Ichinoseki, Iwate

Ichinoseki (一関市, Ichinoseki-shi) is a city located in southern Iwate Prefecture, Japan, and situated on the Iwai River. After Morioka and Ōshū, it is the third largest city in the prefecture.

Description

View of Ichinoseki-city from Tsuriyama Park

Ichinoseki City is situated in the southernmost area of Iwate Prefecture in the Tōhoku (northeast) region of Japan. The city's name means essentially first gate in Japanese, and this likely represents its geographical position as a gateway to the substantially rural northeastern region.

In recent times the city has expanded in area by annexing and merging with adjacent towns. The current city of Ichinoseki became larger after 7 municipalities merged on September 20, 2005, and after the merger, the city is now equivalent to former Iwai District, and it is connected to Miyagi and Akita Prefectures. The population is nearly 120,000, with a household number of 42,335.

Demographics

Due to factories belonging to large Japanese companies such as Sony and NEC being located in the industrial parkland zone of Ichinoseki, the city has a sizable population of Brazilian workers. The agricultural makeup of the city outside the centre is populated mostly by farmers, leading to an influx of Chinese and Filipino women as wives. As a result, the City of Ichinoseki has a varied ethnic makeup, although the newcomers still remain a very small minority.

Attractions

Geibikei Gorge, Ichinoseki

Ichinoseki is in close proximity to the historically significant site of Hiraizumi, which lies adjacent to the mid-northern border of the city. Ichinoseki station is a convenient transit stop for excursions to Hiraizumi. Tsuriyama Park lies near the center of the original city of Ichinoseki. Atop Tsuriyama park a panorama of Ichinoseki is viewable. Geibikei is a dramatic river gorge which offers rides in traditional flat-bottomed boats, navigated by singing gondoliers. Alternatively, Genbikei Gorge is another popular river area with naturally carved cliffs. The Hondera Farm Village has been designated an Important Cultural Landscape.

Municipal Timeline

• April 1, 1948 - The city of Ichinoseki (1st generation) was founded by merging with 2 towns and 2 villages.
• January 1, 1955 - The city of Ichinoseki (1st generation) absorbed the villages of Genbi, Hagisho, Maikawa, and Yasakae to form the new city of Ichinoseki (2nd generation)
• September 1, 1956 - Due to the city limit changes, the city absorbed parts of the town of Hiraizumi.
• May 1, 1964 - Due to the city limit changes, the city absorbed parts of the town of Hiraizumi for the second time.
• September 20, 2005 - the towns of Daitō, Higashiyama and Senmaya, the villages of Kawasaki and Murone (all from Higashiiwai District), and the town of Hanaizumi (from Nishiiwai District) were merged with the old city of Ichinoseki (2nd generation) to create the new and expanded city (3rd generation). This creation approximately doubled the old city's population and nearly tripled its size.
• September 26, 2011 - the town of Fujisawa (also from Higashiiwai District was merged into Ichinoseki. Higashiiwai District was dissolved as a result of this merger.

Sister Cities/Friendship Cities

Within Japan

• Miharu (Tamura District, Fukushima Prefecture)
  • Signed between the former city of Ichinoseki on August 8, 1987
• Kesennuma (Miyagi Prefecture)
  • Signed between the former cities of Ichinoseki and Kesennuma on May 1, 1997
  • Signed between the former city of Kesennuma and former town of Murone on May 8, 2003
• Tanabe (Wakayama Prefecture)
  • Signed between the former village of Murone and the town of Hongu on August 8, 1987
• Yoshikawa (Saitama Prefecture)
  • Signed by the former village of Murone on April 15, 1997

Railway

Ichinoseki Station

East Japan Railway Company

Tōhoku Shinkansen

• Ichinoseki Station

Tōhoku Main Line

• Yushima Station (Iwate)　　　　　　　　
• Hanaizumi Station
• Shimizuhara Station
• Ichinoseki Station
• Yamanome Station

Ōfunato Line

• Ichinoseki Station
• Mataki Station
• Rikuchū-Kanzaki Station
• Iwanoshita Station
• Rikuchū-Matsukawa Station
• Geibikei Station
• Shibajuku Station
• Surisawa Station
• Senmaya Station
• Konashi Station
• Yagoshi Station
• Orikabe Station
• Niitsuki Station

Region

Education

Special schools

• 岩手県立一関清明支援学校

Elementary School

Akoogi Elementary School (一関市立赤荻小学校) Ichinoseki Elementary School (一関市立一関小学校) Genbi Elementary School (一関市立厳美小学校) Takizawa Elementary School (一関市立滝沢小学校) 一関市立達古袋小学校 Nakasato Elementary School (一関市立中里小学校) Hagisho Elementary School (一関市立萩荘小学校) 一関市立本寺小学校 Maikawa Elementary School (一関市立舞川小学校) Minami Elementary School (一関市立南小学校) Yasakae Elementary School (一関市立弥栄小学校) 一関市立山目小学校 一関市立老松小学校 Kanasawa Elementary School (一関市立金澤小学校)

Nagai Elementary School (一関市立永井小学校) Hanaizumi Elementary School (一関市立花泉小学校) 一関市立日形小学校 Yushima Elementary School (一関市立油島小学校) 一関市立涌津小学校 一関市立内野小学校 一関市立大原小学校 一関市立興田小学校 一関市立猿沢小学校 一関市立渋民小学校 一関市立摺沢小学校 一関市立曽慶小学校 Iwashimizu Elementary School (一関市立磐清水小学校) Okutama Elementary School (一関市立奥玉小学校)

一関市立清田小学校 一関市立小梨小学校 Senmaya Elementary School (一関市立千厩小学校) Nagasaka Elementary School (一関市立長坂小学校) Takodu Elementary School 一関市立田河津小学校 Matsukawa Elementary School (一関市立松川小学校) 一関市立折壁小学校 一関市立上折壁小学校 一関市立釘子小学校 一関市立津谷川小学校 Yokosawa Elementary School (一関市立浜横沢小学校) Usugi Elementary School (一関市立薄衣小学校) 一関市立門崎小学校

Junior High School

岩手県立一関第一高等学校付属中学校 Ichinoseki Junior High School (一関市立一関中学校) Genbi Junior High School 一関市立厳美中学校 Sakuramachi Junior High School (一関市立桜町中学校) Nakasato Junior High School (一関市立中里中学校) Hagisho Junior High School (一関市立萩荘中学校) Hondera Junior High School (一関市立本寺中学校) Maikawa Junior High School (一関市立舞川中学校) Mataki Junior High School (一関市立真滝中学校) Yasakae Junior High School (一関市立弥栄中学校)

Yamanome Junior High School (一関市立山目中学校) Hanaizumi Junior High School (一関市立花泉中学校) Ohara Junior High School (一関市立大原中学校) 一関市立興田中学校 一関市立猿沢中学校 Daito Elementary School (一関市立大東中学校) Senmaya Junior High School (一関市立千厩中学校) Higashiyama Junior High School (一関市立東山中学校) Murone Junior High School (一関市立室根中学校) Kawasaki Junior High School (一関市立川崎中学校)

High school

• Ichinoseki Gakuin High School (一関学院高等学校)
• Ichinoseki Shuko High School (一関修紅高等学校) (also has a preschool and a university)
• Ichinoseki No. 1 High School (岩手県立一関第一高等学校)
• Ichinoseki No. 2 High School (岩手県立一関第二高等学校)
• Hanaizumi High School (岩手県立花泉高等学校)
• Daito High School (岩手県立大東高等学校)
• Senmaya High School (岩手県立千厩高等学校)
• Ichinoseki Tech High School (岩手県立一関工業高等学校)

Kosen

• Ichinoseki National College of Technology (一関工業高等専門学校)

Junior College

• Shuko Junior College (修紅短期大学)

Transportation

Ichinoseki is located on the JR East Tōhoku Shinkansen connecting Ichinoseki with Tokyo. It is also located on the Tōhoku Main Line, which connects Ichinoseki and the prefecture's capital, Morioka.

External links

• Template:Ja icon Ichinoseki official website