Natori, Miyagi

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**Natori City**
**名取市**
Natori City's location in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.
Location
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Prefecture	Miyagi Prefecture
Physical characteristics
Area	100.06 km²
Population (as of March 28, 2006)
Total	68,981
Density	688/km²
Location	38°10′N 140°53′E
Symbols
Tree	Japanese Black Pine
Flower	Peach flower
Symbol of Natori City
Natori City City Hall
Mayor	Sasaki Isō
Address	〒981-1292 Natori-shi, Masuda-aza, Yanagita 80
Phone number	022-384-2111
Official website: www.city.natori.miyagi.jp

Coordinates: 38°10′N 140°53′E

Natori (名取市, Natori-shi^?) is a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.

As of 2006, the city has an estimated population of 68,981 and a population density of 685.7 persons per km². The total area is officially 100.06 km², although there is some disputed area.^{[citation needed]}

The city was founded on October 1, 1958 from villages already existing in the area.

[edit] Geography

Traditionally, the area known as Natori district (名取郡, Natori-gun^?) extended from the Natori River in the north and into the west. However, these regions have been absorbed into the greater Sendai area and are no longer part of Natori: the Natori river is actually not inside Natori city limits. Natori is bordered on the north by Sendai City, the west by Sendai and Kawasaki, and Iwanuma on the south. The Pacific Ocean is on the east.

Natori is located in the fertile plains of the Natori river and the Masuda river deltas.

[edit] History

1867: Natori was a part of the Rikuzen Province.
April 1, 1889: Natori-gun (district) was defined as 6 villages: Masuda, East Taga, Lower Masuda, Tatekoshi, Aishiwa, and Takadate.
April 1, 1896: Masuda Village (Masudamura) was renamed Masuda Town (Masudamachi).
April 1, 1928: East Taga Village became Yuriage Town.
April 1, 1955: Masuda Town, Yuriage Town, Lower Masuda, Tatekoshi, Aishiwa, Takadate merged together as Natori Town (Natorimachi).
October 1, 1958: Natori Town became Natori City (Natorishi).

The official boundaries of Natori City have changed since 1958, as Sendai City redefines its area to include districts to the North and West of Natori.

[edit] Administration

The current mayor of Natori is Sasaki Isō.

[edit] Economy

Based on data collected in 2000:

6.4% of the population of Natori is involved in the primary agricultural and fishing industries.
26.1% of the population of Natori is involved in secondary processing industries, particularly at the Nikon Camera factory and at the Sapporo Breweries factory.

[edit] Sister City Relationships

Within Japan, Natori is the sister city of Kaminoyama in Yamagata prefecture, which is located on the same latitude line as Natori but on the opposite coast of Japan.

Natori's sister city abroad is Guararapes, Brazil.

[edit] Facilities

[edit] Medical Facilities

Natori is home to the Miyagi Prefectural Psychiatric Medical Center and the Prefectural Cancer Center.

[edit] Educational and Cultural Facilities

Natori's educational facilities include a private university, a prefectural university, a prefectural professional school, a technical college, two prefectural senior high schools, five municipal junior high schools, and eleven municipal primary schools. Additionally, there are seven nursery schools and eight child care centers.

The Natori City Library has a collection of approximately 140,000 books (two books for every person in the city) as of 2002.

The Cultural Meeting Center (文化会館, Bunkakaikan^?) has a medium-sized hall and rehearsal room, a music room, a cultural centre which includes an exhibition gallery, a professional concert hall and stage, catering facilities and meeting rooms, and other general-purpose facilities for communal use. The structure was designed by Fumihiko Maki and is considered a local attraction.

Additionally, Natori is home to a Media Resource Centre, a community gym, the Miyagi Cycling Centre, and several public beaches and swimming pools.

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Airports

Natori is home to the Sendai Airport. The Sendai Airport Line (an express train line leading directly to the airport) is under construction.

[edit] Train stations/Routes

Main articles: Natori Station and Tatekoshi Station

JR East
- Tōhoku Main Line / Jōban Line: Natori Station to Tatekoshi Station
Sendai Airport Transit
- Sendai Airport Line: Natori Station - Morisekinoshita Station - Mitazono Station - Sendai Airport Station

Connections to surrounding municipalities (Natori Local Station)
- Toward Sendai Station on the Tōhoku Main Line or Jōban line (North 3 Stations, approx. 13mins)
- or Toward Iwanuma Station on the Tōhoku Main Line or Jōban line (South 2 Stations, approx. 10 mins)
National Connections
- At Sendai station change onto the Tōhoku Shinkansen (Bullet Train)

[edit] Major roads

Local Highways
- Tōhoku Expressway: Minami-Sendai interchange is nearby
- South Sendai Expressway: Yamada interchange is nearby
- East Sendai Expressway: Natori and Sendai Airport interchanges
National Highways
- Route 4
- Route 286

[edit] Culture

[edit] Festivals

The Natori Summer Festival is held in early August, and is a town celebration of summer. The celebration is marked by fireworks and traditional Japanese festival foods, such as yakisoba and yakiniku.

The Sapporo Beer Festival is held at the Sapporo Beer Factory. The factory opens to the public for tours of the factory and other events including free beer tasting.

[edit] Sports

The Natori Sports Park, constructed by Tohoku Electric, is a public area used for various sports meetings and other community events, such as open-air markets.

Historical lantern-covered Matsu pines standing by the Natori River dike.

[edit] Historical Sites

The Nakazawa Family Estate (住宅, Juutaku^?), ancestral home of the Nakazawa Clan of bushi warriors, has been designated a National Treasure under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties. It was constructed in the late 18th century and has an historically important design, including a thatched roof.^[1].

There is a park in Natori dedicated to the Mountain Tomb (山古墳, yamakofun^?) of the Thunder God (雷神, Raijin^?). This is a keyhole tumulus constructed sometime circa the 4th and 5th centuries CE. The park contains numerous other tumuli of varying age, both keyhole and circular.

Natori is home to several sites and artifacts related to Date Masamune, the historical and legendary founder of Sendai. These include 300-year-old pine trees standing by the Natori River dike, which are decorated with paper lanterns and are said to have been planted by Masamune himself.

[edit] Other Sites

Natori, as an oceanside town, has open local fresh fish markets. These markets are open in the port district, every Sunday throughout most of the year.

[edit] Specialty Products, Items and Gifts

Because of the Japanese tradition of gift-giving, most cities in Japan have something considered a "local specialty" to be used as omiyage. Natori's main omiyage specialty is kamaboko, a fish paste boiled in bamboo grass. Another local specialty is "beer-tella", a form of castella sponge cake that has been made with brewer's yeast rather than baker's yeast. As one might expect, "beer-tella" smells strongly of beer, and is made at the Sapporo Beer Factory.

As an ocean city, Natori has a seafood specialty: according to traditional lore, turbot caught in Yuriage was salted and grilled to preserve it for the day, and sold in the larger population centers to the North, in the Sendai area. This may no longer be part of Natori's role in the broader scope of Japanese cuisine.^{[citation needed]}