is a

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 ...

located in

Hiroshima Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Hiroshima Prefecture has a population of 2,811,410 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 8,479 km² (3,274 sq mi). Hiroshima Prefecture borders Okayama ...

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 ...

. The city was founded on November 15, 1936. As of July 31, 2016, 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 97,324 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 206.62 persons per km². The total area is 471.03 km². On March 22, 2005, the town of Daiwa (from Kamo District), the town of Kui (from

Mitsugi District was a district in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. As of 2003, the district had an estimated population of 29,682 and a density of 181.49 persons per km2. The total area was 163.55 km2. Former towns and villages * Kui * Mitsugi * Mukaishim ...

), and the town of Hongō (from Toyota District) were merged into Mihara.

History

Mihara Castle , also known as Ukishiro Castle, is a ''hirashiro'' (castle on a plain) located in Mihara, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. History Mihara Castle was constructed in 1582 by Kobayakawa Takakage, who built this castle to protect the Mōri clan's coas ...

was established as a waterfront castle (Umi-jiro) by

Kobayakawa Takakage was a samurai and daimyō (feudal lord) during the Sengoku period and Azuchi–Momoyama period. He was the third son of Mōri Motonari who was adopted by the Kobayakawa clan and became its 14th clan head. He merged the two branches of the Koba ...

in 1582. ** The castle has been connected to the

Seto Inland Sea The , sometimes shortened to the Inland Sea, is the body of water separating Honshū, Shikoku, and Kyūshū, three of the four main islands of Japan. It serves as a waterway connecting the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Japan. It connects to Osaka ...

to operate the

Mōri clan The Mōri clan (毛利氏 ''Mōri-shi'') was a Japanese samurai clan descended from Ōe no Hiromoto. Ōe no Hiromoto was descended from the Fujiwara clan. The family's most illustrious member, Mōri Motonari, greatly expanded the clan's power ...

water forces on the sea. * For the

Battle of Sekigahara The Battle of Sekigahara (Shinjitai: ; Kyūjitai: , Hepburn romanization: ''Sekigahara no Tatakai'') was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 (Keichō 5, 15th day of the 9th month) in what is now Gifu prefecture, Japan, at the end of ...

Fukushima Masanori was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the late Sengoku period to early Edo period who served as lord of the Hiroshima Domain. A retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he fought in the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583, and soon became known as one of Seven Spears ...

entered

Hiroshima Castle , sometimes called , is a castle in Hiroshima, Japan that was the residence of the ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the Hiroshima Domain. The castle was originally constructed in the 1590s, but was destroyed by the atomic bombing on August 6, 1945. ...

in 1600, and then Mihara Castle has been under controlled as the branch castle of Hiroshima castle. * The domain was divided into

Fukuyama Domain was a Japanese domain of the Edo period. It was associated with Bingo Province and Bitchū Province in modern-day Hiroshima Prefecture.">DF_39-40_of_80">"Mizuno"_at_''Nobiliare_du_Japon'',_pp._35–36_ DF_39-40_of_80/nowiki>_retrieved_2013-4 ...

and Hiroshima Domain in 1619, and entered Mihara castle. * Mihara was incorporated into a part of

for the Abolition of the han system in 1871. * Mihara city was founded on November 15, 1936. * On March 22, 2005, the town of Daiwa (from Kamo District), the town of Kui (from

), and the town of Hongō (from Toyota District) were merged into Mihara. Map of BISAN Area , Hiroshima 1929

Geography

Climate

Mihara has a

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 climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

''Cfa'') characterized by cool to mild winters and hot, humid summers. The average annual temperature in Mihara is . The average annual rainfall is with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around , and lowest in January, at around . The highest temperature ever recorded in Mihara was on 24 July 2018; the coldest temperature ever recorded was on 16 January 2011.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Mihara in 2020 is 90,573 people. Mihara has been conducting censuses since 1960.

Economy

Fisheries

* Shunami Port * Nouji Port

Industries

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is a Japanese multinational engineering, electrical equipment and electronics corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. MHI is one of the core companies of the Mitsubishi Group and its automobile division is the predecessor of Mitsubishi Mo ...

's Itozaki, Kohama and Wada Plants *

Teijin is a Japanese chemical industry, chemical, pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical and information technology company. Its main fields of operation are high-performance fibers such as aramid, carbon fibers & composites, healthcare, films, resin & ...

Mihara Plant *

Sharp Sharp or SHARP may refer to: Acronyms * SHARP (helmet ratings) (Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme), a British motorcycle helmet safety rating scheme * Self Help Addiction Recovery Program, a charitable organisation founded in 19 ...

Mihara Plant *

Dai Nippon Printing , established in 1876, is a Japanese printing company. Dai Nippon operates its printing in three areas: information communications, lifestyle and industrial supplies, and electronics. The company is involved in a wide variety of printing processe ...

Mihara Plant * Koyo Dockyard
Mexichem Flúor
Mihara Plant

Sister cities

* –

Yugawara, Kanagawa is a town located in Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 23,267 and a population density of 570 persons per km2. The total area of the town is . Geography Yugawara is located in the fa ...

, Japan * –

Palmerston North Palmerston North (; mi, Te Papa-i-Oea, known colloquially as Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the ...

, New Zealand

Educational Facilities

Prefectural University of Hiroshima is a public university in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, established in 2005. It has three campuses, located in these cities: * Hiroshima (in the Ward of Minami) * Shōbara 270px, Shōbara City Hall 270px, Bihoku-kyuryo Park 270px, Shobara ...

Mihara * Mihara Nursing School

Transportation

Airports

Hiroshima Airport is an airport in the city of Mihara, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. Located east of Hiroshima, it is the largest airport in the Chūgoku region. History The New Hiroshima Airport was opened for public use on 29 October 1993 as a replacemen ...

Trains

JR West , also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies and operates in western Honshu. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka. It is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the TOPIX Large70 index, and ...

lines **

Sanyō Shinkansen , stylized as SANYO, is a Japanese electronics company and formerly a member of the ''Fortune'' Global 500 whose headquarters was located in Moriguchi, Osaka prefecture, Japan. Sanyo had over 230 subsidiaries and affiliates, and was founded b ...

;

Mihara Station is a railway station in Mihara, Hiroshima, Japan, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). Lines Mihara Station is served by the following JR West lines. * Sanyo Shinkansen * Sanyo Main Line * Kure Line The is a railway line oper ...

San'yō Main Line The is a major railway line owned by JR Group companies in western Japan, connecting Kōbe Station and Moji Station, largely paralleling the coast of the Seto Inland Sea, Inland Sea, in other words, the southern coast of western Honshu. The Sa ...

;

Itozaki Station is a railway station in Mihara, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). Lines Itozaki Station is served by the Sanyō Main Line. History The station opened as the terminus of the Sanyō Railway on July ...

, Mihara and Hongo Station **

Kure Line The is a railway line operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) within Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. It begins at Mihara Station in Mihara and terminates at Kaitaichi Station in Kaita. It is one of the main lines of JR West. The secti ...

; Mihara,

Sunami Station is a railway station in Mihara, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. Lines *West Japan Railway Company ** Kure Line The is a railway line operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) within Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. It begins at Mihara ...

and

Akisaizaki Station is a railway station in Mihara, Hiroshima, Mihara, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. Lines *West Japan Railway Company ** Kure Line Buildings Surrounding Area * Imabari Shipbuilding Hiroshima Shipyard * Japan National Route 185, National Route ...

Buses

* Geiyo Bus * Chugoku Bus * Tomotetsu Bus * Onomichi Bus

Highways

Sanyō Expressway , stylized as SANYO, is a Japanese electronics company and formerly a member of the ''Fortune'' Global 500 whose headquarters was located in Moriguchi, Osaka prefecture, Japan. Sanyo had over 230 subsidiaries and affiliates, and was founded b ...

National Routes

Japan National Route 2 is a major highway on the islands of Honshū and Kyūshū in Japan. It follows the old Sanyōdo westward from the city of Osaka, Osaka Prefecture in the Kansai region to the city of Kitakyūshū in Fukuoka Prefecture, passing through the Sa ...

, 185, 486 and 432

Ports

* Mihara Port * Onomichi-itozaki Port * Sagi Port * Sunami Port

Tourism

Castles

Niitakayama Castle is the name for the earthly remains of a castle structure in Mihara, Hiroshima, Japan.　Located on a 197.6 meter mountain. The site was designated a National Historic Site. History Niitakayama Castle was built in 1552 by Kobayakawa Takakage. T ...

- A castle ruin, one of the

Continued Top 100 Japanese Castles The is a list of 100 Japanese castle, castles, intended as a sequel of 100 Fine Castles of Japan. The castles were chosen for their significance in culture, history, and in their regions by the in 2017. Hokkaidō region Tōhoku region Kant ...

. * Takayama Castle

Temples

Daizen-ji is a Buddhist temple belonging to the Shingon school of Japanese Buddhism, located in the city of Kōshū, Yamanashi, Japan. Its main image is a ''hibutsu'' statue of Yakushi Nyōrai, shown to the public every five years, History The temple cla ...

* Buttsū-ji –

Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage The is one of a number of traditional Buddhist pilgrimage routes in Japan. The route includes 33 sites sacred to the boddhisattva Kannon, across the Chūgoku region ( Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Shimane and Tottori prefectures). The 33 Kanno ...

#12

Shrines

* Mitsugi-hachimangu

Festivals

Mihara Yassa Matsuri Mihara may refer to: People *Mihara (surname) Places *Mihara, Hiroshima, a city in Hiroshima Prefecture **Mihara Station, a railway station in Mihara, Hiroshima ** Mihara Castle, a castle that was located in Mihara, Hiroshima *Mihara, Hyōgo, a fo ...

Mihara Shinmeiichi Festival Mihara may refer to: People *Mihara (surname) Places *Mihara, Hiroshima, a city in Hiroshima Prefecture **Mihara Station, a railway station in Mihara, Hiroshima **Mihara Castle, a castle that was located in Mihara, Hiroshima *Mihara, Hyōgo, a for ...

* Satsuki Matsuri

People

Historical

Lady Kasuga was a Japanese noble lady and politician from a prominent Japanese samurai family of the Azuchi–Momoyama and Edo periods. Born Saitō Fuku (斉藤福), she was a daughter of Saitō Toshimitsu (who was a retainer of Akechi Mitsuhide). She was t ...

Inaba Masanari , also known as Inaba Masashige and sometimes known as ''Mino-no-kami'', was a Japanese samurai of the Azuchi–Momoyama period through early Edo period. He served the Oda, Toyotomi, and Tokugawa clans, and became a ''daimyō'' in the early Edo p ...

Famous

* Ayako Miyake ( 三宅綾子), dancer *

Choji Murata Choji Murata (村田兆治, 27 November 1949 – 11 November 2022) was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher. He played for the Tokyo/Lotte Orions over the period 1968 to 1990. Murata led the Pacific League in Earned run average in ...

( 村田兆治), baseball player * Ko Hiura ( 火浦功), novelist *

Yoshihisa Ishida is a retired shot putter and hammer thrower from 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 J ...

( 石田義久), shot putter *

Leyona is a Japanese singer and songwriter from Mihara city in Hiroshima Prefecture. She presently belongs to Cutting Edge. Discography Singles * ''Orange'' (1999) * ''Beat Goes On and The'' (1999) * ''Town to Town'' (2000) * ''One Blood (import)' ...

, singer and songwriter *

Masatoshi Kawahara is a Japanese manga artist. He is best known as the author of the long-running series '' Shura no Mon'' and its prequel ''Shura no Toki is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masatoshi Kawahara. The story follows a young ...

, manga artist *

Ryuji Imada is a U.S.-based Japanese professional golfer. Imada was born in Mihara, Hiroshima, Japan. He came to the United States when he was 14 to attend a Tampa golf academy for Asian players. His instructor was (and still is) Richard Abele, who became ...

, professional golfer *

Satoshi Urushihara , the "Master of Breasts", is a Japanese manga artist and illustrator known for his distinctive style of beautiful characters. His work is the basis for anime such as ''Plastic Little'' and ''Legend of Lemnear'', and appears in the ''Langrisser'' ...

, manga artist * Hisatoshi Shintaku, long-distance runner *

Toshiko Shirasu-Aihara is a retired Japanese gymnast. She competed in all artistic gymnastics events at the 1960 and 1964 Olympics and won a team bronze medal in 1964. Her best individual achievements were fourth places on the vault and uneven bars in 1964. Born Toshi ...

, former Japanese gymnast and

Bronze medal A bronze medal in sports and other similar areas involving competition is a medal made of bronze awarded to the third-place finisher of contests or competitions such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The outright winner receive ...

ist of

1964 Summer Olympics The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 ( ja, 東京1964), were an international multi-sport event held from 10 to 24 October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this ho ...

in Tokyo * Keiko Ikeda, former Japanese gymnast and

ist of

in Tokyo

Entertainment

A small island off the coast of Sagishima, called Sukune, was the location of

Kaneto Shindo was a Japanese film director, screenwriter, film producer, and writer, who directed 48 films and wrote scripts for 238. His best known films as a director include ''Children of Hiroshima'', ''The Naked Island'', '' Onibaba'', ''Kuroneko'' and ' ...

's film ''

The Naked Island ''The Naked Island'' ( ja, text=裸の島, translit=Hadaka no Shima) is a Japanese black-and-white film from 1960, directed by Kaneto Shindō. The film is notable for having almost no spoken dialogue. Plot The film depicts a small family, a husba ...

'' released in 1960. Director Shindo and his wife

Nobuko Otowa was a Japanese actress who appeared in more than 100 films between 1950 and 1994. A graduate of Takarazuka Girl's Opera School, Otowa was first signed to Daiei studios, before becoming a freelance actress by the early 1950s. After starring in ...

both had their ashes scattered on the island.

References

External links

*
Mihara City official website
{{Authority control Cities in Hiroshima Prefecture Port settlements in Japan Populated coastal places in Japan