Toyama, Toyama

Toyama
富山市
Core city
Toyama City

Flag

Location of Toyama in Toyama Prefecture
Toyama

Location in Japan

Coordinates: 36°42′N 137°13′E / 36.700°N 137.217°E / 36.700; 137.217Coordinates: 36°42′N 137°13′E / 36.700°N 137.217°E / 36.700; 137.217
Country Japan
Region Chūbu (Hokuriku)
Prefecture Toyama Prefecture
Government
  Mayor Masashi Mori (since January 2002)
Area
  Total 1,241.85 km2 (479.48 sq mi)
Population (May 31, 2011)
  Total 417,324
  Density 336.05/km2 (870.4/sq mi)
Symbols
  Tree Zelkova serrata
  Flower Thistle
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City hall address Higashi-shinmachi 7-38, Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture (富山県富山市東新町7番38号)
930-8510
Website www.city.toyama.toyama.jp

Toyama (富山市 Toyama-shi) is the capital city of Toyama Prefecture, Japan, located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in the Chūbu region on central Honshū, about 200 km (120 mi) north of the city of Nagoya and 300 km (190 mi) northwest of Tokyo.

Historically, Toyama was the capital of Etchu Province. The modern city was incorporated on April 1, 1889, withdrawing from Kaminiikawa District.

As of May 31, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 417,324, with 162,663 households and a population density of 336.05 persons per km². The total area is 1,241.85 km².

Toyama is served by Toyama Airport and Toyama Station of West Japan Railway Company, with Toyama Light Rail, Toyama Chiho Railway.

History

Early history

The Toyama Plain is good farmland and historically it was a point of strategic and traffic importance. During the Feudal Age, it was frequently turned into a battlefield. Toward the end of the period of confusion, Sassa Narimasa became the governor of Etchū Province (the ancient name for present Toyama), and he accomplished the feat of taming the rampaging rivers, bringing about an even more flourishing agricultural industry in Toyama. In the early Edo Period, a positive industrial promotion policy was implemented on the production of medicine and washi (Japanese paper). Also, thanks to the improvement of both land and sea transportation routes, these industries thrived and Toyama became known nationwide as the province of medicine.

Recent history

After the Meiji Restoration, heavy and chemical industries developed in Toyama, based on abundant electricity which was generated in some hydro power stations in the mountains near-by. During World War II, Allied POWs were sent to Toyama as forced labor.[1] Although the streets of Toyama were devastated by an air raid in August 1945, Toyama has become one of the most influential cities on the Japan Sea side with its good water supply, drainage system and thriving agricultural, forestry, fishery, commercial and manufacturing industries.

The city was completely destroyed on the night of August 1–2, 1945, possibly due to it being a major center for the Japanese military holding American prisoners of war. At the time of the bombing, the city was a center for aluminum, ball-bearing and special steel production.[2][3] The city during the time had a population of around 150,000 residents.

2005 mergers

On April 1, 2005, the towns of Ōsawano and Ōyama (both from Kaminiikawa District), the towns of Fuchū and Yatsuo, and the villages of Hosoiri and Yamada (all from Nei District) were merged into Toyama. Kaminiikawa District and Nei District were both dissolved as a result of this merger.

Geography

Location

Located in the middle of its prefecture, Toyama is a seaside city by the coast of the Sea of Japan and in front of Miura Peninsula. Its municipal territory borders with the Gifu Prefecture and with the municipalities of Imizu, Namerikawa, Tonami, Nanto, Hida and Takayama.[4]

Nearest towns are the ones of Imizu (west), and Namerikawa (east), both part of Toyama urban area and by the sea. Nearest city is Kanazawa, the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, that is 65 km far.

Climate

Toyama has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot, humid summers and cool winters. Precipitation is abundant throughout the year, particularly in July, September and from November through January. Despite winter in Toyama being relatively mild, its position near the Sea of Japan places it within the heavy snow belt of Japan and on average 3.8 m (12 ft) of snow falls each season, almost all of it from December through March, as well as occasionally experiencing some tremendous amounts of snowfall.

Climate data for Toyama, Toyama (1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 20.9
(69.6)
22.5
(72.5)
25.7
(78.3)
32.4
(90.3)
32.6
(90.7)
36.4
(97.5)
38.8
(101.8)
39.5
(103.1)
38.3
(100.9)
33.3
(91.9)
29.2
(84.6)
21.6
(70.9)
39.5
(103.1)
Average high °C (°F) 6.0
(42.8)
6.8
(44.2)
10.9
(51.6)
17.3
(63.1)
21.9
(71.4)
25.1
(77.2)
29.0
(84.2)
30.9
(87.6)
26.5
(79.7)
21.1
(70)
15.3
(59.5)
9.6
(49.3)
18.4
(65.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) 2.7
(36.9)
3.0
(37.4)
6.3
(43.3)
12.1
(53.8)
17.0
(62.6)
20.9
(69.6)
24.9
(76.8)
26.6
(79.9)
22.3
(72.1)
16.4
(61.5)
10.8
(51.4)
5.7
(42.3)
14.1
(57.4)
Average low °C (°F) −0.1
(31.8)
−0.3
(31.5)
2.2
(36)
7.2
(45)
12.6
(54.7)
17.4
(63.3)
21.5
(70.7)
22.9
(73.2)
18.8
(65.8)
12.4
(54.3)
6.8
(44.2)
2.4
(36.3)
10.3
(50.5)
Record low °C (°F) −11.9
(10.6)
−11.1
(12)
−7
(19)
−2.2
(28)
2.3
(36.1)
7.7
(45.9)
13.0
(55.4)
14.1
(57.4)
8.9
(48)
1.9
(35.4)
−2
(28)
−8.5
(16.7)
−11.9
(10.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 259.5
(10.217)
172.1
(6.776)
158.5
(6.24)
122.2
(4.811)
134.2
(5.283)
182.6
(7.189)
240.4
(9.465)
168.3
(6.626)
220.2
(8.669)
160.7
(6.327)
234.4
(9.228)
247.0
(9.724)
2,300.1
(90.555)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 159
(62.6)
125
(49.2)
36
(14.2)
1
(0.4)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
2
(0.8)
57
(22.4)
380
(149.6)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.5 mm) 23.7 19.9 18.7 13.1 11.8 12.3 14.7 11.0 13.9 14.4 17.7 22.0 193.2
Average snowy days 19.1 16.1 9.1 0.8 0 0 0 0 0 0.6 1.0 9.7 56.4
Average relative humidity (%) 82 79 73 69 72 79 81 77 79 77 77 80 77.1
Mean monthly sunshine hours 68.1 86.3 131.3 174.9 191.1 150.2 147.1 201.3 133.1 142.7 102.8 75.8 1,604.7
Source #1: Japan Meteorological Agency[5]
Source #2: Japan Meteorological Agency (records)[6]

Economy

Hokuriku Electric Power Company (colloquially known as Hokuden), the regional power-supply monopoly, is based in Toyama.[7] Bearing parts and industrial robot company Nachi-Fujikoshi and software company INTEC are also headquartered in Toyama.[8][9]

Regional banks include Hokuriku Bank, First Bank of Toyama, and Toyama Bank.[10]

Points of interest

Gohyaku rakan - five hundred statues depicting arhats, at the Chōkei-ji temple in Toyama

Festivals and events

Educational institutions

Transport

A T100 on City Tram Line

Toyama is served by a tram network divided into the Toyama City Tram Line and the Toyama Light Rail Toyamakō Line. Toyama railway station, operated by JR West, Toyama Chihō Railway and Ainokaze Toyama Railway, is connected to both tramway lines and is also served by Shinkansen.

Toyama Airport (IATA: TOY, ICAO: RJNT), located some km south of the city, is an international airport with some flights to China, Taiwan and South Korea.

Sister cities

References

  1. Pennington, Matthew (25 April 2015). "'The truth needs to be told' about Japan's war history, some vets say". Stars and Stripes. United States. Associated Press. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  2. Info on att.net
  3. Info on echigonagaoka.com
  4. 4807827 Toyama on OpenStreetMap
  5. "平年値(年・月ごとの値)". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2011-11-18.
  6. "観測史上1~10位の値(年間を通じての値)". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2011-11-18.
  7. "Annual Report 2013." Hokuriku Electric Power Company. Retrieved on August 28, 2014.
  8. "Corporate Info." Nachi-Fujikoshi. Retrieved on August 27, 2014.
  9. "About INTEC." INTEC. Retrieved on August 27, 2014.
  10. "Corporate Data." Hokuhoku Financial Group. Retrieved on August 28, 2014.
  11. Toyama International Conference Center
  12. Toyama Glass Studio
  13. Visit Toyama. (2008). Visit Toyama. Retrieved Jan. 6, 2013, from prefectural web site, English version.
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