| Gonohe 五戸町 |
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| — Town — | |
| Location of Gonohe in Aomori | |
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Gonohe
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Tōhoku |
| Prefecture | Aomori |
| District | Sannohe |
| Area | |
| • Total | 177.82 km2 (68.7 sq mi) |
| Population (September 2009) | |
| • Total | 18,849 |
| • Density | 106/km2 (274.5/sq mi) |
| Time zone | Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) |
| City Symbols | |
| - Tree | Japanese yew |
| - Flower | Chrysanthemum |
| Phone number | 0178-62-2111 |
| Address | 21-1 Fukutachi, Gonohe-machi, Sannohe-gun, Aomori-ken 039-1513 |
| Website | Gonohe Town |
Gonohe (五戸町 Gonohe-machi) is a town located in Sannohe District, Aomori, Japan. Gonohe Town is located in the north-eastern part of Sannohe-gun, approximately 16 kilometres west of Hachinohe City and 10 kilometres southeast of Towada City. The town is adjacent to Hachinohe City to the east, Shingo Village to the west, Nanbu Town to the south, and Towada City, Oirase Town and Rokunohe Town to the north. With a total area of 177.82 km², the land extends 16.8 kilometres east to west and 18.55 kilometres north to south.
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The Gonohegawa River, which flows from Mt. Heraidake into the Pacific Ocean, and the Asamizugawa River, which originates from a hot spring swamp to join the Mabechigawa River, run parallel to each other through the town. While embracing these two rivers, residential areas have formed, and rice fields can be found in the flat areas that benefit from the favourable flows of water. The slightly sloped hillside areas spread to the east of the Ōu Mountains and are utilized as crop fields and apple orchards.
The type of weather most characteristic of the region is the yamase, the easterly winds which bring cold air in summer. In Gonohe, the yamase brings rain and, when such conditions last for a long time, harvests are significantly affected because of the low temperatures and lack of sunshine. However, the town receives relatively less snow than its location in northern Tōhoku would otherwise suggest.
The name of the town is said to have derived from the ranch system used by the Nanbu clan who ruled in these parts. In 1189, during the Kamakura period, Nanbu Mitsuyuki, a retainer of Minamoto Yoritomo from Kai Province was awarded the former Nukabe district (the current Sanhachi and Kamikita districts of Aomori Prefecture) after the defeat of the Northern Fujiwara clan. As the land was suited for raising battle horses, he divided it into nine he (ranches), then further divided each he into four plots of north, south, east and west. This ranch system, which comprised four mon (directions) and nine he, is said to be the origin of the town's name Gonohe. The Chinese characters 五戸 used in the town's name translate as "fifth gate or door".
In April 1889, with the introduction of the town and village system, the land became Gonohe Village. In November 1915, the village was elevated to town status. In July 1955, Gonohe Town was combined with neighboring Kawauchi and Asada villages; this also included incorporating part of the Tekurabashi area of Nozawa Village and the Toyomauchi area of Toyosaki Village. After a merger with the neighbouring village of Kuraishi on July 1, 2004, Gonohe now has an estimated population of 25,635 and a density of 116.04 persons per km². In recent years there has been a small community of repatriated Manchurian Japanese living in Kuraishi.
In its earlier history Gonohe enjoyed a reputation as a breeding centre for horses of exceptional quality, popular amongst the samurai. With the decline of the samurai, Gonohe's horses continued to be bred for their meat. The lean horse meat is coveted as a delicacy, especially when served in its raw form, known as Basashi (馬刺し). This dish is a speciality of both Gonohe and Kumamoto in southern Kyūshū. After its horses, Gonohe is best known for the local popularity of soccer.
Key industries of the town are agriculture, with a focus mainly on producing vegetables, rice and livestock. Since the town was designated a new industrial city of Hachinohe district, inland industries have developed in the Jizo-daira Industrial Estate, where 20 companies are now in operation.
On 28 June 2001 the town's Korean 'sister city' Okcheon cancelled a planned trip to send 25 young people, mostly students, on an exchange visit to Gonohe. According to the insistence of South Korea, The decision was a reaction to the recent approval in Japan of a series of junior high school history textbooks that were regarded by Korea as distorting historical fact and glossing over the atrocities carried out by the Japanese military during World War II. The youngsters had planned to visit between 29 August and 2 September that year, to coincide with the Gonohe festival held on 31 August. The event was preceded by a related incident in April of that year, when a group of Gonohe assemblymen cancelled a planned visit to Korea that May. That decision had also been made owing to the schism caused by the latest developments in the Japanese history textbook controversies. Gonohe was disappointed because Okchongun had discontinued the contract of the exchange many times afterwards. Gonohe proposes to Okchongu "Gonohe hopes for a minimum exchange because Gonohe is a financial difficulty". [1]
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