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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
Akita Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Provinces and prefectures" in ; "Tōhoku" in . Its population is estimated 915,691 as of 1 August 2023 and its geographi ...
, Japan. , the city has 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 72,550 in 30,750 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 . The total area of the city is .


Geography

Yurihonjō is located in southwest corner of Akita Prefecture, bordered by 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 ...
to the west, and by
Yamagata Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. It has a population of 1,005,926 (1 February 2025) and an area of 9,325 Square kilometre, km2 (3,600 Square mile, sq mi). Its neighbours are Akita Prefectu ...
to the south. The main urban center spreads around the south side of the Koyoshi River, about 3 kilometers upstream from the mouth . Yurihonjō is the largest municipality in Akita Prefecture in terms of area, covering approximately one-tenth the area of the prefecture, or about half the area of
Kanagawa Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Kanagawa Prefecture is the List of Japanese prefectures by population, second-most populous prefecture of Japan at 9,221,129 (1 April 2022) and third-dens ...
. Part of the city is within the borders of the Chōkai Quasi-National Park.


Neighboring municipalities

Akita Prefecture * Akita * Daisen * Nikaho * Ugo * Yokote * Yuzawa
Yamagata Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. It has a population of 1,005,926 (1 February 2025) and an area of 9,325 Square kilometre, km2 (3,600 Square mile, sq mi). Its neighbours are Akita Prefectu ...
* Mamurogawa * Sakata * Yuza


Climate

Yurihonjō 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 cold ...
(
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 ...
''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 Yurihonjō is . The average annual rainfall is with November as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around , and lowest in January, at around .


Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Yurihonjō peaked in the 1950s and has been in decline since then.


History

The area of present-day Yurihonjō 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 per ...
, dominated by the
Mogami clan were Japanese ''daimyōs'', and were a branch of the Ashikaga family. In the Sengoku period, they were the Sengoku ''daimyōs'' who ruled Dewa Province which is now Yamagata Prefecture and part of Akita Prefecture. The Mogami clan is derived ...
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 ...
. Honjō Castle was completed here in 1613 by a retainer of the Mogami clan named Tateoka Mitsushige. 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 ...
, part of the area came under the control of Honjō Domain, Kameda Domain and Yashima Domain, with a very small portion under direct rule by the shogunate (''
tenryō 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 war ...
''). After the start of 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 ...
, the area became part of Yuri District, Akita Prefecture in 1878, and the town of Honjō was formed with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. Honjō was raised to city status on March 31, 1954. The city of Yurihonjō was established on March 22, 2005, from the merger of the city of Honjō, and the towns of Chōkai, Higashiyuri, Iwaki, Nishime, Ōuchi, Yashima and Yuri (all from Yuri District). Just after the merger, the new city of Yurihonjō had 126 representatives in its new city assembly, more than the whole of Tokyo.


Government

After the merger, Yurihonjō had 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 assembly with 126 members (more than Tokyo Metropolis). The city legislature currently has 26 members. The city contributes three members to the Akita Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Akita District 3 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 Yurihonjō is based on agriculture and
commercial fishing Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for Commerce, commercial Profit (economics), profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice ...
.


Companies headquartered in Yurihonjo

*TDK Yurihonjo


Education

Yurihonjō has 14 public elementary schools and 10 public middle schools operated by the city government and five public high schools operated by the Akita Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates a special education school for disabled children. Akita Prefectural University also has a campus in the city.


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 ...
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, Niigata, Niigata and Akita Station in Akita, Akita, Akita. The name "Uet ...
* – – – – – – Yuri Kōgen RailwayChōkai Sanroku Line * – – – – – – – – – – –


Highway

* * * * * * *


Seaports

*
Port of Honjō A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manches ...


Local attractions

* :Amasagi Village is a complete tourist center in the town of Iwaki, northern Yurihonjō. It is centered on an historical facility, and it contains the samurai residence of the Unuma family (transferred from its original site), and a museum with collections of furniture and samurai armor. * :A large standing
Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha (),* * * was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist legends, he was ...
statue. * :Each year a large
cherry blossom The cherry blossom, or sakura, is the flower of trees in ''Prunus'' subgenus '' Cerasus''. ''Sakura'' usually refers to flowers of ornamental cherry trees, such as cultivars of ''Prunus serrulata'', not trees grown for their fruit (although ...
festival (April) and Azalea festival (May) take place here. * :This park is famous for its yellow cherry blossom trees and it holds a firework display in May during full bloom. * :One of Japan's Top 100 Waterfalls, grassy park, and hiking trails in the mountains near Mt. Chōkai. * :One thousand stone statues of Jizō line the side of a hill in Oriwatari, Ōuchi. * :A small but popular ski area on the lower slopes of the Mount Chōkai. It is especially popular with snowboarders. * :A large plateau of outstanding natural beauty on the Akita side of Mount Chōkai. It includes numerous rental cottages and an amusement area. * in the Ōuchi area is reputed to cure minor pains and many patients stay there long-term. * Yurihonjo Arena * Mizubayashi Athletic Field


Honjō Marina & Koyoshi River

*Rowing :There are 500 metre & 1000 metre rowing courses at the mouth of the Koyoshi River. A major public regatta takes place here each year in September. Three high schools in Yurihonjō have their own rowing clubs with a history of success in national rowing championships. *Marina, Sailing :Honjō has a wide beach with an adjacent yachting harbour.


Local events

*Fireworks :A fireworks festival is held every summer near the mouth of the Koyoshi River. * :This religious event takes place in January in which a group of men and boys walk up the Shinzan mountain through the snow to Shinzan Shrine. They wear only loincloths and thin shoes. * :In March each year visitors can follow a map of public displays of the traditional Hina dolls at over 50 different locations around the city.


Mount Chōkai

is an inactive volcano that stands alone on the border between
Akita Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Provinces and prefectures" in ; "Tōhoku" in . Its population is estimated 915,691 as of 1 August 2023 and its geographi ...
and
Yamagata Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. It has a population of 1,005,926 (1 February 2025) and an area of 9,325 Square kilometre, km2 (3,600 Square mile, sq mi). Its neighbours are Akita Prefectu ...
. It is 2,236m high and is the second highest mountain in the Tōhoku area. It is popular with skiers, hikers and climbers. There are two main trails for climbing Mount Chōkai from the Akita side. One trailhead is in Nikaho, south of Yurihonjō. The other, in Yurihonjō, starts at the Parking Area. A one-way hike from the Haraikawa commonly takes 3 hours and there are bungalows and camping sites on the lower slopes of this trail. The mountain has its own unique Alpine plants and vegetation such as and .


Local crafts, arts, and food

* ''
Sake Sake, , or saki, also referred to as Japanese rice wine, is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name ''Japanese rice wine'', sake, and indeed any East Asi ...
'' (Rice wine) :There are four independent ''sake'' breweries in Yurihonjō: Akita Homare, Yuri Masamune, Tenju, and Dewanofuji. * :Dried noodles which are eaten hot or cold. The texture of Honjō Udon is tough. * :These elaborate decorative balls are made from silk thread and are a popular souvenir of Yurihonjō. * :A number of craftsmen in Yurihonjō produce traditional lacquerware. * :This is a traditional folk song, known as ''
min'yō , ''Nihon min'yō'', Japanese ''min'yō'' or Japanese folk music is a genre of traditional Music of Japan, Japanese music. Characteristics Styles Many ''min'yō'' are connected to forms of work or to specific trades and were originally su ...
,'' which is reputed to be one of the most difficult for singers to master. A national Honjō Oiwake competition is held in Yurihonjō every year over 2 days in September. * :The foothills of Mount Chōkai produce many varieties of wild mountain vegetables and in spring and autumn it is common to see cars parked on the side of the road as people stop to pick them. Popular mountain vegetables are , and .


Sister cities

*
Vác Vác (; ; ; ) is a thousand-year old city in Pest county in Hungary with approximately 35,000 inhabitants. The archaic spelling of the name is ''Vácz''. Location Vác is located north of Budapest on the eastern bank of the Danube river, below t ...
,
Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
, since September 25, 1996 *
Yangsan Yangsan (; ) is a city in Gyeongsangnam-do Province, South Korea. It borders Ulsan to the northeast, Gijang-gun and Geumjeong District in Busan to the southeast, Gimhae to the southwest, and Miryang to the northwest. City Hall is located in Nam ...
,
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
, since October 10, 1998 *
Wuxi Wuxi ( zh, s=无锡, p=Wúxī, ) is a city in southern Jiangsu, China. As of the 2024 census, it had a population of 7,495,000. The city lies in the southern Yangtze delta and borders Lake Tai. Notable landmarks include Lihu Park, the Mt. Lings ...
,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
, since July 6, 2001


Notable people from Yurihonjō

* Akira Endo, biochemist * Toshiyuki Igarashi, professional wrestler * Rina Ikoma, actress, a former member of the idol group
Nogizaka46 is a Japanese female idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto, created as the "official rival" of the group AKB48. They are the first group from the Sakamichi Series, which also includes sister groups Sakurazaka46 (formerly Keyakizaka46), Yoshim ...
*
Natsuki Katō is a Japanese actress, singer and former fashion model, regularly appearing on television in various roles. Career In November 2010, Akita Prefecture chose her as one of the two official PR-Ambassadors, along with Nozomi Sasaki, with the purpo ...
, model, actress and TV celebrity. * Akira Komatsu, footballer * Mikio Kudō, baseball player *
Shu Watanabe (actor) is a Japanese actor, famous for portraying the character Eiji Hino in the 2010 tokusatsu series ''Kamen Rider OOO is a 2010–2011 Japanese tokusatsu drama in Toei Company's Kamen Rider Series, being the twelfth series in the Heisei peri ...
, actor * Mika Yamauchi, Olympic volleyball player


Notes


External links


Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yurihonjo, Akita Cities in Akita Prefecture Populated coastal places in Japan Port settlements in Japan