Itoigawa

is a city located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 41,333, and a population density of 55 persons per km². The total area of the city is .

Geography

Itoigawa is located in the far southwestern corner of Niigata Prefecture, bordered by the Sea of Japan to the north, Nagano Prefecture to the south, and Toyama Prefecture to the west. Parts of the city are within the borders of the Chūbu-Sangaku National Park or the Myōkō-Togakushi Renzan National Park. Itoigawa is also famous for its jade which can be found on local beaches. Itoigawa also lends its name to the Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line, a major fault that runs from Itoigawa, through Lake Suwa to the city of Shizuoka in Shizuoka Prefecture, forming the western border of the Fossa Magna.

Surrounding municipalities

*Niigata Prefecture
** Jōetsu
** Myōkō
* Nagano Prefecture
** Otari
**Hakuba
*Toyama Prefecture
**Asahi

Climate

Itoigawa has a Humid climate (Köppen ''Cfa'') characterized by warm, wet summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Itoigawa is . The average annual rainfall is with December as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around , and lowest in January, at around . In addition, Itoigawa has the highest record warm daily minimum in Japan, at on August 15, 2019.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Itoigawa has declined steadily over the past 70 years and is now less than it was a century ago.

History

The area of present-day Itoigawa was part of ancient Echigo Province. Historically, Itoigawa lies at the end of the ''shio no michi'' (salt road) that supplied salt from the Sea of Japan to Edo via Shinano Province. During the Edo period, Itoigawa was the castle town for Itoigawa Domain. After the Meiji restoration, with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889, Itoigawa became a town within Nishikubiki District, Niigata and Ōmi (both from Nishikubiki District) were merged into Itoigawa.

Oldest known jadeite-using culture

A great many jadeite beads and axe heads as well as the remains of jadeite workshops from the Neolithic era have been uncovered in Itoigawa. These beads and axes were traded throughout Japan and the Korean Peninsula and were produced by the world's oldest known jadeite-using culture, centered on the Itoigawa region.

Government

Itoigawa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 20 members. Itoigawa contributes one member to the Niigata Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Niigata 6th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Commercial fishing and the production of limestone and cement are the mainstays of the local economy.

Education

Itoigawa has 14 public elementary schools and four public middle schools operated by the city government, and three public high schools operated by the Niigata Prefectural Bureau of Education. The city and prefecture also operate one special education school each for the handicapped.

Transportation

Railway

– Hokuriku Shinkansen
*
JR West - Ōito Line
* - - - - -
Echigo Tokimeki Railway - Nihonkai Hisui Line
* - - - Itoigawa - - - -
Ainokaze Toyama Railway
*

Highway

* 20px Hokuriku Expressway – Oyashirazu IC, Itoigawa IC, Nō IC
*
*
*
*

Local attractions

* The entire territory of Itoigawa is "Itoigawa Global Geopark" which is a member of the Japanese Geoparks Network and Global Geoparks Network on account of its outstanding geological heritage, educational programs and projects, and promotion of geotourism.
*The city is known for its distinctive black-colored yakisoba.
* Itoigawa is also known for its unique ''bugaku'', a variety of traditional Japanese performance art. Itoigawa Bugaku can be seen at festivals taking place at Hakusan Shrine and Amatsu Shrine, and has been nationally designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Asset.

National Historic Sites

* Chōjagahara Site, Jōmon period archaeological site
* Terachi Site, Jōmon period archaeological site
* Matsumoto Kaidō, ancient highway

Notable people from Itoigawa

* The poet Ryōkan (1758-1831) writes that Itoigawa is his former village.One Robe, One Bowl; the Zen poetry of Ryokan. transl. John Stevens. 9th Ed. John Weatherhill, Inc., Tokyo. 1988.
* Hideki Hosaka, Japanese professional wrestler (known for his work in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling, and Pro Wrestling Zero-One)

References

External links

Official Website

{{Authority control

Cities in Niigata Prefecture
Global Geoparks Network members
Geoparks in Japan
Populated coastal places in Japan