Tosashimizu, Kōchi
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270px, Tosashimizu City Hall 270px, AerialView of central Tosashimizu City 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 the southwest of
Kōchi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Kōchi Prefecture has a population of 757,914 (1 December 2011) and has a geographic area of 7,103 km2 (2,742 sq mi). Kōchi Prefecture borders Ehime Prefecture to the northwest and ...
, Japan. , 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 12,407 in 7004 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 47 persons per km². The total area of the city is .


Geography

Tosashimizu is located in far western Kochi Prefecture on the island of
Shikoku is the smallest of the four main islands of Japan. It is long and between wide. It has a population of 3.8 million (, 3.1%). It is south of Honshu and northeast of Kyushu. Shikoku's ancient names include ''Iyo-no-futana-shima'' (), '' ...
. Parts of the city are within the borders of the
Ashizuri-Uwakai National Park is a national park at the southwestern tip of the island of Shikoku, Japan. The park is spread over small areas on the western side of Shikoku between Ehime and Kōchi prefectures. The main feature of the park is Cape Ashizuri, the southernmo ...
.


Neighbouring municipalities

Kōchi Prefecture * Sukumo * Shimanto City * Ōtsuki * Mihara


Climate

Tosashimizu 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 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 hot, humid summers and cool winters. There is significant precipitation throughout the year, especially during June and July. The average annual temperature in Tosashimizu is . The average annual rainfall is with June as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around , and lowest in January, at around . The highest temperature ever recorded in Tosashimizu was on 30 July 1942; the coldest temperature ever recorded was on 26 February 1981.


Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Tosashimizu in 2020 is 12,388 people. Tosashimizu has been conducting censuses since 1920. Of the 11 cities in Kochi Prefecture, Tosashimizu has the second lowest population which was over 30,000 in 1954 compared to 14,937 as of March 31, 2015.


History

As with all of Kōchi Prefecture, the area of Tosashimizu was part of ancient
Tosa Province was a province of Japan in the area of southern Shikoku. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Tosa''" in . Tosa bordered on Awa to the northeast, and Iyo to the northwest. Its abbreviated form name was . In terms of the Gokishichidō syste ...
. 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 ...
, the area was part of the holdings of
Tosa Domain The was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, controlling all of Tosa Province in what is now Kōchi Prefecture on the island of Shikoku. It was centered around Kōchi Castle, and was ruled throughout its history by t ...
ruled by the
Yamauchi clan The Yamauchi clan (山内氏) were a family of rulers over what was then the Tosa Province which spanned the southern half of Shikoku island. The province was given to the family in 1600 after Yamauchi Kazutoyo led troops under Tokugawa Ieyasu a ...
from their seat at
Kōchi Castle is an Edo Period Japanese castle in the city of Kōchi, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. It is located at Otakayama hill, at the center of Kōchi city, which in turn is located at the center of the Kōchi Plain, the most prosperous area of former ...
. Following 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 village of Shimatsu (清松村) within
Hata District, Kōchi is a district located in Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. As of the Shimanto merger but with 2003 population statistics, the district has an estimated population of 22,402 and a density of 59.4 persons per km2. The total area is 376.77 km2. Towns ...
was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. It changed its name to Shimizu and was elevated to town status in 1924. On August 1, 1954, Shimizu merged with the neighboring towns of Shimokawaguchi, Misaki and Shimokae to form the city of Tosashimizu.


Government

Tosashimizu 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 12 members. Tosashimizu contributes one member to the Kōchi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Kōchi 2nd 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 ...
. Tosashimizu is the only city on Shikoku island that hosts a
Japan Air Self-Defense Force The , , also informally referred to as the Japanese Air Force, is the air and space branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace, other air and space operations, cyberwarfare and electronic warfa ...
(ASDF) base.


Economy

The largest industry is fishing, especially
deep-sea fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
. ''Sōdabushi'', locally called ''mejikabushi'', is one of the main seafood produce in the area with a market share of approximately 70%. It uses ''sōdagatsuo'' (frigate mackerel) and is manufactured using a similar process to ''katsuobushi''. The local fishermen's union registered their catch of blue mackerel ''Scomber australasicus'' as "Tosano shimizusaba", or blue mackerel of Shimizu, Tosa.
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan The is an aquarium located in the ward of Minato in Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan, near Osaka Bay. When it first opened, it was the largest public aquarium in the world. It is a member of the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The a ...
has a branch in Tosashimizu, and Osaka Aquarium Biological Research Institute of Iburi Center (OBIC) provides one third of those marine animals displayed at the aquarium in Osaka. The center conducts scientific studies at its facility including a 1,600 ton tank.


Education

Tosashimizu has six public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the city government, and one public high school operated by the Kōchi Prefectural Board of Education.


Transportation


Railway

Tosashimizu has no passenger railway services. The nearest train station is
Nakamura Station is a passenger railway station located in the city of Shimanto, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by the third-sector Tosa Kuroshio Railway, whose headquarters is located in the station building. The station is numbered "TK-40". Lines ...
, the terminus of the
Tosa Kuroshio Railway Nakamura Line The is a 43.0 km Japanese railway line operated by the third-sector railway operator Tosa Kuroshio Railway. It connects Kubokawa Station in the town of Shimanto with Nakamura Station in the city of Shimanto in Kōchi Prefecture. Stations ...
, located in Shimanto city. A bus service connects Tosashimizu with Nakamura Station, taking approximately 60 minutes.


Highway

*


Sister cities

*
Fairhaven, Massachusetts Fairhaven (Massachusett: ) is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is located on the South Coast of Massachusetts where the Acushnet River flows into Buzzards Bay, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean. The town shares a harbor wit ...
, United States, since 1987 *
New Bedford, Massachusetts New Bedford (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ) is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, Bristol County, Massachusetts. It is located on the Acushnet River in what is known as the South Coast (Massachusetts), South Coast region. Up throug ...
, United States, since 1987 *
Tomigusuku, Okinawa 滝原康盛 ''Takihara Yasumori''. 沖縄語会話集 日本語・沖縄語・ローマ字付き ''Okinawago Kaiwashū: Nihongo, Okinawago, Rōmaji-tsuki.'' (''Okinawan Conversation Collection: Japanese, Okinawan, Romaji.'') 那覇:沖縄芸能 ...
, since February 1993.


Local attractions


Cape Ashizuri

The 70 km coastline stretching from the northeast to southwest boundaries of Tosashimizu attracts over 800,000 tourists to Tosashimizu each year.
Ashizuri-Uwakai National Park is a national park at the southwestern tip of the island of Shikoku, Japan. The park is spread over small areas on the western side of Shikoku between Ehime and Kōchi prefectures. The main feature of the park is Cape Ashizuri, the southernmo ...
includes Ashizuri, the largest peninsula in the area. Tosashimizu is the nearest city to Ashizuri peninsula which is protruding into the Pacific Ocean. Cape Ashizuri is 80 meters above sea level at the southeastern end on the peninsula. The peninsula is covered by subtropical plants including camellia, holm oak, and colony of
Livistona ''Livistona'' is a genus of palms, the botanical family Arecaceae, native to southeastern and eastern Asia, Australasia, and the Horn of Africa. They are fan palms, the leaves with an armed petiole terminating in a rounded, costapalmate f ...
''Livistona chinensis'', and the sea is a prime fishing ground for katsuo fish, or skipjack tuna ''Katsuwonus pelamis''. While there are small islands to the south of it, the cape is recognized as the southernmost location on Shikoku island at . Tatsukushi geologic strata with layers of
sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...
and
mudstone Mudstone, a type of mudrock, is a fine-grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. Mudstone is distinguished from '' shale'' by its lack of fissility (parallel layering).Blatt, H., and R.J. Tracy, 1996, ''Petrology. ...
form joints and layers. A gate-like rock on the coast, Hakusandōmon is on the west side of the cape. Tōjindaba Site is a prehistoric megalithic site with stone circle, located on the west hill on Cape Ashizuri. File:Tatsukushi 05.JPG, Tatsukushi File:Hakusan Domon 01.JPG, Hakusandōmon


Birthplace of Nakahama Manjirō

On the western shore of Ashizuri peninsula, lies the village of Nakanohama within Tosashimizu, where
Nakahama Manjirō , also known as John Manjirō (or John Mung), was one of the first Japanese people to visit the United States and an important translator during the Opening of Japan.* Voyage to America During his early life, he lived as a simple fisherman in ...
was born and became one of the first Japanese to travel to the United States. Manjirō, a young fisherman, was shipwrecked off the coast of Japan in 1841 and rescued by whaling captain William H. Whitfield of
Fairhaven, Massachusetts Fairhaven (Massachusett: ) is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is located on the South Coast of Massachusetts where the Acushnet River flows into Buzzards Bay, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean. The town shares a harbor wit ...
. Whitfield brought the young Manjirō back to Fairhaven and
New Bedford New Bedford (Massachusett: ) is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts. It is located on the Acushnet River in what is known as the South Coast region. Up through the 17th century, the area was the territory of the Wampanoag Native American pe ...
at the end of the whaling voyage, and Manjirō spent several years there before eventually making his way back to Japan. Because of this history, Tosashimizu became the sister city of both Fairhaven and New Bedford in 1987. He became popular as John Manjirō after Ibuse Masuji depicted him in his novel ''John Manjiro. The Castaway: His Life and His Adventures''.


Wildlife tours

There are several wildlife tours popular on Ashizuri peninsula; wildlife swims are organized in the town of Iburi on the foot of Ashizuri peninsula.


Whale shark swim

Whale shark The whale shark (''Rhincodon typus'') is a slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest known extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of .McClain CR, Balk MA, Benfield MC, Branch TA, Chen C, Cosgrove J, D ...
s migrate off the Ashizuri Peninsula between June and September, and some are kept captive in a cage 300 m offshore.


Ocean sunfish swim

Between April and the end of July each year,
ocean sunfish The ocean sunfish or common mola (''Mola mola'') is one of the largest bony fish in the world. It was misidentified as the heaviest bony fish, which was actually a different species, ''Mola alexandrini''. Adults typically weigh between . The spe ...
are kept in a net cage 10 m by 10 m and 5 m deep. When the water temperature rises, they release the fish into the wild.


Whale watching

Whale watching Whale watching is the practice of observing whales and dolphins ( cetaceans) in their natural habitat. Whale watching is mostly a recreational activity (cf. birdwatching), but it can also serve scientific and/or educational purposes.Hoyt, E. 2 ...
is also offered on the east side of the peninsula, based at Kubotsu town to the middle and Shimonokae to the north.


The Shikoku Pilgrimage

The
Shikoku Pilgrimage The or is a multi-site pilgrimage of 88 temples associated with the Buddhist monk Kūkai (''Kōbō Daishi'') on the island of Shikoku, Japan. A popular and distinctive feature of the island's cultural landscape, and with a long histor ...
passes through the city, and the longest stretch of 80.7 km on the route is between the 37th temple () in Shimanto and the 38th temple () on Cape Ashizuri. Descending from toward Tosashimizu, there is , a small wayside hermitage 28 km from Kongōfuku-ji. It was designated to provide a free lodging for pilgrims on that section, where people could also leave their luggage while visiting Kongōfuku-ji, come back to Shinnenan and continue on to the 39th
Enkō-ji , is a Zen Buddhist temple located near the Shugakuin Imperial Villa at Sakyō-ku, Ichijo-ji, Kotani-cho, in northeast Kyoto, Japan. It is famous for its fall foliage and ''suikinkutsu''. See also * List of Buddhist temples in Kyoto There ...
in Sukumo 50.8 km away. File:Kongofukuji 08.JPG, Kongofuku-ji File:Shinnenan 04.JPG, Shinnenan hermitage


Roadside stations

Mejikano sato Tosashimizu roadside station is near scenic Tatsukushi along route 321. ''Mejika'' means sōdagatsuo (frigate mackerel) in the local dialect, and they manufacture and sell ''sōdabushi'', the main sea food produce of the city, processed for demonstration at the factory at the back of the store for direct selling. Farm produce is also sold at this roadside station.


References


External links


City office, Tosashimizu city

Tosashimizu Tourist Association

Shikoku Pilgrimage in Kochi
- official website for Shikoku Hachijū-hakkasho Reijokai * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tosashimizu, Kochi Cities in Kōchi Prefecture Port settlements in Japan Populated coastal places in Japan