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
Aichi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,552,873 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the west, Gifu Prefectur ...
, in the
Chūbu region of
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 169,984 in 65,553 households, with 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 1,054 persons per km². The total area of the city was . It is a regional commercial and manufacturing center and the country's leading producer of powdered
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 ...
.
Geography
Nishio is situated on the northern coast of
Mikawa Bay
Mikawa Bay (Landsat photo)
Mikawa Bay (三河湾 ''Mikawa-wan'') is a bay to the south of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, surrounded by Chita Peninsula to the west and Atsumi Peninsula to the east and south. Its area is approximately 604 km2. Pollu ...
on the
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
in southern Aichi Prefecture. The city lies along the eastern bank of the Yahagi River. Sheltered by
Chita Peninsula
Chita Peninsula (知多半島 ''Chita Hantō'') is a peninsula to the south of Aichi Prefecture, central Honshū, Japan. It runs approximately north-south. To the west is Ise Bay, while to the east it encloses Mikawa Bay. It faces the Atsumi ...
and
Atsumi Peninsula
is a peninsula in southern Aichi Prefecture, central Honshū, Japan. It has an approximate length of east-west, separating Mikawa Bay (to the north) from the Philippine Sea to the south, with Ise Bay
is a bay located at the mouth of ...
, the local climate is mild. Parts of the city lie within the borders of the
Mikawa Wan Quasi-National Park
is a Quasi-National Park in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It is rated a protected landscape (category V) according to the IUCN.
The park includes the coastal areas of Atsumi Peninsula, the Pacific shoreline of Chita Peninsula as well as islands and ...
Climate
The city has a climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild winters (
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''). The average annual temperature in Nishio is 15.7 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1596 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.3 °C, and lowest in January, at around 4.5 °C.
Gamagōri, Aichi is the closest point that records statistical climate information.
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Nishio has been increased steadily over the past 70 years.
Surrounding Municipalities
;
Aichi prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,552,873 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the west, Gifu Prefectur ...
*
Anjō
*
Okazaki
*
Hekinan
is a city in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 72,864 in 29,139 households, and a population density of 1,986 persons per km2. The total area of the city was .
Geography
Hekinan is located in south-central Aich ...
*
Gamagōri
is a city in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 80,063 in 32,800 households, and a population density of 1,407 persons per km2. The total area of the city is .
Geography
Gamagōri is situated on the coast of Mik ...
*
Kōta
History
Origin
The Mikawa area has been inhabited since prehistoric times, as attested by finds of pottery shards from the
Jōmon period
The is the time in Japanese history, traditionally dated between 6,000–300 BCE, during which Japan was inhabited by a diverse hunter-gatherer and early agriculturalist population united through a common Jōmon culture, which reached a c ...
and the megalithic
Kofun
are megalithic tombs or tumuli in Northeast Asia. ''Kofun'' were mainly constructed in the Japanese archipelago between the middle of the 3rd century to the early 7th century CE.岡田裕之「前方後円墳」『日本古代史大辞典』 ...
tomb in Kira, the oldest in the
Mikawa Province
was an old province in the area that today forms the eastern half of Aichi Prefecture. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Mikawa''" in . Its abbreviated form name was . Mikawa bordered on Owari, Mino, Shinano, and Tōtōmi Provinces.
Mik ...
.
Ancient history
The fertile plains along the
Yahagi River , a historical Japanese occupation equivalent to "fletcher", may refer to:
* Yahagi, a former village now part of Rikuzentakata, Iwate, Japan
* Yahagi Domain, Shimōsa Province, now in Chiba Prefecture, Japan
* , several ships
* Rikuzen-Yahagi S ...
have been used for rice-farming as well as the production of tea and cotton since ancient times.
Shell mounds dating to the late
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 which have been found in what is today the town center also point to fish and seafood as important early local produce.
In Hazu, a shrine from 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 ...
is evidence of an early cultural connection to the Japanese capital at the time.
The soil around Nishio is rich in
mica
Micas ( ) are a group of silicate minerals whose outstanding physical characteristic is that individual mica crystals can easily be split into extremely thin elastic plates. This characteristic is described as perfect basal cleavage. Mica is ...
deposits, which was already mined in the Nara period.
Early modern period
During the 15th century
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 ...
, Nishio was the home territory for the
Sakai clan
The was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Nitta branch of the Minamoto clan, who were in turn descendants of Emperor Seiwa. Serata (Nitta) Arichika, a samurai of the 14th century, was the common ancestor of both the Sakai ...
, based at
Nishio Castle
is a Japanese castle located in the city of Nishio, eastern Aichi Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Nishio Castle was home to the Ogyu Matsudaira, ''daimyō'' of Nishio Domain. The castle was also known as , , or .
History
Nish ...
.
The area eventually came under the control of the
Tokugawa clan
The is a Japanese dynasty that was formerly a powerful ''daimyō'' family. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa (850–880) and were a branch of the Minamoto clan (Seiwa Genji) through the Matsudaira clan. The early history of this clan r ...
, and 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 ...
, most of the area was ruled as the
Nishio Domain
was a feudal domain of the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in former Mikawa Province, in what is now the modern-day city of Nishio in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It was centered on Nishio Castle.
History
When Tokugawa Ieyasu be ...
, a minor ''
fudai''
feudal domain
A demesne ( ) or domain was all the land retained and managed by a lord of the manor under the feudal system for his own use, occupation, or support. This distinguished it from land sub-enfeoffed by him to others as sub-tenants. The concept or ...
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 ...
.
The area prospered as a fishing port, and due to its location on the
Tōkaidō highway connecting
Edo with
Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
, although the town itself suffered heavy damage due to a
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 ...
in the
1707 Hōei earthquake.
Late modern period
Early in 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 ...
, with the establishment of the modern municipalities system, Nishio was proclaimed a village in
Hazu District in 1871.
Following the
1891 Mino–Owari earthquake, a tsunami killed over 60 people. Nishio was elevated to town status on May 1, 1906.
The town suffered damage in the
1944 Tōnankai earthquake, which killed 32 people, and the
1945 Mikawa earthquake, which killed 765.
Contemporary history
After the end of World War II, Nishio attracted many workers from the rural south of Japan and its population increased. In 1953, Nishio became a city with the annexation of neighboring Heisaka and Terazu towns and Fukuchi and Muroba villages; followed by Miwa and Meiji villages in 1955. In 1959,
Typhoon Vera
Typhoon Vera, also known as the , was an exceptionally intense tropical cyclone that struck Japan in September 1959, becoming the strongest and deadliest typhoon on record to make landfall on the country as a Category 5 equivalent storm. Th ...
caused considerable damage to the area, with 20 people killed.
On April 1, 2011, the towns of
Hazu
was a town located in Hazu District, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
As of May 1, 2004, the village had an estimated population of 12,351 and a population density of 474.13 persons per km². Its total area was 26.05 km².
Isshiki was a coastal ...
,
Isshiki Isshiki (written: 一色) is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include:
*, Japanese manga artist
*, Japanese actress
*, Japanese samurai and ''daimyō''
*, Japanese samurai and ''daimyō''
Fictional characters:
*Akane Isshiki, pr ...
and
Kira
Kira may refer to:
People
* Kira clan, a Japanese clan, descended from Emperor Seiwa (850–880)
* Kira (given name), including a list of people with the given name
* Kira Chikazane (1563–1588), Japanese retainer
* Kira (German singer) (Janine ...
(all from
Hazu District) were merged into Nishio. Hazu District was dissolved as a result of this merger.
Government
Nishio 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 legislature of 30 members. The city contributes two members to the Aichi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Aichi District 12 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 ...
.
Public Services
Administration
Nishio's City Hall is located in Chodacho, about half a mile to the south-east of Nishio Station. Its foreign residents section offers assistance in Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and English.
Garbage Disposal
The Clean Center recycling plant in Kenjoda accepts all kinds of garbage, including bulky items and hazardous waste.
Health Care
Nishio's main hospital is the Nishio Municipal Hospital in central Nishio, near Yatsuomote-yama.
External relations
Twin towns – Sister cities
International
;Sister city
*
Porirua
Porirua, ( mi, Pari-ā-Rua) a city in the Wellington Region of the North Island of New Zealand, is one of the four cities that constitute the Wellington metropolitan area. The name 'Porirua' is a corruption of 'Pari-rua', meaning "the tide swee ...
(
Wellington Region
Greater Wellington, also known as the Wellington Region (Māori: ''Te Upoko o te Ika''), is a non-unitary region of New Zealand that occupies the southernmost part of the North Island. The region covers an area of , and has a population of
T ...
,
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
)
**Since
December
December is the twelfth and final month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and is also the last of seven months to have a length of 31 days.
December got its name from the Latin word ''decem'' (meaning ten) because it was or ...
15, 1993
National
;Friendship city
*
Echizen(
Fukui Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Fukui Prefecture has a population of 778,943 (1 June 2017) and has a geographic area of 4,190 km2 (1,617 sq mi). Fukui Prefecture borders Ishikawa Prefecture to the north, Gi ...
,
Chūbu region)
**Since 2000
*
Ena
Ena or ENA may refer to:
Education
* École nationale d'administration, French Grande école, for civil service
* Education Networks of America, Internet service provider
Fictional characters
* Ena Sharples, from the British soap opera ''Coron ...
(
Gifu Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Gifu Prefecture has a population of 1,991,390 () and has a geographic area of . Gifu Prefecture borders Toyama Prefecture to the north; Ishikawa Prefecture to the northwest, F ...
,
Chūbu region)
**Since 1998
*
Yonezawa
Yonezawa City Hall
is a city in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 81,707 in 33,278 households, and a population density of 150 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Yonezawa is most famous for ...
(
Yamagata Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Yamagata Prefecture has a population of 1,079,950 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 9,325 km² (3,600 sq mi). Yamagata Prefecture borders Akita Prefecture to the north, ...
,
Tōhoku region
The , Northeast region, or consists of the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. This traditional region consists of six prefectures (''ken''): Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi, and Yamagata.
Tōhoku retains a ...
)
**Since
December
December is the twelfth and final month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and is also the last of seven months to have a length of 31 days.
December got its name from the Latin word ''decem'' (meaning ten) because it was or ...
15, 2013
Economy
Primary sector of the economy
Agriculture
Nishio is a regional commercial center and fishing port, with a mixed economy of light manufacturing and agriculture.
It is also the largest producer of powdered
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 ...
in Japan and one of the leading producers of
Unagi
is the Japanese word for freshwater eel, particularly the Japanese eel, . Unagi is a common ingredient in Japanese cooking, often as '' kabayaki''. It is not to be confused with saltwater eel, which is known as '' anago'' in Japanese. ...
eels.
There is a public fish market at the fishing port in Isshiki.
Secondary sector of the economy
Manufacturing
Numerous suppliers to the Japanese automotive industry such as
Denso and Aisin have production plants in and around Nishio.
Ceramic engineering
The soil around Nishio is rich in
mica
Micas ( ) are a group of silicate minerals whose outstanding physical characteristic is that individual mica crystals can easily be split into extremely thin elastic plates. This characteristic is described as perfect basal cleavage. Mica is ...
deposits, which was already mined in 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 ...
.
Yatsuomote ware is a type of
Japanese pottery
, is one of the oldest Japanese crafts and art forms, dating back to the Neolithic period. Kilns have produced earthenware, pottery, stoneware, glazed pottery, glazed stoneware, porcelain, and blue-and-white ware. Japan has an exceptionally ...
made at a
kiln
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, a type of oven, that produces temperatures sufficient to complete some process, such as hardening, drying, or chemical changes. Kilns have been used for millennia to turn objects made from clay int ...
at the southern foot of Mount Yatsuomote (八ツ面山).
Education
Schools
The city has 26 public elementary schools and 10 public junior high schools operated by the city government and five public high schools operated by the Aichi Prefectural Board of Education.
Public libraries and community centers are maintained in central Nishio, Hazu, Isshiki, Kira and Terazu.
The Nishio International Association offers Japanese language classes as well as instruction in foreign languages; most of these are held at the Fukushi (Welfare) Center in Hananoki-Cho.
Transportation
Railways
Conventional lines
;
Meitetsu
, referred to as , is a private railway company operating around Aichi Prefecture and Gifu Prefecture of Japan.
Some of the more famous trains operated by Meitetsu include the ''Panorama Car'' and the '' Panorama Car Super'', both of which of ...
*
Meitetsu Nishio Line
The is a railway line operated by the private railway operator Nagoya Railroad (Meitetsu) in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, connecting Shin Anjō and Kira Yoshida. It originally included a branch from Nishio-guchi to Okazaki-shin on the Tokaido Main ...
:- - - - - - -
:connects the city with
Nagoya
is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most pop ...
to the north, via Shin Anjo.
*
Meitetsu Gamagōri Line
The is a 17.6 km Japanese railway line in Aichi Prefecture which connects Kira Yoshida Station in Nishio, Aichi, Nishio, with Gamagōri Station in Gamagōri, Aichi, Gamagōri. It is owned by the private railway operator Nagoya Railroad (M ...
: - - - - -
:links Nishio with Gamagōri. Local stations in this direction are
Roads
Japan National Route
*
*
Seaways
Seaports
*Mikawa Issiki Port
File:MT-Nishio Station-EastGate.jpg, Nishio Station
is a train station, railway station in the city of Nishio, Aichi, Japan, operated by Nagoya Railroad, Meitetsu.
Lines
Nishio Station is served by the Meitetsu Nishio Line, and is located 15.0 kilometers from the starting point of the line at . ...
File:道の駅にしお岡ノ山.jpg, Road Station Nishio Okanoyama (Japan National Route 23
is a national highway connecting Toyohashi, Aichi and Ise, Mie in Japan.
Route data
*Length:
*Origin: Toyohashi (originates at junction with Route 1)
*Terminus: Ise (ends at Ise Shrine)
*Major cities: Nishio, Nagoya, Yokkaichi and Tsu
...
)
File:Mikawa Isshiki Port ac.jpg, Mikawa Isshiki Port
Local attractions
Nishio's sightseeing highlight is Ushitora Yagura Castle Keep in the downtown Yamashita-cho area. It features a full reconstruction of the wooden central tower, gates and central compound of
Nishio Castle
is a Japanese castle located in the city of Nishio, eastern Aichi Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Nishio Castle was home to the Ogyu Matsudaira, ''daimyō'' of Nishio Domain. The castle was also known as , , or .
History
Nish ...
, built by the
Matsudaira clan
The was a Japanese samurai clan that descended from the Minamoto clan. It originated in and took its name from Matsudaira village, in Mikawa Province (modern-day Aichi Prefecture). During the Sengoku period, the chieftain of the main line of th ...
in 1221 and used until 1601.
Yatsuomote ware is a type of
Japanese pottery
, is one of the oldest Japanese crafts and art forms, dating back to the Neolithic period. Kilns have produced earthenware, pottery, stoneware, glazed pottery, glazed stoneware, porcelain, and blue-and-white ware. Japan has an exceptionally ...
started around 1825 by Katō Hachiemon (加藤八右衛門) when he opened his
kiln
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, a type of oven, that produces temperatures sufficient to complete some process, such as hardening, drying, or chemical changes. Kilns have been used for millennia to turn objects made from clay int ...
at the southern foot of Mount Yatsuomote (八ツ面山). The soil around Nishio is rich in
mica
Micas ( ) are a group of silicate minerals whose outstanding physical characteristic is that individual mica crystals can easily be split into extremely thin elastic plates. This characteristic is described as perfect basal cleavage. Mica is ...
deposits, which was already mined in 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 ...
. After an incident at Mount Yatsuomote a small bell was offered to soothe the ''
kami
are the deities, divinities, spirits, phenomena or "holy powers", that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, or beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the sp ...
''. Katō Kumazō started a local tradition where small ceramic
zodiac
The zodiac is a belt-shaped region of the sky that extends approximately 8° north or south (as measured in celestial latitude) of the ecliptic, the Sun path, apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. ...
bell
A bell is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be made by an inter ...
s (きらら鈴) were made out of local mica kneaded into the
clay
Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4).
Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay par ...
, and after burning in the kiln the bell would make a pleasing sound when rung.
Landmarks
* Hirahara Waterfall and nature-trail, located in Hirahara-cho
* Kira Waikiki Beach: A series of sheltered sandy coves, open for bathing and watersports from June to September
* Sakushima: A small inhabited island with many traditional wooden buildings in Mikawa Bay, popular for fishing trips. Can be reached by ferry from Isshiki Harbor
* Mount Sangane, a spectacular forested mountain range overlooking Mikawa Bay, suitable for hiking and bird-watching
* Mount Yatsuomote, a hillside park in central Nishio, offering a good view of the surrounding cities, mountains and waterfront
File:Kirawaikikibeach.jpg, Kira Waikiki Beach
File:Sakushima5.jpg, Installation Ohirune House in Sakushima
File:Sakushima1.jpg, View of a street in Sakushima
File:View from the top of Mt Sangane, Higashi-Hazu-cho Nishio city 2013.JPG, Mount Sangane skyline
File:Yatsuomoteyama01.jpg, Aerial view of Mount Yatsuomote
Tourist attraction
;Historic sites
*
Nishio Castle
is a Japanese castle located in the city of Nishio, eastern Aichi Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Nishio Castle was home to the Ogyu Matsudaira, ''daimyō'' of Nishio Domain. The castle was also known as , , or .
History
Nish ...
*Konren-ji
*
Shōbōji Kofun, a National Historic Site
*Iwase Bunko Library
;Parks
*Aichi Children Country
File:Nishio Castle.jpg, Nishio Castle
is a Japanese castle located in the city of Nishio, eastern Aichi Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Nishio Castle was home to the Ogyu Matsudaira, ''daimyō'' of Nishio Domain. The castle was also known as , , or .
History
Nish ...
File:Konrenji.jpg, Konren-ji
File:160227 Whole view of Shoboji Kofun.jpg, Shōbōji Kofun
File:Iwase Bunko Library old book storage ac.jpg, Iwase Bunko Library
File:Aichi-Kodomonokuni Yūhigaoka.JPG, Aichi Children Country
Museums
The Nishio City Museum is located on the grounds of Nishio Castle. It has an extensive collection of items relating to local history and culture, dating from the ancient
Jōmon period
The is the time in Japanese history, traditionally dated between 6,000–300 BCE, during which Japan was inhabited by a diverse hunter-gatherer and early agriculturalist population united through a common Jōmon culture, which reached a c ...
to the late
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 ...
.
The Iwase Bunko Library, next to the city library, is home to a collection of more than 80.000 rare books and ancient Buddhist manuscripts. It features an exposition hall and rooms for study and reading.
The Culture Center in Yamashita-cho provides a venue for concerts, theatre performances, exhibitions and lectures.
Culture
Festivals
A number of popular events and festivals are held in Nishio, most of them during the summer months.
*Toba Fire Festival: On the 2nd Sunday in February two teams of local men from Hazu and Kira vie to pull bamboo poles from a huge bonfire, a traditional rite meant to ensure a good harvest.
*Nishio Gion Festival:On the third weekend of July, a few days before the beginning of the school's summer holidays, Nishio celebrates a two-day city festival in the downtown Honmachi area, the main attraction of Nishio's festival season. Groups of residents parade through the streets performing choreographed dances called “odorocha” and yatai stalls sell sweets and snacks.
*Yonezu River Fireworks Festival: On August 15, more than 3000 fireworks are set off alongside the river near Yonezu Bridge, one of the most extravagant displays of pyrotechnics in the region.
:Smaller local fireworks festivals are also held in Kira and Hazu in the month of August.
*Isshiki Lantern Festival: On the 26th and 27 August, large paper lanterns are on display amid food stalls selling local
Unagi
is the Japanese word for freshwater eel, particularly the Japanese eel, . Unagi is a common ingredient in Japanese cooking, often as '' kabayaki''. It is not to be confused with saltwater eel, which is known as '' anago'' in Japanese. ...
eel and other treats.
*Hawaiian Festival: At the end of August, Hawaiian and local groups perform traditional Polynesian dances on a stage at Kira Waikiki Beach.
Sports
White Wave sports center in Nishio Hazu Fureai Square features a 25m lap-pool, wave pool, waterslides and outdoor swimming areas. It is open year-round.
Public outdoor sporting grounds are found in Nishio Park, Yatsuomote Park, Yahagi River Park, Zenmyo Community Sports Park and Furukawa Green Park. The City, Tsurushiro and Chuo gymnasiums are available for private sport clubs and host a number of minor league teams for baseball, soccer, volleyball, basketball and other sports.
The
Denso Airybees
is a women's volleyball team based in Nishio city, Aichi, Japan. It plays in V.League 1. The club was founded in 1972.
The owner of the team is Denso.
Honours
Japan Volleyball League/V.League/V.Premier League
*Runners-up (1): 2007-2008
*Regu ...
, a women's volleyball team playing in the
V.Premier League are based in Nishio.
Notable Events
In 2006, the city entered the ''
Guinness Book of Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
'' for having the largest simultaneous tea ceremony in the world at any one time with 14,718 participants. This record was later beaten by a tea party in
Indore
Indore () is the largest and most populous Cities in India, city in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It serves as the headquarters of both Indore District and Indore Division. It is also considered as an education hub of the state and is t ...
, India in 2008.
Notable People from Nishio
*
Jitsuo Inagaki
was a Japanese politician and cabinet member.
Inagaki was elected to his first term in the Japanese House of Representatives in 1977. In 1984, he was part of the LDP Party and served on the Social Security System Consultative Council as an SL ...
, politician
*
Toshio Iwai
is a Japanese interactive media and Installation art, installation artist who has also created a number of commercial video games. In addition he has worked in television, music performance, museum design and digital musical instrument design.
E ...
, video game artist and musician
*
Hitoki Iwase
Hitoki Iwase (岩瀬 仁紀, born November 10, 1974) is a retired Japanese professional baseball player from Nishio, Aichi, Japan. He holds the NPB record for career saves and mound appearances.
In 2005, he marked 46 saves with a 1.88 ERA, ...
, professional baseball player
*
Oguri Jukichi
was one of the first Japanese citizens known to have reached present day California. He and his fourteen-man crew, bound for Edo, were sailing off the Japanese coast in 1813 when their ship, the ''Tokujomaru'', was disabled in a storm. The ship ...
, Edo period castaway
*
Koen Kondo
Koen Kondo (Kôen Kondô; 近藤公園; born 11 October 1978) is a Japanese people, Japanese actor. He made his debut in the popular 2001 in film, 2001 film ''Waterboys (film), Waterboys''.
Selected filmography Films
*''Waterboys (film), Waterboy ...
, actor
*
Mami Koyama
is a Japanese actress, Voice acting in Japan, voice actress and narrator affiliated with Aoni Production. Her best-known voice roles include Ophiuchus Shaina in ''Saint Seiya'', Arale Norimaki in ''Dr. Slump'', Minky Momo in ''Magical Princess M ...
, voice actress
*
Maria Makino
(born February 2, 2001) is a Japanese pop singer, dancer and model. She is a 12th generation member of Japanese girl group Morning Musume.
Biography
Makino joined Hello Pro Kenshusei on November 1, 2012, the news was later made public by Hello ...
, idol singer (
Morning Musume
, formerly simply and colloquially referred to as , are a Japanese girl group, holding the second highest overall single sales (of a female group) on the Oricon, Oricon charts as of February 2012, with the Oricon record of most top ten singles ...
)
*
Tetsuya Makita, actor
*
Katsuya Takasu
is a plastic surgeon based in Tokyo. He has attracted controversies regarding his stances of Holocaust and Nanking Massacre denial.
Takasu is a member of Japan Medical Association, Japan Society of Aesthetic Surgery, Japanese Association of Co ...
, plastic surgeon
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Cities in Aichi Prefecture
Populated coastal places in Japan