Ariake, Saga

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**Ariake Town**
**有明町**
No Longer a Municipality
Since	January 1, 2005
Currently Part Of	Shiroishi
Ariake Town's location in Saga, Japan.
Location
Country	Japan
Region	Kyūshū
Prefecture	Saga
District	Kishima District
Physical characteristics
Area	32.76 km²
Population (as of March 31, 2004)
Total	8,944
Density	273.02/km²
Official website: Shiroishi Town

Ariake (有明町, Ariake-chō^?) is a former town in Kishima District, Saga Prefecture, Japan. On January 1, 2005 it was incorporated with Fukudomi into Shiroishi. The former Ariake City Hall is now actually the site of the main Shiroishi City Hall. Ariake borders the Ariake Sea, and from the Edo period through the Showa period land was reclaimed from this sea.

1 Geography
- 1.1 Adjoining Municipalities
2 History
3 Transportation

[edit] Geography

Ariake is long east to west. In the west it borders Shiota at Kishima Mountain, and in the east it borders the Ariake Sea and is an area of lowland rice paddies. To the north it becomes Shiroishi, and to the south it borders Kashima along the Shiota River. The eastern third of the town is reclaimed land. The town proper is northeast of the train station, Hizen-Ryūō, and near Megurie River.

Mountains: Shiraiwa Mountain (340.3m, 1116.5ft), Īmori Mountain (317.8m, 1042.7ft)
Rivers: Shiota River, Megurie River, Tadae River

[edit] Adjoining Municipalities

[edit] History

April 1, 1889 -
- Fukaura (深浦村) and Sakata (坂田村) merge to become Ryūō (竜王村).
- Heta (辺田村), Tanoue (田野上村), and Togari (戸ケ里村) merge to become Kinkō (錦江村).
- Ushiya (牛屋村) and Yokote (横手村) merge to form Minami-Ariake (南有明村).
April 1, 1955 - Kinkō (錦江村) and Ryūō (竜王村) merge to form Ariake Village (有明村).
September 30, 1955 - Minami-Ariake (南有明村) is incorporated into Ariake Village (有明村).
October 1, 1962 - Ariake Village (有明村) becomes Ariake Town (有明町).
January 1, 2005 - Ariake Town is incorporated into Shiroishi.