Toyama (city)
Toyama (富山市, Toyama-shi) is the capital city of Toyama Prefecture, Japan, located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in the Chūbu region on central Honshū, about 200 km north of the city of Nagoya and 300 km northwest of Tokyo.
Historically, Toyama was the capital of Etchu Province. The modern city was incorporated on April 1, 1889. As of May 31, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 417,324, with 162,663 households and a population density of 336.05 persons per square kilometer. The total area is 1,241.85 km².
Toyama is served by Toyama Airport and Toyama Station of West Japan Railway Company, with Toyama Light Rail, Toyama Chiho Railway.
History
The Toyama Plain is good farmland and historically it was a point of strategic and traffic importance. During the Feudal Age, it was frequently turned into a battlefield. Toward the end of the period of confusion, Sassa Narimasa became the governor of Etchū Province (the ancient name for present Toyama), and he accomplished the feat of taming the rampaging rivers, bringing about an even more flourishing agricultural industry in Toyama. In the early Edo Period, a positive industrial promotion policy was implemented on the production of medicine and washi (Japanese paper). Also, thanks to the improvement of both land and sea transportation routes, these industries thrived and Toyama became known nation-wide as the province of medicine.
After the Meiji Restoration, heavy and chemical industries developed in Toyama, based on abundant electricity which was generated in some hydro power stations in the mountains near-by. Although the streets of Toyama were devastated by an air raid in August 1945, Toyama has become one of the most influential cities on the Japan Sea side with its good water supply, drainage system and thriving agricultural, forestry, fishery, commercial and manufacturing industries.
The city was nearly destroyed on the night of August 1–2, 1945, when 173 B-29 bombers of the American 73rd Bomber Wing dropped incendiary bombs on the city. 1.87 square miles (4.8 km2), or about 99.5 percent, of the urban center was destroyed. At the time of the bombing, the city was a center for aluminum, ball-bearing and special steel production.[1][2] The city during the time had a population of around 150,000 residents.
Mergers
On April 1, 2005, the former Toyama city, towns of Ōsawano and Ōyama from Kaminiikawa District and the towns and villages of Fuchū, Hosoiri, Yamada and Yatsuo (all from Nei District) merged into the city of Toyama. Kaminiikawa District and Nei District were both dissolved as a result of this merger.
Climate
| Climate data for Toyama (1981-2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 20.9 (69.6) |
22.5 (72.5) |
25.7 (78.3) |
32.4 (90.3) |
32.3 (90.1) |
36.4 (97.5) |
38.8 (101.8) |
39.5 (103.1) |
38.3 (100.9) |
33.3 (91.9) |
29.2 (84.6) |
21.6 (70.9) |
39.5 (103.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 6.0 (42.8) |
6.8 (44.2) |
10.9 (51.6) |
17.3 (63.1) |
21.9 (71.4) |
25.1 (77.2) |
29.0 (84.2) |
30.9 (87.6) |
26.5 (79.7) |
21.1 (70.0) |
15.3 (59.5) |
9.6 (49.3) |
18.4 (65.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −0.3 (31.5) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
2.2 (36.0) |
7.2 (45.0) |
12.6 (54.7) |
17.4 (63.3) |
21.5 (70.7) |
22.9 (73.2) |
18.8 (65.8) |
12.4 (54.3) |
6.8 (44.2) |
2.4 (36.3) |
10.3 (50.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −11.9 (10.6) |
−11.1 (12.0) |
−7 (19) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
2.3 (36.1) |
7.7 (45.9) |
13.0 (55.4) |
14.1 (57.4) |
8.9 (48.0) |
1.9 (35.4) |
−2 (28) |
−8.5 (16.7) |
−11.9 (10.6) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 259.5 (10.22) |
172.1 (6.78) |
158.5 (6.24) |
122.2 (4.81) |
134.2 (5.28) |
182.6 (7.19) |
240.4 (9.46) |
168.3 (6.63) |
220.2 (8.67) |
160.7 (6.33) |
234.4 (9.23) |
247.0 (9.72) |
2,300.1 (90.56) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 159 (63) |
125 (49) |
36 (14) |
1 (0.4) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
2 (0.8) |
57 (22) |
380 (149.2) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.5 mm) | 23.7 | 19.9 | 18.7 | 13.1 | 11.8 | 12.3 | 14.7 | 11.0 | 13.9 | 14.4 | 17.7 | 22.0 | 193.2 |
| Average snowy days | 19.1 | 16.1 | 9.1 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 9.7 | 56.4 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 82 | 79 | 73 | 69 | 72 | 79 | 81 | 77 | 79 | 77 | 77 | 80 | 77 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 68.1 | 86.3 | 131.3 | 174.9 | 191.1 | 150.2 | 147.1 | 201.3 | 133.1 | 142.7 | 102.8 | 75.8 | 1,604.7 |
| Source 1: Japan Meteorological Agency[3] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Japan Meteorological Agency (records)[4] | |||||||||||||
Economy
Hokuriku Electric Power Company (colloquially known as Rikuden), the regional power-supply monopoly, is based in Toyama. Bearing parts and industrial robot company Nachi-Fujikoshi and software company Intec are also headquartered in Toyama. [citation needed]
Regional banks include Hokuriku Bank, First Bank of Toyama, and Toyama Bank. [citation needed]
Points of interest
- Botanic Gardens of Toyama
- Toyama International Conference Center
- Toyama Castle
- Museum of Modern Art, Toyama
- Toyama Athletic Recreation Park Stadium, home of Toyama's representative in the J. League, Kataller Toyama football club
- Toyama Glass Studio
Festival and Event
- Toyama Chindon Contest (Toyama Band of musical sandwichmen contest) - Which held in April, and this event was proposed by Toyama Chamber of Commerce in 1955. This event paticipate in festival, and many band of sandwichimen with more tourists every year. But in 2011, which event cancelled the effects of 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. [citation needed]
- Owara Winds Bon - which held on September 1 to 3, in Yatsuo region. [citation needed]
Educational institute
Sister cities
Durham, North Carolina, United States
Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo State, Brazil
Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
Wellington, New South Wales, Australia
Sister states
- Oregon, United States
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ "平年値（年・月ごとの値）". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2011-11-18.
- ^ "観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2011-11-18.
External links
| Core city |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Cities | ||
| Districts | ||
| Former Districts | ||
