Aizuwakamatsu
Aizuwakamatsu
会津若松市 | |
---|---|
![]() Aizuwakamatsu skyline | |
![]() Location of Aizuwakamatsu in Fukushima Prefecture | |
Coordinates: 37°29′41″N 139°55′47″E / 37.49472°N 139.92972°E | |
Country | Japan |
Region | Tōhoku |
Prefecture | Fukushima Prefecture |
Government | |
• Mayor | Ichirō Kanke |
Area | |
• Total | 383.03 km2 (147.89 sq mi) |
Population (1 October 2017[1]) | |
• Total | 121,961 |
• Density | 320/km2 (820/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
– Tree | Japanese Red Pine |
– Flower | Common Hollyhock |
– Bird | Common cuckoo |
Phone number | 0242-39-1111 |
Address | 3–46 Higashisakaemachi, Aizuwakamatsu-shi, Fukushima-ken 965-8601 |
Website | http://www.city.aizuwakamatsu.fukushima.jp/ |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Higashiyama_Onsen_01.jpg/220px-Higashiyama_Onsen_01.jpg)
Aizuwakamatsu (会津若松市, Aizuwakamatsu-shi) is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. As of September 2014[update], the city had an estimated population of 122,715, and a population density of 321 persons per km².[2] The total area is 383.03 km².
History
The area of present-day Aizuwakamatsu was part of ancient Mutsu Province, and was settled from prehistoric times. The Aizu-Otsuka Kofun within the city borders dates from the 4th century AD, and is an Important Cultural Property. During the Sengoku period and in the Edo period, the area developed as a castle town to Aizu Domain formed part of the holdings of Aizu Domain during the Edo period and was the location of the Battle of Aizu, one of the largest conflicts of the Boshin War. After the Meiji Restoration, Wakamatsu Town was created with the establishment of the municipalities system on April 1, 1889. It became Wakamatsu City in 1899. The name was changed to Aizuwakamatsu in 1955.
Geography
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/Iimori_Hill_Aizuwakamatsu_2006-11-03.jpg/220px-Iimori_Hill_Aizuwakamatsu_2006-11-03.jpg)
Aizuwakamatsu is located in the western part of Fukushima Prefecture, in the southeast part of Aizu basin. The main transport hub is Aizu Wakamatsu Station.
Mountains
- Mount Ōtodake (1416 m)
- Mount Seaburi
- Mount Oda
- Mount Iimori
Rivers
Lakes
Hot springs
Administrative divisions
There are 11 administrative divisions (hamlets or 大字 ([ooaza] Error: {{nihongo}}: text has italic markup (help))) in the city.[3]
- Wakamatsu
- Machikita
- Kouya
- Kouzashi
- Monden
- Ikki
- Higashiyama
- Ōto
- Minato
- Kitaaizu
- Kawahigashi
Neighboring municipalities
- North: Kitakata, Aizubange, Yugawa, Bandai
- East: Koriyama, Inawashiro
- West: Aizumisato
- South: Shimogo, Tenei
Climate
Although it is located in an inland valley, Aizuwakamatsu's climate resembles that of the Hokuriku region on the Sea of Japan coast. Snowfall is very heavy during the winter at 4.78 metres (190 in), and snow cover reaches an average maximum of 0.39 metres (15.35 in) and has reached as much as 1.15 metres (45.3 in) for short periods, a figure one would usually associate with much colder regions like the Labrador Peninsula.
Climate data for Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima (1981~2010) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 13.1 (55.6) |
15.9 (60.6) |
22.8 (73.0) |
30.5 (86.9) |
33.3 (91.9) |
34.3 (93.7) |
36.7 (98.1) |
38.1 (100.6) |
35.4 (95.7) |
30.9 (87.6) |
24.5 (76.1) |
20.9 (69.6) |
38.1 (100.6) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 2.6 (36.7) |
3.6 (38.5) |
8.2 (46.8) |
16.4 (61.5) |
22.1 (71.8) |
25.4 (77.7) |
28.6 (83.5) |
30.6 (87.1) |
25.6 (78.1) |
19.0 (66.2) |
11.8 (53.2) |
5.7 (42.3) |
16.7 (62.1) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −3.7 (25.3) |
−3.6 (25.5) |
−1 (30) |
4.2 (39.6) |
10.0 (50.0) |
15.5 (59.9) |
19.5 (67.1) |
20.6 (69.1) |
16.3 (61.3) |
9.2 (48.6) |
3.1 (37.6) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
7.4 (45.3) |
Record low °C (°F) | −14.4 (6.1) |
−15.2 (4.6) |
−11.9 (10.6) |
−4.6 (23.7) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
6.9 (44.4) |
9.1 (48.4) |
10.3 (50.5) |
4.8 (40.6) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
−5.9 (21.4) |
−14.4 (6.1) |
−15.2 (4.6) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 95.3 (3.75) |
71.4 (2.81) |
71.7 (2.82) |
64.3 (2.53) |
80.0 (3.15) |
110.8 (4.36) |
175.8 (6.92) |
134.3 (5.29) |
136.9 (5.39) |
100.1 (3.94) |
78.9 (3.11) |
93.8 (3.69) |
1,213.3 (47.76) |
Average snowfall cm (inches) | 171 (67) |
142 (56) |
66 (26) |
5 (2.0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
6 (2.4) |
83 (33) |
473 (186.4) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.5 mm) | 18.7 | 16.2 | 16.8 | 12.0 | 11.4 | 12.4 | 14.8 | 11.0 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 15.1 | 17.5 | 171.7 |
Average snowy days | 27.0 | 24.3 | 12.3 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 12.4 | 77.8 |
Average relative humidity (%) | 82 | 79 | 74 | 67 | 68 | 73 | 78 | 76 | 79 | 80 | 82 | 83 | 77 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 78.5 | 98.8 | 138.2 | 172.7 | 193.6 | 161.9 | 159.8 | 198.7 | 132.1 | 121.1 | 86.8 | 70.7 | 1,612.9 |
Source 1: Japan Meteorological Agency[4] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Japan Meteorological Agency (records)[5] |
Mergers
- On April 1, 1937, a part of Machikita village (from Kitaaizu District) was merged into the city of Wakamatsu.
- On April 1, 1951, the village of Machikita (remaining parts) (from Kitaaizu District) was later merged into Wakamatsu.
- On January 1, 1955, seven villages of Kitaaizu District (Kouya, Kouzashi, Monden, Ikki, Higashiyama, Ōto and Minato) were merged into Wakamatsu. The city's name changed to Aizuwakamatsu.
- On April 1, 1955, a part of the town of Hongō (locality of Oya) (from Ōnuma District) was merged into Aizuwakamatsu.
- On November 1, 2004, the village of Kitaaizu (from Kitaaizu District) was merged into Aizuwakamatsu. Kitaaizu District was dissolved as a result.
- On November 1, 2005, the town of Kawahigashi (from Kawanuma District) was merged into Aizuwakamatsu.
Transportation
Railway
- JR East – Banetsu West Line
- JR East – Tadami Line
- Aizu-Wakamatsu – Nanukamachi – Nishi-Wakamatsu – Aizu-Hongō
- Aizu Railway – Aizu Line
- Nishi-Wakamatsu – Minami-Wakamatsu – Monden – Amaya – Ashinomaki-Onsen – Ōkawa-Dam-Kōen – Ashinomaki-Onsen-Minami
Highway
- Ban-etsu Expressway – Bandai-Kawahigashi IC – Aizu-Wakamatsu IC
- National Route 49
- National Route 118
- National Route 121
- National Route 252
- National Route 294
- National Route 401
Media
Television
- NHK Fukushima
- Fukushima Television Broadcasting
- Fukushima Central Television
- Fukushima Broadcasting
- TV-U Fukushima
Newspapers
- Fukushima Mimpō
- Fukushima Min-Yū
Radio
- FM Aizu
Education
Universities and colleges
- University of Aizu
- Junior College of Aizu
Senior high schools
Public (prefectural)
- Aizu High School (会津高等学校)
- Aoi High School (葵高等学校)
- Aizu Gakuhō High School (会津学鳳高等学校)
- Wakamatsu Shōgyō High School (若松商業高等学校)
- Aizu Kōgyō High School (若松工業高等学校)
- Aizu Second High School (会津第二高等学校)
Private
- Aizuwakamatsu Xaverio Gakuen High School (会津若松ザベリオ学園高等学校)
- Wakamatsu 1st High School (若松第一高等学校)
- Jinai High School (仁愛高等学校)
Junior high schools
Public (municipal)
- Aizuwakamatsu First Junior High School (会津若松市立第一中学校)
- Aizuwakamatsu Second Junior High School (会津若松市立第二中学校)
- Aizuwakamatsu Third Junior High School (会津若松市立第三中学校)
- Aizuwakamatsu Fourth Junior High School (会津若松市立第四中学校)
- Aizuwakamatsu Fifth Junior High School (会津若松市立第五中学校)
- Aizuwakamatsu Sixth Junior High School (会津若松市立第六中学校)
- Ikki Junior High School (一箕中学校)
- Ōto Junior High School (大戸中学校)
- Minato Junior High School (湊中学校)
- Kitaaizu Junior High School (北会津中学校)
- Kawahigashi Junior High School (河東中学校)
- Aizu Gakuhō Junior High School (会津学鳳中学校, prefectural)
- Note: All junior high schools are municipal except for Aizu Gakuhō Junior High School.
Private
- Aizuwakamatsu Xaverio Gakuen Junior High School (会津若松ザベリオ学園中学校)
Twinning
Japanese sister cities
- Mutsu, Aomori (Since September 23, 1984)
- Naruto, Tokushima (Since October 30, 1999)
- Ina, Nagano (Since September 24, 2000)
- Yokosuka, Kanagawa (Since April 17, 2005)
International sister cities
China – Jingzhou (Since June 15, 1991) [6]
USA – Saipan (Since September 22, 2006) [citation needed]
Local attractions
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/Aizuwakamatsu_Castle_04.jpg/220px-Aizuwakamatsu_Castle_04.jpg)
- Aizuwakamatsu Castle (Tsuruga-jo)
- Aizu Matsudaira's Royal Garden (Oyakuen)
- Mount Iimori
- Byakkotai graves
- Sazaedo
- former Takizawa Honjin
- Aizu Matsudaira clan grave
- Nisshinkan
- Aizu samurai houses
Culture
Festivals
- Aizu Festival
Foods
Others
Notable people from Aizuwakamatsu
- Sōichirō Hoshi, voice actor
- Hiroshi Sasagawa, anime creator
References
- ^ "福島県の推計人口". Fukushima Prefecture. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
- ^ City website Template:Ja icon
- ^ 毎月大字別人口 Archived 2011-07-26 at the Wayback Machine Template:Ja icon
- ^ "平年値(年・月ごとの値)". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2011-11-26.
- ^ "観測史上1~10位の値(年間を通じての値)". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2011-11-26.
- ^ Hubei provincial government site
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Wikivoyage-Logo-v3-icon.svg/40px-Wikivoyage-Logo-v3-icon.svg.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)