'Autumn field' is the capital

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

Akita Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Provinces and prefectures" in ; "Tōhoku" in . Its population is approximately 966,000 (as of 1 October 2019) and its ge ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

, and has been designated a

core city In urban planning, a core city, principal city metropolitan core, or central city, is the largest or most important city or cities of a metropolitan area. A core city is surrounded by smaller satellite cities, towns, and suburbs. A central city i ...

since 1 April 1997. , the city has an estimated

population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...

of 305,625, 136,628 households and a

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

of 340 persons per km². The total area of the city is .

History

The area of present-day Akita was part of ancient

Dewa Province was a province of Japan comprising modern-day Yamagata Prefecture and Akita Prefecture, except for the city of Kazuno and the town of Kosaka. Dewa bordered on Mutsu and Echigō Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . History Early peri ...

, and has been inhabited for thousands of years. The Jizōden ruins within the city limits are a

major archaeological site Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

with artifacts from the

Japanese Paleolithic The is the period of human inhabitation in Japan predating the development of pottery, generally before 10,000 BC. The starting dates commonly given to this period are from around 40,000 BC; although any date of human presence before 35,000 BC ...

period through the Jōmon and

Yayoi period The started at the beginning of the Neolithic in Japan, continued through the Bronze Age, and towards its end crossed into the Iron Age. Since the 1980s, scholars have argued that a period previously classified as a transition from the Jōmon p ...

s. During the

Nara period The of the history of Japan covers the years from CE 710 to 794. Empress Genmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō (present-day Nara). Except for a five-year period (740–745), when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the cap ...

, the Yamato court established

Akita Castle refers to the ruins of a Nara period fortified settlement located in what is now the city Akita, Akita, Akita, Akita Prefecture, Japan. It is also sometimes referred to as “Fort Akita”. The name is sometimes used wrongly for Kubota Castle, an ...

in 733 AD to bring the local

Emishi The (also called Ebisu and Ezo), written with Chinese characters that literally mean "shrimp barbarians," constituted an ancient ethnic group of people who lived in parts of Honshū, especially in the Tōhoku region, referred to as in contemp ...

tribes under its control. The area was ruled by a succession of local

samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...

clans in the

Sengoku period The was a period in History of Japan, Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615. The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the Feudalism, feudal system of Japan under the ...

, before coming under the control of the

Satake clan The was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Minamoto clan. Its first power base was in Hitachi Province. The clan was subdued by Minamoto no Yoritomo in the late 12th century, but later entered Yoritomo's service as vassals ...

Kubota Domain was a feudal domain in Edo period Japan, located in Dewa Province (modern-day Akita Prefecture), Japan. It was centered on Kubota Castle in what is now the city of Akita and was thus also known as the . It was governed for the whole of its histo ...

during the

Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...

. Under the

Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...

, a

castle town A castle town is a settlement built adjacent to or surrounding a castle. Castle towns were common in Medieval Europe. Some examples include small towns like Alnwick and Arundel, which are still dominated by their castles. In Western Europe, ...

developed around

Kubota Castle is a Japanese castle in the city Akita, Akita Prefecture, Japan. Throughout the Edo period, Kubota Castle was home to the Satake clan, ''daimyō'' of Kubota Domain, rulers of northern Dewa Province. The castle was also known as or . In the offici ...

Meiji and Taishō Eras

With the start of the

Meiji period The is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization ...

, Kubota Domain was abolished, and its castle town divided into the towns of Akita and Kubota. Akita Prefecture was established in 1871, and

Shima Yoshitake was a samurai from Saga domain. He later became a chamberlain and later a governor for Akita Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Provinces and prefectures" in ; " ...

was named the first governor. Ancient

Akita District was a rural district located in Dewa Province, Japan.竹内一朔「秋田郡」『秋田大百科事典』　秋田魁新報社、1981年、ISBN 4870200074 It was established in 804, and absorbed Hinai District, Mutsu Province in 1590. It wa ...

was divided into

Kitaakita is a city located in Akita Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 31,504 in 14,021 households, and a population density of 27 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Kitaakita is located in the mountain ...

and Minamiakita Districts in 1878. Most of Akita town burned down in a great fire on 30 April 1886. With the establishment of the modern municipalities system on 1 April 1889, the city of Akita was officially established, including former Kubota and Akita towns. The port area was separated into Tsuchizaki-Minato Town, which became part of Minamiakita District. The first city hall was located inside the former Minamiakita District office. In September 1898, the

Imperial Japanese Army The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor o ...

's 17th Infantry Regiment was based in Akita. The first public library was opened in 1898, electrification of

Tsuchizaki is a neighbourhood located in Akita City, Akita Prefecture, Japan. , the neighbourhood had an estimated population of 21,310 and a population density of 3,400 persons per km². The total area of the neibourhood is . Annexed by the city in 1941 ...

began in 1901, and

Akita Station is a junction railway station in the city of Akita, Akita Prefecture, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). Lines Akita Station is the northern terminus of the Akita Shinkansen, and is 127.3 kilometers from and 662.6 kilome ...

was opened in 1902, as well as running water and telephone services in 1907. The Taishō period brought further development to Akita with Nippon Oil Corporation developing the nearby Kurokawa Oil Fields in 1914, and a branch of the

Bank of Japan The is the central bank of Japan.Louis Frédéric, Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric. (2005). "Nihon Ginkō" in The bank is often called for short. It has its headquarters in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. History Like most modern Japanese instituti ...

opening in Akita in 1917.

Shōwa Era

In 1935, Nippon Kogyo (the forerunner of Jomo) began development of the nearby Yabase Oil Fields.

Akita Bank () is a Japanese regional bank headquartered in the city of Akita, Akita Prefecture. Although the bank’s core business comes from Akita prefecture, various branches are situated outside of the area. These include Koriyama, Sapporo, Morioka, Se ...

was established in 1941. War devastated the city on 14 August 1945. During the Tsuchizaki air raid, over 250 people were killed when 134

USAAF The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

B-29 Superfortress The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the B-17 Fl ...

, attacked the city from midnight to the early dawn. A

Nippon Oil , formerly , or NOC or ''Shin-Nisseki'' (新日石) is a Japanese petroleum company. Its businesses include exploration, importation, and refining of crude oil; the manufacture and sale of petroleum products, including fuels and lubricants; and ...

oil refinery An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where petroleum (crude oil) is transformed and refined into useful products such as gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, asphalt base, fuel oils, heating oil, kerosene, lique ...

in the

area was targeted. During the post-war period, the 16th

National Sports Festival of Japan The is the national premier sports event of Japan. It consists of three stages. The skating and ice hockey stage takes place in January, the skiing stage takes place in February, and the main Autumn tournament takes place in September and Octob ...

was held in Akita in 1961. During the

tsunami A tsunami ( ; from ja, 津波, lit=harbour wave, ) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater explo ...

following the

1983 Sea of Japan earthquake The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning ...

, three Akita residents were killed.

Heisei Era

On 1 April 1997, Akita was designated as a

with increased autonomy. The Akita Shinkansen began operations the same year. In August 2001, the

World Games The World Games are an international multi-sport event comprising sports and sporting disciplines that are not contested in the Olympic Games. They are usually held every four years, one year after a Summer Olympic Games, over the course of 11 d ...

were held in Akita, with the opening ceremony held in the Yabase Track and Field Stadium. In 2004, the city celebrated its 400th anniversary and its beginnings as Kubota Castle town. On 11 January 2005, the towns of Kawabe and Yūwa (both from Kawabe District) were merged into Akita. Kawabe District was dissolved as a result of this merger. The location of Akita City Hall did not change, and former Kawabe and Yūwa Town Halls are used as civic centers. The 62nd

was held in Akita in 2007.

Geography

The city of Akita is located in the coastal plains of central Akita Prefecture, bordered by the

Sea of Japan The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it h ...

to the west. The Omono River runs through the center of the city.

Neighboring municipalities

*Akita Prefecture **

Katagami is a city located in Akita Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 32,858 in 13,897 households, and a population density of 330 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Katagami is located in the coastal ...

Yurihonjō is a city located in Akita Prefecture, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 76,077 in 30,639 households, and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Geography Yurihonjō is located in southwest corner of Akita Pre ...

** Daisen ** Senboku ** Minamiakita District: Gojōme, Ikawa ** Kitaakita District: Kamikoani

Demography

Censuses have been conducted in Akita since as early as 1873. Per Japanese census data since 1950, the population of Akita peaked in around the year 2000 and has been in decline since then.

Climate

Akita belongs to a climatic transition zone

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...

''Cfa'') and is the most populous city having absolute northern extremity of this climate zone within Japan, bordering very closely with the

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...

(

''Dfa'') zone, comparable to

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, USA. Akita is characterized with cold, very snowy, winters, and hot, humid summers. Monthly averages range from in January to in August. Due to its location near the

coast, it receives heavy snowfall, with just above per season, with accumulation occurring mostly from December to March. Precipitation is well-distributed and significant throughout the year, but is greater in the latter half. Over two thirds of all days see some precipitation, either rain or snow.

Government

Akita has a directly elected mayor and a

unicameral Unicameralism (from ''uni''- "one" + Latin ''camera'' "chamber") is a type of legislature, which consists of one house or assembly, that legislates and votes as one. Unicameral legislatures exist when there is no widely perceived need for multic ...

city assembly with 39 members. The city contributes 12 members to the Akita Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Akita District 1 of the

lower house A lower house is one of two Debate chamber, chambers of a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house. Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has co ...

of the

Diet of Japan The is the national legislature of Japan. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives (, ''Shūgiin''), and an upper house, the House of Councillors (, '' Sangiin''). Both houses are directly elected under a paralle ...

Economy

The economy of Akita remains heavily dependent on agriculture (particularly rice cultivation), forestry and mineral extraction. Akita contains one of the most important

oil An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) & lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturated ...

fields in Japan.

Oil refining An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where petroleum (crude oil) is transformed and refined into useful products such as gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, asphalt base, fuel oils, heating oil, kerosene, liquefie ...

, woodworking, metalworking, and the production of silk textiles are the main industries. Akita is also home to two regional banks that serve Akita prefecture and the greater Tōhoku region:

and

Hokuto Bank is a Japanese bank that is headquartered in Akita, Akita prefecture. The bulk of the bank's business is in Akita prefecture, although it does operate branches in regional cities such as Morioka and Sendai, as well as a branch in Tokyo. The bank ...

. The

Akita Thermal Power Station is an oil-fired thermal power station operated by Tohoku Electric in the city of Akita, Akita, Japan. The facility is located overlooking the Oga Peninsula on the Sea of Japan coast of Honshu. It also conducts remote monitoring of the four geoth ...

is located in the city.

Education

Universities

Akita University is a Japanese national university in Akita City, Japan. Established in 1949, it comprises four graduate schools and four undergraduate faculties. History Akita University was established in 1949 by the merger of Akita Normal School (established ...

Akita Prefectural University is a Japanese prefectural university, located in Akita City, Japan. History Akita Prefectural University was established in 1999, annexing the Akita Prefectural Junior College of Agriculture (established in 1973), the same year. The university i ...

Akita International University , or AIU, is a public university located in Akita City, Akita Prefecture, Japan. Established in 2004 and modeled on American liberal arts colleges, AIU is one of the few universities in Japan offering all of its courses in English. It has currentl ...

North Asia University is a private university located in the city of Akita, Japan. History The school opened as Akita Keizai University in 1964. It changed its name to Akita Keizaihoka University in 1983. The present name was adopted in 2007. Organization *Departm ...

* Seirei Women's Junior College * Japanese Red Cross Akita College of Nursing *

Akita University of Art is a public university, located in the city of Akita, Japan. History The Akita City School of Crafts was established in June 1952. It was renamed the Akita City School of Arts and Crafts in April 1975. The Akita Municipal Junior College of Arts ...

Akita Nutrition Junior College is a private university at Akita, Akita, Japan, founded in 1953. The college was founded as Akita Junior College, with departments of economics and commerce. A department of home economics was added in 1954. The college was relocated to its pres ...

* Misono Gakuen Junior College *

Open University of Japan is a distance learning university which has students from all over Japan; it accepted its first students in 1985. History Although founded by the national government initiative with a single-issue law and heavily subsidized by the government, i ...

Akita learning center

Primary and secondary education

Akita has 44 city and one national elementary schools, 22 city, one prefectural, one national and one private middle schools, and one combined city middle/high school. There are eight prefectural, one city and seven private high schools, as well as four prefectural and one national special education school.

High schools

Akita High School is a high school in the city of Akita, Akita Prefecture, Japan. Akita High is the oldest and first high school in the prefecture and one of the earliest pre-World War II middle schools in Japan. School activities Athletics Baseball Runners-up, ...

Transportation

Airports

Akita Airport is a regional/second class airport located southeast of Akita StationAIS Japan
in the city of

JR East The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and is the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are ...

– Akita Shinkansen **

Akita is a Japanese name and may refer to: Places * 8182 Akita, a main-belt asteroid * Akita Castle, a Nara period fortified settlement in Akita, Japan * Akita Domain, also known as Kubota Domain, feudal domain in Edo period Japan * Akita, Kumamoto, ...

East Japan Railway Company The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and is the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are ...

Ōu Main Line The is a railway line in Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Fukushima Station through Akita Station to Aomori Station. Since the opening of the Yamagata Shinkansen on July 1, 1992, the Fukushima–Yamag ...

* - - - - - - JR logo (east)

Uetsu Main Line The is a railway line in the Tohoku and Chubu regions of Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) system, it connects Niitsu Station in the city of Niigata and Akita Station in Akita. The name "Uetsu" refers to the ancient pro ...

* - - - - JR logo (east)

Oga Line The is a railway line in Japan operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Oiwake Station (Akita), Oiwake Station in Akita, Akita, Akita, Akita Prefecture to Oga Station in Oga, Akita, Oga, Akita Prefecture. It is nicknamed th ...

* *Akita Rinkai Railway Company (freight)

Highway

* * * * * * *

Bus

Seaports

Port of Akita The , formerly known as Port of Tsuchizaki, is a seaport on the Sea of Japan coast of Akita Prefecture, to the west of the city center of Akita in the Tōhoku region of northern Honshū, Japan. It is classified as a by the Japanese government. Th ...

Mass media

Akita Asahi Broadcasting , also known as AAB, is a Japanese broadcast network affiliated with the ANN. Their headquarters are located in Akita Prefecture. Headquarters *233-209 Kawajiri-machi aza Okobata Akita-city, Akita 010-0941 JAPAN History *1992 October 1: It was ...

Akita Broadcasting System Akita Broadcasting System, Inc. (ABS, 株式会社秋田放送) is a Japanese broadcaster in Akita Prefecture. Its radio station is affiliated with Japan Radio Network (JRN) and National Radio Network (NRN), and its TV station is affiliated w ...

* Akita Community Broadcasting *

Akita Television is a TV station affiliated with Fuji News Network (FNN) and Fuji Network System (FNS) in Akita, Akita, Japan. History In 1967, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (currently the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications) announc ...

* Cable Networks Akita * FM Tsubakidai

Local attractions

*Site of

(Senshu Park) *Site of

(Takashimizu Park), National Historic Site *

Minato Castle was a Japanese castle in what is now Tsuchizaki Minato, Akita, Akita, Akita, Akita Prefecture, Japan. Throughout the Muromachi period, Minato Castle was home to the Akita clan, Ando clan, ''daimyō'' of Akita Domain, rulers of northern Dewa Provi ...

(Tsuchizaki Gaiku Park, Shinmeisha) * Jizōden ruins, National Historic Site *

Akita Prefectural Museum is a prefectural museum in the city of Akita, Japan. It houses a comprehensive display of archaeological artifacts, crafts, biological and geological samples pertaining to the history and folklore of Akita Prefecture. The museum opened in May 1 ...

Akita Senshū Museum of Art opened in Akita, Japan in 1989. It is located within the , more formally the . The Museum is the successor of the , which opened in 1958. The collection includes many works of the Akita ranga school. See also * Akita Museum of Art * List of Cu ...

Akita Museum of Art is an art museum in the city of Akita. The original Akita Prefectural Museum of Art was opened on May 5, 1967. The new museum was opened on September 28, 2013. The main exhibit is a collection of works by Tsuguharu Foujita from the collection of ...

Akita Omoriyama Zoo The , also known as “Milve”, is a municipal zoo opened in July 1967 in the city of Akita, Akita Prefecture, Japan. Opened in 1972, the zoo covers 15 hectares, with 114 species on display. It is accredited by the Japanese Association of Zoos ...

Akita Port Tower Selion The is one of the landmarks in the city of Akita, Japan. The sightseeing tower with 6,272 tempered glasses was completed in 1994. It is located in the Tsuchizaki District, Akita, Akita Prefecture, Japan. The steel tower is the tallest ...

CNA Arena Akita CNA Arena Akita is an arena in Rinkai-area, Akita, Japan. It is owned and run by the city. Cable Networks Akita acquired its naming rights in 2015. The silver-colored building opened in 1994 and holds 5,000 people. The gym has a dome-shaped 154 f ...

Sakigake Yabase Baseball Stadium The (official name: Akita City Yabase Sports Park Baseball Stadium) is a stadium in Akita, Akita, Japan. Famous incident Jim Traber of Kintetsu Buffaloes The were a Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) team based in Osaka, Japan, which was in th ...

Akita Prefectural Baseball Stadium Akita Prefectural Baseball Stadium is a baseball stadium in the city of Akita, Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is border ...

* Akita Yabase Athletic Field *

Akita Prefectural Gymnasium is a stadium in Akita, Akita Prefecture, Japan. The gymnasium was built in 1968. Yoshio Kobayashi and Masatoshi Soh were the architects. Masao Sitoh and Arata Ono were the structural engineers. It is west of the Akita Station. The gymnasi ...

Akita Prefectural Central Park Akita Prefectural Central Park ( ja, 秋田県立中央公園) is a group of sports facilities in Yuwa, Akita, Akita, Japan. Facilities Akita Sky Dome The dome is the practice facility for the Blaublitz Akita is a Japanese professional ass ...

Akita Prefectural General Pool is a swimming venue in Akita, Akita, Japan. An Olympic competitor, Hiroko Nagasaki is the honorary director. It hosted the 2001 World Games, and it is the largest swimming pool in the prefecture. Events *2001 World Games - Lifesaving at the 2 ...

Akita Prefectural Budokan Dōjō Indoor arenas in Japan Buildings and structures completed in 2004 Sports venues completed in 2004 Sports venues in Akita Prefecture ...

* Akita

Peace Pagoda A Peace Pagoda is a Buddhist stupa; a monument to inspire peace, designed to provide a focus for people of all races and creeds, and to help unite them in their search for world peace. Most, though not all, peace pagodas built since World War II ...

Koshiō Shrine Koshiō Shrine (古四王神社, ''Koshiō jinja'') is a Shinto shrine located in Akita (city), Akita, Akita Prefecture, Japan. It enshrines the kami of Ōhiko no mikoto (大彦命) and Takemikazuchi no mikoto (武甕槌命). Its annual festiva ...

Local events

Akita Kanto Festival

This representative

summer festival Summer is the hottest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, the earliest sunrise and latest sunset occurs, daylight hours are longest and dark hours are shortest, wit ...

began 350 years ago, with similar to ''

tanabata , also known as the Star Festival ( 星祭り, ''Hoshimatsuri''), is a Japanese festival originating from the Chinese Qixi Festival. It celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi (represented by the stars Vega and Altair res ...

'' festivals held elsewhere in Japan. During this festival, participants balance 15 meter poles with 230 lanterns on their chins; the main event is held during the evening and night hours, between the 3rd and 6 August each year. During the festival, Kanto stunt events are held in Senshu Park during daylight hours involving many amateur participants. This event was first held in 1931 and every subsequent year, except between 1935 and 1946 and in 1953 and 1965. Overseas exhibitions of the festival were performed in

Hamburg (male), (female) en, Hamburger(s), Hamburgian(s) , timezone1 = Central (CET) , utc_offset1 = +1 , timezone1_DST = Central (CEST) , utc_offset1_DST = +2 , postal ...

, Germany, in 1988,

Honolulu Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

, in 2002,

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, UK, in 2004, and as an opening event at the 2001

Narayama Kamakura Festival

In the Narayama Otamachi district of central Akita each February 12–15 a Shinto festival honoring both ''Suijin'' and ''Kamakura Daimyojin'' is held inside a shrine made from walls of snow. A rice bale is set afire at the end of this festival.

Tsuchizaki Minato Festival

Each neighbourhood in

Tsuchizaki Minato is a neighbourhood located in Akita City, Akita Prefecture, Japan. , the neighbourhood had an estimated population of 21,310 and a population density of 3,400 persons per km². The total area of the neibourhood is . Annexed by the city in 194 ...

contributes a

float Float may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Albums * ''Float'' (Aesop Rock album), 2000 * ''Float'' (Flogging Molly album), 2008 * ''Float'' (Styles P album), 2013 Songs * "Float" (Tim and the Glory Boys song), 2022 * "Float", by Bush ...

decorated with giant figures from 20 to 21 July. In 1997 it was designated an

Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property A is administered by the Government of Japan, Japanese government's Agency for Cultural Affairs (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology), and includes Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan, tangible properties (structures ...

Marian apparitions

Our Lady of Akita Our Lady of Akita ( ja, 秋田の聖母マリア) is the Roman Catholic, Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with the Marian apparitions reported in 1973 by Sister Agnes Katsuko Sasagawa in the remote area of Yuzawadai, an outsk ...

is the title of

Marian apparitions A Marian apparition is a reported supernatural appearance by Mary, the mother of Jesus, or a series of related such appearances during a period of time. In the Catholic Church, in order for a reported appearance to be classified as a Marian ap ...

reported in 1973 by Sister Agnes Katsuko Sasagawa in Yuzawadai, Soegawa, Akita City. The apparitions were approved by the

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...

in 1988. The 1988 approval was issued by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who later became

Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...

Sister city relations

International sister / friendship cities

* -

Lanzhou Lanzhou (, ; ) is the capital and largest city of Gansu Province in Northwest China. Located on the banks of the Yellow River, it is a key regional transportation hub, connecting areas further west by rail to the eastern half of the country. H ...

Gansu Gansu (, ; alternately romanized as Kansu) is a province in Northwest China. Its capital and largest city is Lanzhou, in the southeast part of the province. The seventh-largest administrative district by area at , Gansu lies between the Tibet ...

, China, since August 5, 1982 * -

Passau Passau (; bar, label=Central Bavarian, Båssa) is a city in Lower Bavaria, Germany, also known as the Dreiflüssestadt ("City of Three Rivers") as the river Danube is joined by the Inn from the south and the Ilz from the north. Passau's popu ...

Lower Bavaria Lower Bavaria (german: Niederbayern, Bavarian: ''Niedabayern'') is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany, located in the east of the state. Geography Lower Bavaria is subdivided into two regions () – Landshut and Donau-W ...

, Germany, since 8 April 1984 * -

Malabon Malabon, officially the City of Malabon ( fil, Lungsod ng Malabon), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 380,522 people. Located just north ...

, Philippines, since 15 July 1987 * -

Kenai, Alaska Kenai (, ) ( Dena'ina: ; russian: Кенай, ''Kenay'') is a city in the Kenai Peninsula Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is one hundred and fifty-eight miles by road southwest from Anchorage. The population was 7,424 as of the 2020 cen ...

, United States of America * -

St. Cloud, Minnesota St. Cloud is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the largest population center in the state's central region. The population was 68,881 at the 2020 census, making it Minnesota's 12th-largest city. St. Cloud is the county seat of Stear ...

, United States of America (with Yūwa, Akita, which merged into Akita, Akita), since 1993 * -

Vladivostok Vladivostok ( rus, Владивосто́к, a=Владивосток.ogg, p=vɫədʲɪvɐˈstok) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia. The city is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea ...

Primorsky Krai Primorsky Krai (russian: Приморский край, r=Primorsky kray, p=prʲɪˈmorskʲɪj kraj), informally known as Primorye (, ), is a federal subject (a krai) of Russia, located in the Far East region of the country and is a part of the ...

, Russia, since 29 June 1992

Domestic sister cities

* Hitachiōta,

Ibaraki Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Ibaraki Prefecture has a population of 2,871,199 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of . Ibaraki Prefecture borders Fukushima Prefecture to the north, ...

Daigo Daigo may refer to: Buddhism *Daigo (Zen) (大悟), a Buddhist term meaning ''great enlightenment'' or ''great realization'' *Daigo (Shōbōgenzō) (大悟), or ''Great Realization'', a book in Eihei Dōgen's Shōbōgenzō *Daigo Temple (醍醐寺 ...

, Kuji District Ibaraki

Notable people

Masamichi Amano is a Japanese music composer, arranger and conductor. He studied at the Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo and completed master's degree in 1982. Biography He graduated from Akita Minami High School and went on to study at Kunitachi College of ...

, composer *

Michio Ashikaga is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team. Club career Ashikaga was born in Akita Prefecture on May 22, 1950. After graduating from high school, he joined Mitsubishi Motors in 1969. The club won the league champi ...

, professional soccer player *

Yukiko Ebata Yukiko Ebata (江畑幸子 ''Ebata Yukiko'', born November 7, 1989) is a retired Japanese volleyball player who played for the PFU BlueCats and was a member of the Japan women's national volleyball team. She was a member of Japan's bronze meda ...

, professional women's volleyball player *

Hiroki Endo is a Japanese manga artist. He graduated from Musashino Art University. He is most known for his science-fiction series '' Eden: It's an Endless World!'', which has been translated into English by Dark Horse. Manga works Serialized works *'' E ...

, manga artist *

Yukio Endō was a Japanese artistic gymnast, Olympic champion and world champion. He was part of the first Japanese team that succeeded to win gold medals in the team event at the Summer Olympics (1960) and World Championships (1962). In 1964 he won the ...

, Olympic gymnast *

Hiroyuki Enoki Hiroyuki Enoki (榎洋之 ''Enoki Hiroyuki'', born 14 September 1979 in Akita, Akita, Japan) is a Japanese former professional boxer who fights at featherweight and is the former Japanese and OPBF featherweight champion. Professional ca ...

, professional boxer *

Shirō Fukai was a Japanese composer.The Japan biographical encyclopedia & who's who: Issue 3 Rengō Puresu Sha - 1964 "FUKAI Shiro (1907- ) Composer. Musical critic. Born in Akita Prefecture. Graduated from the Science Section of the Seventh Higher School ( ...

, composer * Takunosuke Funakawa, footballer * Masanori Ishikawa, professional baseball player *

Taka Kato or Taka Katou is a Japanese male former adult video (AV) actor. Life and career Taka Kato was born in Akita on May 1, 1959. He graduated from a high school in Akita and in 1988 went to Tokyo where he worked as a photographer and adult video acto ...

, adult movie actor * Chūji Machida, politician, cabinet minister *

Hiroya Matsumoto is a Japanese actor. He is known for his portrayal of Tsubasa Ozu/Magi Yellow in ''Mahou Sentai Magiranger'', and later, Masato Jin/Beet Buster in ''Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters''. He is currently serving as the ''Super Sentai'' Goodwill Ambassado ...

, actor *

Hiroko Nagasaki is a Japanese former swimmer who competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics and in the 1988 Summer Olympics. She represented her country at the age of twelve. See also *Akita Prefectural General Pool is a swimming venue in Akita, Akita, Japan. ...

, Olympic swimmer * Emiko Okuyama, politician *

Akira Ota Akira may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Akira'' (franchise), a Japanese cyberpunk franchise ** ''Akira'' (manga), a 1980s cyberpunk manga by Katsuhiro Otomo ** ''Akira'' (1988 film), an anime film adaptation of the manga ** ''Akira'' (vide ...

, Olympic wrestler *

Junko Sakurada is a Japanese singer and actress. She was part of a music trio in 1973, which included Momoe Yamaguchi and Masako Mori. Sakurada then became successful in a solo music career, with 18 top ten singles in the 1970s. Her acting career ran from 1 ...

, singer * Nozomi Sasaki, model, actress *

Takenori Sato is a Japanese professional mixed martial artist and current Welterweight King Of Pancrase. He is the twin brother of professional wrestler Takeshi "Go" Sato. Mixed martial arts career Japan Sato has been a follower of Kazushi Sakuraba. Sato ...

, professional mixed martial artist *

Tadashi Settsu is a Japanese baseball player. He has been with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks since 2009, and plays as pitcher, wearing number 50. In 2009, he was voted Most Valuable Rookie. The next year, he became the first pitcher ever to make 70 or more appea ...

, professional baseball player * Kohei Shimoda, professional soccer player *

Taro Shoji was a popular Japanese ryūkōka singer. He also used the aliases , , and in his early recording career. Early life Shōji was born in Akita, Akita Prefecture. His father was an employee of the South Manchuria Railway, and his parents moved to ...

, singer *, basketball player *

Kenji Suzuki (footballer) is a Japanese football player. He plays for Tochigi Uva FC Tochigi City Football Club (栃木シティフットボールクラブ, ''Tochigi Shiti Futtobōrukurabu''), commonly known as Tochigi City FC (栃木シティFC, ''Tochigi Shiti Efu ...

Mitsuhisa Taguchi was a Japanese Association football, footballer. A Japan national football team, Japanese international, he spent his entire career with Urawa Reds, Mitsubishi Motors. Club career Taguchi was born in Akita (city), Akita on February 14, 1955. Af ...

, professional soccer player *

Kenta Tateyama Kenta Tateyama (born December 26, 1990) is a Japanese former professional basketball player who last played for the Saitama Broncos of the B3 League in Japan. He was referred as a genius by Akita's former head coach Kazuo Nakamura. Stephen Curr ...

, professional basketball player *

Go Togashi is a Japanese football player who played for Blaublitz Akita is a Japanese professional association football team based in Akita, Akita Prefecture. In 2014 they entered the J3 League after previously playing in the Japan Football League, t ...

, footballer for

Blaublitz Akita is a Japanese professional association football team based in Akita, Akita Prefecture. In 2014 they entered the J3 League after previously playing in the Japan Football League, the third tier of the Japanese association football league system. ...

Setsurō Wakamatsu is a Japanese film director. His film ''Shizumanu Taiyō'' won the Japan Academy Prize for Picture of the Year at the 33rd Japan Academy Prize. Filmography *''Whiteout (2000 film), Whiteout'' (2000) *''Shizumanu Taiyō'' (2009) *''Yoake no Machi ...

, movie director * Ren Yamamoto (footballer, born 1999) *

Koharu Yonemoto is a retired Japanese badminton player who affiliate with Hokuto Bank. She was the women's doubles bronze medalist at the 2018 World Championships, and the silver medalist at the 2013 East Asian Games. She won the year-end tournament Superserie ...

, professional badminton player

Sports

*Basketball:

Akita Northern Happinets The Akita Northern Happinets are a Japanese professional basketball team based in Akita that competes in the Eastern Conference of the First Division of the B.League. The team was formed as an expansion team of the bj league in 2010 and found succ ...

Prestige International Aranmare Akita The Prestige International Aranmare Akita are a women's basketball team based in Akita, Akita that will play in the Women's Japan Basketball League. Aranmare also has a volleyball team in Sakata, Shonai, and a handball team in Imizu, Toyama. ...

*Football:

, Saruta Kōgyō S.C.,

Akita FC Cambiare is a Japanese football club based in Akita, the capital city of Akita Prefecture. They play in the Tohoku Soccer League. Their team colour is red. History The club based in Akita, Akita, was founded as Ashikaga Komuten Kawabe FC in 1973. Th ...

*Rugby union:

Akita Northern Bullets Akita Northern Bullets are a Japanese rugby union team that play in the Top East League. The team is based in Akita, Akita, Japan. In 1958, the Akita City Government created a rugby union team. The new Bullets team was formed in 2004, and alloc ...

Notes

External links

Official Website
{{Authority control Cities in Akita Prefecture Populated coastal places in Japan Port settlements in Japan