Kobayashi, Miyazaki

Kobayashi 小林市
—  City  —
Location of Kobayashi in Miyazaki
Kobayashi
Coordinates: 31°59′40″N 130°57′6″E
Country	Japan
Region	Kyūshū
Prefecture	Miyazaki
Government
• Mayor	Masahiro Higo (since April 2010)
Area
• Total	563.09 km2 (217.41 sq mi)
Population (May 1, 2011)
• Total	47,328
• Density	84/km2 (220/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City symbols
- Tree	Cherry blossom, Abies firma
- Flower	Cosmos
- Bird	Treron Sieboldii
Phone number	81-(0)984-23-1111
Address	Hosono 300, Kobayashi City, Miyazaki Prefecture (宮崎県小林市細野300番地) 886-8501
Website	www.city.kobayashi.lg.jp

Kobayashi (小林市, Kobayashi-shi) is a city located in Miyazaki, Japan.

As of May 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 47,328, with a household number of 19,924 and a density of 80.45 persons per km². The total area is 563.09 km².The city is, like the city of Miyakonojō, suffering from a declining population.

History

The city was founded on April 1, 1950.

On March 20, 2006 the village of Suki, from Nishimorokata District, was merged with Kobayashi, roughly doubling the city's size.

On March 23, 2010 the town of Nojiri, from Nishimorokata District, was merged with Kobayashi.

Products

Kobayashi is famous for producing pears.^{[citation needed]}

Places of interest

Inyoseki

A fertility shrine a which people pray to conceive children. The site has a natural rock formation that resembles a phallus.

Ikoma Plateau

At an elevation of 540 m (1,770 ft), the plateau offers a view of the city from its magnificent flower garden with the Kirishima Mountain Range at its back. October is Cosmos season while April/May feature Icelandic poppies.

Idenoyama Park

Home of the Firefly Festival every May. Features a freshwater aquarium, restaurants specializing in carp dishes, and beautiful lakefront scenery.

Sannomiya Gorge

Featuring a cliff which is 32 m (105 ft) high and stretching 60 m (200 ft) wide.

Suki Suspension Bridge and Mamako Falls

Crossing the bridge leads to a view of this waterfall cluster. The falls are named after a legend which tells of a cruel stepmother who took her six year old stepdaughter to the falls to murder her. However, the child had tied their sashes together without the stepmother realizing, and when the stepmother pushed the girl over, they both fell to their deaths.

Festivals

Sakura Festival: Late March-Early April. Features flower viewing and local events in locations all over Kobayashi.

Firefly Festival at Idenoyama Park: Late May-Late June

Water Festival: First Saturday of August

Suki City Fireforks Festival: Mid-August

Suki Chestnut Festival: Late September

Inyoseki Festival: Late September

Harvest Festival: Early November

Autumn Festival: Late November

Winter Festival: Late November/Early December. Features annual Christmas Lights Display at Kobayashi Station. The lights were designed by students of the local technical school, now Kobayashi Shuho High School.

Nearby cities

• Ebino, Miyazaki
• Aya, Miyazaki
• Nishimera, Miyazaki
• Miyakonojō, Miyazaki
• Miyazaki, Miyazaki
• Takaharu, Miyazaki
• Taragi, Kumamoto
• Asagiri, Kumamoto
• Kirishima, Kagoshima

Schools

Kobayashi has eight middle schools and ten elementary schools after the inclusion of Suki and Uchiyama's middles and elementary schools. It has three high schools after the combination of Kobayashi Commercial and Kobayashi Technical high school in 2010.

External links

Media related to Kobayashi, Miyazaki at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website (Japanese) (English version)