Toyama, Toyama
| Toyama 富山 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Core city | ||
| 富山市 · Toyama City | ||
 Toyama Castle, Toyama Light Rail Traditional medicines of Toyama, Owara Kaze no bon | ||
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 | ||
  Toyama | ||
| Coordinates: 36°42′N 137°13′E / 36.700°N 137.217°ECoordinates: 36°42′N 137°13′E / 36.700°N 137.217°E | ||
| Country | Japan | |
| Region | Chūbu (Hokuriku) | |
| Prefecture | Toyama Prefecture | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Masashi Mori (since January 2002) | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 1,241.85 km2 (479.48 sq mi) | |
| Population (May 31, 2011) | ||
| • Total | 417,324 | |
| • Density | 336.05/km2 (870.4/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) | |
| Symbols | ||
| - Tree | Zelkova serrata | |
| - Flower | Thistle | |
| Address |
Higashi-shinmachi 7-38, Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture (富山県富山市東新町７番38号) 930-8510 | |
| Phone number | 81-(0)76-431-1111 | |
| Website | City of Toyama | |
Toyama (富山市 Toyama-shi) is the capital city of Toyama Prefecture, Japan, located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in the Chūbu region on central Honshū, about 200 km (120 mi) north of the city of Nagoya and 300 km (190 mi) northwest of Tokyo.
Historically, Toyama was the capital of Etchu Province. The modern city was incorporated on April 1, 1889, withdrawing from Kaminiikawa District.
As of May 31, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 417,324, with 162,663 households and a population density of 336.05 persons per km². The total area is 1,241.85 km².
Toyama is served by Toyama Airport and Toyama Station of West Japan Railway Company, with Toyama Light Rail, Toyama Chiho Railway.
History
The Toyama Plain is good farmland and historically it was a point of strategic and traffic importance. During the Feudal Age, it was frequently turned into a battlefield. Toward the end of the period of confusion, Sassa Narimasa became the governor of Etchū Province (the ancient name for present Toyama), and he accomplished the feat of taming the rampaging rivers, bringing about an even more flourishing agricultural industry in Toyama. In the early Edo Period, a positive industrial promotion policy was implemented on the production of medicine and washi (Japanese paper). Also, thanks to the improvement of both land and sea transportation routes, these industries thrived and Toyama became known nation-wide as the province of medicine.
After the Meiji Restoration, heavy and chemical industries developed in Toyama, based on abundant electricity which was generated in some hydro power stations in the mountains near-by. Although the streets of Toyama were devastated by an air raid in August 1945, Toyama has become one of the most influential cities on the Japan Sea side with its good water supply, drainage system and thriving agricultural, forestry, fishery, commercial and manufacturing industries.
The city was nearly destroyed on the night of August 1–2, 1945, when 173 B-29 bombers of the American 73rd Bomber Wing dropped incendiary bombs on the city. 1.87 square miles (4.8 km2), or about 99.5 percent, of the urban center was destroyed. At the time of the bombing, the city was a center for aluminum, ball-bearing and special steel production.[1][2] The city during the time had a population of around 150,000 residents.
Mergers
On April 1, 2005, the towns of Ōsawano and Ōyama (both from Kaminiikawa District), the towns of Fuchū and Yatsuo, and the villages of Hosoiri and Yamada (all from Nei District) were merged into Toyama. Kaminiikawa District and Nei District were both dissolved as a result of this merger.
Climate
Toyama has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot, humid summers and cool winters. Precipitation is abundant throughout the year, particularly in July, September and from November through January. Despite winter in Toyama being relatively mild, its position near the Sea of Japan places it within the heavy snow belt of Japan and on average 3.8 m (12 ft) of snow falls each season, almost all of it from December thru March, as well as occasionally experiencing some tremendous amounts of snowfall.
| Climate data for Toyama, Toyama (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 20.9 (69.6) |
22.5 (72.5) |
25.7 (78.3) |
32.4 (90.3) |
32.3 (90.1) |
36.4 (97.5) |
38.8 (101.8) |
39.5 (103.1) |
38.3 (100.9) |
33.3 (91.9) |
29.2 (84.6) |
21.6 (70.9) |
39.5 (103.1) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 6.0 (42.8) |
6.8 (44.2) |
10.9 (51.6) |
17.3 (63.1) |
21.9 (71.4) |
25.1 (77.2) |
29.0 (84.2) |
30.9 (87.6) |
26.5 (79.7) |
21.1 (70) |
15.3 (59.5) |
9.6 (49.3) |
18.4 (65.1) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −0.3 (31.5) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
2.2 (36) |
7.2 (45) |
12.6 (54.7) |
17.4 (63.3) |
21.5 (70.7) |
22.9 (73.2) |
18.8 (65.8) |
12.4 (54.3) |
6.8 (44.2) |
2.4 (36.3) |
10.3 (50.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −11.9 (10.6) |
−11.1 (12) |
−7 (19) |
−2.2 (28) |
2.3 (36.1) |
7.7 (45.9) |
13.0 (55.4) |
14.1 (57.4) |
8.9 (48) |
1.9 (35.4) |
−2 (28) |
−8.5 (16.7) |
−11.9 (10.6) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 259.5 (10.217) |
172.1 (6.776) |
158.5 (6.24) |
122.2 (4.811) |
134.2 (5.283) |
182.6 (7.189) |
240.4 (9.465) |
168.3 (6.626) |
220.2 (8.669) |
160.7 (6.327) |
234.4 (9.228) |
247.0 (9.724) |
2,300.1 (90.555) |
| Snowfall cm (inches) | 159 (62.6) |
125 (49.2) |
36 (14.2) |
1 (0.4) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
2 (0.8) |
57 (22.4) |
380 (149.6) |
| Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.5 mm) | 23.7 | 19.9 | 18.7 | 13.1 | 11.8 | 12.3 | 14.7 | 11.0 | 13.9 | 14.4 | 17.7 | 22.0 | 193.2 |
| Avg. snowy days | 19.1 | 16.1 | 9.1 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 9.7 | 56.4 |
| % humidity | 82 | 79 | 73 | 69 | 72 | 79 | 81 | 77 | 79 | 77 | 77 | 80 | 77.1 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 68.1 | 86.3 | 131.3 | 174.9 | 191.1 | 150.2 | 147.1 | 201.3 | 133.1 | 142.7 | 102.8 | 75.8 | 1,604.7 |
| Source #1: Japan Meteorological Agency[3] | |||||||||||||
| Source #2: Japan Meteorological Agency (records)[4] | |||||||||||||
Economy
Hokuriku Electric Power Company (colloquially known as Hokuden), the regional power-supply monopoly, is based in Toyama. Bearing parts and industrial robot company Nachi-Fujikoshi and software company Intec are also headquartered in Toyama. [citation needed]
Regional banks include Hokuriku Bank, First Bank of Toyama, and Toyama Bank. [citation needed]
Points of interest
- Botanic Gardens of Toyama
- Toyama International Conference Center
- Toyama Castle
- Museum of Modern Art, Toyama
- Toyama Athletic Recreation Park Stadium, home of Toyama's representative in the J. League, Kataller Toyama football club
- Toyama Glass Studio
Festivals and Events
- Toyama Chindon Contest (Toyama Band of musical sandwichmen contest) - Which was proposed by the Toyama Chamber of Commerce in 1955 and is held annually in early April. This event has become a festival, and many bands of sandwichmen participate, attracting many tourists every year. But in 2011, the event was cancelled in the wake of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. [citation needed]
- Kaze No Bon - which is held annually on September 1 to 3, in the Yatsuo region.[5]
Educational Institutions
- Toyama College
- Toyama National College of Technology
- Toyama Prefectural University
- Toyama University of International Studies
- University of Toyama
Sister cities
Durham, North Carolina, United States
Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo State, Brazil
Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
Wellington, New South Wales, New Zealand
Sister states
References
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ "平年値（年・月ごとの値）". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2011-11-18.
- ↑ "観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2011-11-18.
- ↑ Visit Toyama. (2008). Visit Toyama. Retrieved Jan. 6, 2013, from prefectural web site, English version.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Toyama, Toyama. |
- Toyama City official website (Japanese)
- Toyama City official website (English)
- Toyama City's Website for foreign people Visit Toyama
- Toyama Castle
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