Matsushima, Miyagi
Matsushima 松島町 | |||
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Town | |||
Top left: Matsushima Port, top right: Togetsukyō Bridge to Oshima Island, 2nd left: Matsushima Marinpia Aquarium (closed), 2nd right: Zuiganji Temple, 3rd left: Godaidō, 3rd right: Entsuin Temple, bottom left: Atago Shrine, bottom right: Matsushima Kaigan Train Station | |||
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![]() Location of Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture | |||
![]() ![]() Matsushima
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Coordinates: 38°22′48.6″N 141°04′2.4″E / 38.380167°N 141.067333°ECoordinates: 38°22′48.6″N 141°04′2.4″E / 38.380167°N 141.067333°E | |||
Country | Japan | ||
Region | Tōhoku | ||
Prefecture | Miyagi | ||
District | Miyagi | ||
Government | |||
• -Mayor | Kouichi Sakurai (since October 2015) | ||
Area | |||
• Total | 53.56 km2 (20.68 sq mi) | ||
Population (August 31, 2016) | |||
• Total | 14,733 | ||
• Density | 277/km2 (720/sq mi) | ||
Time zone | Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) | ||
- Tree | Pine | ||
- Flower | Sekikoku | ||
Phone number | 022-354-5701 | ||
Address | 10 Takagi-aza-chō, Matsushima-machi 981-0215 | ||
Website | Official website |
Matsushima (松島町 Matsushima-machi) is a town in Miyagi District, Miyagi Prefecture, in the Tohoku region of northern Japan. As of August 2016, the town had an estimated population of 14,733 and a population density of 275 persons per km². The total area was 53.56 square kilometres (20.68 sq mi). It is most famous as the location of Matsushima Bay, one of the Three Views of Japan, and is also the site of the Zuigan-ji, one of the most famous Zen temples in Tōhoku, Entsū-in and Kanrantei.
Geography
Matsushima is in east-central Miyagi Prefecture, with Matsushima Bay to the east. The town’s highest point is Mount Danyama, with a height of 178 meters.
Neighboring municipalities
- Miyagi Prefecture
History
The area of present-day Matsushima was part of ancient Mutsu Province and has been settled since at least the Jomon period. The Daikigakoi Shell Mound is one of the largest shell middens to have been discovered in Japan. With the establishment of Tagajō in the Nara period, Matsushima was part of the Yamato colonization area in the region. During the Sengoku period, the area was contested by samurai clans before it came under the control of the Date clan of Sendai Domain during the Edo period, under the Tokugawa shogunate.
The modern village of Matsushima was established on June 1, 1889 with the establishment of the municipalities system. It was raised to town status on December 16, 1963.
Economy
The economy of Matsushima is largely based on tourism, farming, and commercial fishing, primarily the cultivation of oysters in Matsushima Bay.
Education
Matsushima has three elementary schools, one middle school and one high school.
Transportation
Railway
- East Japan Railway Company (JR East) – Tōhoku Main Line
- East Japan Railway Company (JR East) – Senseki Line
Highway
- Sanriku Expressway (Matsushima-Ōsato IC — Matsushima-Kita IC)
- National Route 45
- National Route 346
Seaports
- Port of Matsushima - Matsushima Sightseeing Boats
Local attractions
International relations
International sister cities
France – Isle of Pines, New Caledonia,[1] since September 4, 1980
Japanese sister cities
- August 1, 1987: Kisakata, Akita
- October 16, 1988: Kamiamakusa, Kumamoto (formerly known as Matsushima)
Noted people from Matsushima
- Jun Senoue – musician
References
- ↑ "International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Retrieved 21 November 2015.
External links
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