260px, Daiyuzan Saijoji Temple
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
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Kanagawa Prefecture is the second-most populous prefecture of Japan at 9,221,129 (1 April 2022) and third-densest at . Its geographic area of makes it fifth-smallest. Kana ...
,
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 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 40,947 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 530 persons per km².
The total area of the city is .
Geography
Minamiashigara is located in the mountainous west of Kanagawa Prefecture, with most of the city located within either the
Tanzawa-Ōyama Quasi-National Park
is a quasi-national park in the Kantō region of Honshū in Japan. It is rated a protected landscape (category V) according to the IUCN. The park includes the Tanzawa Mountains, Miyagase Dam and its surrounding forests, Hayato Great Falls, and th ...
or the
Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park
is a national park in Yamanashi, Shizuoka, and Kanagawa Prefectures, and western Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. It consists of Mount Fuji, Fuji Five Lakes, Hakone, the Izu Peninsula, and the Izu Islands. Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park covers .
Rat ...
.
Surrounding Municipalities
Kanagawa Prefecture
*
Odawara
is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 188,482 and a population density of 1,700 persons per km2. The total area of the city is .
Geography
Odawara lies in the Ashigara Plains, in the far western por ...
*
Kaeisei
*
Yamakita
*
Hakone
is a List of towns in Japan, town in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the town had a population of 11,293 and a population density of 122 persons per km². The total area of the town is . The town is a popular tourist destination due to its many o ...
Shizuoka Prefecture
*
Oyama
Climate
Minamiashigara 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 ''Cfa'') characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Minamiashigara is 13.6 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2221 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.4 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.2 °C.
Demographics
Per Japanese census data,
Minamiashigara population statistics
/ref> the population of Minamiashigara peaked around the year 2000 and is now slowly declining.
History
The area that is now known as Minamiashigara was under control of the later Hōjō clan
The was one of the most powerful samurai families in Japan in the Sengoku period and held domains primarily in the Kantō region. Their last name was simply Hōjō (北条) but in order to differentiate between the earlier Hōjō clan with the s ...
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 ...
, and part of Odawara Domain
250px, Odawara Castle, Headquarters of the Odawara Domain
was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located primarily in western Sagami Province (modern-day Kanagawa Prefecture). It was centered on Odawara Castle in what is now the city of Oda ...
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 ...
.
After the Meiji Restoration
The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...
, the establishment of the modern municipalities system created Minamiashigara, Fukusawa, Okamoto and Kitaashigara villages within Ashigarakami District, Kanagawa Prefecture. The development of the area was spurred by the opening of the Oyama Mountain Railway (present-day Izuhakone Railway Daiyūzan Line) on October 15, 1925. Minamiashigara was elevated in status to that of a town on April 1, 1940, and annexed neighboring Fukusawa, Okamoto and Kitaashigara villages in 1955. It was elevated to city status on April 1, 1972.
Government
Minamiashigara has a mayor-council form of government with 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 council of 16 members. Minamiashigara, collectively with the municipalities of Ashigarakami District, contributes one member to the Kanagawa Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Kanagawa 17th district 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 Minamiashigara is based on forestry and agriculture (primarily green tea
Green tea is a type of tea that is made from '' Camellia sinensis'' leaves and buds that have not undergone the same withering and oxidation process which is used to make oolong teas and black teas. Green tea originated in China, and since the ...
and mikan
''Citrus unshiu'' is a semi-seedless and easy-peeling citrus species, also known as miyagawa mandarin, unshu mikan, cold hardy mandarin, satsuma mandarin, satsuma orange, naartjie, and tangerine. ''Citrus unshiu'' was named after Unshu (Wenzho ...
). Fujifilm
, trading as Fujifilm, or simply Fuji, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, operating in the realms of photography, optics, office and medical electronics, biotechnology, and chemicals.
The offerings from th ...
and Asahi Breweries
is a Japanese global beer, spirits, soft drinks and food business group headquartered in Sumida, Tokyo.
In 2019, the group had revenue of JPY 2.1 trillion. Asahi's business portfolio can be segmented as follows: alcoholic beverage business (4 ...
have factories in Minamiashigara to make use of its abundant fresh water.
Education
Minamiashigara has six public elementary schools and three public middle schools operated by the city government. The city has one public high school operated by the Kanagawa Prefectural Board of Education..
Transportation
Railway
20px Izuhakone Railway - Daiyūzan Line
* - - - - -
Bus
*Hakone Tozan Bus
**(Shin-Matsuda Station
is a passenger railway station located in the town of Matsuda, Kanagawa, Japan, operated by the private railway operator Odakyu Electric Railway. Matsuda Station on the Gotemba Line operated by Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) is locate ...
) - Sekimoto ( Daiyūzan Station) - Jizodo
Highway
Minamiashigara is not located on any national highway. Kanagawa Prefectural Route 74 provided the primary connection with neighboring Odawara
is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 188,482 and a population density of 1,700 persons per km2. The total area of the city is .
Geography
Odawara lies in the Ashigara Plains, in the far western por ...
and Kanagawa Prefectural Route 78 with the Ōi-Matsuda Interchange on the Tōmei Expressway
The is a national expressway on the island of Honshū in Japan. It is operated by Central Nippon Expressway Company. The expressway is designated as E1 under the "2016 Proposal for Realization of Expressway Numbering", because it parallels ...
Sister city relations
* - Tilburg
Tilburg () is a city and municipality in the Netherlands, in the southern province of North Brabant. With a population of 222,601 (1 July 2021), it is the second-largest city or municipality in North Brabant after Eindhoven and the seventh-larg ...
, Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, since June 4, 1989.
Local attractions
*Saijoji Temple, one of many temples and shrines located in an old growth cedar forest.
*Maruta no Mori, a park with hiking trails and camp grounds.
*Niju Isseki no Mori (21st Century Forest), a park with hiking trails
*Yuhi no Taki, a waterfall
*Ashigara Pass
is a mountain pass on the border of Kanagawa and Shizuoka Prefectures, near Mount Kintoki in Japan. The pass traverses the mountains at .
History
The pass, located on the ancient Tōkaidō highway, was first described in the 8th century anth ...
Noted people from Minamiashigara
*Rina Uchiyama
is a Japanese actress and Japanese idol, idol.
Career
Uchiyama was first discovered in her hometown in Kanagawa Prefecture by the talent agency Sweet Power at the age of 15. She was signed up by the agency, and in 1998, moved to Tokyo to launch ...
, actress
References
External links
Official Website
The Minamiashigaran
{{Authority control
Cities in Kanagawa Prefecture