Tsugaru, Aomori

Tsugaru つがる市
—  City  —
Mount Iwaki stands prominently to the southwest
Location of Tsugaru in Aomori
Tsugaru
Coordinates: 40°48′N 140°23′E
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Prefecture	Aomori
Area
• Total	253.85 km2 (98.01 sq mi)
Population (October 1, 2009)
• Total	37,957
• Density	150/km2 (400/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City Symbols
- Tree	Japanese Black Pine
- Flower
- Bird	Common cuckoo
Phone number	0173-42-2111
Address	61-1, Kizukuri Wakamidori Tsugaru-shi, Aomori-ken 038-3192
Website	City of Tsugaru

Tsugaru City Hall

Tsugaru (つがる市, Tsugaru-shi) is a city located in northeastern Aomori in Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the city had an estimated population of 37,957 and a density of 150 persons per km². Its total area was 253.85 km². The city's name is atypical for a Japanese place name in that it is written in hiragana rather than kanji (see hiragana cities).

Geography

Tsugaru is located on the west coast of Tsugaru Peninsula, facing the Sea of Japan. The city has a cold maritime climate characterized by cool summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall.

Neighbouring municipalities

• Hirosaki
• Goshogawara
• Ajigasawa
• Tsuruta
• Nakadomari

History

The area of Tsugaru was part of the holdings of the Tsugaru clan of Hirosaki Domain in the Edo period. The city was founded on February 11, 2005 from the merger of the town of Kizukuri and the villages of Inagaki, Kashiwa, Morita, and Shariki, all from Nishitsugaru District.

Tsugaru has, since 2005, slipped into a state of near-bankruptcy, as several villages that joined the city were carrying huge debts. The local government has tried to combat this situation using somewhat controversial tax raises, including national health insurance for the elderly, as well as somewhat draconian punishments for those who fail to pay water bills (having their home water systems removed, etc.). This has caused significant drops in population over the years.^{[citation needed]}

Economy

The economy of Tsugaru is heavily dependent on agriculture and commercial fishing. The city serves as a minor regional commercial center. Agricultural produce includes rice, apples, melons, watermelons, and Brasenia.

Transportation

Railway

• East Japan Railway Company - Gonō Line
  • Kizukuri, Nakata, Mutsu-Morita, Koshimizu

Highway

• Route 101 (Japan)

Sister city relations

• – Bath, Maine, United States – from 2006

Noted people from Tsugaru

• Shunkichi Takeuchi – politician, former Aomori governor
• Gento Uehara - songwriter
• Kenroku Uehara – songwriter
• Leo Matsumoto – actress
• Ryuhei Aoyama– actor
• Asahifuji Seiya – sumo wrestler

External links

• (Japanese) Tsugaru official website
• Local area business and sightseeing guide