Ugo, Akita

Ugo 羽後町
—  Town  —
Flag
Location of Ugo in Akita
Ugo
Coordinates: 39°11′N 140°24′E
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Prefecture	Akita
District	Ogachi
Government
• Mayor	Naoyuki Ōe
Area
• Total	230.75 km2 (89.1 sq mi)
Population (October 1, 2011)
• Total	16,476
• Density	71.4/km2 (184.9/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City symbols
- Tree	Japanese apricot
- Flower	Pheasant's Eye (Adonis ramosa)
- Bird	Japanese Bush Warbler
Phone number	0183-62-2111
Address	177 Azanakano, Nishimonai, Ugo-machi, Ogachi-gun, Akita 012-1131
Website	Ugo Town

Ugo (羽後町, Ugo-machi) is a town located in Ogachi District, Akita, Japan.

As of 2011, the town has an estimated population of 16,476 and a density of 71.4 persons per km². The total area is 230.75 km².

History

During Japan's Meiji era the former Dewa Province was realigned into two provinces: Ugo, which contained some of the northern parts of Yamagata and nearly all of Akita prefectures; and Uzen, which contained the majority of Yamagata Prefecture.

Geography

The town is located on the Ogachi Plain (雄勝平野, Ogachi heiya), which is bordered by the Dewa mountains (出羽山脈, Dewa sanmyaku) to the west and the Ou mountains (奥羽山脈, Ou sanmyaku) to the east.

Economy

Obligatory "famous" local foods are watermelon, soba, and beef.

Access

There is no train station or expressway interchange within the city limits. From Daisen/Senboku/Yokote, you can take the expressway to Yuzawa, and then a right onto R398 will take you straight in. Or you can take 13 down and save yourself a few hundred yen. If you're coming from Yurihonjo you can enjoy mountains roads the whole way there. Take 7 to 107 for quite a while then right onto 398 at the statue of a man made with old tires, which will take you right into Nishimonai. From Akita City you can take the expressway, go through Honjo, or take 13 the whole way down.(expressway recommended)

Buses are also available from Yuzawa to Ugo. Simply go to the bus stop in front of Yuzawa Station and take the bus headed to Motonishi Shogakkou (元西小学校) which will pass through Miwa, and Nishimonai before continuing to Motonishi. (Cost is about 700yen to Nishimonai from Yuzawa.) There are also limited buses from Nishimonai to Sendou. However, these run only a few times a day.

Festivals and events

Ugo is well known in Akita for the annual Bon Dance in Nishimonai.

Nishimonai Bon Odori

The Nishimonai Bon Odori (西馬音内盆踊り) is held every year from August 16–18. It is a symbolic dance to show proper respect and gratefulness to ones deceased ancestors. It is ranked as one of the top 3 bon dances in Japan.^{[citation needed]}

It began as a harvest dance in Nishimonai in about 1280. In 1601 the lord of Nishimonai burned his castle after a defeat and the people danced among the ruins to remember their lord. These two dances were merged in the late 18th century to form the dance's last incarnation which(despite attempts to stop it in the early 20th century)continues to this day. It is the biggest festival of the year, drawing people from all over Tohoku, and the country at large

The week before the festival all of the shops on the Bon Odori street open up and display traditional hanui (端縫) patchwork kimono, amigasa (あみがさ) hats and hikosa zukin (彦三頭巾) masks.

The shops and food stands open at around 5. The dance begins as the sun goes down and continues until about 11.

Yukitopia

The annual Yukitopia Festival (ゆきとぴあ七曲, Yukitopia nanamagari) takes place on the last Saturday and Sunday of January. A horse drawn carriage follows set course through Nishimonai, Motonishi, and all the way up the Nana Magari mountain road, crossing into Tashiro. The road is lined with small lanterns made from snow.

Areas

Ugo is divided into seven distinct areas:

• Nishimonai (西馬音内) is the cultural and economic hub of the town and is home to most of the residents. Nishimonai is also home to the majority of restaurants, shops, drinking establishments, and some small parks. Every August the town's most famous festival the Bon Odori is held on the streets of Nishimonai.
• Miwa (三輪) is the second largest district in Ugo and is home to one or two small soba shops. It also houses Miwa Suga Jinjya, the oldest and most important shrine in town.
• Motonishi (元西) Mostly a residential area, although there are some shops, and some sights to see.
• Niinari (新成) is, much like all of Ugo, heavy with farms. However, it is also the home of Arcadia park as well as the only onsen in Ugo.
• Meiji (明治), Sendō (仙道), and Tashiro (田代) are all pretty much exclusively residential and farming areas, however there are some sights to see like secluded shrines and temples, agricultural co-ops, and lots and lots of rice fields.

Schools

• Elementary Schools
  • Nishimonai Elementary School (西馬音内小学校)
  • Motonishi Elementary School (元西小学校)
  • Ugo Meisei Elementary School (羽後明成小学校)
  • Miwa Elementary School (三輪小学校)
  • Sendou Elementary School (仙道小学校)
  • Tashiro Elementary School (田代小学校)

• Junior High Schools
  • Ugo Junior High School (羽後中学校)
  • Miwa Junior High School (三輪中学校)
  • Takase Junior High School (高瀬中学校)

• High Schools
  • Akita Prefectural Ugo High School (秋田県立羽後高等学校)

Places of worship

• Miwa Suga Shrine (三輪須賀神社, -jinja): Oldest and most important shrine in Ugo. The main Building of this shrine was built in the Muromachi era with several others having been added over the following 400 years. Like most shrines in Ugo this shrine is surrounded by many cedar trees.

• Taiheisan Shrine (太平山神社, -jinja): A 15 minute car ride and a 25 minute hike over a well worn mountain trail with many wooden stairs will bring you to the shrine at the top of Ugo's tiny Mt. Taihei. The shrine provides a sweeping view of southern Akita from Yuzawa all the way to Daisen. Especially recommended in Fall.

• Nishimonai Ontake Shrine (西馬音内御嶽神社, -jinja): Located next to the Nishimonai post office, this is Nishimonai's main shrine. It is located in the center of a stand of tall cedars.

Attractions

• Nanamagari Pass (七曲峠, Nanamagari-tōge): A seriously windy mountain path that leads over the branch of the Dewa mountains that cuts across the western third of Ugo. It leads from Motonishi into Tashiro, and is a popular challenge for cyclists. There are multiple areas to stop and take in the natural beauty as well as the local spring water known for extending life -- chōmeisui (長命水).

• Suzuki House (鈴木家住宅, Suzukike-jūtaku): The oldest house in Akita prefecture. The main part of the house was built in the first half of the 17th century. The gate house being finished by 1733.

• Gorinzaka (五輪坂): A beautiful park complex Located in Nishimonai and Niinari. The is a small golf course with driving range (which doubles as a ski slope in the winter,) lots of picnic and party area, and beautiful pond, as well as the Toshitoland spa and restaurant building.

External links

• Ugo Town official website (Japanese)