Kitaarima, Nagasaki on:
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was a
town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares an ori ...
located in
Minamitakaki District,
Nagasaki Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Nagasaki Prefecture has a population of 1,314,078 (1 June 2020) and has a geographic area of 4,130 Square kilometre, km2 (1,594 sq mi). Nagasaki Prefecture borders ...
,
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 ...
.
[Saishin Nihon Chizu - ''Imidas Atlas of Japan'', Shueisha 1989]
As of 2003, the town had 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 4,203 and a
density
Density (volumetric mass density or specific mass) is the substance's mass per unit of volume. The symbol most often used for density is ''ρ'' (the lower case Greek letter rho), although the Latin letter ''D'' can also be used. Mathematical ...
of 160.85 persons per km². The total area was 26.13 km².
On March 31, 2006, Kitaarima, along with the towns of
Arie
Arie is a masculine given name.
As a Dutch name, Arie (pronounced ) is generally a short form of Adrianus, but sometimes also of Arend or Arent, Arnout or Arnoud, or even Aaron.
As a Hebrew, Jewish, or Israeli name, Arie (pronounced ) is a tr ...
,
Fukae,
Futsu
was a town located in Minamitakaki District, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.
As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 4,788 and a density of 455.13 persons per km². The total area was 10.52 km².
On March 31, 2006, Futsu, along with th ...
,
Kazusa,
Kuchinotsu,
Minami-Arima and
Nishi-Arie (all from
Minamitakaki District), was merged to create the city of
Minamishimabara
is a city in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. It occupies the southern tip of Shimabara Peninsula. , the city has an estimated population of 45,465 and a population density of 270 persons per km2. The total area is 169.89 km2.
The modern city o ...
.
History
Both Kita-Arima and
Minami-Arima were part of what was known as Arima County in the south-eastern portion of the
Shimabara Peninsula
is a peninsula located in Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. The peninsula incorporates the cities of Shimabara, Minamishimabara, Unzen.
It was also the site of the Shimabara Rebellion, a 1637-1638 peasant and rōnin revolt, led ...
until they were split into two separate towns in 1889 during the
Meiji Era
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 b ...
. Kitaarima was the location of
Hinoe Castle
is a castle located in Minamishimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. The castle was originally built in the 13th century. It belonged to the Arima clan
The is a Japanese samurai family. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire ...
which was the estate of the
Arima clan
The is a Japanese samurai family. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003).html" ;"title="DF 6-7 of 80">"Arima," ''Nobiliare du Japon'', pp. 2-3 ._Though_initially_against_the_Kirishitan.html" "title="DF 6-7 of 80/nowiki>">DF ...
. Though initially against the Kirishitan">Christians
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
, Arima Harunobu eventually became a Christian himself and allowed Portuguese missionaries to build a seminary in 1580. The "Arima Semenario", as it was called, was a center for Renaissance learning. Japanese students of the Seminario received Western language, religious, and cultural training. The most famous graduates were
Mancio Ito,
Miguel Chijiwa
(1569? – January 23, 1633) was a member of the Japanese delegation to European Christendom, also known as the Tenshō embassy. Later, he abandoned the Christian faith. However the recent discovery of a rosary in his graveyard made public on ...
, Martino Hara, and Julian Nakaura. These four young men were the
first Japanese envoys to visit Europe. Arima Harunobu's son and his family were transferred to
Hyuga Province in 1615 following Harunobu's execution in 1612. Hinoe castle was burned down by
Tokugawa forces during the
Shimabara Rebellion
The , also known as the or , was an uprising that occurred in the Shimabara Domain of the Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan from 17 December 1637 to 15 April 1638.
Matsukura Katsuie, the ''daimyō'' of the Shimabara Domain, enforced unpopular polic ...
in 1637. The site of the destroyed castle still remains today and is a popular site for ''
hanami
is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the transient beauty of flowers; in this case almost always refer to those of the or, less frequently, trees. From the end of March to early May, cherry trees bloom all over Japan, and around ...
'', or flower viewing, in March and April.
Kitaarima Today
Kitaarima is a farming community that grows rice, potatoes, mikan, strawberries, and other crops. It has several distribution facilities to move produce to more populated areas. Kita-Arima-chō is situated in seven valleys that run up the southern reaches of
Mount Unzen
is an active volcanic group of several overlapping stratovolcanoes, near the city of Shimabara, Nagasaki on the island of Kyushu, Japan's southernmost main island.
In 1792, the collapse of one of its several lava domes triggered a megatsunam ...
. Most of Kita-Arima-chō's population is centered in the southern part of the county in the town of Kita-Arima near the
Ariake Sea
The is a body of salt water surrounded by Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, and Kumamoto Prefectures, all of which lie on the island of Kyūshū in Japan. It is the largest bay in Kyūshū. Its deepest point is only about 50 meters (165 ft) deep, and ...
and Minami-Arima town. Kita-Arima town is further split into smaller hamlets; Tanigawa, Sakaueshita, Tabira, Saishoji, Oriki.
The central area of Kita-Arima town contains the town office, the board of education building, bank, and the post office. Nearby is Kitaarima Junior High School which has less than 100 students and Kitaarima Elementary School has about 200 students. The town elementary school was built in 2004 to condense the four old elementary schools into one new facility. Also nearby are the town's main stores Parusu and Mizota. Parusu is a one story department store that has a supermarket, a flower shop, a clothes and shoes store, a photo shop, and a pharmacy. Mizota is a large home furnishings and 100 yen store. Kitaarima was a stop on the now defunct Shimatetsu train line which connected all of the towns from Kazusa to
Isahaya
is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on September 1, 1940. As of November 1, 2022, the city has an estimated population of 132,385 and a population density of 389 persons per km². The total area is .
On March 1 ...
.
The town has several important festivals every year. The most important is Festivitus Natalis, the town's Christmas festival held at the elementary school sports field. This festival celebrates the Christian history of the town. The festival has musical performances by junior highschool students and guest bands. Many booths offer different foods. Other festivals include Hinoe Festival, which is held at the elementary school as well. The ''
yosakoi
Yosakoi () is a unique style of dance that originated in Japan and that is performed at festivals and events all over the country. The first Yosakoi festival was held in 1954 in Kōchi, Japan, on the island of Shikoku. Yosakoi-style dancing has ...
'' Festival is held every year at Fureai Sports Park. Kita-Arima town's own ''yosakoi'' team performs along with other Yosakoi teams from around Nagasaki Prefecture.
Other sights of interest include Sunset Hill at the highest point in Kita-Arima-chō that overlooks Obama-chō to the northeast. Across from Sunset Hill is Kita-Arima's brand-new camping facilities built in 2005 and opened on July 20, 2005. Kita-Arima has several old bridges constructed during the Meiji Era. The bridges include; Motobira, Arata, Tanaka, Higuchi, Omonashi, and Aratashimo.
External links
Minamishimabara official website
References
{{Authority control
Dissolved municipalities of Nagasaki Prefecture