
is a
town
A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city.
The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
located in
Kita District,
Ehime Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Ehime Prefecture has a population of 1,334,841 and a geographic area of 5,676 km2 (2,191 sq mi). Ehime Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the northeast, Toku ...
,
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 town 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 15,153 in 7005 households 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 52 persons per km
2.
The total area of the town is .
Geography
Uchiko is located in roughly in the center of Ehime Prefecture, approximately 40 kilometers southwest of Matsuyama City, the prefectural capital.Three streams run through the area: the Oda, the Nakayama and the Fumoto. Uchiko has few flat areas and about 70% of the land is forest.
Neighbouring municipalities
Ehime Prefecture
*
Iyo
*
Kumakōgen
*
Ōzu
*
Seiyo
*
Tobe
Climate
Uchiko has a
humid subtropical climate
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 ...
(Köppen ''Cfa'') characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Uchiko is 14.8 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1915 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.9 °C.
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Uchiko has decreased steadily since the 1950s.
History
The area of Uchiko was part of ancient
Iyo Province
was a Provinces of Japan, province of Japan in the area of northwestern Shikoku.Louis-Frédéric, Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Tosa''" in . Iyo bordered on Sanuki Province to the northeast, Awa Province (Tokushima), Awa to the east ...
and prospered since ancient times as an important transportation hub on the Ōzu Highway and as a transit point for the
Shikoku Pilgrimage. 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 ...
, the area was part of the holdings of
Ōzu Domain or its semi-subsidiary,
Niiya Domain. The town of Uchikoi was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on December 1, 1889. From the Edo period to 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 ...
, it prospered in the production of
Japanese paper and Japanese wax. In particular, Japanese wax became famous overseas for its high quality, accounting for about 30% of the national production at its peak. At that time the Yokaichi and Gokoku districts became industrialised and their historical houses still retain some vestige of Uchiko’s former glory. In the Yokaichi and Gokoku districts is a street of merchant houses, which have solemn white or cream coloured plaster walls, lattices, decorative walls and old-style Japanese desks. This traditional street is about 600 meters long and around 90 of these historical houses are still lived in. After the
Taisho period (1912-1926), Japan wax production declined due to the spread of oil and electricity. In 1982, its historic townscape was designated as an "Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings". On January 1, 2005, the town of
Ikazaki, from
Kita District; and the town of
Oda, from
Kamiukena District, were merged into Uchiko.
Government
Uchiko 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 ...
town council of 15 members. Uchiko, together Ōzu, contributes two members to the
Ehime Prefectural Assembly.
In terms of national politics, Uchiko is part of Ehime 3rd 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 ...
. Prior to 2022, the town was part of Ehime 4th district.
Economy
Uchiko has a typical hilly and mountainous area, and agriculture and forestry are the main industries. The soil is fertile and leaf
tobacco
Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
,
shiitake
The shiitake (; ''Chinese/black mushroom'' or ''Lentinula edodes'') is a macrofungus native to East Asia, which is cultivated and consumed around the globe.
Taxonomy
The fungus was first described scientifically as '' Agaricus edodes'' by ...
mushrooms, and
fruits such as
persimmons,
grapes and
nashi pears make use of the sloping land, opening the way for tourist orchards.. The riversides are used mainly by farms and farmland can extend to the hills and the steep mountainsides.
Education
Uchiko has eight public elementary schools and four public middle schools operated by the town government, and two public high schools operated by the Ehime Prefectural Board of Education.
Transportation
Railway
Shikoku Railway Company -
Yosan Line
* -
Shikoku Railway Company -
Uchiko Line
* -
Highways
*
Matsuyama Expressway
*
*
*
Sister cities
*
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Rothenburg ob der Tauber () is a town located in the district of Ansbach (district), Ansbach of Mittelfranken (Middle Franconia), the Franconia region of Bavaria, Germany. It is well known for its well-preserved Middle Ages, medieval old town, a d ...
, Germany
*
Wasilla, Alaska
Wasilla (Denaʼina language, Dena'ina: ''Benteh'') is a city in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, United States, and the List of cities in Alaska, fourth-largest city in Alaska. It is located on the northern point of Cook Inlet in the Matanus ...
, United States
Local attractions
Uchiko Theatre
The Uchiko-za was built as a traditional
Kabuki
is a classical form of Theatre of Japan, Japanese theatre, mixing dramatic performance with Japanese traditional dance, traditional dance. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily stylised performances, its glamorous, highly decorated costumes ...
theatre in 1916 and was famous for its
Kabuki
is a classical form of Theatre of Japan, Japanese theatre, mixing dramatic performance with Japanese traditional dance, traditional dance. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily stylised performances, its glamorous, highly decorated costumes ...
and
Bunraku (traditional puppet show) performances. In the course of time, it became used for film shows, variety shows and lectures, amongst other things. In 1985, the theatre was restored to its original appearance. Today, Uchiko-za presents plays, concerts and other events, including the very popular Bunraku performances. The Uchiko-za is unique and traditional because of its open
Taiko
are a broad range of Traditional Japanese musical instruments, Japanese percussion instruments. In Japanese language, Japanese, the term refers to any kind of drum, but outside Japan, it is used specifically to refer to any of the various J ...
-drum tower, the boxed seating area, the broad ramp leading to the stage along one side of the audience and the wooden, revolving stage. The Uchiko-za is considered a showpiece of Japanese culture and architecture.
The Kamihaga Residence and Japanese Wax Museum
The Kamihaga Residence was built in 1894 by a family who were a branch of the Honhaga household (the main household in Uchiko). The Kamihaga family was one of the most influential families in Uchiko. They established the production of wax in Uchiko and thus, the family became very wealthy and powerful. Now, this elegant and traditional property, with its spacious garden, is used a museum that has exhibitions on commerce, the lifestyle of the merchants and the production of wax. These grounds are designated as an
Important Cultural Property and have been since 1990.
File:Merchant's Residence.JPG, Merchant's Residence
File:Uchiko Narrow Street.JPG, Side Street in Uchiko
Yokaichi-Gokoku Street (八日市・護国町並保存センタ)
The Yokaichi-Gokoku Street is a street which is preserving Japan's traditional buildings. If you visit here, you may be able to feel Japanese sensibility.
Annual events
*Late April: The Raft Festival at the River Oda, Oda.
*May 5: The Kite Flying Festival in
Ikazaki.
*Late May – Early June:Rice planting in Ikazaki
*August 6–8: The Bamboo Festival in Uchiko.
*August 15: The Fire Festival in Oda.
*October: The Autumn Festival, The Japanese Lion Dance.
*November: ''Momiji'' – Autumn leaf viewing.
*December: Solfa Ski Resort opens in Oda.
Notable people from Uchiko
* The
Nobel laureate
The Nobel Prizes (, ) are awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Swedish Academy, the Karolinska Institutet, and the Norwegian Nobel Committee to individuals and organizations who make outstanding contributions in th ...
Kenzaburō Ōe was born in the former village of
Ōse, which is now today a part of Uchiko.
References
External links
*
Uchiko Town International AssociationUchiko official website
{{Ehime
Towns in Ehime Prefecture
Uchiko, Ehime