Shichinohe, Aomori

Shichinohe
七戸町
Town

Shichinohe Town Hall

Flag

Seal

Location of Shichinohe in Aomori Prefecture
Shichinohe

 

Coordinates: 40°41′N 141°09′E / 40.683°N 141.150°ECoordinates: 40°41′N 141°09′E / 40.683°N 141.150°E
Country Japan
Region Tōhoku
Prefecture Aomori Prefecture
District Kamikita
Area
  Total 337.23 km2 (130.21 sq mi)
Population (April 2012)
  Total 16,295
  Density 48.3/km2 (125/sq mi)
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
- Tree Gingko
- Flower Rhododendron
- Bird Green Pheasant
Phone number 0176-68-2111
Address Mori-no-ue 131-4
039-2792
Website Official website

Shichinohe (七戸町 Shichinohe-machi) is a town located in Kamikita District of northeastern Aomori Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. As of April 2012, the town has an estimated population of 16,295 and a population density of 48.3 persons per km². The total area is 337.23 km².

Geography

Shichinohe is in central Aomori Prefecture, bordering on the Hakkoda Mountains. The town has a cold maritime climate characterized by cool short summers and long cold winters with heavy snowfall.

Neighbouring municipalities

History

Shichinohe began as a fortified settlement established by the Northern Fujiwara in the late Heian period. The Hōjō clan established a daikansho and a castle during the Kamakura period, which was controlled by the Yuki clan and then by the Date clan through the Muromachi period befome coming under control of the Nambu clan. During the Edo period, the castle was destroyed under the Tokugawa shogunate's policy of "one domain-one castle", but the moats and portions of the wall remained. In 1664, Morioka Domain established a daikansho at Shichinohe. The area came under the control of Shichinohe Domain, a subsidiary domain of Morioka Domain in the 19th century, and a jin'ya was constructed on the site of the old castle. During the cadastral reform of 1889, Shichinohe Village was incorporated. It was elevated to town status in 1949. On March 31, 2005 the neighboring village of Tenmabayashi was merged into the town of Shichinohe.

Economy

The economy of Shichinohe is heavily dependent on agriculture and stock raising. Primary crops include rice, Japanese yam and carrots.

Transportation

Railway

Shichinohe-Towada Station on the Tōhoku Shinkansen opened on 4 December 2010. This restored a rail link to the town after the closure of the Nanbu Jūkan Railway connecting Shichinohe Station with Noheji Station in 1997.

Highway

Sister City relations

Noted people from Shichinohe

External links

Media related to Shichinohe, Aomori at Wikimedia Commons