Hida, Gifu

Hida
飛騨市
City

Furukawa Festival, held annually in April

Flag

Location of Hida in Gifu Prefecture
Hida

Location in Japan

Coordinates: 36°14′N 137°11′E / 36.233°N 137.183°ECoordinates: 36°14′N 137°11′E / 36.233°N 137.183°E
Country Japan
Region Chūbu
Prefecture Gifu Prefecture
Government
 • Mayor Hisanori Inoue
Area
 • Total 792.31 km2 (305.91 sq mi)
Population (July 2011[1])
 • Total 26,403
 • Density 33/km2 (86/sq mi)
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
Symbols
- Tree Beech
- Flower Lysichiton camtschatcense
Address 2-22 Hon-machi, Furukawa-chō, Hida-shi, Gifu-ken
509-4292
Phone number 0577-73-2111
Website City of Hida
Hida-Furukawa Station

Hida (飛騨市 Hida-shi) is the northernmost city in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It received its name from the historical province of Hida Province, which was centered on the same area.

The official kanji for the city is actually 飛驒, which uses the old rendering of the 騨 character. However, the 驒 characters is not included on the official list of usable characters (as decided by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications), so the 騨 character is often used outside of the city.

As of July 2011, the city has an estimated population of 26,403 and a population density of 33 persons per km². The total area is 792.31 km².

History

The modern city of Hida was established on February 1, 2004, from the merger of the towns of Furukawa and Kamioka, and the villages of Kawai and Miyagawa (all from Yoshiki District).

Geography

The city is located on the northern part of the Hida Plateau. The city is geographically divided into two areas, the eastern and western half. The Takahara River flows through the eastern half the city and the Miya River flows through the western half (both rivers are part of the Jinzū River river system). A mountainous region separates the two sides and the population generally clusters around the two river valleys.

Much of the area within the city's borders is covered in forests. There are many mountains that reach higher than 1,000 feet (305 m), though some peaks in the Hida Mountains reach even higher, going beyond 2,000 feet (610 m).

Economy

The main two traditional economies in the city are the production of sake and Japanese candles. The Furukawa area of the city is known for both of these crafts, though the Kamioka section is also known for its sake production.

Festival in Hida

Furukawa Festival, a famous for festival in Gifu Prefecture, with this event held on every April.

Transportation

Railroad

JR Central operates seven stations within Hida along the Takayama Main Line. The main station for the city is Hida-Furukawa Station. The other six stations are north of Hida-Furukawa and are, in order: Sugisaki, Hida-Hosoe, Tsunogawa, Sakakami, Utsubo and Sugihara stations.

Highway

The major expressway through the city is the Tōkai-Hokuriku Expressway, which connects the cities of Nagoya and Gifu with Toyama. Four national highways run through the city as well: National Routes 41, 360, 471 and 472.

Neighboring municipalities

References

  1. ↑ 岐阜県の人口・世帯数人口動態統計調査結果. Gifu prefectural website (in Japanese). Gifu Prefecture. Retrieved September 11, 2011.

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Hida.

Media related to Hida, Gifu at Wikimedia Commons