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 ...

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, ...

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 125,389 in 49,024 households, 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 95.74 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Tsuruoka is the biggest city in Tōhoku region in terms of surface area. Today's Tsuruoka is the result of the fusion of several neighborhoods around the center of the city such as Atsumi, Asahi, Fujishima, Kushibiki, and Haguro in 1953.

Geography

Tsuruoka is located on the coast of Yamagata Prefecture bordering the

Sea of Japan The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it h ...

and has some locally popular beaches such as Yunohama and Sanze. All three of the

Three Mountains of Dewa The refer to the three sacred mountains of Mount Haguro, Mount Gassan and Mount Yudono, which are clustered together in the ancient province of Dewa (modern-day Yamagata Prefecture). Holy to the Japanese Shinto religion and especially the mou ...

are at least partially within the city limits. Two main rivers run through Tsuruoka, the Akagawa River (赤川, literally "Red River"), and the

Mogami River The is a river in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. Description and history It is 224 km long and has a watershed of 7,040 km2. It is regarded as one of the three most rapid rivers of Japan (along with the Fuji River and the Kuma River). ...

Neighboring municipalities

*Yamagata Prefecture ** Sakata ** Shōnai ** Nishikawa ** Mikawa *Niigata Prefecture ** Murakami

Climate

Tsuruoka has a

Humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...

(

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'') with large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year but is heaviest from August to October. The average annual temperature in Tsuruoka is . The average annual rainfall is with December as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around , and lowest in January, at around . The region is known for its heavy snowfalls during the winter, and people living in Sekigawa and Atsumi's neighborhoods can expect up to 2 meters of snow which after removal creates very particular snow walls standing high along the road. The first snows usually come in late November but the real peak is generally around January. The red leaves appear generally at the end of October and end in mid-November.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Tsuruoka has declined in recent decades.

History

The area of present-day Tsuruoka was part of ancient

Dewa Province was a province of Japan comprising modern-day Yamagata Prefecture and Akita Prefecture, except for the city of Kazuno and the town of Kosaka. Dewa bordered on Mutsu and Echigō Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . History Early peri ...

, and was under the control of the

Shōnai Domain was a feudal domain in Edo period Japan, located in Dewa Province (modern-day Yamagata Prefecture), Japan. It was centered on Tsuruoka Castle in what is now the city of Tsuruoka in Yamagata Prefecture, and was thus also known as the . It was gov ...

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 ...

in 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 ...

. It was a minor port for the ''

kitamaebune The was a shipping route (and also the ships involved) in Japan from the Edo period to the Meiji era. The route went from Osaka through the Seto Inland Sea and the Kanmon Straits to ports in Hokuriku on the Sea of Japan and later to Hokkaidō. ...

'' coastal trade. After the start of 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 ...

, the area organized as Tsuruoka Town under Nishitagawa District, Yamagata Prefecture in 1878. It was elevated to city status on October 1, 1924, becoming Japan's 100th city. In 1955, the city expanded by annexing the town of Kamo and nine neighboring villages. The town of Oyama was annexed by Tsuruoka in 1963. On October 1, 2005, the towns of Fujishima, Haguro and Kushibiki, and the village of

Asahi Asahi (朝日, 旭, or あさひ) means "morning sun" in Japanese and may refer to: Cities * Asahi, Chiba (旭市; ''Asahi-shi'') Wards * Asahi-ku, Osaka (旭区; ''Asahi-ku'') * Asahi-ku, Yokohama (旭; ''Asahi-ku'') Towns * Asahi, Aichi (旭� ...

(all from Higashitagawa District), and the town of Atsumi (from Nishitagawa District) were merged into Tsuruoka.

Government

Tsuruoka 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 24 members. The city contributes five members to the Yamagata Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Yamagata District 3 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

Tsuruoka has a mixed economy based on light manufacturing, commercial services, agriculture, and

commercial fishing Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for commercial profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice it as an industry must often ...

Education

Tsuruoka has 26 public elementary schools and 11public middle schools operated by the city government and six public high schools operated by the Yamagata Prefectural Board of Education. There are also two private high schools. The prefecture also operates two special education schools for the handicapped.

Colleges and universities

Yamagata University is a national university located in the Japanese cities of Yamagata, Yonezawa, and Tsuruoka in Yamagata Prefecture. The Times Higher Education released World University Rankings 2016–2017. Yamagata University ranked 600-800th out of the top ...

, Faculty of Agriculture *

Keio University , mottoeng = The pen is mightier than the sword , type = Private research coeducational higher education institution , established = 1858 , founder = Yukichi Fukuzawa , endowmen ...

, Institute for Advanced Biosciences (Tsuruoka Town Campus and Metabolome Campus) * Tohoku University of Community Service and Science (Tsuruoka Campus) * Tsuruoka National College of Technology

High schools

* Tsuruoka Minami High School * Tsuruoka Kita High School * Tsuruoka Kamo Fisheries High School * Tsuruoka Higashi High School * Tsuruoka Kogyo High School * Tsuruoka Chuo High School * Yamazoe High School * Shonai Agricultural High School * Haguro High School

Junior high schools

* Tsuruoka Daiichi Junior High School * Tsuruoka Daini Junior High School * Tsuruoka Daisan Junior High School * Tsuruoka Daiyon Junior High School * Tsuruoka Daigo Junior High School * Tsuruoka Toyoura Junior High School * Tsuruoka Fujishima Junior High School * Tsuruoka Haguro Junior High School * Tsuruoka Kushibiki Junior High School * Tsuruoka Asahi Junior High School * Tsuruoka Atsumi Junior High School

Elementary schools

* Tsuruoka Choyo Daiichi Elementary School * Tsuruoka Choyo Daini Elementary School * Tsuruoka Choyo Daisan Elementary School * Tsuruoka Choyo Daiyon Elementary School * Tsuruoka Choyo Daigo Elementary School * Tsuruoka Choyo Dairoku Elementary School * Tsuruoka Itsuki Elementary School * Tsuruoka Kogane Elementary School * Tsuruoka Oizumi Elementary School * Tsuruoka Yutagawa Elementary School * Tsuruoka Kyoden Elementary School * Tsuruoka Tagawa Elementary School * Tsuruoka Sanze Elementary School * Tsuruoka Kogata Elementary School * Tsuruoka Yura Elementary School * Tsuruoka Kamo Elementary School * Tsuruoka Yunohama Elementary School * Tsuruoka Oyama Elementary School * Tsuruoka Nishigo Elementary School * Tsuruoka Kamigo Elementary School * Tsuruoka Fujishima Elementary School * Tsuruoka Toei Elementary School * Tsuruoka Watamae Elementary School * Tsuruoka Haguro Elementary School * Tsuruoka Hirose Elementary School * Tsuruoka Kushibiki Higashi Elementary School * Tsuruoka Kushibiki Nishi Elementary School * Tsuruoka Kushibiki Minami Elementary School * Tsuruoka Otsuna Elementary School * Tsuruoka Asahi Elementary School * Tsuruoka Atsumi Elementary School * Tsuruoka Iragawa Elementary School * Tsuruoka Nezugaseki Elementary School * Tsuruoka Fukuei Elementary School * Tsuruoka Yamato Elementary School

Health care

* Tsuruoka Shonai Hospital * Tsuruoka Kyoritsu Hospital * Yutagawa Onsen Rehabilitation Medical Center

Transportation

Airports

* Shonai Airport

Railway

East Japan Railway Company The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and is the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are ...

Uetsu Main Line The is a railway line in the Tohoku and Chubu regions of Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) system, it connects Niitsu Station in the city of Niigata and Akita Station in Akita. The name "Uetsu" refers to the ancient ...

* - - - - - - - - -

Highway

* : Yudonosan, Shōnai Asahi, Tsuruoka interchanges * * * *

Media

TV

* NHK Tsuruoka Broadcast Station

Newspapers

* Shonai Nippo

Culture

The Mountain Spirit

Tsuruoka is mostly known for its "

", which refers to Mt. Haguro, the smallest mount that culminates at only 436m high; Mt. Gassan, the highest mount at 1984m; and Mt. Yudono, at 1500m.

Yamabushi and Shugendô

Those three mounts are considered as the core of Shugendô's practice. Shugendô 修験道(literally: ''The way of the ascetic practice'') is often perceived as a form of syncretism of Shintô 神道, religion and Buddhism. The ''

Yamabushi are Japanese mountain ascetic hermits. They are generally part of the syncretic religion, which includes Tantric Buddhist, Shinto, and Japanese Taoist elements. Their origins can be traced back to the solitary Yama-bito and some (saints or ho ...

'' 山伏, literally : "the men who sleep in the Mountain" (men who practice ''shugendô'') believe in Buddha but also believe that a god resides in all things that exist in nature. Yamabushi, those men who wear a checked vest and blow in a trumpet shell to communicate with their peers and to keep the bad spirits away, aim to protect the mountain and to live a sinless life connected to the nature. The pilgrimage of all the three mounts is done in that sense. The three mounts symbolically represent death and rebirth. By going down and up the 2466 stone stairs of the mount Haguro, people can experiment a "symbolic death" and "rebirth", after which they can access to the world of the dead represented by Mt. Gassan and its foggy landscapes, and then go purify their body and their soul in Mt. Yudono's natural hotsprings. Shojin ryori

'' Shôjin ryôri'' 精進料理 ("food for spiritual elevation"), a vegan food traditionally consumed by Yamabushi, uses no animal product but ''sansai'' 山菜 ("Mountain vegetables") instead, as well as local rice, handmade ''gomadôfu'' ごま豆腐 (sesame-flavoured tôfu), bamboo sprouts, vinegared chrysanthemum flowers and mushrooms. There exists a lot of different ''shôjin ryôri'' depending on the ''shukubô'' 宿坊 (temples that also welcome travellers for the night) that serves it, but it usually consists in a lot of small dishes accompanied with a miso soup and white rice.

National Treasures

Mt. Haguro hosts The Five-Storied Pagoda (''gojûnotô'' 五重塔), one of Japan's National Treasures. The pagoda's central pillar protects it from earthquakes, which inspired Tokyo's Skytree's architecture. Also in the grounds of Mt. Haguro is the Jiji-sugi 爺杉 ("Grandpa cedar"), a 30m high cedar that exists for more than 1000 years.

Culinary culture

Heritage and creativity

In 2014, Tsuruoka has been registered as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. Its more than 50 species of "ancestral food" (''zairai sakumotsu'' 在来作物) that exist and remain intact for several centuries now are one of the reasons why the city has received this title. Among these there are: ''minden nasu'' 民田なす (a round eggplant with a long and thin hat), からとりいも (spiciness-sweetener potato), 温海かぶ (Atsumi turnip, a red turnip that grows on sharp slopes), ''ootaki carrot'' 大滝ニンジン, etc. The presence of such ancient food is not the only reason why Tsuruoka has been registered as a Creative City of Gastronomy. Its particular way to cook these ingredients was even more determinant. Tsuruoka's most known specialties are: ''kandarajiru'' 寒鱈汁 (a soup containing black cod fished during the winter – the period when it is supposed to be tastier), ''gomadôfu'' ごま豆腐 (sesame-flavoured tôfu), ''tochimochi'' とちもち (chestnut flavoured pound rice cake), ''kitsunemen'' キツネ面 (fox mask shaped black sugar biscuit), etc. The city is also known for its large variety of soups (it is said the harsh cold during the winter is the reason why there are so many types of hot soups in Tsuruoka), apart from ''kandarajiru'', there is ''takenokojiru'' タケノコ汁 (Mt Gassan bamboo soup), ''imoni'' 芋煮 (potato soup), ''nattôjiru'' 納豆汁 (nattô based soup), ''môsô jiru'' (another type of bamboo soup).

Peas

Tsuruoka is known for (だだちゃ豆), a species of

soybean The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses. Traditional unfermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk, from which tofu an ...

, which have been called "the king of

edamame is a preparation of immature soybeans in the pod, found in cuisines with origins in East Asia. The pods are boiled or steamed and may be served with salt or other condiments. In Japan, they are usually blanched in 4% salt water for 5 minut ...

"; they are also used for other products such as

nattō , spelled as natto in standard English language use, is a traditional Japanese food made from whole soybeans that have been fermented with ''Bacillus subtilis'' var. ''natto''. It is often served as a breakfast food with rice. It is served wi ...

and in

manjū is a traditional Japanese confection. Of the many varieties of manjū, most have an outside made from flour, rice powder, kudzu, and buckwheat, and a filling of ''anko'' ( red bean paste), usually made from boiled adzuki beans and sugar. ''M ...

. There are two theories as to the origin of the name: one is that it derives from , the Shonai dialectical word for "father" – is the dialectical word for "mother", while the other is that the beans came from

Date, Fukushima is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 59,625 in 22,843 households and a population density of 220 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . Geography Date occupies the eastern half of the F ...

, and were originally called , which became and then . are used in any kind of meal: sweet, salty, spicy, bitter, sour, just boiled, crushed, grilled, and in sauces. ''Dadakko'' (だだっ子), are small cakes which contain a sweet paste. ''Dadappai (''だだっパイ) are small pasted inside a puff pastry. There are also flavored ice creams, cookies, biscuits, creams.

Seafood

Tsuruoka and the whole region of Shônai benefit from a large variety of fishes and sea food coming from the

. Among all the local sea foods you can find in Tsuruoka, there are:

Cherry salmon The masu salmon (''Oncorhynchus masou''), also known as masu ( ja, マス, , trout) or in Japan, is a species of salmon belonging to the genus '' Oncorhynchus'', found in the North Pacific along Northeast/East Asian coasts from the Russian Far Ea ...

, Japanese seabream,

blue crab Blue crab may refer to: * Blue Crab 11, an American sailboat design * ''Callinectes sapidus'' – Chesapeake or Atlantic blue crab of the West Atlantic, introduced elsewhere * '' Cardisoma guanhumi'' – blue land crab of the West Atlantic * '' Dis ...

, littlemouth flounder, flatfish, black rockfish,

tonguefish Tonguefishes are flatfish in the family Cynoglossidae. They are distinguished by the presence of a long hook on the snout overhanging the mouth, and the absence of pectoral fins. Their eyes are both on the left side of their bodies, which also ...

, flying squid, oyster,

sea robin Prionotinae is a subfamily of demersal, marine ray-finned fishes, part of the family Triglidae. The fishes in this subfamily are called sea robins and are found in the Western Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Oceans, the other two Triglid subfamilies ...

, sandfish, Japanese codfish, and others. The huge variety of fresh local fishes and seafood in Tsuruoka had contributed to the local sushi shops' good reputation, but it has also helped constitute a very particular kind of "family gastronomy", where fishes hold a very important place.

Rice

The rice cultivated in Tsuruoka and more generally in Shonai region has been recognized for its strong umami taste. In 2010, searchers from Keiô University's Institute for Advanced Biosciences 慶應義塾大学先端生命科学研究所 have proven Tsuyahime local rice brand contained 1.5x more umami taste than the common other brands of rice thanks to the studies of

metabolome The metabolome refers to the complete set of small-molecule chemicals found within a biological sample. The biological sample can be a cell, a cellular organelle, an organ, a tissue, a tissue extract, a biofluid or an entire organism. The smal ...

Arts and crafts

The city is literally surrounded by plains, forests and mountains. Thus, wood and grass were largely used in all kinds of crafts. As for architecture, thatch-roofed houses (''kayabukiyane'' かやぶき屋根) are one of the symbols of the city. Some of them remained in good condition through centuries now as for example ''Tasôminka'' 多層民家 (the several-layered house), a traditional farmer house from Meiji period, and the house in Chidô Museum 致道博物館. Concerning clothing, ''shinaori'' しな織り, is a traditional weaving style from tree bark that is still performed these days. The items created with this solid and firm thread are very resistant and waterproof.

Local attractions

Training at Ideha Culture Museum (いでは文化記念館, "Ideha Bunka Kinenkan") * Mt. Haguro * Zenpō Temple（善宝寺, - Where, in 1990, a carp fish with a human-like face was seen in a pond on the temple grounds.''

Metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big c ...

'', "Fortean Japan", 27 June 2008, p. 12.） * Chido Museum（到道博物館,“Chido Hakubutsukan”） * Shōnai Shrine * Yutagawa Hot Spring * Yunohama Hot Spring *Atsumi Hot Spring * Dewa-no-Yuki Shuzō Museum * Tsuruoka Art Forum * Dewa Shōnai Kokusai Mura International Forum and the Amazon Folk Museum * Gassan Asahi Museum * Tsuruoka Kamo Aquarium（加茂水族館, “Kamo-Suizokukan”.This is registered in Guinness for the number of jellyfish exhibits.）

Local events

* Saitansai (New Year Ceremony) in Mt. Haguro Shrine - January 1 * Ogisai Kurokawa Noh (

Noh is a major form of classical Japanese dance-drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Developed by Kan'ami and his son Zeami, it is the oldest major theatre art that is still regularly performed today. Although the terms Noh and ' ...

Festival) in Kushibiki - February 1 to 2 * Oyama Sake Festival - Middle of February * Mt. Yudono Ski Festival in Mt. Yudono - From middle to late February * Tsuruoka

Hinamatsuri , also called Doll's Day or Girls' Day, is a religious (Shinto) holiday in Japan, celebrated on 3March of each year. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2005)"Hina Matsuri"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 313. Platforms covered with a red carpet–mater ...

in Shonai Temple and Chido Museum - March * Tsuruoka

Sakura A cherry blossom, also known as Japanese cherry or sakura, is a flower of many trees of Prunus, genus ''Prunus'' or Prunus subg. Cerasus, ''Prunus'' subg. ''Cerasus''. They are common species in East Asia, including China, Korea and especia ...

Festival in Tsuruoka Park - From middle to late April *

Tulip Tulips (''Tulipa'') are a genus of spring-blooming perennial herbaceous bulbiferous geophytes (having bulbs as storage organs). The flowers are usually large, showy and brightly coloured, generally red, pink, yellow, or white (usually in warm ...

Festival in Ikoi Village Shonai - From late April to Early May * Amazon Kid Festival in Gassan Asahi Village - May 3 to 5 * Ceremony for Women and Children in Mt. Haguro Shrine - May 5 * Kinensai (Prayer service for a good crop) in Mt. Haguro Shrine - May 8 * International Nordic Walk in Yunohama - Middle of May * Tenjin Festival - May 25 * Oyama Dog Festival - June 5 * Yutagawa Hot Spring Hotaru Matsuri (

Firefly The Lampyridae are a family of elateroid beetles with more than 2,000 described species, many of which are light-emitting. They are soft-bodied beetles commonly called fireflies, lightning bugs, or glowworms for their conspicuous production ...

Festival) - June 15 to August 10 * Flower Festival in Mt. Haguro - July 15 * Gassan Shrine Festival in Mt. Gassan - July 15 * International

Bungee jumping Bungee jumping (), also spelled bungy jumping, is an activity that involves a person jumping from a great height while connected to a large elastic cord. The launching pad is usually erected on a tall structure such as a building or crane, a ...

in Gassan Asahi Village - Middle of July *

Edamame is a preparation of immature soybeans in the pod, found in cuisines with origins in East Asia. The pods are boiled or steamed and may be served with salt or other condiments. In Japan, they are usually blanched in 4% salt water for 5 minut ...

Shop Open in Shirayama - Late July to Late August * Akagawa Fireworks Festival - Middle of August *

Oku no Hosomichi ''Oku no Hosomichi'' (, originally ), translated as ''The Narrow Road to the Deep North'' and ''The Narrow Road to the Interior'', is a major work of ''haibun'' by the Japanese poet Matsuo Bashō, considered one of the major texts of Japanese l ...

National

Haiku is a type of short form poetry originally from Japan. Traditional Japanese haiku consist of three phrases that contain a ''kireji'', or "cutting word", 17 '' on'' (phonetic units similar to syllables) in a 5, 7, 5 pattern, and a ''kigo'', or se ...

Competition at Ideha Bunka Kinenkan - Middle of September * Experience:

Training at Ideha Bunka Kinenkan - Middle of September * Miss Shonai Contest - Late October * Shonai Hyakuman-goku Festival - Early November * Shôreisai 松例祭 - Last day of December. Through different rites involving trees and fires, Yamabushi pray for a good rice harvest and the good health of the crops.

International relations

Twin towns – Sister cities

Tsuruoka is twinned with: *

Kagoshima, Kagoshima , abbreviated to , is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Located at the southwestern tip of the island of Kyushu, Kagoshima is the largest city in the prefecture by some margin. It has been nicknamed the "Naples of the Eastern world ...

, Japan * –

Kikonai, Hokkaido is a town located in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. As of September 2016, the town has an estimated population of 4,448, and a density of 20 persons per km². The total area is 221.88 km². Geography Kikonai is located on the southw ...

, since April 27, 1989 * –

New Brunswick, New Jersey New Brunswick is a city (New Jersey), city in and the county seat, seat of government of Middlesex County, New Jersey, Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.La Foa La Foa is a commune in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Although the provincial seat of the South Province is in Nouméa, La Foa was made the chief town of the administrative subdivisio ...

New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...

* -

Shangzhi Shangzhi () is a county-level city under the jurisdiction of Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China. It is away from central Harbin and has an area of approximately . The city proper has a population of around ...

Heilongjiang Heilongjiang () formerly romanized as Heilungkiang, is a province in northeast China. The standard one-character abbreviation for the province is (). It was formerly romanized as "Heilungkiang". It is the northernmost and easternmost province ...

, China

Notable people from Tsuruoka

Koichi Kato (LDP) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party who held a seat in the House of Representatives in the National Diet for 13 terms between 1972 and 2012. Kato was elected to several districts in Yamagata Prefecture and served as th ...

, politician *

Kashiwado Tsuyoshi was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Yamagata Prefecture. He was the sport's 47th yokozuna, fighting at the sport's highest rank from 1961 to 1969. After his retirement he became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association and ran his own ...

, sumo wrestler *

Takashi Ishikawa is a former professional wrestler and sumo wrestler from Fujishima, Higashitagawa District, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. Sumo wrestling career He played baseball up to junior high school, but at Sakata Minami High School he switched to sumo an ...

, sumo wrestler *

Rentaro Kita was a Japanese ryūkōka singer from the early Shōwa era. Life and career Kita was born in Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture as . He made his debut in 1936 with the song on Taihei Records. In 1937 he moved to Polydor Records Polydor Re ...

, musician *

Kanji Ishiwara was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. He and Itagaki Seishirō were the men primarily responsible for the Mukden Incident that took place in Manchuria in 1931. Early life Ishiwara was born in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Pref ...

, general in the Imperial Japanese Army * Satō Tetsutarō, admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy * Tomegoro Yoshizumi, spy and defector to

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

Shuhei Fujisawa (26 December 1927 – 26 January 1997) was a Japanese author, whose real name was Tomeji Kosuge. (小菅留治). Over fifty of his books were published through the course of his lifetime, including both full-length novels and short story anthologi ...

, writer *

Ishirō Honda was a Japanese filmmaker who directed 44 feature films in a career spanning 59 years. The most internationally successful Japanese filmmaker prior to Hayao Miyazaki, his films have had a significant influence on the film industry. Honda enter ...

, movie director * Shin Togashi, movie director *

Saiichi Maruya was a Japanese author and literary critic. Biography Maruya, whose real name was Saiichi Nemura, was born in Tsuruoka city, Yamagata Prefecture on August 27, 1925. His father was a doctor, and apparently wealthy enough to have a big personal l ...

, writer and literary critic *

Ryo Chonan is a retired Japanese professional mixed martial artist. A professional competitor from 2001–2013, Chonan competed for the UFC, PRIDE, DEEP, DREAM, Pancrase, and World Victory Road. Chonan is the former DEEP Middleweight Champion and the fo ...

, mixed martial artist *

Shōichi Watanabe was an English scholar and one of Japan’s cultural critics. He is known for ultranationalist historical negationism. He was born in Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture. A graduate of Sophia University, where he obtained his Master’s degree, he c ...

, English scholar * Yuya Hasegawa, professional baseball player

References

External links

Official Website

Official tourism website

Official English website
{{Authority control Cities in Yamagata Prefecture Populated coastal places in Japan