Iwata, Shizuoka

former Mitsuke School in Iwata
is a city located in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 169,897 in 68,215 households and a population density was 1,000 persons per km². The total area of the city was . Iwata is widely known as the headquarters of the Yamaha Motor Corporation. Iwata is also home to Júbilo Iwata, a J. League soccer team, as well as Yamaha Jubilo, a rugby team.

Geography

Iwata is located in southwestern Shizuoka Prefecture, bordered by the Tenryū River to the west and with a small coastline on the Pacific Ocean to the south.

Surrounding municipalities

*Shizuoka Prefecture
**Hamamatsu
** Fukuroi
**Mori

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Iwata has been increasing over the past 60 years.

Climate

The city has a climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild winters (Köppen climate classification ''Cfa''). The average annual temperature in Iwata 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 .

History

Iwata is an ancient settlement, and human habitation dates from the Japanese Paleolithic period, with obsidian tools and shell middens having been found. Numerous kofun burial mounds are also found in the area of the city, which came under the control of the Yamato dynasty around the time of the semi-legendary Emperor Seimu. The Nara period provincial capital and provincial temple of Tōtōmi Province were located in Iwata. During the Edo period, it developed as a post station on the Tokaidō highway connecting Edo with Kyoto and contained Mitsuke-juku, one of the 53 stations on the road.

With the establishment of the modern municipalities system of the early Meiji period on October 1, 1889, Mitsuke Town within Iwata District, Shizuoka was established. Later that year, Nakaizumi Town and Ninomiya Village merged to form Nakaizumi Town. These two towns merged on November 1, 1940 with Saikai Village and Tenryū Village to form the new town of Iwata. Iwata was raised to city status on April 1, 1948.

On April 1, 2005, the neighboring towns of Fukude, Ryūyō and Toyoda, and the village of Toyooka (all from Iwata District) were merged into Iwata.

Government

Iwata has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 26 members. The city contributes three members to the Shizuoka Prefectural Assembly.

Economy

The economy of Iwata is primarily agricultural and is known for green tea and melons grown in greenhouses, which are called "Iwata melon". The Yamaha Corporation was founded in Iwata and maintains a strong presence in the city. Yamaha Motor's headquarters is in Iwata. Suzuki Motor Corporation has a vehicle assembly plant in Iwata.

Education

Shizuoka Sangyo University, a private university, is located in Iwata.

Shizuoka Professional University Junior College of Agriculture a public professional Junior college, is located in Iwata since 2020.

Iwata has 23 public elementary schools and 11 public middle schools operated by the city government. The city has four public high schools operated by the Shizuoka Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates two special education schools for the disabled.

Iwata also has two international schools, the CEP Brasil – Centro Educacional e Profissionalizante – Brazilian schoolEscolas Brasileiras Homologadas no Japão

Archive
. Embassy of Brazil in Tokyo. Retrieved on October 13, 2015. and the Escola Objetivo de Iwata Tia Rosa, a Brazilian primary school Iwata formerly hosted another Brazilian school, a primary school called Escola Nipo-Brasileira de Iwata.Escolas Brasileiras Homologadas no Japão
(). Embassy of Brazil in Tokyo. February 7, 2008. Retrieved on October 13, 2015.

Transportation

Railway

* Central Japan Railway Company - Tōkaidō Main Line
** –
*Tenryū Hamanako Railroad Tenryū Hamanako Line
** – –

Highway

* Tōmei Expressway
*

Sister City relations

* – Dagupan City, Philippines from February 19, 1975
* – Mountain View, California, United States from June 4, 1976

Local attractions

National Historic Sites

* Tōtōmi Kokubun-ji
* Former Mitsuke School
* Mikuriyama Kofun group
* Shinpōinyama Kofun group
* Chōshizuka Kofun

Other

Near the north exit of JR Iwata Station is the Great Camphor tree of Zendo-ji. Believed to be 700 years old, it was once within the grounds of a Buddhist temple called Zendo-ji. Its height is 18.3 meters and its diameter at chest height is 2.87 meters. The root structure bulges out of the ground creating a second level, and the circumference at the portion touching the surface is 32.9 meters.

Notable people from Iwata

*Masami Nagasawa – actress
*Saori Atsumi – singer-songwriter
* Ryosuke Sasagaki – professional soccer player
*Jun Mizutani – professional table-tennis player
*Noriko Mizoguchi – judoka
* Mima Ito – professional table-tennis player
*Shuji Ishikawa - professional wrestler

References

External links

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{{Authority control

Cities in Shizuoka Prefecture
Populated coastal places in Japan