Nagano (city)

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Template:Infobox City Japan 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 July 1 2006 the city had an estimated population of 378,059. The total land area is 737.86 km².

Description

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.

Geography

Surrounding municipalities

All but the city of Myōkō are within Nagano Prefecture.

History

  • 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 6.4m(21ft) 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), 26 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

  • April 1, 1897 - The first city of Nagano was founded. (Nagano became the first city founded in Nagano Prefecture and the 43rd city in Japan).
  • October 16, 1966 - The current and the second city of Nagano was founded by merging with 8 municipalities, including the original city itself.
  • January 1, 2005 - The city absorbed the municipalities from Kamiminochi District (Toyono, Togakushi, and Kinasa) and Sarashina District (Ooka).

1998 Winter Olympics

In 1998, Nagano hosted the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, the second Winter Olympics ever held in Japan and the first since 1972 when the XI Olympic Winter Games were held in Sapporo, Hokkaidō also the site of the first Winter Olympics ever held in Japan and Asia.

Sightseeing

Zenkō-ji, ancient temple in Nagano

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 Snow Monkeys 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

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 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.

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

Education

Elementary Schools

Junior High Schools

High Schools

Nagano Nihon University High School has one of the most well-known sports programs in Nagano prefecture. Its track and field club has taken part in a national interscholastic meet. The long distance running team took part in the national high school Ekiden championships in 2003 for the first time. Since then, the team has taken part in the national Ekiden twice, in 2004 and 2005.

College of Technology

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nagano.
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