Gotemba, Shizuoka

Gotemba 御殿場市
—  City  —
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Location of Gotemba in Shizuoka
Gotemba
Coordinates: 35°19′N 138°56′E
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu (Tōkai)
Prefecture	Shizuoka
Government
• Mayor	Kaizō Osada
Area
• Total	194.63 km2 (75.15 sq mi)
Population (February 2010)
• Total	88,523
• Density	455/km2 (1,180/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City symbols
- Tree	Japanese zelkova
- Flower	Sakura
- Bird	Japanese Thrush
Phone number	0550-83-1212
Address	483 Hagiwara, Gotemba-shi, Shizuoka-ken 412-8601
Website	Gotemba City

Mt. Fuji and city of Gotemba

Gotemba (御殿場市, Gotenba-shi, sometimes Gotenba), is a city located on the southeastern flank of Mt. Fuji in Shizuoka, Japan. As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 88,523 and the density of 455 persons per km². The total area is 194.63 km².

Geography

Located in far eastern Shizuoka Prefecture at an altitude of 250–600 meters, Gotemba has a cool climate, characterized by high rainfall (average 3433 mm per year).

Surrounding municipalities

Shizuoka Prefecture

• Oyama
• Susono
• Fujinomiya
• Fuji

Kanagawa Prefecture

• Hakone

History

Gotemba was the site of a shōen belonging to Ise Shrine in the Heian period. During the Edo period the area was part of Odawara Domain. After the start of the Meiji period, it became part of Shizuoka Domain until the abolition of the han system in 1871 and the establishment of Shizuoka Prefecture. The opening of Gotemba Station on what was then the Tōkaidō Main Line on February 1, 1889 spurred development of the area. In the cadastral reform of April 1, 1889 Gotemba Town was created within Suntō District, along with Fujioka Village, Harasato Village, Ino Village, Tamaho Village, and Takane Village.

However, the opening of the Tanna Tunnel on December 1, 1934 resulted in the route of Tōkaidō Main Line shifting south to Atami, leaving Gotemba on the spur Gotemba Line, which resulted in temporary depopulation. During the pre-war era, Gotemba was a major base area for the Imperial Japanese Army, and still houses military facilities and a large training area for the modern Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force and the United States Marine Corps.

Gotemba was elevated to city status on February 11, 1955 through the merger of Gotemba Town with neighboring Fujioka Village, Harasato Village, Ino Village, and Tamaho Village. The city expanded through annexation of Takane Village on January 1, 1956 and the Furusawa District of Oyama Town on September 1, 1957. The Gotemba Interchange on Tōmei Expressway was completed.on May 25, 1969

Economy

Gotemba has a mixed economy. Agriculture has traditionally been dominated by rice, irrigated by water from Mount Fuji, and has been supplemented by the growing of various green vegetables and the raising of pigs. Development of light industries, especially in food processing and electronics has profited through Gotemba’s location on the Tōmei Expressway, and Gotemba is noted for a number of golf courses and a spacious outlet shopping center.

Gotemba Premium Outlets Shopping mall

Retailing company of Chelsea Japan was bought by Odakyu Gotenba Amusement Park, and officially open on July 2000. Today it has expanded 200 shops in this area, with one of as known for outlet shopping mall in Japan.^{[citation needed]}

Transportation

Highways

• Tōmei Expressway
• Japan National Route 138
• Japan National Route 246
• Japan National Route 469

Railways

• East Japan Railway Company - Gotemba Line
  • Gotemba – Minami-Gotemba-Fujioka

Sister cities

• - Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, United States since August 22, 1960
• - Beaverton, Oregon, United States since October 22, 1987

Noted people from Gotemba

• Ken'yū Horiuchi - seiyu

External links

Media related to Gotemba, Shizuoka at Wikimedia Commons

• (English) City of Gotemba
• Mount Fuji Gotemba Trail