Ube, Yamaguchi

Ube 宇部市
—  City  —
From top left: Ube Industries Ube site, Ube Kōsan Building, Ube Coastal Road, Ube Industries Ube Mine Expressway, Tokiwa Park, Watanabe Memorial Hall
Flag
Location of Ube in Yamaguchi
Ube
Coordinates: 33°57′N 131°15′E
Country	Japan
Region	Chūgoku (San'yō, San'in)
Prefecture	Yamaguchi
Government
• Mayor	Kimiko Kubota
Area
• Total	287.69 km2 (111.08 sq mi)
Population (February 2010)
• Total	179,000
• Density	613/km2 (1,590/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City symbols
- Tree	Camphor Laurel
- Flower	Scarlet Sage and Azalea
Phone number	0836−31−4111
Address	1-7-1 Tokiwachō, Ube-shi, Yamaguchi-ken 755-8601
Website	Ube City

Ube (宇部市, Ube-shi) is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan on the Seto Inland Sea.

As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 179,000 and the density of 622 persons per km². The total area is 287.69 km².

The city was founded on November 1, 1921.

On November 1, 2004 Ube absorbed the town of Kusunoki, from Asa District.

Its industrial base is in chemicals, concrete and steel. The presence of Ube Industries in the city's economy is significant.

Previously a coal-mining town the city has developed an effective policy to improve its environment. In particular it has combatted the problem of air pollution and its success in doing so saw it being recognised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It was added to the UNEP's Global 500 Roll of Honour in 1997 Globabl 500 entry.

The former prime minister of Japan, Naoto Kan was born here.

Tokiwa Park (Tokiwa Koen)

Tokiwa park from the coal-mining museum tower in the park

Ube publicizes itself as "a city of greenery, flowers, and sculptures". Tokiwa Park is the centerpiece of this marketing, as it covers a large area near the center of the city and houses a large number of modern, mostly domestic sculptures on the shores of Lake Tokiwa. The sculptures can be found around the city. A sculpture competition is held biennially to provide new additions.

One of the main attractions of the park is a Great White Pelican called "Katta-kun", so named after his parents who were from Calcutta, India. Born in the park in 1985, he became famous as he began visiting schools in the vicinity by himself. There are many pelicans and swans in the park, including black swans. There is also a coal mining museum with a good view over the city and airport from the top of the tower.

A bridge in Tokiwa Park

A statue in Tokiwa Park

Sister cities

• Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, since November 21, 1980
• Weihai, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China since May 18, 1992

Ube holds two festivals each year, one in May and the other in November featuring food stands and carnival games.

Transportation

Air

• Yamaguchi Ube Airport

The city is served by Yamaguchi Prefecture's only airport, Yamaguchi Ube Airport, with daily flights to and from Tokyo.

Rail

• Shinkansen (bullet train)

There are no Shinkansen stations in this city.The closest Shinkansen stations are Asa Station (Sanyo Onoda) and Shin-Yamaguchi Station (Yamaguchi)

• West Japan Railway lines
  • Sanyō Main Line
  • Ube Line
  • Onoda Line

The main train station located in 'downtown' Ube is called Ube-Shinkawa Station (Ube Line). Ube Station is farther inland and is located in a more suburban area known as Kōnan (厚南).

Education

Universities

• Yamaguchi University (national)
  • School of Medicine
  • Faculty of Engineering
• Ube Frontier University (private)

Economy and Industry

Ube Industries, headquarter and major plants base in Ube. Also, petroleum product company of Solato, printer machine product company of Riso Kagaku, glass product company Central Grass, cemiconductor and parts product company of Renesas, pharmaceutical research and product company of Kyowa Hakko Kirin, clinical laboratory research company of Miraca Holdings are plant and factory base on Ube.^{[citation needed]}

External links

• (Japanese) Ube official website
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