Minami-Alps, Yamanashi

Minami-Alps 南アルプス市
City
Gate of the Ando house in Minami-Alps City
Flag Seal
Location of Minami-Alps in Yamanashi Prefecture
Minami-Alps
Coordinates: 35°36′29.9″N 138°27′54.1″E / 35.608306°N 138.465028°ECoordinates: 35°36′29.9″N 138°27′54.1″E / 35.608306°N 138.465028°E
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu (Tōkai)
Prefecture	Yamanashi Prefecture
Government
• -Mayor	Hirobumi Nakairi (since April 2011)
Area
• Total	264.14 km^2 (101.99 sq mi)
Population (November 1, 2015)
• Total	70,768
• Density	269/km^2 (700/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
Phone number	055-282-1111
Address	Ogasawara 376, Minami-Alps city, Yamanashi 400-0395
Website	www.city.minami-alps.yamanashi.jp/multilingual/english

Minami-Alps City Hall

Minami-Alps (南アルプス市 Minami-Arupusu-shi) is a city located in eastern Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan.

As of September 2015, the city has an estimated population of 70,968 and a population density of 269 persons per km². The total area was 264.14 square kilometres (101.99 sq mi). Minami-Alps is Yamanashi Prefecture's eighth city, and its population of over 70,000 makes it the prefecture's third largest. The city's name was chosen in September 2002 from among entries submitted by the general public.

Geography

The city is named for its location on the eastern foothills of the "Southern Alps". This city is located on the eastern foothills of these Southern Alps. This mountain range includes Mount Kita, Japan's second-highest mountain, as well as a number of other mountains that top 3,000 meters. The urbanized zones lie along the three rivers running along these mountains: Midai River, Takizawa River, and Tsubo River. The area is noted for horticulture of cherries, peaches, plums, grapes, pears, persimmons, kiwi, and apples.

Surrounding municipalities

• Yamanashi Prefecture
  • Nirasaki, Hokuto, Kai, Chūō, Ichikawamisato, Fujikawa, Hayakawa, Shōwa
• Nagano Prefecture
  • Ina
• Shizuoka Prefecture
  • Aoi-ku, Shizuoka

History

The city of Minami-Alps was established on April 1, 2003, by the merger of the towns of Kōsai, Kushigata, Shirane and Wakakusa, and the villages of Ashiyasu and Hatta (all from Nakakoma District).

Transportation

Railway

Minami-Alps is the only city in Yamanashi which does not have any passenger railway services.

Highway

• Chūbu-Ōdan Expressway
• Japan National Route 52
• Japan National Route 140

Education

• Minami-Alps has 15 elementary schools, one combined elementary/middle school, six middle schools, two high schools and one special education school
• International schools - Alps Gakuen (former Colégio Pitágoras) - Brazilian school^[1]

Sister cities

• – Tsubetsu, Hokkaidō, Japan
• – Iwamizawa, Hokkaidō, Japan
• – Anamizu, Ishikawa, Japan
• – Ogasawara, Tokyo, Japan
• - Marshalltown, Iowa, USA^[2]
• - Winterset, Iowa, USA^[2]
• - Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia^[3]

Noted people from Minami-Alps

• Shin Kanemaru – politician
• Tachū Naitō – architect, engineer
• Masae Kasai – women’s volleyball player
• Akira Takabe – professional football player
• Kaori Chiba – women’s field hockey player

See also

• Hōzen-ji
• Minami Alps National Park

References

1. "Escolas Brasileiras Homologadas no Japão" (Archive). Embassy of Brazil in Tokyo. Retrieved on October 13, 2015.
2. "US-Japan Sister Cities by State". Asia Matters for America. Honolulu, HI: East-West Center. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
3. "International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Retrieved 21 November 2015.

External links

Media related to Minami-alps, Yamanashi at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website (Japanese)
• Minami-Alps official website (English)