Watari, Miyagi
| Watari 亘理町 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Town | |||
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Watari Town hall | |||
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 Location of Watari in Miyagi Prefecture | |||
  Watari
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| Coordinates: 38°02′06″N 140°51′04″E / 38.03500°N 140.85111°ECoordinates: 38°02′06″N 140°51′04″E / 38.03500°N 140.85111°E | |||
| Country | Japan | ||
| Region | Tōhoku | ||
| Prefecture | Miyagi | ||
| District | Watari District | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 73.21 km2 (28.27 sq mi) | ||
| Population (June 2014) | |||
| • Total | 33,105 | ||
| • Density | 452/km2 (1,170/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) | ||
| - Tree | Pinus thunbergii | ||
| - Flower | Camellia sasanqua | ||
| Phone number | 0223-34-0502 | ||
| Address | 7-4 Shimokoji, Watari-chō, Watari-gun, Miyagi-ken 989-2393 | ||
| Website | Official website | ||
Watari (亘理町 Watari-chō) is a town located in Watari District, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. As of June 2014, the town had an estimated population of 33,105 and a population density of 452 persons per km². The total area was 73.21 km².
Geography
Watari is located in the southeastern Miyagi Prefecture, bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east. The Abukuma River fows through the town, forming its western border.
Neighboring municipalities
- Miyagi Prefecture
History
The area of present-day Watari was part of ancient Mutsu Province, and the place name of “Watari” appears in the Nihon Shoki chronicles dated 718 AD.
Watari Town was established on April 1, 1889 with the start of the municipalities system. It merged with the neighboring town of Arahama and villages of Yoshida and Okuma on February 1, 1955.
Watari was severely damaged by a tsunami caused by an earthquake on 11 March 2011.[1] Hundreds of people were stranded in a school but were airlifted from the roof by Japanese military helicopters.[2] The tsunami covered 47% of the town’s area and 305 residents were reported killed or missing.
Economy
The economy of Watari is largely based on agriculture (strawberries) and commercial fishing and fish processing.
Transportation
- JR East - Jōban Line
- Hamayoshida - Watari - Ōkuma
Highway
- East Sendai Expressway: Watari IC
- National Route 6
References
- ↑ Grossman, Cathy Lynn (15 March 2011). "Japanese look to ancient traditions for strength". USA Today. Retrieved 19 March 2011.
- ↑ Zeitvogel, Karin (19 March 2011). "Japan quake: live report". AFP/Google. Retrieved 19 March 2011.
External links
Media related to Watari, Miyagi at Wikimedia Commons
- Official website (Japanese)
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