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 ...
in
Aomori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku region. The prefecture's capital, largest city, and namesake is the city of Aomori. Aomori is the northernmost prefecture on Japan's main island, Honshu, and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east, ...
,
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 60,697, 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 84 persons per km
2 in 27,677 households. The total area of the city is .
Geography
Towada is in the foothills of the
Hakkōda Mountains
The are an active volcanic complex in south-central Aomori Prefecture, Japan, in Towada-Hachimantai National Park. Often called or simply , the mountains are collectively listed as one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains. Its highest peak, ...
and encompasses the Aomori portion of
Lake Towada
is the largest crater lake in Honshū island, Japan. Located on the border between Aomori and Akita prefectures, it lies 400 meters (1,800 ft) above sea level and is 327 m (1,073 ft) deep, drained by the Oirase river. With a s ...
. The
Oirase River
The is a river located in eastern Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan.
__NOTOC__
The Oirase River is the only river that drains Lake Towada, a large caldera lake that lies on the border of Aomori and Akita Prefectures. Th ...
passes through the town. Towada is an area rich in nature. To the west are
Towada-Hachimantai National Park
is a national park comprising two separate areas of Aomori, Iwate, and Akita Prefectures, Japan. The Towada-Hakkōda area encompasses Lake Towada, Mount Hakkōda, and most of the Oirase River valley. The Hachimantai area includes Mount Hachim ...
. In particular, Lake Towada and the Oirase River are famous tourist spots. As for industry, agriculture is thriving, and the city produces the largest amount of garlic in Japan.
The central part of the city is characterized by its orderly grid-like streets. In particular, "Government Office Street" is a popular place for citizens to enjoy the
Someiyoshino (Japanese cherry) trees planted along the street. In recent years, the city has been promoting its urban policy as a "Arts Towada," with the
Towada Art Center
The is an art museum in Towada, Aomori Prefecture, Japan.
The museum was opened in 2008 as part of the Arts Towada Project, in an effort to revitalize the city. It features works from artists both inside and outside of Japan, including Yoko Ono ...
(Art museum) as its centerpiece.
Towada is home to the national and prefectural agencies that administer the
Kamikita region, and is the central city of the region. In October 2012, the city signed an agreement with nine surrounding municipalities to improve the living environment, and has a cooperative relationship with
Misawa City, which has an airport and a
U.S. Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sign ...
base.
Neighboring municipalities
Aomori Prefecture
*
Aomori
is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 278,964 in 136,457 households, and a population density of 340 people per square kilometer spread over the city's total area of ...
*
Hirakawa
*
Rokunohe
is a town located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 10,994, and a population density of 130 persons per km², in 4,419 households. The total area of the town is
Geography
Rokunohe is in east-central Aomori P ...
*
Shichinohe
is a town located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 15,286, and a population density of 45 persons per km2, in 6,797 households. The total area of the town is .
Geography
Shichinohe is in central Aomori Pref ...
*
Tōhoku
*
Gonohe
is a town located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 16,880, and a population density of 95 persons per km2 in 7,006 households. The total area of the town is .
Geography
Gonohe is located in the north-east ...
*
Shingō
Akita Prefecture
*
Kazuno
is a city located in Akita Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 30.715, and a population density of 43 persons per km² in 12.970 households. The total area of the city is .
Geography
Kazuno is located in a valley in t ...
*
Kosaka
Climate
The city has a cold
humid climate characterized by cool summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall (
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 Towada is 9.8 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1233 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 22.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around -2.3 °C. Part of the city is within the limits of the
Towada-Hachimantai National Park
is a national park comprising two separate areas of Aomori, Iwate, and Akita Prefectures, Japan. The Towada-Hakkōda area encompasses Lake Towada, Mount Hakkōda, and most of the Oirase River valley. The Hachimantai area includes Mount Hachim ...
.
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Towada peaked at around the year 2000, and has been in decline since.
History
The area around present-day Towada was formerly a wasteland known as , which became the location of a colonization and land reclamation project initiated by the
Nambu clan
The was a Japanese samurai clan who ruled most of northeastern Honshū in the Tōhoku region of Japan for over 700 years, from the Kamakura period through the Meiji Restoration of 1868. The Nanbu claimed descent from the Seiwa Genji of Kai Pr ...
of
Morioka Domain
300px, Ruins of Morioka Castle
was a '' tozama'' feudal domain of Edo period Japan. It was ruled throughout its history by the Nanbu clan. It was called during the early part of its history. It was located in northern Mutsu Province, Honshū, ...
from 1855. The project was headed by Nitobe Tsutō, the grandfather of
Inazō Nitobe. The project was continued by the
Meiji government
The was the government that was formed by politicians of the Satsuma Domain and Chōshū Domain in the 1860s. The Meiji government was the early government of the Empire of Japan.
Politicians of the Meiji government were known as the Meiji o ...
, and the area was designated a ranch area for breeding
cavalry
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...
horses by the
Imperial Japanese Army
The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor o ...
in 1885. The inclement climate of the area was considered ideal for breeding horses that would be suitable for use in the cold climate areas of
Manchuria
Manchuria is an exonym (derived from the endo demonym " Manchu") for a historical and geographic region in Northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day Northeast China (Inner Manchuria) and parts of the Russian Far East (Outer Manc ...
and
Siberia
Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...
. The village of Sanbongi was established with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. On September 1, 1910, Sanbongi was designated a town. It was elevated to the status of a city on February 1, 1955. In October 1956, it changed its name to “Towada”.
On January 1, 2005, the town of
Towadako (from
Kamikita District) was merged into Towada.
Government
Towada 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 22 members. Towada contributes two members to the Aomori Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of
Aomori 2nd district
Aomori 2nd district (青森県第2区, ''Aomori-ken dai-niku'' or simply 青森2区, ''Aomori-niku'') is a single-member constituency of the House of Representatives of Japan, House of Representatives in the national Diet of Japan. It is located ...
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 Towada is based largely on agriculture.
Education
Colleges and universities
*
Kitasato University
is a private medical university headquartered in Shirokane, Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
The head of the university is on the Shirokane campus, neighboring the original Kitasato Institute, the first private medical research facility in Japan which was ...
- Towada Campus (School of Veterinary Medicine)
High schools
Towada has four public high schools operated by the Aomori Prefectural Board of Education
*Sanbongi High School
*Sanbongi Agriculture High School
*Towada Technical High School
*Towada Nishi High School
Elementary schools and middle schools
There are 17 public elementary schools and 9 public middle schools in Towada operated by the municipal government, and one middle school operated by the prefectural government.
Transportation
Railway
Towada currently has no passenger railway service. The
Towada Kankō Electric Railway Line
The was a railway route operated by Towada Kankō Electric Railway (Totetsu). It ran between Misawa Station and Towadashi Station in eastern Aomori Prefecture, Japan.
History
On September 5, 1922, the began operating a 762mm gauge line betwe ...
connecting Towada with Misawa had five stations within the city. It was discontinued in 2012 and replaced by a bus service.
* < '', , , , '' >
Highway
*
*
*
*
*
*
Local attractions
*
Towada-Hachimantai National Park
is a national park comprising two separate areas of Aomori, Iwate, and Akita Prefectures, Japan. The Towada-Hakkōda area encompasses Lake Towada, Mount Hakkōda, and most of the Oirase River valley. The Hachimantai area includes Mount Hachim ...
*
Lake Towada
is the largest crater lake in Honshū island, Japan. Located on the border between Aomori and Akita prefectures, it lies 400 meters (1,800 ft) above sea level and is 327 m (1,073 ft) deep, drained by the Oirase river. With a s ...
*
Oirase River
The is a river located in eastern Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan.
__NOTOC__
The Oirase River is the only river that drains Lake Towada, a large caldera lake that lies on the border of Aomori and Akita Prefectures. Th ...
- listed as one of the
100 Soundscapes of Japan by the Japanese
Ministry of the Environment
*
Matsumi Falls - one of "
Japan’s Top 100 Waterfalls
is a list of waterfalls in Japan compiled by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment in 1990.
Background
According to the Japanese government, there are 517 named waterfalls in Japan. Many of these waterfalls are located in remote mountain lo ...
"
*
Towada Art Center
The is an art museum in Towada, Aomori Prefecture, Japan.
The museum was opened in 2008 as part of the Arts Towada Project, in an effort to revitalize the city. It features works from artists both inside and outside of Japan, including Yoko Ono ...
International relations
* -
Lethbridge, Alberta
Lethbridge ( ) is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. With a population of 101,482 in its 2019 municipal census, Lethbridge became the fourth Alberta city to surpass 100,000 people. The nearby Canadian Rocky Mountains contribute to ...
, Canada, sister city since 2002
Lethbridge Twinning Society homepage
/ref>
Notable people from Towada
*Junji Ishiwatari
is a Japanese musician, songwriter and record producer. He is also famous for being a guitarist of the Japanese band Supercar.
Biography
Ishiwatari found an ad looking for band members that had been posted by Miki Furukawa at a musical instru ...
, musician, and former guitarist and songwriter for the Japanese rock band Supercar
A supercar – also called exotic car – is a loosely defined description of street-legal, high-performance sports cars. Since the 2010s, the term hypercar has come into use for the highest performing supercars. Supercars commonly serve as t ...
*Koji Kumagai
is a former Japanese Association football, football player.
Club career
Kumagai was born in Towada, Aomori, Towada on October 23, 1975. After graduating from high school, he joined Kashima Antlers in 1994. Although he could hardly play in the m ...
, soccer player
*Koji Nakamura
is a Japanese musician who is most famous for being the lead singer/songwriter in the Japanese band Supercar (band), Supercar. , musician, and former guitarist and lead singer for the Japanese rock band Supercar
A supercar – also called exotic car – is a loosely defined description of street-legal, high-performance sports cars. Since the 2010s, the term hypercar has come into use for the highest performing supercars. Supercars commonly serve as t ...
References
External links
Official Website
Chamber of Commerce Website
{{Authority control
Towada, Aomori,
Cities in Aomori Prefecture