Imabari, Ehime
| Imabari 今治市 | ||
|---|---|---|
| City | ||
 | ||
| ||
 | ||
  Imabari | ||
| Coordinates: 34°4′N 133°0′E / 34.067°N 133.000°ECoordinates: 34°4′N 133°0′E / 34.067°N 133.000°E | ||
| Country | Japan | |
| Region | Shikoku | |
| Prefecture | Ehime Prefecture | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Ryoji Kan (since February 2009) | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 419.56 km2 (161.99 sq mi) | |
| Population (January 1, 2010) | ||
| • Total | 172,384 | |
| • Density | 410.87/km2 (1,064.1/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) | |
| Symbols | ||
| - Tree | Camphor Laurel | |
| - Flower | Azalea | |
| Address |
1-4-1 Bekku-chō, Imabari-shi, Ehime-ken 794-8511 | |
| Phone number | 0898-32-5200 | |
| Website | www.city.imabari.ehime.jp | |
Imabari (今治市 Imabari-shi) is a city in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. It is the second largest city in Ehime Prefecture.
Following a recent merger, as of January 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 172,384 and population density of 410.87 persons per km². The total (merged) area is 419.56 km².
Transportation
The city is serviced by Imabari Station on the JR Shikoku system. It is a main station on the Yosan line with limited express service. The city is also home to two large naval ports, and acts as a hub station for many of the ferry systems that link the nearby smaller islands.
Places
In the center of the city lies Imabari Castle. It was built by Tōdō Takatora in 1604. It is unusual in that seawater is used in its moat.
Imabari has six temples of Shikoku Pilgrimage from 54 to 59 which are Enmeiji, Nankōji, Taisanji, Eifukuji, Senyuji, and Kokubunji.
Culture
Shigemi Shūkichi (重見 周吉), a teacher of Gakushuin and a physician in Tokyo, published A Japanese Boy by Himself in 1889, when he was studying at Yale University.
Economy
Imabari is home to a large number of maritime facilities along the northern and eastern coastlines of the city. Facilities include a container port and 20 maintenance and construction shipyards. The ports have also long been a trading center within Shikoku. The city is home to a large cotton processing industry, with particular emphasis on towels. The city produces around 60% of the towels produced in Japan. As of 1998, there were over 200 towel production plants in the city. The city also specializes in the dyeing industry.
History
The area in which Imabari exists had long been a strategic point for the control of the Seto Inland Sea. As a result, it was controlled by a variety of forces throughout the warring period, including a number of inland sea pirate forces. The city was officially founded on February 11, 1920.
On January 16, 2005, the towns of Hakata, Kamiura, Kikuma, Miyakubo, Namikata, Ōmishima, Ōnishi, Tamagawa, and Yoshiumi, and the villages of Asakura and Sekizen (all from Ochi District) were merged into Imabari. As a result, there are no more villages within Ehime Prefecture.
Sister cities
Imabari is twinned with:
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Panama City, Panama (since March 2, 1977) -
Lakeland, Florida, United States (since July 6, 1995)
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Imabari, Ehime. |
- Imabari City official website (Japanese)
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