Toyohashi, Aichi

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**Toyohashi**
**豊橋市**
Toyohashi's location in Aichi, Japan.
Location
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu
Prefecture	Aichi
Physical characteristics
Area	261.26 km² (100.87 sq mi)
Population (as of October 1, 2005)
Total	379,830
Density	1,413.94 /km² (3,662 /sq mi)
Location	34°46′N, 137°23′E
Symbols
Tree	Camphor Laurel
Flower	Azalea
Flag
Toyohashi Government Office
Mayor	Masaru Hayakawa
Address	〒440-8501 1 Imabashi-chō, Toyohashi-shi, Aichi-ken
Phone number	0532-51-2111
Official website: City of Toyohashi

Toyohashi (豊橋市]], Toyohashi-shi^?) is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

The city was founded on August 1, 1906. As of October 1, 2005, the city has an estimated population of 379,830 and a density of 1,413.94 persons per km². The total area is 261.26 km² (261,260,000 m²).

1 Features
2 Administration
- 2.1 Mayor
- 2.2 National government
3 Transportation
4 Industry
5 Agriculture
6 Special products
7 Place of interests & ruins
8 Facilities and parks
9 Festivals
10 Educational facilities
11 Media
12 External links
13 References

[edit] Features

The city is located in the east of Aichi Prefecture, and is the central city of the prefecture's Higashi Mikawa district. Mikawa Port is a major port for worldwide trade, and its presence has made Toyohashi an important city as the biggest import and export hub in Japan for automobiles, in volume terms. Compared to other ports around the world, Mikawa is roughly on a par with the German port of Bremerhaven.^[1]

The city also has a beach along the Pacific Ocean, where sea turtles have been seen laying eggs.

By size, Toyohashi was Aichi Prefecture's second-largest city until March 31, 2005. It was on April 1, 2005 that Toyota city combined with six peripheral municipalities and saw its total population rise above 400,000 people, thus edging ahead of Toyohashi into second place. Meanwhile, Ichinomiya city combined with two peripheral towns and saw its population rise above 370,000, and may soon surpass Toyohashi.

Hamamatsu city is just across the border in Shizuoka Prefecture, and saw large-scale municipal government mergers on July 1, 2005. There is some question as to whether Hamamatsu and Toyohashi might be merged in the future.^{[dubious – discuss]}

[edit] Administration

Toyohashi City Office

[edit] Mayor

Masaru Hayakawa (1996 -)

[edit] National government

Akihiko Yamamoto (Liberal Democratic Party (Japan))

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Rail

Toyohashi Station

Toyohashi is a station on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and the Tōkaidō Main Line. The Hikari shinkansen stops in Toyohashi Station approximately once every two hours, and the Kodama shinkansen stops twice an hour. Aside from the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and Tōkaidō Main Line, Toyohashi Station is the start of the Iida Line, Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line, Toyohashi Railroad Atsumi Line, and the Toyohashi Railroad Azumada Main Line, making it an important transportation hub.

The Azumada Main Line of Toyohashi Railroad is a local shiden (市電 "street car") line running north from Ekimae station through Undō Kōen Mae station and Akaiwa station. The Atsumi Line runs along the Atsumi Peninsula.

[edit] Roads

Expressway
- Tomei Expressway (Toyokawa IC :Toyokawa city)

National Highways
- Route 1
- Route 23
- Route 42
- Route 151
- Route 259
- Route 362

[edit] Bus

Almost all services are operated by Toyohashi Railroad (Toyotetsu or Houtetsu).

[edit] Industry

Automobiles made by Toyota, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Daimler-Chrysler, Ford, Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen are imported and exported through Toyohashi. The city acts as the port for approximately 50% of all automobile imports into Japan, and the volume of foreign-car imports is rising annually. Toyohashi was also the top producer of thread and textiles in volume terms during World War II.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Agriculture

Toyohashi is active in growing vegetables such as cabbage, and is also one of the top producers in Japan of quail. The city is a leading agricultural area, producing roughly ¥600 million annually.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Special products

Chikuwa, Gohei rice cake (五平餅 Gohei-mochi), beach fermented soybeans, food boiled down in soy of goby, egg of the quail of production volume Japan one, Toyohashi writing brush (豊橋筆 Toyohashi-fude).

[edit] Place of interests & ruins

Yoshida Castle

Toyohashi city public hall

Yoshida castle mark (吉田城址), Urigo ruins (瓜郷遺跡), Toumeidai of Maeshiba, Futagawa inn headquarter data mansion and Toyohashi Itimi technique museum, Watashi of Ushikawa, Toyohashi city public hall (豊橋市公会堂 Toyohashi-shi Kōkaidō) and Akaiwa temple etc...

[edit] Facilities and parks

Toyohashi is the self-governing community city in Japan with the most parks.

Toyohashi encompasses a flora and fauna park, Imou swamp, Mikawa Seaside Forest, Kamo Iris Garden, and the Mukaiyama Ume Garden.

Toyohashi also has what is considered to be the best surfing beach in Aichi and the surrounding region of Japan.

[edit] Festivals

Toyohashi Festival, Spring Festival, Flower iris Festival, Gion festival, Ogre festival, Akumi joruri performed by manipulating marionettes, festival model of flame.