Nagano, Nagano

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Nagano
長野
—  Core city  —
長野市 · Nagano City
From top of left, Zenkoji, Mount Togakushi, Kinasa village, Nagano Big Hat arena, Airial in Kawanakajima, Oku-Subana Valley, Marukome, which headquarter in Nagano, and famous for miso product company in Japan, Oyaki Japanese sweets, Togakushi ski place, and Matsushiro Castle

Flag
Location of Nagano in Nagano Prefecture
Nagano, Nagano is located in Japan
Nagano
 
Coordinates: 36°38′N 138°11′E / 36.633°N 138.183°E / 36.633; 138.183Coordinates: 36°38′N 138°11′E / 36.633°N 138.183°E / 36.633; 138.183
Country Japan
Region Chūbu
Prefecture Nagano Prefecture
Government
 • Mayor Shōichi Washizawa
Area
 • Total 834.85 km2 (322.34 sq mi)
Population (April 1, 2011[1])
 • Total 387,146
 • Density Bad rounding here460/km2 (Bad rounding here1,200/sq mi)
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City symbols
- Tree Tilia japonica
- Flower Apple
Phone number 26-226-4911
Address 1613 Midori-chō, Nagano-shi, Nagano-ken
380-8512
Website City of Nagano

Nagano (長野市 Nagano-shi?), the capital city of Nagano Prefecture, is located in the northern part of the prefecture near the confluence of the Chikuma and the Sai rivers, on the main Japanese island of Honshū.

As of April 1, 2011 the city has a population of 387,146. The total land area is 834.85 km².

Contents

Description[edit]

Nagano is most famous for Zenkō-ji, a 7th-century Buddhist temple which overlooks the city. A million tourists visit Nagano annually, the gateway to a variety of sightseeing spots. Nagano was originally a small town in Kamiminochi District built around the hilltop temple, the largest wooden building in eastern Japan, but the city now encompasses locations that were within Sarashina, Hanishina, and Kamitakai districts as well.

The prefecture of Nagano is in a hilly area.

Downtown Nagano

Geography[edit]

Surrounding municipalities[edit]

All but the city of Myōkō are within Nagano Prefecture.

Climate[edit]

Nagano has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa), bordering on humid continental (Köppen Dfa); its location in a sheltered inland valley means it receives less precipitation than any part of Japan outside Hokkaidō. The city still receives heavy winter snow totaling 2.57 metres (101 in) over four months from December to March, but it is less gloomy during these cold months than the coast from Hagi to Wakkanai.

Climate data for Nagano, Japan (1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 18.1
(64.6)		 22.5
(72.5)		 24.4
(75.9)		 30.8
(87.4)		 32.6
(90.7)		 35.6
(96.1)		 37.9
(100.2)		 38.7
(101.7)		 36.3
(97.3)		 32.2
(90)		 26.2
(79.2)		 21.3
(70.3)		 38.7
(101.7)
Average high °C (°F) 3.5
(38.3)		 4.7
(40.5)		 9.5
(49.1)		 17.3
(63.1)		 22.5
(72.5)		 25.7
(78.3)		 29.1
(84.4)		 31.0
(87.8)		 25.6
(78.1)		 19.2
(66.6)		 13.0
(55.4)		 6.8
(44.2)		 17.3
(63.1)
Average low °C (°F) −4.1
(24.6)		 −3.8
(25.2)		 −0.8
(30.6)		 4.9
(40.8)		 10.5
(50.9)		 15.8
(60.4)		 20.0
(68)		 21.3
(70.3)		 16.9
(62.4)		 9.7
(49.5)		 3.1
(37.6)		 −1.6
(29.1)		 7.66
(45.79)
Record low °C (°F) −17
(1)		 −16.4
(2.5)		 −14.6
(5.7)		 −6.5
(20.3)		 −1.8
(28.8)		 3.9
(39)		 10.2
(50.4)		 10.7
(51.3)		 5.5
(41.9)		 −1.9
(28.6)		 −11.4
(11.5)		 −15.2
(4.6)		 −17
(1)
Precipitation mm (inches) 51.1
(2.012)		 49.8
(1.961)		 59.4
(2.339)		 53.9
(2.122)		 75.1
(2.957)		 109.2
(4.299)		 134.4
(5.291)		 97.8
(3.85)		 129.4
(5.094)		 82.8
(3.26)		 44.3
(1.744)		 45.5
(1.791)		 932.7
(36.72)
Snowfall cm (inches) 98
(38.6)		 82
(32.3)		 27
(10.6)		 3
(1.2)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 2
(0.8)		 45
(17.7)		 257
(101.2)
Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.5 mm) 13.0 11.5 12.0 9.2 10.0 11.4 13.1 9.8 11.7 9.1 8.6 10.4 129.8
Avg. snowy days 22.9 19.6 8.2 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.9 10.8 63
 % humidity 78 74 68 61 64 70 74 72 74 75 76 77 71.9
Mean monthly sunshine hours 127.2 131.3 168.5 198.3 207.3 162.2 168.8 204.3 141.7 152.4 139.1 135.6 1,936.7
Source #1: Japan Meteorological Agency[3]
Source #2: Japan Meteorological Agency (records)[4]
Nagano, Japan (1981–2010)
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D
 
 
51
 
4
−4
 
 
50
 
5
−4
 
 
59
 
10
−1
 
 
54
 
17
5
 
 
75
 
23
11
 
 
109
 
26
16
 
 
134
 
29
20
 
 
98
 
31
21
 
 
129
 
26
17
 
 
83
 
19
10
 
 
44
 
13
3
 
 
46
 
7
−2
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[5]

History[edit]

[icon] This section requires expansion. (May 2008)
  • The city is located within Minuchi (水内郡), Takai (高井), Sarashina (更級郡), and Hanishina (埴科郡) Districts in the ancient Shinano Province.
  • Zenkō-ji relocated from the current city of Iida (642). Afterwards, the town of Monzen becomes one of the motel towns of Hokkoku Kaidō.
  • The Battles of Kawanakajima were held, where Shigen Takeda (武田信玄) and Kenshin Uesugi (上杉謙信) fought.
  • Inu-no-Mansui (戌の満水 or 千曲川大洪水) (1742), the water level reached at 6.4 m (21 ft) at Akanuma (near the border with the former town Toyono)
  • Due to Zenko-ji Earthquake (May 8, 1847), nearly 10,000 people died (including the other disasters in Iiyama)
  • Gained city status (1897)
  • The Matsushiro Underground Imperial Headquarters (松代大本営) was built (Started in 1944, but cancelled in 1945 due to the end of war)
  • Biggest mergers of the Showa Era I (1954)
  • Due to the flooding of Chikuma River (1959), 71 people are dead or missing and 20,000 homes were flooded
  • Biggest mergers of the Showa Era II (1966)
  • Matsushiro Earthquake (松代群発地震)
  • Due to Landslides (地附山地すべり災害)(1985), 27 people died and 60 homes were destroyed or near-destroyed
  • Hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics and the 1998 Winter Paralympics (1998)
  • Became a core city (1999)
  • Due to the Biggest Mergers in Heisei Era, the city absorbed the municipalities of the town of Toyono, and the village of Togakushi, and Kinasa (from Kamiminochi District), and the village of Ōoka (from Sarashina District).
  • Hosted the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games.

Municipal timeline[edit]

[icon] This section requires expansion. (May 2008)

1998 Winter Olympics[edit]

[icon] This section requires expansion. (May 2008)


Nagano hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, the third Olympic Games and second winter Olympics to be held in Japan, after the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Hokkaidō (the first Winter Games ever held in Asia). The Games saw the introduction of women's ice hockey, curling and snowboarding. As of 2010, Nagano is the southernmost host of the Winter Olympic Games. The Nagano Olympic Commemorative Marathon has been held every year since in remembrance of the event.

Nagano Olympic Stadium, present day of Nagano Baseball Stadium
M-Wave arena

Venues[edit]

Main article: Venues of the 1998 Winter Olympics

Hakuba

Iizuna

Karuizawa

Nagano

Nozawaonsen:

Yamanouchi


Nagano also hosted the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games, marking the first time the Special Olympics World Games had been held in Asia.

Sightseeing[edit]

Zenkō-ji, ancient temple in Nagano
Japanese macaque at Jigokudani hotspring

The historic site of the Battles of Kawanakajima has been retained as parkland, with a municipal museum of the history of the Zenkoji plain.

Matsushiro, the former castle town of the Sanada clan, is located in the southern part of the city. The town retains an historical atmosphere, preserving many old samurai residences, temples, and gardens of the feudal period, including the remains of the castle and mansion of feudal lord Sanada Jumangoku.

Sporting venues built for the Winter Olympics include the M-Wave speed-skating arena (with the world's largest wooden suspension roof), Big Hat arena, and the Aqua Wing Arena.

To north of the city is the village of Iizuna. A popular destination in both summer and winter, it includes an Olympic ski resort, campsite, onsen, 10 ponds, and a mountain slide ride.

Northeast of the city is Japan's largest ski resort, Shiga Kogen, with the nearby Jigokudani Monkey Park, famous for the wild Japanese macaque often found bathing in its hot springs.

Just south of the downtown core, in Shinano, Mt. Chausu hosts the Nagano Chausuyama Zoo, an outdoor dinosaur park, botanical garden, and a museum of natural history.

Transportation[edit]

Rail[edit]

The city's main railway hub, Nagano Station, and the smaller Shinonoi Station, were expanded for the 1998 Winter Olympics. The Hokuriku Shinkansen opened in 1997, connecting Nagano to Takasaki, Gunma. Nagano Station also serves the Shinano Railway Line, Shin'etsu Main Line, and Iiyama Line. The JR Chūō Main Line connects Nagano to the major city of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture.

The Nagano Electric Railway also runs the Nagano Line to major sites around Nagano City and its suburbs.

The city is connected by rail south to Matsumoto via the Shinonoi Line, which terminates at Shinonoi Station.

Buses[edit]

Buses for Kawanaka-jima Bus and the Nagano Dentetsu Bus Co. service the city, and depart both Nagano Station and the Nagano Bus Terminal just west of the station.

Airport[edit]

The city's nearest domestic airport is Matsumoto Airport, connected via a 70-minute express bus from Nagano City.

Education[edit]

Elementary schools[edit]

Junior high schools[edit]

High schools[edit]

College of Technology[edit]

Sister City[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "市政情報 > 市の沿革・概要 > 人口・面積・自然". Nagano official website (in Japanese). Nagano City. Retrieved September 18, 2011. 
  2. ^ http://www.info-yamanouchi.net/english/index.html
  3. ^ "平年値（年・月ごとの値）". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2010-10-29. 
  4. ^ "観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2010-10-29. 
  5. ^ "平年値（年・月ごとの値）". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2010-10-29. 
  6. ^ "長野市・信州新町・中条村合併後調査報告について". Nagano official website (in Japanese). Nagano City. Retrieved 18 September 2011. 

External links[edit]

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[c] Cancelled due to World War II
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