Kurihara City Hall Inagi2005-9

is a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

located in

Miyagi Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Miyagi Prefecture has a population of 2,265,724 (1 August 2023) and has a geographic area of . Miyagi Prefecture borders Iwate Prefecture to the north, Akit ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. , the city had an estimated

population Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...

of 66,565, and a

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

of 83 persons per km² in 24,994 households. The total area of the city is . Parts of the city are within the borders of the

Kurikoma Quasi-National Park is a Quasi-National Park that covers parts of the Akita, Iwate, Miyagi, and Yamagata Prefectures in Japan. Established in 1968, the central feature of the park is the high . It is rated a protected landscape (category II) according to th ...

Geography

Kurihara covers a part of the northwestern corner of

. It is mostly rice farmland, and small mountain ridges, the largest of which cluster around Mount Kurikoma, the tallest mountain in Kurihara, which is located at the furthest northwestern point of Miyagi Prefecture. In summer, the lotus on Lake Izunuma bloom. In fall, Mount Kurikoma is covered in fall colors and in winter migrating swans and geese come in flocks to spend the season on Kurihara's lakes.

Neighboring municipalities

Akita Prefecture * Higashinaruse * Yuzawa Iwate Prefecture * Ichinoseki Miyagi Prefecture * Ōsaki * Tome

Climate

The climate of Kurihara is classified as

humid subtropical A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between la ...

(Cfa) per the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system. As with most of Japan, the summers in Kurihara are hot and humid with temperatures usually around . Summer is also

typhoon A typhoon is a tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere and which produces sustained hurricane-force winds of at least . This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, accounting for a ...

season, however, since Kurihara is so far north and inland the area is rarely affected. Fall and spring are mild, with temperatures in the low to mid 20s (Celsius). In fall, the days usually begin foggy and cold but clear up by midday. Spring comes late to the region and is mostly sunny punctuated with random light showers. The temperature fluctuates around freezing in winter, falling to an average low of , and snow levels vary with altitude.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Kurihara peaked at around the year 1950 and has declined over the past 70 years.

History

The area of present-day Kurihara was part of ancient Mutsu Province, and has been settled since at least the

Jōmon period In Japanese history, the is the time between , during which Japan was inhabited by the Jōmon people, a diverse hunter-gatherer and early agriculturalist population united by a common culture, which reached a considerable degree of sedentism an ...

by the

Emishi The were a group of people who lived in parts of northern Honshū in present-day Japan, especially in the Tōhoku region. The first mention of the Emishi in literature that can be corroborated with outside sources dates to the 5th century AD, ...

people. During the later portion of the

Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kammu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means in Japanese. It is a ...

, the area was ruled by the

Northern Fujiwara The Northern Fujiwara (奥州藤原氏 ''Ōshū Fujiwara-shi'') were a Japanese noble family that ruled the Tōhoku region (the northeast of Honshū) of Japan during the 12th century as their own realm.

. During the

Sengoku period The was the period in History of Japan, Japanese history in which civil wars and social upheavals took place almost continuously in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Kyōtoku incident (1454), Ōnin War (1467), or (1493) are generally chosen as th ...

, the area was contested by various

samurai The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...

clans before the area came under the control of the

Date clan The is a Japanese samurai kin group.Edmond Papinot, Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)"Date", ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 5 retrieved 2013-5-5. History The Date fam ...

Sendai Domain The , also known as the , was a domain of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan during the Edo period from 1600 to 1871. The Sendai Domain was based at Aoba Castle in Mutsu Province, in the modern city of Sendai, located in the Tōhoku region of ...

during the

Edo period The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...

, under the

Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. The Tokugawa shogunate was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu after victory at the Battle of Sekigahara, ending the civil wars ...

. With the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889, the area was organized into Kurihara District, Miyagi Prefecture. During the

Meiji period The was 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 colonizatio ...

, many mines were dug in the mountains of Kurihara, and the Hosokura mine was at one point Japan's largest producer of lead and zinc. The mine closed in 1987. The city of Kurihara was established on April 1, 2005, from the merger of the towns of Ichihasama, Kannari, Kurikoma, Semine, Shiwahime, Takashimizu, Tsukidate, Uguisuzawa and Wakayanagi, and the village of Hanayama (all from Kurihara District, which was dissolved as a result of the merger). The new city hall is located in former Tsukidate. Although technically referred to as a "city", Kurihara in fact functions more like a county composed of ten separate towns. This arrangement is similar to English unitary authorities in the United Kingdom, such as

Herefordshire Herefordshire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England, bordered by Shropshire to the north, Worcestershire to the east, Gloucestershire to the south-east, and the Welsh ...

. During

2011 Tōhoku earthquake Eleven or 11 may refer to: *11 (number) * One of the years 11 BC, AD 11, 1911, 2011 Literature * ''Eleven'' (novel), a 2006 novel by British author David Llewellyn *''Eleven'', a 1970 collection of short stories by Patricia Highsmith *''Eleven'' ...

, Kurihara–specifically the former town of Tsukidate–experienced the strongest shaking, with a Shindo 7 intensity.

Government

Kurihara 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 consisting of one house or assembly that legislates and votes as one. Unicameralism has become an increasingly common type of legislature, making up nearly ...

city legislature of 26 members. Kurihara contributes two seats to the Miyagi Prefectural legislature. In terms of national politics, after the abolishment of the Miyagi 6th district in 2022, the city is part of Miyagi 5th district of the

lower house A lower house is the lower chamber of a bicameral legislature, where the other chamber is the upper house. Although styled as "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has come to wield more power or otherwise e ...

of the

Diet of Japan , transcription_name = ''Kokkai'' , legislature = 215th Session of the National Diet , coa_pic = Flag of Japan.svg , house_type = Bicameral , houses = , foundation=29 November 1890(), leader1_type ...

Economy

The economy of Kurihara is largely based on agriculture. Mining, which once formed a significant percentage of the economy has largely disappeared with the closure of the last mines in the 1980s.

Education

Kurihara has 13 public elementary schools and eight public junior high schools operated by the city government and five public high schools operated by the Miyagi Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped.

Transportation

Railway

East Japan Railway Company The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and 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 in ...

(JR East) -

Tōhoku Shinkansen The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line that runs through the more sparsely populated Tōhoku region of Japan's main island, Honshu. Operated by the East Japan Railway Company, it links Tokyo in the south to Aomori in the north, with ...

(JR East) -

Tōhoku Main Line The Tōhoku Main Line () is a railway line in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). The line starts from Tokyo Station in Chiyoda, Tokyo and passes through such cities as Saitama, Saitama, Saitama, Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Uts ...

* ,

Highway

* * * *

Local attractions

* Former Arikabe-juku Honjin, National Historic Site * Iji Castle ruins, a National Historic Site * Irinosawa Site, National Historic Site *

is centered on Mt. Kurikoma, a dormant volcano straddling the tri-prefectural border of Miyagi, Akita and Iwate. It is 1627 meters high, conical, and has a 365 degree panoramic view. There is an abundance of diverse

alpine flora Alpine flora may refer to: * Alpine tundra, a community of plants that live at high altitude * Alpine plant Alpine plants are plants that grow in an alpine climate, which occurs at high elevation and above the tree line. There are many different pl ...

in the wetlands near its peak and expansive virgin beech forests that are home to many precious birds, insects, and other fauna. There are extensive hiking trails with hot springs located at the base and top of the mountain. * Miyagi Prefectural Sanctuary Center of Izunuma-Uchinuma is a protected area created in order to protect the abundant plant and animal life in the area. Lake Izunuma, the largest lake in Miyagi, is home to 223 species of waterfowl, or 42% of Japan's 535 total species of water birds. Migrating birds including swans, geese, and ducks, winter here. From late July to late August is when the lotus flowers bloom and the Izunuma-Uchinuma Lotus Festival is held. * Nuruyu Bansho Site, National Historic Site *

Sannō-Gakoi Site The is an archaeological site located in the city of Kurihara, Miyagi Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan, containing the ruins of a late Jōmon period to Yayoi period (approximately 500 BC to 0 BC) settlement. The site was desig ...

, National Historic Site *Sekai Yachi Wetlands Flower Park is a 14.34-hectare wetlands area is situated in the southern foothills of Mt. Kurikoma, between 669 and 707 meters above sea level. Late June is the best time to see the Middendorff's daylilies. The flowering seasons are spring and summer.

Culture

Kurihara is known for its rice production. There are also a number of waterfalls, parks filled with cherry blossoms in spring, and flower gardens. These include: Abazu Gorge, Shiraito Falls, Gorindoyama Park, Hasama River Park, and Sanno Historic Park Iris Garden. It is also a renowned place for viewing the autumn leaves, especially around Mt. Kurikoma. Kurihara also has an abundance of hot spring resorts. These include: Yu-no-Kura Hot Spring, Yubama Hot Spring, Hanayama Hot Spring, and Nuruyu Hot Spring.

Festivals

*Late March Tohoku Draft Horse Pull Kurikoma Tournament (Kurikoma) *1st Sun of April Obasama Festival and Longevity Rites (Kannari) *Mid-April Izumiya Oyashiki Festival (Semine) *April 29 Masaoka Festival (Ichihasama) *Mid-April Cherry Blossom Festivals (all areas) *May 5 Hanayama Rifle Festival (Hanayama) *Mid-June Iris Festival (Ichihasama) *Mid-June Ichihasama Lily Garden Opening (Ichihasama) *1st Sun of July Iris Festival and ''Kagura'' Sacred Dance (Ichihasama) *3rd Sun of July Michinoku ''Kagura'' Sacred Dance Festival (Tsukidate) *Late July Kurikoma Float Parade Festival (Kurikoma) *August Izunuma-Uchinuma Lotus Festival (Wakayanagi, Tsukidate) *August 5–6 Tsukidate

Tanabata Festival , also known as the , is a Japanese festival originating from the Chinese Qixi Festival. It celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi (represented by the stars Vega and Altair respectively). According to legend, the Milky ...

(Tsukidate) *August 14 Waterwheel (Suisha) Festival (Shiwahime) *August 15–16 Wakayanagi Summer Festival (Wakayanagi) *Early October Autumn Lake Festival (Hanayama) *Oct-Nov Tagaiichi Markets and Festivals *November 3 Tsukidate Yakushi Festival *Early Nov Industries Festival *Dec-Feb Festivals to Beckon and Welcome Spring (all areas) *Mid-Jan Donto Festivals (all areas)

Noted people from Kurihara

Kōbōyama Daizō Kōbōyama Daizō (born 15 August 1957 as Kōkichi Yomogida) is a former sumo wrestler from Tsukidate, Kurihara, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. He made his professional debut in 1973 and reached the top ''makuuchi'' division in 1981. His highest rank ...

, sumo wrestler *

Yoshiaki Hoshi , born in Wakayanagi, Miyagi, Japan, was a Japanese people, Japanese musician, composer, arranger and synthesizer player, best known for his band Himekami. Music career Hoshi won the 1971 Victor Electronic Music Contest, and founded Himekami Sen ...

, musician *

Jun Izumida was a Japanese professional wrestler who worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Noah. Sumo career Before being a professional wrestler, Izumida was a sumo wrestler, making his debut in March 1986. He reached a highest rank of ...

, professional wrestler * Yohei "Yoh" Komatsu, Japanese

professional wrestler Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to real-life wrest ...

References

Notes

External links

Official Website
{{Authority control Cities in Miyagi Prefecture