Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima

Aizuwakamatsu (会津若松市, Aizuwakamatsu-shi) is a city located in Fukushima Prefecture, in northern Honshū, Japan. As of September 2014, the city had an estimated population of 122,715 and a population density of 321 persons per km². The total area was 383.03 km².

Geography

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 ÅŒtodake (1416 m)
• Mount Seaburi
<li>Mount Oda
• Mount Iimori

Rivers

• Aga River
• Nippashi River
• Yugawa River
• Sesenagi River

Lakes

• Lake Inawashiro
• Lake Wakasato
• Lake Higashiyama

Hot springs

• Higashiyama Onsen
• Ashinomaki Onsen

Administrative divisions

There are 11 administrative divisions (hamlets or 大字 (ooaza)) in the city.

• Wakamatsu
• Machikita
• Kouya
• Kouzashi
• Monden
• Ikki
• Higashiyama
• ÅŒto
• 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.

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 of Japan. 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.

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, 7 villages of Kitaaizu District (Kouya, Kouzashi, Monden, Ikki, Higashiyama, ÅŒto and Minato) were merged into Wakamatsu. And the city's name changed to "Aizuwakamatsu".
• On April 1, 1955, a part of the town of Hongō (locality of Oya) (from ÅŒnuma District) was merged into Aizuwakamatsu.
• On November 1, 2004, the village of Kitaaizu (from Kitaaizu District) was merged into Aizuwakamatsu. Therefore, Kitaaizu District was dissolved as a result of this merger.
• On November 1, 2005, the town of Kawahigashi (from Kawanuma District) was merged into Aizuwakamatsu.

Transportation

Railway

• JR East â€" Ban'etsu West Line
  • Higashi-Nagahara - Hirota - Aizu-Wakamatsu - Dōjima
• JR East â€" Tadami Line
  • Aizu-Wakamatsu - Nanukamachi - Nishi-Wakamatsu â€" Aizu-Hongō
• Aizu Railway - Aizu Line
  • Nishi-Wakamatsu - Minami-Wakamatsu - Monden - Amaya - Ashinomaki-Onsen - ÅŒkawa-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-YÅ«

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 (è'µé«˜ç­‰å­¦æ ¡)
• 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åœ'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äº"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)
• ÅŒto 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åœ'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)
•  USA - Saipan (Since September 22, 2006)

Local attractions

• 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

• Koduyu
• Soba
• Boutara
• Sake

Others

• Akabeko
• Okiagari-koboshi

Noted people from Aizuwakamatsu

• Yamaga Sokō, philosopher
• Hayashi Gonsuke, diplomat, Privy councillor
• Sōichirō Hoshi, voice actor
• Hiroshi Sasagawa, anime creator

References

External links

Media related to Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website