Minamiawaji

Minamiawaji

南あわじ市
Minamiawaji 南あわじ市
City
	Minamiawaji City Hall
	Flag Emblem
	Location of Minamiawaji in Hyōgo Prefecture
	Minamiawaji Location in Japan
	Coordinates: 34°18′N 134°47′E / 34.300°N 134.783°E
Country	Japan
Region	Kansai
Prefecture	Hyōgo Prefecture
Area
• Total	229.17 km2 (88.48 sq mi)
Population (April 1, 2017)
• Total	45,961
• Density	200/km2 (520/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
Website	www.city.minamiawaji.hyogo.jp

Minamiawaji (南あわじ市, Minamiawaji-shi, lit. "South Awaji City") is a city in the southern part of Awaji Island in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.

The modern city of Minamiawaji was established on January 11, 2005, from the merger of all four towns of the former Mihara District: Mihara, Midori, Nandan and Seidan. Minamiawaji also includes the small island of Nushima (沼島, Swamp island) off the southeast coast of Awaji Island, which is only accessible by ferry.

As of April 1, 2017, the city had an estimated population of 45,961 and a population density of 200 persons per km². The total area is 229.17 km².

Minamiawaji's soil and climate make it ideal for growing onions. As such, Awaji onions are renowned across Japan as sweet and delicious.

Mihara town in Minamiawaji is home to a puppet museum which houses numerous examples of locally crafted puppets. This art originated in the area.

Minamiawaji is connected to the south with the island of Shikoku by the Ōnaruto Bridge. The area is famous for the Naruto whirlpools, which form when the changing tidal currents are forced through the Naruto Strait. Tourists can view the whirlpools from the bridge or numerous commercial boats.

Bicycle rental scheme

Jointly with Awaji and Sumoto, the city operates a low-cost electric bike rental scheme, designed to attract visitors to stay for more than one day to explore the island.^[1]