Britain. Many Western influences first reached Japan in Yokohama, including Japan's first daily newspaper (1870) and Japan's first gas-powered street lamps (1872). Japan's first railway was constructed in the same year to connect Yokohama to Shinagawa and Shimbashi in Tokyo. In 1887, a British merchant, Samuel Cocking, built the city's first power plant, a coal burning plant, at first for his own use, but it became the basis for the Yokohama Cooperative Electric Light Company. The city was officially incorporated on April 1, 1889. By the time the extraterritoriality of foreigner areas was abolished in 1899, Yokohama was the most international city in Japan, with foreigner areas stretching from Kannai to the Yamate Bluff area and the large Yokohama Chinatown.
The early 20th century was marked by rapid growth of industry. Entrepreneurs built factories along reclaimed land to the north of the city towards Kawasaki, which eventually grew to be the Keihin Industrial Area. The growth of Japanese industry brought affluence to Yokohama, and many wealthy trading families constructed sprawling residences there, while the rapid influx of population from Japan and Korea also led to the formation of Kojiki-Yato, the largest slum in Japan at the time.
Much of Yokohama was destroyed on 1 September 1923 by the Great Kantō earthquake, killing an estimated 23,000 people within the city boundaries. In the aftermath of the quake, mass murder of Koreans by vigilante mobs occurred in the Kojiki-yato slum, fuelled by rumours of rebellion and sabotage. Martial law was in place until 19 November. Rubble from the quake was used to reclaim land for parks, the most famous of which is the Yamashita Park on the waterfront which opened in 1930.
Yokohama was rebuilt, only to be destroyed again by 30-odd U.S. air raids during World War II. An estimated 7,000–8,000 people were killed in a single morning on 29 May 1945 in what is now known as the Great Yokohama Air Raid, when B-29s dropped firebombs over the city and in the space of just 1 hour and 9 minutes reduced 34% of the city to rubble.
During the American occupation, Yokohama was a major transshipment base for American supplies and personnel, especially during the Korean War. After the occupation, most local U.S. naval activity moved from Yokohama to an American base in neighboring Yokosuka.
The city was designated by government ordinance on September 1, 1956.
The city's tram and trolleybus system was abolished in 1972, the same year as the opening of the first line of Yokohama Municipal Subway.
Construction of Minato Mirai 21 ("Port Future 21"), a major urban development project on reclaimed land, started in 1983. Minato Mirai 21 hosted the Yokohama Exotic Showcase in 1989, which saw the first public operation of maglev trains in Japan and the opening of CosmoClock 21, at the time the largest ferris wheel in the world. 1989 also saw the opening of the 860m-long Yokohama Bay Bridge.
In 1993, Minato Mirai saw the opening of the Yokohama Landmark Tower, the tallest building in Japan.
The 2002 FIFA World Cup final was held in June at the International Stadium Yokohama.

[edit] Geography

Landmarks of Yokohama
Yokohama is centered on an inlet on the western side of Tokyo Bay, 30 kilometers (18 miles) from Tokyo, to which it is connected by a half-dozen railway lines as well as expressways and surface streets via the city of Kawasaki. Neighboring cities include Yokosuka , Kamakura, Fujisawa, Zushi, Yamato, and Machida of Tokyo.
A major industrial zone known as the Keihin Industrial Area stretches along the reclaimed coastline to the north of the central area towards Kawasaki and Tokyo beyond.
The historic port area of Kannai used to be the centre of Yokohama, but the area around the transportation hub of Yokohama Station is now the most prominent commercial district. In between is a major harbourside redevelopment called Minato Mirai 21. Much of the suburban areas consist of hills. A major residential development called Kohoku New Town, housing about 300,000, is located 12 km north of the city centre. [1]

[edit] Economy
The city has a strong local economic base, especially in the shipping, biotechnology, and semiconductor industries. Nissan will move its headquarters to Yokohama from Chūō, Tokyo by 2010.[2]

[edit] Places of interest

The Minato Mirai 21 district of Yokohama, featuring the Landmark Tower and surrounding buildings.
The places of interest are mainly around the historic port area of Kannai. Next to the waterfront Yamashita Park is Yokohama Marine Tower, the tallest lighthouse in the world. Further inland lies Yokohama Chinatown, the largest Chinatown in Japan and one of the largest in the world. Also in the vicinity is the Yokohama Stadium, the Silk Center, the Yokohama Doll Museum.[2] There is also a large immigration office, near Yamashita Park. Nearby Isezakicho and Noge areas offer many colourful shops and bars and, with their restaurants and stores catering to residents from China, Thailand, South Korea, and other countries, have an increasingly international flavour. The small but fashionable Motomachi shopping area (where there are various shops starting with Cyrillus, Godiva, and so on) leads up to Yamate, or "The Bluff" as it used to be known, a 19th/early 20th century Westerners' settlement overlooking the harbour, scattered with foreigners' mansions. A foreigners' cemetery and the Harbour View Park is in the area. The Rose Garden can be found in the park.
There are various points of interest in the futuristic Minato Mirai 21 harbourside redevelopment. The highlights are the Landmark Tower which is the tallest building in Japan, Queen's Square Yokohama (a shopping mall) and the Cosmo Clock, which was the largest ferris wheel in the world when it was built in 1989 and which also doubles as "the world's biggest clock".
The Shin-Yokohama district, where the Shinkansen station is located, is some distance away from the harbour area, and features the 17,000 capacity Yokohama Arena, the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, and Nissan Stadium, once known as the International Stadium Yokohama when it was the setting for the final for the 2002 FIFA World Cup held on June 30, 2002.
The city is also home to the Central League baseball team, the Yokohama BayStars, and the soccer teams, Yokohama F Marinos and Yokohama FC.

Yokohama Bay from the Landmark Tower

[edit] Politics and government
The Yokohama Municipal Assembly consists of 92 members elected from 18 Wards. The LDP has minority control with 30 seats with Democratic Party of Japan with a close 29. The mayor is Hiroshi Nakada.

[edit] Wards

During the Korean War, the United States Navy used Yokohama's port as a transshipment base. This ship departed Yokohama in 1951, carrying war dead home to the U.S.
Yokohama has 18 wards (ku):
Aoba-ku (青葉区)
Asahi-ku (旭区)
Hodogaya-ku (保土ヶ谷区)
Isogo-ku (磯子区)
Izumi-ku (泉区)
Kanagawa-ku (神奈川区)
Kanazawa-ku (金沢区)
Kōhoku-ku (港北区)
Kōnan-ku (港南区)
Midori-ku (緑区)
Minami-ku (南区)
Naka-ku (中区)
Nishi-ku (西区)
Sakae-ku (栄区)
Seya-ku (瀬谷区)
Totsuka-ku (戸塚区)
Tsurumi-ku (鶴見区)
Tsuzuki-ku (都筑区)

[edit] Sister cities
Yokohama has sister city agreements with the following cities: [3]
Constanţa, Romania
Lyon, France
Odessa, Ukraine
Manila, Philippines
Mumbai, India
San Diego, California, U.S.
Shanghai, China
Vancouver, Canada

[edit] Education
Public elementary and middle schools are operated by the city of Yokohama.
Public high schools are operated by the Kanagawa Prefectural Board of Education.

[edit] See also
Foreign cemeteries in Japan
Osanbashi Pier
Yokohama Rubber Company, manufacturer of tyres

[edit] References
^ Tokyo is not a single incorporated city. See the Tokyo article for more information on the definition and makeup of Tokyo.
^ Official Yokohama city website (English)
^ Official Yokohama city tourism website (English)