Goshogawara
Goshogawara
五所川原市 | |
|---|---|
 Goshogawara City Hall | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Goshogawara in Aomori | |
  Goshogawara | |
| Coordinates: 40°48′N 140°26′E / 40.800°N 140.433°E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Tōhoku |
| Prefecture | Aomori Prefecture |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Masatoshi Hirayama |
| Area | |
• Total | 404.56 km2 (156.20 sq mi) |
| Population (September 1, 2013) | |
• Total | 56,564 |
| • Density | 140/km2 (400/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
| City symbols | |
| • Tree | Japanese elm |
| • Flower | Nohanashōbu (iris ensata var. spontanea) |
| • Bird | Oriental greenfinch |
| Phone number | 0173-35-2111 |
| Address | 12 Iwakichō, Goshogawara-shi, Aomori-ken 037-8686 |
| Website | http://www.city.goshogawara.lg.jp/ |
Goshogawara (五所川原市, Goshogawara-shi) is a city located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan.
As of September 2013, the city has an estimated population of 56,564, and a population density of 140 persons per km2. The total area is 404.56 km2.
Geography
Goshogawara occupies two discontinuous areas on Tsugaru Peninsula in western Aomori Prefecture. The larger section is landlocked, and is in the middle of the peninsula, and the smaller section is on the Sea of Japan coast. The city has a hot humid continental climate characterized by short warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. Parts of the city are within the limits of the Tsugaru Quasi-National Park.
Neighbouring municipalities
History
The area of Goshogawara was part of the holdings of the Tsugaru clan of Morioka Domain in the Edo period. After the Meiji Restoration, the area became part of Kitatsugaru District in Aomori Prefecture, and was divided into numerous villages in 1889.
On July 1, 1898, Goshogawara was elevated to town status. On October 1, 1954, Goshogawara absorbed the villages of Sakae, Nakagawa, Nagahashi, Matsushima and Iizume to create the city of Goshogawara. On April 1, 1958, Goshogawara absorbed a portion of the town of Kizukuri.
On March 28, 2005, the town of Kanagi, and the village of Shiurawere merged into Goshogawara.
Economy
The economy of Goshogawara is mixed. The city serves as a regional commercial center. Agricultural produce includes rice and apples, and commercial fishing includes clams. The main industrial employer is Toshiba, which operates a factory producing HD DVD drives in the city.
Education
Goshogawara has 11 elementary schools, six middle schools and seven high schools.
High schools
Prefectural
- Goshogawara High School
- Goshogawara Technical High School
- Goshogawara Agriculture and Forestry High School
- Kanagi High School
- Kanagi High School - Shiura Branch
Private
- Goshogawara Daiichi High School
- Goshogawara Commercial High School
Transportation
Railway
Highway
Local Attractions
Goshogawara is famous for its Tachineputa Festival, held annually from August 4th to August 8th. The tachineputa floats are much taller than their counterparts in Aomori and Hirosaki, reaching heights of up to 23 meters.[1]
Noted people from Goshogawara
- Osamu Dazai – novelist
- Bunji Tsushima– politician
- Ikuzo Yoshi – Enka singer-songwriter
- Shimizugawa Motokichi – sumo wrestler
- Kashiwado Risuke – sumo wrestler
- Kōji Hirayama – politician
References
External links
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