| Towada 十和田市 |
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| — City — | |
| Location of Towada in Aomori | |
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Towada
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Tōhoku |
| Prefecture | Aomori |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Hisashi Oyamada (since January 2009) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 725.67 km2 (280.2 sq mi) |
| Population (September 1, 2009) | |
| • Total | 65,818 |
| • Density | 90.7/km2 (234.9/sq mi) |
| Time zone | Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) |
| City symbols | |
| - Tree | Japanese Red Pine |
| - Flower | Azalea |
| Phone number | 0176-23-5111 |
| Address | 6-1 Nishi Jūni-ban-chō, Towada-shi, Aomori-ken 034-8615 |
| Website | City of Towada |
Towada (十和田市 Towada-shi) is a city located in central Aomori in Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the city had an estimated population of 65,818 and a density of 90.7 persons per km². Its total area was 725.67 km², making it the largest municipality in Aomori Prefecture in terms of area.
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Towada is located in the foothills of the Hakkoda Mountains and encompasses the Aomori portion of Lake Towada. The Oirase River passes through the town. The city has a cold maritime climate characterized by cool summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. It is at the northern limit of rice cultivation in Japan. Part of the city is within the limits of the Towada-Hachimantai National Park.
The area around present-day Towada was formerly a wasteland known as Sanbongihara (三本木原), which became the location of a colonization and land reclamation project initiated by the Nambu clan of Morioka Domain from 1855. The project was headed by Nitobe Tsutō, the grandfather of Inazō Nitobe. The project was continued by the Meiji government, and the area was designated a ranch area for breeding cavalry horses by the Imperial Japanese Army in 1885. The inclement climate of the area was considered ideal for breeding horses that would be suitable for use in the cold climate areas of Manchuria and Siberia. On September 1, 1910, Sanbongi was designated a town. It was elevated to the status of a city on February 1, 1955. In October 1956, it changed its name to “Towada”. The city merged with the neighboring town of Towadako on January 1, 2005.
The economy of Towada is heavily dependent on tourism to Lake Towada and the surrounding Towada-Hachimantai National Park, with numerous hot spring resorts. Agriculture and forestry also continue to play a major role. There are still ample equestrian locations, and Sanbongi Agricultural High School has one of the highest ranked equestrian teams in Japan.
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