Aizuwakamatsu 会津若松市 | |
|---|---|
 Skyline fromAizuwakamatsu Castle | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Aizuwakamatsu in Fukushima Prefecture | |
  Aizuwakamatsu | |
| Coordinates:37°29′41.4″N139°55′47.1″E / 37.494833°N 139.929750°E /37.494833; 139.929750 | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Tōhoku |
| Prefecture | Fukushima |
| First official recorded | 400 AD |
| City Settled for Wakamatsu | April 1, 1899 |
| Current city name changed | January 1, 1955 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Ichirō Kanke |
| Area | |
• Total | 382.97 km2 (147.87 sq mi) |
| Population (March 1, 2020) | |
• Total | 119,232 |
| • Density | 310/km2 (810/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
| – Tree | Japanese Red Pine |
| – Flower | Common Hollyhock |
| – Bird | Common cuckoo |
| Phone number | 0242-39-1111 |
| Address | 3–46 Higashisakaemachi, Aizuwakamatsu-shi, Fukushima-ken 965-8601 |
| Website | Official website |
Aizuwakamatsu (会津若松市,Aizuwakamatsu-shi) is acity inFukushima Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 January 2021[update], the city had an estimated population of 118,159 in 50,365 households,[1] and apopulation density of 310 persons per km2. The total area of the city was 382.97 square kilometres (147.87 sq mi).
The area of present-day Aizuwakamatsu was part of ancientMutsu Province, and was settled from prehistoric times. TheAizu-Otsuka Kofun within the city borders dates from the 4th century AD, and is anImportant Cultural Property.
According to legend, in 88 BCE,Emperor Sujin sent two generals; Ohiko and Takenukawa-wake to theTōhoku region for the purpose of establishing peace after the quashing of a rebellion in the region.[2]
Before the late 12th century, Aizuwakamatsu was mainly a market town and a base for regional warlords. Starting in 1192, Aizuwakamatsu became part of the regions that were controlled by theKamakura shogunate. Soon after taking power, Yoritomo granted asamurai named Suwara Yoshitsura (from theMiura clan) all of Aizu. A descendant of Suwara, Ashina Morinori, began construction of the first castle in the city in 1384.[2] During theSengoku period the final lord of Aizu, Ashina Moritaka, died in 1583 and soon theAshina clan lost power. After theSatake clan took control of the castle, they placed a twelve-year-old member of their clan who was renamed Ashina Morishige and proclaimed lord of Aizu. The Ashina clan regained control of Aizu for a brief time in 1589 with the help ofDate Masamune. However, Masamune took over the domain for himself soon after. He surrendered in 1590 toToyotomi Hideyoshi. Toyotomi gave Aizu to one of his allies,Gamo Ujisato who then began construction in 1592 of a new castle at the site. It was during this time that the town was renamed "Wakamatsu" (young pine).[2]
During theEdo period, Aizu was controlled briefly byUesugi Kagekatsu in 1600 after the death of Gamo Ujisato in 1596.Tokugawa Ieyasu accused Uesugi of gathering troops in Aizu. Ieyasu then transferred the Uesugi toYonezawa. Through inheritance, Aizu was passed toHoshina Masayuki (a brother of the third Tokugawa shogun) in 1643. TheEdo period saw the economic and cultural growth of Aizu.[2]
Hoshina's descendants would rule theAizu Domain for the next 200 years, adopting theMatsudaira name until the ninth generationDaimyō,Matsudaira Katamori, backed thebakufu in theBoshin War.Aizuwakamatsu Castle would fall during theBattle of Aizu and the domain forfeit. A group of 22, including loyal retainers and their families, managed to escape to California and lend the name of their home to establish the first Japanese colony in America, the ill fatedWakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony in 1869.[3]
After theMeiji Restoration, Wakamatsu Town was created with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. It became Wakamatsu City in 1899. On April 1, 1937, a part of Machikita village (fromKitaaizu District) was merged into the city of Wakamatsu. The remained was annexed on April 1, 1951. The name of the city was changed to Aizuwakamatsu on January 1, 1955 when Wakamatsu merged with seven villages of Kitaaizu District (Kouya, Kouzashi, Monden, Ikki, Higashiyama, Ōto and Minato).[citation needed]. A part of the town ofHongō (locality of Oya) (fromŌnuma District) was merged into Aizuwakamatsu on April 1, 1955.
Aizuwakamatsu further expanded by annexing the village ofKitaaizu (from Kitaaizu District) on November 1, 2004 and the town ofKawahigashi (fromKawanuma District) on November 1, 2005.[citation needed]
Aizuwakamatsu is located in the western part of Fukushima Prefecture, in the southeast part of Aizu basin.
There are 11 administrative divisions (hamlets or 大字 (ooaza)) in the city.[4]
Fukushima Prefecture
Aizuwakamatsu has a hot-summerhumid continental climate (KöppenDfa) closely bordering on ahumid subtropical climate (KöppenCfa) with the January average just below the 0°C isotherm to be classified as the latter, characterized by warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. Although it is located in an inland valley, Aizuwakamatsu's climate resembles that of theHokuriku region on theSea of Japan coast. Snowfall is very heavy during the winter at 4.78 metres (190 in), and snow cover reaches an average maximum of 0.39 metres (15.35 in) and has reached as much as 1.15 metres (45.3 in) for short periods, a figure one would usually associate with much colder regions like theLabrador Peninsula. The average annual temperature in Aizuwakamatsu is 11.2 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1270 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.2 °C, and lowest in January, at around -0.3 °C.[5]
| Climate data for Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1953−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 13.1 (55.6) | 16.1 (61.0) | 22.8 (73.0) | 30.5 (86.9) | 35.6 (96.1) | 36.4 (97.5) | 37.3 (99.1) | 38.5 (101.3) | 37.1 (98.8) | 31.3 (88.3) | 24.5 (76.1) | 20.9 (69.6) | 38.5 (101.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 2.9 (37.2) | 4.0 (39.2) | 8.9 (48.0) | 16.6 (61.9) | 22.7 (72.9) | 26.0 (78.8) | 29.2 (84.6) | 30.8 (87.4) | 26.1 (79.0) | 19.5 (67.1) | 12.2 (54.0) | 5.7 (42.3) | 17.1 (62.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −0.3 (31.5) | 0.1 (32.2) | 3.7 (38.7) | 10.1 (50.2) | 16.2 (61.2) | 20.5 (68.9) | 24.0 (75.2) | 25.2 (77.4) | 20.8 (69.4) | 14.1 (57.4) | 7.4 (45.3) | 2.2 (36.0) | 12.0 (53.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −3.4 (25.9) | −3.5 (25.7) | −0.7 (30.7) | 4.3 (39.7) | 10.3 (50.5) | 15.9 (60.6) | 20.1 (68.2) | 20.8 (69.4) | 16.6 (61.9) | 9.8 (49.6) | 3.3 (37.9) | −0.9 (30.4) | 7.7 (45.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −14.4 (6.1) | −15.2 (4.6) | −11.9 (10.6) | −4.6 (23.7) | −1.2 (29.8) | 6.9 (44.4) | 9.1 (48.4) | 10.3 (50.5) | 4.8 (40.6) | −1.5 (29.3) | −5.9 (21.4) | −14.4 (6.1) | −15.2 (4.6) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 102.4 (4.03) | 69.2 (2.72) | 77.5 (3.05) | 63.1 (2.48) | 75.8 (2.98) | 108.6 (4.28) | 196.4 (7.73) | 139.1 (5.48) | 124.0 (4.88) | 112.6 (4.43) | 75.5 (2.97) | 108.7 (4.28) | 1,252.9 (49.31) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 121 (48) | 90 (35) | 41 (16) | 3 (1.2) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.4) | 72 (28) | 328 (128.6) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.5 mm) | 19.0 | 16.1 | 16.6 | 12.0 | 11.4 | 12.2 | 15.2 | 12.6 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 15.1 | 18.3 | 173.3 |
| Average snowy days | 27.6 | 23.8 | 17.5 | 4.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 7.0 | 22.4 | 102.5 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 82 | 79 | 74 | 67 | 67 | 73 | 79 | 77 | 79 | 80 | 83 | 84 | 77 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 78.0 | 99.0 | 144.0 | 172.0 | 201.2 | 165.3 | 156.9 | 195.1 | 141.8 | 122.1 | 89.1 | 67.1 | 1,631.6 |
| Source 1:Japan Meteorological Agency[6] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2:Japan Meteorological Agency (records)[7] | |||||||||||||
Per Japanese census data,[8] the population of Aizuwakamatsu peaked around the year 1990 and had since declined to pre-1960 levels.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 115,578 | — |
| 1960 | 119,402 | +3.3% |
| 1970 | 120,839 | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 130,883 | +8.3% |
| 1990 | 136,336 | +4.2% |
| 2000 | 135,415 | −0.7% |
| 2010 | 126,125 | −6.9% |
| 2020 | 117,376 | −6.9% |
Aizuwakamatsu has amayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and aunicameral city legislature of 29 members[9] The city contributes four members to the Fukushima Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Fukushima Electoral District 4 for thelower house of theDiet of Japan.
Aizuwakamatsu is a local commercial center. The area is traditionally noted forsake brewing and lacquerware. Modern industries include textiles, wood processing and electronics.[10]
Aizuwakamatsu has one prefectural university and a private junior college. The city has 19 public elementary school and 11 public junior high schools operated by the city government. In addition, there is one private elementary school and one private junior high school. The Fukushima Prefectural Board of Education operates five public high schools and one combined junior/senior high school. The prefecture also operates two special education schools.
Ban-etsu Expressway – Bandai-Kawahigashi IC – Aizu-Wakamatsu IC
National Route 49
National Route 118
National Route 121
National Route 252
National Route 294
National Route 401
Mutsu, Aomori, since September 23, 1984Naruto, Tokushima, since October 30, 1999Ina, Nagano, since September 24, 2000Yokosuka, Kanagawa, since April 17, 2005
Jingzhou,China since June 15, 1991[11]
Saipan, since September 22, 2006[citation needed]
-m.jpg)
| Core cities |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Cities | ||
| Districts | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Academics | |
20200208-IMG_7847.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.svg){kind=logo}
