Shiroishi, Miyagi

Shiroishi 白石市
City
Shiroishi montage, Top:Zao Mount Range and Shiroishi River, Middle left:Shiroishi Castle, Middle upper right:Kamasaka Spa, Middle lower right:Yajiro Kokeshi, Bottom left:Shiroishi Hot Noodle (Onmen), Bottom right:A memorial place of Katakura's family
Flag Seal
Location of Shiroishi in Miyagi Prefecture
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Prefecture	Miyagi
Government
• -Mayor	Isamu Satō
Area
• Total	286.48 km2 (110.61 sq mi)
Population  (September 2015)
• Total	35,122
• Density	123/km2 (320/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Symbols
• Tree	Japanese beech
• Flower	Kerria
• Bird	Japanese bush-warbler
Phone number	0224-25-2111
Address	1-1 Ōtemachi, Shiroishi-shi, Miyagi-ken 989-0292
Website	Official website

Shiroishi City Hall

Shiroishi (白石市, Shiroishi-shi) is a city in Miyagi Prefecture, in the Tohoku region of northern Japan. As of September 2015, the city had an estimated population of 35,122 and a population density of 123 persons per km². The total area was 286.48 square kilometres (110.61 sq mi).

Geography

Shiroishi is in southern Miyagi Prefecture, bordered by Fukushima Prefecture to the south. The southern peak of Mount Zaō is within the city borders.

Panorama view of Shiroishi

Neighboring municipalities

• Miyagi Prefecture
  • Kakuda
  • Shichikashuku
  • Zaō
  • Ōgawara
  • Marumori
• Fukushima Prefecture
  • Fukushima
  • Date
  • Kunimi
  • Koori

History

The area of present-day Shiroishi was part of ancient Mutsu Province and was under control of the Date clan of Sendai Domain during the Edo period, under the Tokugawa shogunate. During the Boshin War of the Meiji Restoration, Shiroishi Castle was the site of a fierce battle between the pro-imperial and pro-Tokugawa forces.

The town of Shiroishi was established on June 1, 1889 with the establishment of the municipalities system. The villages of Otaira, Otakasawa, Kosugo, Saikawa, Shirakawa and Fukuoka merged with Shiroishi on April 1, 1954, which was then raised to city status. The village of Obara was annexed to Shiroishi on March 31, 1957.

Economy

Shiroishi has a mixed economy, dominated by light manufacturing of electronics, automotive components and food processing. Agriculture is dominated by rice cultivation on the flatlands and horticulture in more hilly areas.

Education

Shiroishi has ten elementary schools, five middle schools and two high schools.

Transportation

Railway

• East Japan Railway Company (JR East) – Tōhoku Shinkansen
  • Shiroishi-Zaō
• East Japan Railway Company (JR East) – Tōhoku Main Line
  • Kosugō - Miyagi - Higashi-Shiroishi - Kita-Shirakawa

Highways

• Tōhoku Expressway - Shiroishi IC
• National Route 4
• National Route 113
• National Route 457

Local attractions

• Shiroishi Castle: restored in 1995 after its destruction in 1875.

· Miyagi Zao Fox Village: Filled with real wild foxes

Sister city relations

• – Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia
• – Noboribetsu, Hokkaido, Japan
• – Ebina, Kanagawa, Japan

Noted people from Shiroishi

• Ōzutsu Man'emon – sumo wrestler

External links

• Official website Template:Ja icon