Ikata, Ehime
Encyclopedia
is a small town
located in Nishiuwa District
, Ehime
, Japan
. Following a recent merger
with the neighboring towns of Misaki
and Seto
, the town now spans the mountainous Sadamisaki Peninsula
, the narrowest peninsula in Japan and the westernmost point on the island of Shikoku
.
This unique geography has greatly influenced Ikata's growth. On the one hand, it has presented significant challenges to urban development that were not overcome until recently in the town's long history. On the other, the peninsula is what gives the town its beautiful mountain and ocean scenery which, bolstered by significant investments in infrastructure and tourist facilities, has formed the basis for a burgeoning tourism industry.
In addition to the beauty of its rugged, natural landscape, Ikata has long been known for fishing and mikan
orange farming. In recent years Ikata has also become a hotspot of modern energy production—the Ikata Nuclear Power Plant
produces much of Shikoku's electricity, and the town's windy mountains are dotted by dozens of windmills.
area has been inhabited since at least the Jōmon Period
(10,000–300 BC), as evidenced by the discovery of stone tools and earthenware
pots in the Misaki and Kushi neighborhoods.
In 1963 a local man discovered a stone ax dating back to the mid-Yayoi Period
(300 BC–250 AD) in his farm plot in the Kawachi neighborhood. Upon further investigation by the Japan Archaeological Society in 1986, the area was recognized as containing the remains of a . This is a type of settlement usually located several tens of meters above the surrounding area on mountainsides, and is peculiar to the Yayoi period.
of 646, Ikata and the greater surrounding area became known as the Uwa District in 701. The Uwa District covered the entire Nanyo region (map) until it was split in two in 866. Since districts were defined by population, one can infer that the area was underdeveloped and sparsely populated at the time.
, the Yawatahama
and Ikata area became known as . As ownership of farmlands became increasingly concentrated in the hands of local ruling families, control of the Yano area was given to Taira no Tadamitsu, a member of the Heike clan.
Some members of the Heike family secretly settled in the Seto area in 1185 after being defeated in the Genpei War
s.
Entering the Edo Period
and the Tokugawa shogunate
, the Uwa District came under control of the . From 1610 to 1612, the first Uwajima feudal lord, Tomita Nobutaka, gathered farmers from the local area to dig a canal through the thinnest part of the Sadamisaki Peninsula
, Seto's Mitsukue neighborhood. The project was soon canceled due to insufficient funds. By this time, the name can be seen in records of taxes paid to the feudal lords.
The Mitsukue neighborhood prospered as a port town during the feudal period, as it was used as a port of rest for daimyo
s on their way to and from the capital as part of the sankin kōtai
system. This traffic was likely the source of the demand for Nobutaka's abortive attempt to create a shortcut through the peninsula.
, in March 1878 the Uwa District was divided into the current Kitauwa
, Minamiuwa
, Higashiuwa
, and Nishiuwa
districts (North-, South-, East-, and West-Uwa, respectively). Ikata was designated a in 1889, and other neighborhoods along the peninsula soon followed suit, many merging to reduce the number of independent settlements from 26 to 6.
More recently, Seto's Mitsukue Bay was used for submarine
training operations by the Japanese navy leading up to World War II
, as the bay's shape is similar to that of Pearl Harbor
. A monument named stands in Suka Park in Mitsukue as a memorial dedicated to the nine young men (ages 21–28) who were stationed in the Mitsukue area for these exercises. According to the plaque on the monument, the men were quite friendly with the locals, and stories are still told about them in the neighborhood to this day. The men died on December 8, 1941, during one of the initial attacks on Pearl Harbor.
In 1955 another round of mergers corresponding to the Great Shōwa Merger reduced the number of municipal entities to 3.
In 1977 the Ikata Nuclear Power Plant
began operation as the first nuclear power plant on the island of Shikoku.
On April 1, 2005, Ikata merged with the nearby towns of Misaki
and Seto
to create the new town of Ikata, which spans the Sadamisaki Peninsula.
Ikata is on the Sadamisaki peninsula
, Japan's narrowest peninsula and the westernmost point on the island of Shikoku
. The peninsula is extremely mountainous, with steep cliffs and precious little usable flat land. To combat this, the town's bays and ponds have seen vigorous coastal reclamation efforts dating back to the early Meiji period
(late 1800s). Ikata's mountainsides are covered with terraced
mikan fields, and natural forest in the undeveloped areas.
The various neighborhoods of Ikata are found nestled among the foothills of the mountains, connected only by winding coastal roads and a single highway, Route 197. The biggest of the neighborhoods and the administrative center of Ikata is Minatoura, near the eastern edge of the town.
Ikata is surrounded on three sides by ocean—the Iyo Sea (part of the Inland Sea) to the north, the Uwa Sea (Pacific Ocean
) to the south, and the Hōyo Strait
(separating Shikoku
from Kyūshū
) to the west.
The climate in Ikata is warm, with an average year-round temperature of 16 – and 1,500 ml of yearly rain. The coldest parts of winter remain above freezing (5 °C or 41 °F on average), with snowfall seen only once or twice per year. Rain is concentrated in the rainy season
in June and July, and also in September.
The length of the peninsula makes accurate weather prediction difficult for the town; when driving down Melody Line, it is not uncommon to find it sunny between one set of tunnels, rainy between another, and foggy between yet another. Ikata's position, stretching out into the ocean, also makes it a frequent target for typhoons.
116 persons per km2. However, much of the land on the peninsula is quite mountainous and not suited for development; the population density of the individual settlements, which are squeezed into the small bay areas in the foothills of the mountains, is much higher, though reliable statistics are not known.
Like much of rural Japan, Ikata faces a rapidly declining and aging population. According to the Ikata website, nearly 40% of the town's population is 65 or older. Furthermore, many elementary and middle schools have closed since the 1970s. Those that remain have very small student populations. For example, Ikata Elementary School is Ikata's largest elementary school; there were 303 students in 1987, and only 162 in 2006; Toyonoura Elementary is Old Ikata's smallest school; it had 51 students in 1987, and only 14 in 2007.
This population issue was a significant part of the impetus for the recent merger of Old Ikata with Seto
and Misaki
. While Old Ikata is geographically more accessible, and has enjoyed the economic benefits of the Ikata Nuclear Power Plant
, Seto and Misaki have experienced even more severe aging and decline of their populations. In 2000, Seto's working-age population dipped below 50% of its total.
Ethnically Ikata is extremely homogeneous with only a handful of non-Japanese residents, most of whom are either temporary farm laborers from China, or English educators on the JET Programme
.
In 1963, the original Route 197 was completed. It follows the coastline, and is thus extremely winding and narrow, with very little room for cars to pass. Traversing the peninsula by this route takes hours and can be quite nerve-wracking; this earned it the ire of the locals, who came up with a disparaging nickname that is a pun on the actual name: .
by ferries that connect Misaki Port with Saganoseki (Ōita, Ōita
) and Beppu, Ōita
.
Melody Line is such an improvement over the old roads that it has become a significant Ehime sightseeing attraction in itself, with many tourists coming to see cherry blossoms in the spring. Together with the city of Iyo
's seaside Route 378
, Melody Line makes one of the prefecture's recommended sightseeing routes, and one of JTB
's .
Iyo Railway
bus service runs up and down the peninsula, to and from Yawatahama
, and offers express buses from Misaki to Matsuyama
. However, commuter buses run infrequently and, due to the length of the peninsula and the scattered nature of the town's neighborhoods, bus travel remains more expensive and less convenient than in denser areas. Some tour buses also come across the strait from Kyūshū by ferry.
There are no trains in Ikata. The closest station is the JR
Yawatahama Station
on the Yosan Line
.
Sadamisaki Lighthouse
Seto Wind Hill Park
Ikata Visitors House
Red Wing Park
Kamegaike Onsen
s along Route 197. These are highway rest stops that offer refreshments, travel information, recreation facilities, and local goods for sale.
Ikata Kirara-kan
Seto Agriculture Park
s and mikan juice. More than 20 different varieties of mikan are grown in Ikata. Old Ikata also has a very old sake brewing tradition that dates back to the Edo Period
, with several tōji brewmasters in the local area. There is even a museum dedicated to the Ikata Tōji.
The Seto area produces vegetables such as the bright-purple kintarō potato, and also catches baby sardines called . Misaki has a strong fishing tradition, producing lots of and . Four Misaki Fishing Co-op products are part of the Ehime brand: Horse mackerel, mackerel, , and .
One Ikata specialty cuisine is , a tempura
-fried patty of pressed white fish meat and vegetables. Other variations include , which is the same but fried and breaded like tonkatsu
, and which is prepared like a croquette
.
of Japanese, which is similar in many respects to the Hiroshima dialect. One feature particular to the Nanyo (southern Ehime) region is the use of the sentence-final particle ga (が) as a replacement for no (の) in some contexts. For example, Nani shiteru no? (何してるの？ "What are you doing?" in standard Japanese) becomes Nani shiyoru ga? (何しよるが？) in Iyo dialect.
Ikata's largest town celebration in late summer, the Kinahaiya Ikata Festival, is another example of the Iyo dialect—kinahai ya (来なはいや) literally means "come on over" (kinasai yo 来なさいよ in standard Japanese).
February
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
There are two small, uninhabited islands in the Uwa Sea near Yawatahama
that belong to Ikata: Kuroshima
and Karasushima. A legend written in the 13th century text tells the following story:
mats in size, that lives in the Kamegaike Pond in Old Ikata's Futami neighborhood.
s), fishing, and electrical power. Ikata produces a substantial fraction of Shikoku's electricity. There are two main power production methods currently in use.
Ikata is investing heavily in wind power infrastructure, with 45 additional towers currently under construction. The town plans to have a total of 60 generators within the next few years.
Ikata is the site of Shikoku's only nuclear power plant. The Ikata Nuclear Power Plant has two Mitsubishi 538 MWe Pressurized Water Reactor units with the Two Reactor Coolant Loop design (similar to the original Westinghouse
design at Prairie Island
, Kewaunee
, and Point Beach
plants) and one Mitsubishi Pressurized Water Reactor unit with the Three Reactor Coolant Loop design (similar to the Westinghouse Surry
, North Anna
, and Robinson
plants). Units 1 and 2 started up on September 30, 1977 and March 19, 1981 respectively. Unit 3 is a three loop PWR rated at 846 MWe that started up on December 15, 1994.
April 1, 2007, marked a milestone for the Ikata plant as it reached a total of 300 million kilowatt-hours
of energy generated since beginning operations in 1977.
The Ikata Power Plant was referenced in the 1995 movie Godzilla vs. Destoroyah
. Godzilla
attempts to attack the power plant, but meets resistance from the Self Defense Force's "Super-X III" weapon.
, Minnesota
, USA
, originally began as an exchange of technical knowledge and skills between engineers at the Ikata Nuclear Power Plant and Red Wing's Prairie Island plant
. The two towns became official sister cities in August 1995.
Since then, Ikata has put much effort into expanding the horizons of its residents through English language education via the JET Programme
, and an annual international student exchange with Red Wing. Beginning in 1995, Ikata middle school students have traveled almost yearly to Red Wing for home stays of one to two weeks, and students from Red Wing likewise come to Ikata to learn about life in rural Japan.
Ikata's high school, Misaki High School, maintains an exchange program with Australia.
Ikata has two sister cities
, both of which also have nuclear power plants: Tomari, Hokkaidō
, Japan, since February 1998 Red Wing, Minnesota
, United States, since August 1995
with Seto
and Misaki
.
To begin with, multiple potential merger plans were put forth, one of which was for all of the contiguous Nishiuwa District
towns (Misaki, Seto, Old Ikata, and Honai
) to merge. However, when Honai announced that it would merge with the nearby city of Yawatahama
, polls indicated that Misaki residents still preferred to merge with Honai and Yawatahama, rather than Seto and Old Ikata, despite their being discontiguous
(a Misaki-Honai-Yawatahama merger would make Misaki an exclave
). Ultimately this was found to be impractical, and the Misaki-Seto-Ikata merger was approved with some grumbling over the naming of the new town.
Once the merger was decided upon, suggestions for the new town's name were solicited from the residents. Despite the many other reasonable suggestions and the seeming unfairness toward Seto and Misaki, the "new" name was chosen to be "Ikata."
Following the merger a heated mayoral race was held, with 11 members of incumbent Kiyoyoshi Nakamoto's campaign arrested for electoral fraud. Challenger Yoshihisa Hatanaka ultimately won, only to be arrested in February 2006 for corruption relating to government construction contracts. He resigned soon thereafter.
A second race was held in April 2006, with Kazuhiko Yamashita defeating rival Kiyohiko Takakado by only 90 votes. Voter turnout was 87.43%.
There has been and still remains political resistance among some Ikata residents to the nuclear power plant. Most recently this has revolved around the now-approved plan to implement MOX fuel
in Unit 3 of the Ikata plant.
Towns of Japan
A town is a local administrative unit in Japan. It is a local public body along with prefecture , city , and village...
located in Nishiuwa District
Nishiuwa District, Ehime
The is a district located in Ehime Prefecture. As of 2007 — The district has an estimated population of 12,304 with a total area of 94.34 km².The district consists of one town.*Ikata- History :...
, Ehime
Ehime Prefecture
is a prefecture in northwestern Shikoku, Japan. The capital is Matsuyama.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, Ehime prefecture was known as Iyo Province...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Following a recent merger
Merger and dissolution of municipalities of Japan
Municipal mergers and dissolutions carried out in Japan can take place within one municipality or between multiple municipalities and are required to be based upon consensus.- Merger policy:...
with the neighboring towns of Misaki
Misaki, Ehime
was a town located in Nishiuwa District, Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Misaki, along with the town of Seto, also from Nishiuwa District, was merged into the expanded town of Ikata....
and Seto
Seto, Ehime
was a town located in Nishiuwa District, Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Seto, along with the town of Misaki, also from Nishiuwa District, was merged into the expanded town of Ikata....
, the town now spans the mountainous Sadamisaki Peninsula
Sadamisaki Peninsula
The is the westernmost part of the island of Shikoku, and is the narrowest peninsula in Japan. It is covered by the town of Ikata, Ehime Prefecture, and is home to the Ikata Nuclear Power Plant....
, the narrowest peninsula in Japan and the westernmost point on the island of Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
.
This unique geography has greatly influenced Ikata's growth. On the one hand, it has presented significant challenges to urban development that were not overcome until recently in the town's long history. On the other, the peninsula is what gives the town its beautiful mountain and ocean scenery which, bolstered by significant investments in infrastructure and tourist facilities, has formed the basis for a burgeoning tourism industry.
In addition to the beauty of its rugged, natural landscape, Ikata has long been known for fishing and mikan
Mikan
The satsuma is a seedless and easy-peeling citrus mutant of Japanese origin introduced to the West.In Japan, it is known as mikan or formally unshu mikan . In China, it is known as Wenzhou migan . The Japanese name is a result of the local reading of the same characters used in the Chinese...
orange farming. In recent years Ikata has also become a hotspot of modern energy production—the Ikata Nuclear Power Plant
Ikata Nuclear Power Plant
The is a nuclear power plant in the town of Ikata in the Nishiuwa District in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. It is the only nuclear plant on the island of Shikoku. It is owned and operated by the Shikoku Electric Power Company....
produces much of Shikoku's electricity, and the town's windy mountains are dotted by dozens of windmills.
Prehistory
The Sadamisaki PeninsulaSadamisaki Peninsula
The is the westernmost part of the island of Shikoku, and is the narrowest peninsula in Japan. It is covered by the town of Ikata, Ehime Prefecture, and is home to the Ikata Nuclear Power Plant....
area has been inhabited since at least the Jōmon Period
Jomon period
The is the time in Japanese prehistory from about 14,000 BC to 300 BC.The term jōmon means "cord-patterned" in Japanese. This refers to the pottery style characteristic of the Jōmon culture, and which has markings made using sticks with cords wrapped around them...
(10,000–300 BC), as evidenced by the discovery of stone tools and earthenware
Earthenware
Earthenware is a common ceramic material, which is used extensively for pottery tableware and decorative objects.-Types of earthenware:Although body formulations vary between countries and even between individual makers, a generic composition is 25% ball clay, 28% kaolin, 32% quartz, and 15%...
pots in the Misaki and Kushi neighborhoods.
In 1963 a local man discovered a stone ax dating back to the mid-Yayoi Period
Yayoi period
The is an Iron Age era in the history of Japan traditionally dated 300 BC to 300 AD. It is named after the neighbourhood of Tokyo where archaeologists first uncovered artifacts and features from that era. Distinguishing characteristics of the Yayoi period include the appearance of new...
(300 BC–250 AD) in his farm plot in the Kawachi neighborhood. Upon further investigation by the Japan Archaeological Society in 1986, the area was recognized as containing the remains of a . This is a type of settlement usually located several tens of meters above the surrounding area on mountainsides, and is peculiar to the Yayoi period.
Classical era
After the Taika ReformTaika Reform
The ' were a set of doctrines established by Emperor Kōtoku in the year 645. They were written shortly after the death of Prince Shōtoku, and the defeat of the Soga clan , uniting Japan. Crown Prince Naka no Ōe , Nakatomi no Kamatari, and Emperor Kōtoku jointly embarked on the details of the Reforms...
of 646, Ikata and the greater surrounding area became known as the Uwa District in 701. The Uwa District covered the entire Nanyo region (map) until it was split in two in 866. Since districts were defined by population, one can infer that the area was underdeveloped and sparsely populated at the time.
Feudal era
Towards the end of the Heian PeriodHeian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
, the Yawatahama
Yawatahama, Ehime
is a city located in the southwestern part of Ehime, Japan and has the largest fish market on Shikoku. The Mikan is the featured agricultural product....
and Ikata area became known as . As ownership of farmlands became increasingly concentrated in the hands of local ruling families, control of the Yano area was given to Taira no Tadamitsu, a member of the Heike clan.
Some members of the Heike family secretly settled in the Seto area in 1185 after being defeated in the Genpei War
Genpei War
The was a conflict between the Taira and Minamoto clans during the late-Heian period of Japan. It resulted in the fall of the Taira clan and the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate under Minamoto Yoritomo in 1192....
s.
Entering the Edo Period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
and the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
, the Uwa District came under control of the . From 1610 to 1612, the first Uwajima feudal lord, Tomita Nobutaka, gathered farmers from the local area to dig a canal through the thinnest part of the Sadamisaki Peninsula
Sadamisaki Peninsula
The is the westernmost part of the island of Shikoku, and is the narrowest peninsula in Japan. It is covered by the town of Ikata, Ehime Prefecture, and is home to the Ikata Nuclear Power Plant....
, Seto's Mitsukue neighborhood. The project was soon canceled due to insufficient funds. By this time, the name can be seen in records of taxes paid to the feudal lords.
The Mitsukue neighborhood prospered as a port town during the feudal period, as it was used as a port of rest for daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
s on their way to and from the capital as part of the sankin kōtai
Sankin kotai
was a policy of the shogunate during most of the Edo period of Japanese history. The purpose was to control the daimyo. In adopting the policy, the shogunate was continuing and refining similar policies of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In 1635, a law required sankin kōtai, which was already an established...
system. This traffic was likely the source of the demand for Nobutaka's abortive attempt to create a shortcut through the peninsula.
Modern era
A decade after the Meiji RestorationMeiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, in March 1878 the Uwa District was divided into the current Kitauwa
Kitauwa District, Ehime
The is a district located in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. As of 2004, the district has an estimated population of 17,299. The total area is 340.37 km².The district has two towns:*Kihoku*Matsuno-History:...
, Minamiuwa
Minamiuwa District, Ehime
The is a district located in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. As of 2004, the estimated population is 28,100 and the total area is 239.54 km².The district includes one town.*Ainan-History:...
, Higashiuwa
Higashiuwa District, Ehime
was a district located in Ehime Prefecture. Due to the mergers the district dissolved on April 1, 2004.-History:* 1878 — The Uwa District was split up by Meiji era land reforms. The Higashiuwa District was thus born...
, and Nishiuwa
Nishiuwa District, Ehime
The is a district located in Ehime Prefecture. As of 2007 — The district has an estimated population of 12,304 with a total area of 94.34 km².The district consists of one town.*Ikata- History :...
districts (North-, South-, East-, and West-Uwa, respectively). Ikata was designated a in 1889, and other neighborhoods along the peninsula soon followed suit, many merging to reduce the number of independent settlements from 26 to 6.
More recently, Seto's Mitsukue Bay was used for submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
training operations by the Japanese navy leading up to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, as the bay's shape is similar to that of Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
. A monument named stands in Suka Park in Mitsukue as a memorial dedicated to the nine young men (ages 21–28) who were stationed in the Mitsukue area for these exercises. According to the plaque on the monument, the men were quite friendly with the locals, and stories are still told about them in the neighborhood to this day. The men died on December 8, 1941, during one of the initial attacks on Pearl Harbor.
In 1955 another round of mergers corresponding to the Great Shōwa Merger reduced the number of municipal entities to 3.
In 1977 the Ikata Nuclear Power Plant
Ikata Nuclear Power Plant
The is a nuclear power plant in the town of Ikata in the Nishiuwa District in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. It is the only nuclear plant on the island of Shikoku. It is owned and operated by the Shikoku Electric Power Company....
began operation as the first nuclear power plant on the island of Shikoku.
On April 1, 2005, Ikata merged with the nearby towns of Misaki
Misaki, Ehime
was a town located in Nishiuwa District, Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Misaki, along with the town of Seto, also from Nishiuwa District, was merged into the expanded town of Ikata....
and Seto
Seto, Ehime
was a town located in Nishiuwa District, Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Seto, along with the town of Misaki, also from Nishiuwa District, was merged into the expanded town of Ikata....
to create the new town of Ikata, which spans the Sadamisaki Peninsula.
Current events
With the installation of many new windmills in 2006 and 2007, there have been significant noise complaints from nearby residents.Timeline
- March 1878 — Meiji reforms create the Nishiuwa DistrictNishiuwa District, EhimeThe is a district located in Ehime Prefecture. As of 2007 — The district has an estimated population of 12,304 with a total area of 94.34 km².The district consists of one town.*Ikata- History :...
- 1889 — Ikata is designated a village.
- March 31, 1955 — The villages of Ikata and Machimi merge, forming the old town of Ikata
- September 30, 1977 — Reactor No. 1 of the Ikata Nuclear Power PlantIkata Nuclear Power PlantThe is a nuclear power plant in the town of Ikata in the Nishiuwa District in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. It is the only nuclear plant on the island of Shikoku. It is owned and operated by the Shikoku Electric Power Company....
begins operation - April 1, 2005 — The towns of MisakiMisaki, Ehimewas a town located in Nishiuwa District, Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Misaki, along with the town of Seto, also from Nishiuwa District, was merged into the expanded town of Ikata....
and SetoSeto, Ehimewas a town located in Nishiuwa District, Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Seto, along with the town of Misaki, also from Nishiuwa District, was merged into the expanded town of Ikata....
were merged into Ikata to form the new and expanded town of Ikata
| until April 1, 1889 |
April 1, 1889 | 1955–1956 | April 1, 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ikata (伊方浦) |
Ikata (伊方村) |
Ikata (伊方町) |
Ikata (伊方町) |
| Kuchō (九町浦) |
Machimi (町見村) |
||
| Futami (二見浦) |
|||
| Ashinaru (足成浦) |
Mitsukue (三机村) |
Seto (瀬戸町) |
|
| Shionashi (塩成浦) |
|||
| Mitsukue (三机浦) |
|||
| Ōe (大江浦) |
|||
| Shitsu (志津浦) |
|||
| Kojima (小島浦) |
|||
| Kawanohama (川之浜浦) |
Yotsuhama (四ツ浜村) |
||
| Ōku (大久浦) |
|||
| Tabu (田部浦) |
|||
| Kōzaki (神崎浦) |
|||
| Kamagi (釜木浦) |
Kanmatsuna (神松名村) |
Misaki (三崎町) |
|
| Hiraiso (平磯浦) |
|||
| Futanazu (二名津浦) |
|||
| Natori (名取浦) |
|||
| Myōjin (明神浦) |
|||
| Matsu (松浦) |
|||
| Yobokori (与侈浦) |
Misaki (三崎村) |
||
| Kushi (串浦) |
|||
| Shōno (正野浦) |
|||
| Taka (高浦) |
|||
| Sada (佐田浦) |
|||
| Ōsada (大佐田浦) |
|||
| Ino (井野浦) |
|||
Geography and climate
Sadamisaki Peninsula
The is the westernmost part of the island of Shikoku, and is the narrowest peninsula in Japan. It is covered by the town of Ikata, Ehime Prefecture, and is home to the Ikata Nuclear Power Plant....
, Japan's narrowest peninsula and the westernmost point on the island of Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
. The peninsula is extremely mountainous, with steep cliffs and precious little usable flat land. To combat this, the town's bays and ponds have seen vigorous coastal reclamation efforts dating back to the early Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
(late 1800s). Ikata's mountainsides are covered with terraced
Terrace (agriculture)
Terraces are used in farming to cultivate sloped land. Graduated terrace steps are commonly used to farm on hilly or mountainous terrain. Terraced fields decrease erosion and surface runoff, and are effective for growing crops requiring much water, such as rice...
mikan fields, and natural forest in the undeveloped areas.
The various neighborhoods of Ikata are found nestled among the foothills of the mountains, connected only by winding coastal roads and a single highway, Route 197. The biggest of the neighborhoods and the administrative center of Ikata is Minatoura, near the eastern edge of the town.
Ikata is surrounded on three sides by ocean—the Iyo Sea (part of the Inland Sea) to the north, the Uwa Sea (Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
) to the south, and the Hōyo Strait
Hoyo Strait
The is the strait at the narrowest part of the Bungo Channel in Japan....
(separating Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
from Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
) to the west.
The climate in Ikata is warm, with an average year-round temperature of 16 – and 1,500 ml of yearly rain. The coldest parts of winter remain above freezing (5 °C or 41 °F on average), with snowfall seen only once or twice per year. Rain is concentrated in the rainy season
East Asian rainy season
The East Asian rainy season, commonly called the plum rain , is caused by precipitation along a persistent stationary front known as the Meiyu front for nearly two months during the late spring and early summer between eastern China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan...
in June and July, and also in September.
The length of the peninsula makes accurate weather prediction difficult for the town; when driving down Melody Line, it is not uncommon to find it sunny between one set of tunnels, rainy between another, and foggy between yet another. Ikata's position, stretching out into the ocean, also makes it a frequent target for typhoons.
Nearby cities and towns
- YawatahamaYawatahama, Ehimeis a city located in the southwestern part of Ehime, Japan and has the largest fish market on Shikoku. The Mikan is the featured agricultural product....
to the East - ŌitaOita, Oitais the capital city of Ōita Prefecture located on the island of Kyushu, Japan.- Demographics and geography :Ōita is the most populous city in Ōita Prefecture...
, Ōita PrefectureOita Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan on Kyūshū Island. The prefectural capital is the city of Ōita.- History :Around the 6th century Kyushu consisted of four regions: Tsukushi-no-kuni 筑紫国, Hi-no-kuni 肥国, and Toyo no kuni...
to the West, across the Hōyo StraitHoyo StraitThe is the strait at the narrowest part of the Bungo Channel in Japan....
Demographics
Ikata is a small town, with a population of 10,909 as of February 1, 2010. The total area of the town is 94.37 km2, making the population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
116 persons per km2. However, much of the land on the peninsula is quite mountainous and not suited for development; the population density of the individual settlements, which are squeezed into the small bay areas in the foothills of the mountains, is much higher, though reliable statistics are not known.
Like much of rural Japan, Ikata faces a rapidly declining and aging population. According to the Ikata website, nearly 40% of the town's population is 65 or older. Furthermore, many elementary and middle schools have closed since the 1970s. Those that remain have very small student populations. For example, Ikata Elementary School is Ikata's largest elementary school; there were 303 students in 1987, and only 162 in 2006; Toyonoura Elementary is Old Ikata's smallest school; it had 51 students in 1987, and only 14 in 2007.
This population issue was a significant part of the impetus for the recent merger of Old Ikata with Seto
Seto, Ehime
was a town located in Nishiuwa District, Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Seto, along with the town of Misaki, also from Nishiuwa District, was merged into the expanded town of Ikata....
and Misaki
Misaki, Ehime
was a town located in Nishiuwa District, Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Misaki, along with the town of Seto, also from Nishiuwa District, was merged into the expanded town of Ikata....
. While Old Ikata is geographically more accessible, and has enjoyed the economic benefits of the Ikata Nuclear Power Plant
Ikata Nuclear Power Plant
The is a nuclear power plant in the town of Ikata in the Nishiuwa District in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. It is the only nuclear plant on the island of Shikoku. It is owned and operated by the Shikoku Electric Power Company....
, Seto and Misaki have experienced even more severe aging and decline of their populations. In 2000, Seto's working-age population dipped below 50% of its total.
Ethnically Ikata is extremely homogeneous with only a handful of non-Japanese residents, most of whom are either temporary farm laborers from China, or English educators on the JET Programme
JET Programme
or is a Japanese government initiative that brings college graduates—mostly native speakers of English—to Japan as Assistant Language Teachers and Sports Education Advisors in Japanese kindergartens, elementary, junior high and high schools, or as Coordinators for International Relations in...
.
History
Due to Ikata's length and mountainous terrain, regular bus service did not reach the tip of the peninsula until the 1960s. Until then, the only public transportation available was local ferries that connected the bays of each neighborhood. Unfavorable weather patterns made ferry service difficult on the Inland Sea side, so most of Ikata's settlements are on the southern, Pacific Ocean side.In 1963, the original Route 197 was completed. It follows the coastline, and is thus extremely winding and narrow, with very little room for cars to pass. Traversing the peninsula by this route takes hours and can be quite nerve-wracking; this earned it the ire of the locals, who came up with a disparaging nickname that is a pun on the actual name: .
Modern day
The Ikata leg of the new Route 197 was completed in 1987 and is the heart of transportation in modern Ikata, affectionately nicknamed "Melody Line". Unlike the old roads, Melody Line boasts two full lanes and runs relatively straight down the peninsula. Seated high in the mountains, drivers can enjoy views of both the Pacific Ocean and Inland Sea. The route terminates at Misaki and continues over to KyūshūKyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
by ferries that connect Misaki Port with Saganoseki (Ōita, Ōita
Oita, Oita
is the capital city of Ōita Prefecture located on the island of Kyushu, Japan.- Demographics and geography :Ōita is the most populous city in Ōita Prefecture...
) and Beppu, Ōita
Beppu, Oita
is a city located in Ōita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan, at the west end of Beppu Bay. As of January 1, 2011, the city has an official population of 125,664 and a total area of 125.13 km², with a population density of 977 persons per km²....
.
Melody Line is such an improvement over the old roads that it has become a significant Ehime sightseeing attraction in itself, with many tourists coming to see cherry blossoms in the spring. Together with the city of Iyo
Iyo, Ehime
is a city located in Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005, Iyo merged with the towns of Nakayama and Futami from the surrounding Iyo District to form the new city of Iyo, raising its population to over 40,000 and nearly quadrupling its area.-Geography:...
's seaside Route 378
Route 378 (Japan)
National Route 378 is a national highway of Japan connecting Iyo, Ehime and Uwajima, Ehime in Japan, with a total length of 124.1 km ....
, Melody Line makes one of the prefecture's recommended sightseeing routes, and one of JTB
JTB Corporation
, is the largest travel agency in Japan and one of the largest travel agencies in the world. It specializes in tourism. There are branches all over the world to help Japanese visitors, including both private and business travelers. It was formerly owned by the Japanese government...
's .
Iyo Railway
Iyo Railway
The is a transportation company in Matsuyama, Japan. The company or its lines are commonly known as . The private company operates railway, tram, and bus lines, and is a core company of Iyotetsu Group, which also operates other business such as department stores and travel agencies.-History:The...
bus service runs up and down the peninsula, to and from Yawatahama
Yawatahama, Ehime
is a city located in the southwestern part of Ehime, Japan and has the largest fish market on Shikoku. The Mikan is the featured agricultural product....
, and offers express buses from Misaki to Matsuyama
Matsuyama, Ehime
is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture on the Shikoku island of Japan. It is located on the northeastern portion of the Dōgo Plain. Its name means "pine mountain." The city was founded on December 15, 1889....
. However, commuter buses run infrequently and, due to the length of the peninsula and the scattered nature of the town's neighborhoods, bus travel remains more expensive and less convenient than in denser areas. Some tour buses also come across the strait from Kyūshū by ferry.
There are no trains in Ikata. The closest station is the JR
Shikoku Railway Company
, commonly known as , is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railways Group . It operates intercity rail services in the four prefectures on the island of Shikoku in Japan. The company is headquartered in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture.- Lines :...
Yawatahama Station
Yawatahama Station
is a train station in Yawatahama, Ehime Prefecture, Japan.-Adjacent stations:...
on the Yosan Line
Yosan Line
The is a railway line on the island of Shikoku in Japan, operated by the Shikoku Railway Company . It runs along the Inland Sea coast, connecting the prefectural capitals of Takamatsu and Matsuyama , continuing on to Uwajima...
.
Points of interest
- This lighthouse stands at the tip of the peninsula, overlooking the Hōyo Strait. On clear days you can see across to Kyūshū. Almost two kilometers of hiking trails and a campground lie at its feet as part of the Setonaikai National ParkSetonaikai National Parkis a national park that covers the entire expanse of Japan's Inland Sea. It was designated a national park in 1934. It contains about 3,000 islands. The well-known Itsukushima Island lies within the park.-External links:...
.
Seto Wind Hill Park
- This park is located atop a mountain in the Seto area. From it you can see many of Ikata's numerous windmills, spinning above the Inland Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. HaikuHaiku' , plural haiku, is a very short form of Japanese poetry typically characterised by three qualities:* The essence of haiku is "cutting"...
s about the windmills, submitted for Ikata's Windmill Festival, are on display in the park. Webcam images from the park, updated every hour, are available online.
Ikata Visitors House
- This hands-on science museum teaches all about nuclear power with beautiful interactive displays and fun activities for all ages. The building is connected to the Kirara-kan, which houses an aquarium and sells souvenirs and local agricultural products.
Red Wing Park
- Named after Ikata's sister city, this park is home to Adventure Hill—a playground full of climbing nets, roller slides, and other children's play equipment.
Kamegaike Onsen
Onsen
An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...
- A new hot spring bathing facility and park opened to the public in August 2007. According to legend, a giant crab lives in the adjacent Kamegaike Pond.
Roadside Stations
Ikata has two Roadside StationRoadside Station
A is a government-designated rest area found along roads and highways in Japan.In addition to providing places for travelers to rest, they are also intended to promote local tourism and trade...
s along Route 197. These are highway rest stops that offer refreshments, travel information, recreation facilities, and local goods for sale.
Ikata Kirara-kan
- Features an aquarium, an exhibit chronicling Ikata's relations with its American sister city, Red WingRed Wing, MinnesotaRed Wing is a city in Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States, on the Mississippi River. The population was 16,459 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Goodhue County....
, MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, and a small museum of Old Ikata historical artifacts. Attached to the Ikata Visitors House.
Seto Agriculture Park
- Gelateria DanDan offers travelers unique ice cream and sorbet flavors like sake, kintarō potato, black sesame, and more. A Christmas tree decorated with mikan orange peels, a monument to Ikata explorer Hyōichi KōnoHyoichi Konowas a Japanese adventurer, best known for circling Japan on bicycle, and traveling to the North Pole. He was born in the town of Ikata, Ehime, Japan....
, and the Windmill Restaurant can also be found here.
Etymology of name
The origin of the name Ikata is unclear and there are several competing theories.- It may have come from or , meaning "a place with small houses or shacks".
- Ika can be found in the names of places surrounded by mountains or located in foothills; ta can mean "land". Ikata could therefore be "a place by the mountains".
- In the Ainu languageAinu languageAinu is one of the Ainu languages, spoken by members of the Ainu ethnic group on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaidō....
, ika means "to pass through the mountains and cross the land". However, the AinuAinu peopleThe , also called Aynu, Aino , and in historical texts Ezo , are indigenous people or groups in Japan and Russia. Historically they spoke the Ainu language and related varieties and lived in Hokkaidō, the Kuril Islands, and much of Sakhalin...
are thought to have had little influence as far south as Shikoku.
Food
Ikata is known for its mikanMikan
The satsuma is a seedless and easy-peeling citrus mutant of Japanese origin introduced to the West.In Japan, it is known as mikan or formally unshu mikan . In China, it is known as Wenzhou migan . The Japanese name is a result of the local reading of the same characters used in the Chinese...
s and mikan juice. More than 20 different varieties of mikan are grown in Ikata. Old Ikata also has a very old sake brewing tradition that dates back to the Edo Period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, with several tōji brewmasters in the local area. There is even a museum dedicated to the Ikata Tōji.
The Seto area produces vegetables such as the bright-purple kintarō potato, and also catches baby sardines called . Misaki has a strong fishing tradition, producing lots of and . Four Misaki Fishing Co-op products are part of the Ehime brand: Horse mackerel, mackerel, , and .
One Ikata specialty cuisine is , a tempura
Tempura
], is a Japanese dish of seafood or vegetables that have been battered and deep fried.-Batter:A light batter is made of cold water and soft wheat flour . Eggs, baking soda or baking powder, starch, oil, and/or spices may also be added...
-fried patty of pressed white fish meat and vegetables. Other variations include , which is the same but fried and breaded like tonkatsu
Tonkatsu
Tonkatsu , invented in the late 19th century, is a popular dish in Japan. It consists of a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet one to two centimeters thick and sliced into bite-sized pieces, generally served with shredded cabbage and/or miso soup...
, and which is prepared like a croquette
Croquette
A croquette is a small fried food roll containing, usually as main ingredients, mashed potatoes, and/or ground meat , shellfish, fish, vegetables, and soaked white bread, egg, onion, spices and herbs, wine, milk, beer or any of the combination thereof, sometimes with a filling, often encased in...
.
Language
Residents of Ikata speak the Iyo dialectIyo dialect
The of Japanese is spoken by people from Ehime Prefecture in Japan. The name is a remnant of the Ehime area's historical name, Iyo Province.Accents vary somewhat by geography within the prefecture...
of Japanese, which is similar in many respects to the Hiroshima dialect. One feature particular to the Nanyo (southern Ehime) region is the use of the sentence-final particle ga (が) as a replacement for no (の) in some contexts. For example, Nani shiteru no? (何してるの？ "What are you doing?" in standard Japanese) becomes Nani shiyoru ga? (何しよるが？) in Iyo dialect.
Ikata's largest town celebration in late summer, the Kinahaiya Ikata Festival, is another example of the Iyo dialect—kinahai ya (来なはいや) literally means "come on over" (kinasai yo 来なさいよ in standard Japanese).
Festivals and events
Ikata has a wide variety of festivals and attractions the year around.February
- Misaki
- Men and women of receive the blessings of local Buddhist priests in the form of a set of ceremonial dances. Afterwards, lucky decorative ornaments and free sake are offered to the crowd.
April
- Held on Seto's Kōmo Highland atop Mt. Miharashi, the main event of this festival is an outdoor barbecueBarbecueBarbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
featuring locally-raised beef.
May
- Seto
- Misaki
June
July
August
- This is Ikata's largest summer festival. Attractions include film and dance competitions, a taikoTaikomeans "drum" in Japanese . Outside Japan, the word is often used to refer to any of the various Japanese drums and to the relatively recent art-form of ensemble taiko drumming...
performance, children's sumoSumois a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
, and bare-handed fish catching, all concluded with a fireworks display in the evening.- Seto
- Local single women put on a wedding dress fashion show, followed by fireworks in the evening. An outdoor barbecue and bare-handed fish wrangling are held in the nearby Suka Park.
September
- Ōku
- Every September a handful of local men and women gather along the Ōku beach to sing and perform this dance, with the purpose of placating the dead spirit of a woman who is said to have been washed ashore in Ōku long, long ago.
October
- Each main region of Ikata holds its own separate Autumn Festival. Misaki's is perhaps the most spectacular of the three. The main attraction is the battle between the and the , which are two ceremonial mikoshiMikoshiA is a divine palanquin . Shinto followers believe that it serves as the vehicle to transport a deity in Japan while moving between main shrine and temporary shrine during a festival or when moving to a new shrine...
floats carried by the young local men and women. Participants compete in repeatedly pulling the floats up along a giant scaffolding, then trying to drop theirs on top of the other.
The rats of Kuroshima
Yawatahama, Ehime
is a city located in the southwestern part of Ehime, Japan and has the largest fish market on Shikoku. The Mikan is the featured agricultural product....
that belong to Ikata: Kuroshima
Kuroshima, Ehime
is a small, uninhabited island in the Uwa Sea off the coast of Shikoku, Japan. It belongs to the town of Ikata, Ehime Prefecture.Though the island is uninhabited now, in the 13th century text is written the following legend:...
and Karasushima. A legend written in the 13th century text tells the following story:
The giant crab of Kamegaike
Local legend tells of a giant crab, eight tatamiTatami
A is a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms. Traditionally made of rice straw to form the core , with a covering of woven soft rush straw, tatami are made in standard sizes, with the length exactly twice the width...
mats in size, that lives in the Kamegaike Pond in Old Ikata's Futami neighborhood.
Industry
Ikata's main industries are farming (largely citrus fruits such as mikanMikan
The satsuma is a seedless and easy-peeling citrus mutant of Japanese origin introduced to the West.In Japan, it is known as mikan or formally unshu mikan . In China, it is known as Wenzhou migan . The Japanese name is a result of the local reading of the same characters used in the Chinese...
s), fishing, and electrical power. Ikata produces a substantial fraction of Shikoku's electricity. There are two main power production methods currently in use.
Wind power
The former town of Seto erected eleven Mitsubishi MWT-1000 wind generators in January 2002. The Old Ikata installed two Vestas V52-850 kW generators in March 2005. Together they have an expected yearly energy output of 34,700 MWh.Ikata is investing heavily in wind power infrastructure, with 45 additional towers currently under construction. The town plans to have a total of 60 generators within the next few years.
Nuclear power
Westinghouse Electric Company
Westinghouse Electric Company LLC is a nuclear power company, offering a wide range of nuclear products and services to utilities throughout the world, including nuclear fuel, service and maintenance, instrumentation and control and advanced nuclear plant designs...
design at Prairie Island
Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant
The Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant is an electricity-generating facility located in Red Wing, Minnesota along the Mississippi River, adjacent to the Prairie Island Indian Community reservation. The nuclear power plant, which first began operating in 1973, has two nuclear reactors made by...
, Kewaunee
Kewaunee Nuclear Generating Station
The Kewaunee Power Station occupies a site in Carlton, Wisconsin, southeast of Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA. Kewaunee was the fourth nuclear power plant built in Wisconsin, and the 44th built in the United States.-History:...
, and Point Beach
Point Beach Nuclear Generating Station
Point Beach Nuclear Plant is a nuclear power plant located on Lake Michigan north of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, USA.The plant is currently owned and operated by NextEra Energy Resources , of Juno Beach, Florida...
plants) and one Mitsubishi Pressurized Water Reactor unit with the Three Reactor Coolant Loop design (similar to the Westinghouse Surry
Surry Nuclear Power Plant
Surry Power Station is a nuclear power plant located in Surry County in southeastern Virginia. The power station lies on an 840-acre site adjacent to the James River across from Jamestown, slightly upriver from Smithfield and Newport News...
, North Anna
North Anna Nuclear Generating Station
The North Anna Nuclear Generating Station is a nuclear power plant on a site in Louisa County, Virginia. The site is operated by Dominion Generation company and is jointly owned by the Dominion Virginia Power corporation and by the Old Dominion Electric Cooperative .The plant has two Westinghouse...
, and Robinson
H. B. Robinson Nuclear Generating Station
The H. B. Robinson Nuclear Generating Station is a nuclear plant located near Hartsville, South Carolina. The plant consists of one Westinghouse 735 MW pressurized water reactor. The site also includes a coal-fired unit that generates 174 MW and a combustion turbine unit that generates...
plants). Units 1 and 2 started up on September 30, 1977 and March 19, 1981 respectively. Unit 3 is a three loop PWR rated at 846 MWe that started up on December 15, 1994.
April 1, 2007, marked a milestone for the Ikata plant as it reached a total of 300 million kilowatt-hours
Watt-hour
The kilowatt hour, or kilowatt-hour, is a unit of energy equal to 1000 watt hours or 3.6 megajoules.For constant power, energy in watt hours is the product of power in watts and time in hours...
of energy generated since beginning operations in 1977.
The Ikata Power Plant was referenced in the 1995 movie Godzilla vs. Destoroyah
Godzilla vs. Destoroyah
, alternatively titled Godzilla vs. Destroyer, is a 1995 science fiction kaiju film directed by Takao Okawara and written by Kazuki Omori. It was released in Japan on December 9, 1995. It is the 22nd installment in the Godzilla series of films and the seventh and last of the Heisei series...
. Godzilla
Godzilla
is a daikaijū, a Japanese movie monster, first appearing in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film Godzilla. Since then, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon starring in 28 films produced by Toho Co., Ltd. The monster has appeared in numerous other media incarnations including video games,...
attempts to attack the power plant, but meets resistance from the Self Defense Force's "Super-X III" weapon.
International exchange and sister cities
Relations with Ikata's only overseas sister city, Red WingRed Wing, Minnesota
Red Wing is a city in Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States, on the Mississippi River. The population was 16,459 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Goodhue County....
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, originally began as an exchange of technical knowledge and skills between engineers at the Ikata Nuclear Power Plant and Red Wing's Prairie Island plant
Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant
The Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant is an electricity-generating facility located in Red Wing, Minnesota along the Mississippi River, adjacent to the Prairie Island Indian Community reservation. The nuclear power plant, which first began operating in 1973, has two nuclear reactors made by...
. The two towns became official sister cities in August 1995.
Since then, Ikata has put much effort into expanding the horizons of its residents through English language education via the JET Programme
JET Programme
or is a Japanese government initiative that brings college graduates—mostly native speakers of English—to Japan as Assistant Language Teachers and Sports Education Advisors in Japanese kindergartens, elementary, junior high and high schools, or as Coordinators for International Relations in...
, and an annual international student exchange with Red Wing. Beginning in 1995, Ikata middle school students have traveled almost yearly to Red Wing for home stays of one to two weeks, and students from Red Wing likewise come to Ikata to learn about life in rural Japan.
Ikata's high school, Misaki High School, maintains an exchange program with Australia.
Ikata has two sister cities
Town twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
, both of which also have nuclear power plants: Tomari, Hokkaidō
Tomari, Hokkaido
is a village located in Furuu District, Shiribeshi, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2009, the village has a population of 2,014 and a density of 24.46 persons per km². The total area is 82.35 km²....
, Japan, since February 1998 Red Wing, Minnesota
Red Wing, Minnesota
Red Wing is a city in Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States, on the Mississippi River. The population was 16,459 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Goodhue County....
, United States, since August 1995
Politics
Ikata experienced significant political turbulence leading up to and immediately following the April 1, 2005 mergerMerger and dissolution of municipalities of Japan
Municipal mergers and dissolutions carried out in Japan can take place within one municipality or between multiple municipalities and are required to be based upon consensus.- Merger policy:...
with Seto
Seto, Ehime
was a town located in Nishiuwa District, Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Seto, along with the town of Misaki, also from Nishiuwa District, was merged into the expanded town of Ikata....
and Misaki
Misaki, Ehime
was a town located in Nishiuwa District, Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Misaki, along with the town of Seto, also from Nishiuwa District, was merged into the expanded town of Ikata....
.
To begin with, multiple potential merger plans were put forth, one of which was for all of the contiguous Nishiuwa District
Nishiuwa District, Ehime
The is a district located in Ehime Prefecture. As of 2007 — The district has an estimated population of 12,304 with a total area of 94.34 km².The district consists of one town.*Ikata- History :...
towns (Misaki, Seto, Old Ikata, and Honai
Honai, Ehime
was a town located in Nishiuwa District, Ehime, Japan.On March 28, 2005 Honai was merged into the expanded city of Yawatahama.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 10,686 and a density of 288.73 persons per km². The total area was 37.01 km²....
) to merge. However, when Honai announced that it would merge with the nearby city of Yawatahama
Yawatahama, Ehime
is a city located in the southwestern part of Ehime, Japan and has the largest fish market on Shikoku. The Mikan is the featured agricultural product....
, polls indicated that Misaki residents still preferred to merge with Honai and Yawatahama, rather than Seto and Old Ikata, despite their being discontiguous
Contiguity
A contiguity is a continuous mass, or a series of things in contact or proximity. In a different meaning, contiguity is the state of being contiguous...
(a Misaki-Honai-Yawatahama merger would make Misaki an exclave
Enclave and exclave
In political geography, an enclave is a territory whose geographical boundaries lie entirely within the boundaries of another territory.An exclave, on the other hand, is a territory legally or politically attached to another territory with which it is not physically contiguous.These are two...
). Ultimately this was found to be impractical, and the Misaki-Seto-Ikata merger was approved with some grumbling over the naming of the new town.
Once the merger was decided upon, suggestions for the new town's name were solicited from the residents. Despite the many other reasonable suggestions and the seeming unfairness toward Seto and Misaki, the "new" name was chosen to be "Ikata."
Following the merger a heated mayoral race was held, with 11 members of incumbent Kiyoyoshi Nakamoto's campaign arrested for electoral fraud. Challenger Yoshihisa Hatanaka ultimately won, only to be arrested in February 2006 for corruption relating to government construction contracts. He resigned soon thereafter.
A second race was held in April 2006, with Kazuhiko Yamashita defeating rival Kiyohiko Takakado by only 90 votes. Voter turnout was 87.43%.
There has been and still remains political resistance among some Ikata residents to the nuclear power plant. Most recently this has revolved around the now-approved plan to implement MOX fuel
MOX fuel
Mixed oxide fuel, commonly referred to as MOX fuel, is nuclear fuel that contains more than one oxide of fissile material. MOX fuel contains plutonium blended with natural uranium, reprocessed uranium, or depleted uranium. MOX fuel is an alternative to the low-enriched uranium fuel used in the...
in Unit 3 of the Ikata plant.
Notable people from Ikata
- Shūji NakamuraShuji Nakamurais a professor at the Materials Department of the College of Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara .- Career :Nakamura graduated from the University of Tokushima in 1977 with a degree in electronic engineering, and obtained a master's degree in the same subject two years later, after...
, inventor of the blue LED, hails from the former town of SetoSeto, Ehimewas a town located in Nishiuwa District, Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Seto, along with the town of Misaki, also from Nishiuwa District, was merged into the expanded town of Ikata....
. - Adventurer Hyōichi KōnoHyoichi Konowas a Japanese adventurer, best known for circling Japan on bicycle, and traveling to the North Pole. He was born in the town of Ikata, Ehime, Japan....
successfully reached the North Pole in 1997. He died in 2001 while attempting to walk from the North Pole back to his birthplace, the former town of Seto. - Nenten Tsubouchi is a haikuHaiku' , plural haiku, is a very short form of Japanese poetry typically characterised by three qualities:* The essence of haiku is "cutting"...
poet whose unique and quirky poems have been featured in elementary school textbooks in Japan. He was born in the Kuchō neighborhood of Ikata.
See also
- Sadamisaki PeninsulaSadamisaki PeninsulaThe is the westernmost part of the island of Shikoku, and is the narrowest peninsula in Japan. It is covered by the town of Ikata, Ehime Prefecture, and is home to the Ikata Nuclear Power Plant....
- Ikata Nuclear Power PlantIkata Nuclear Power PlantThe is a nuclear power plant in the town of Ikata in the Nishiuwa District in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. It is the only nuclear plant on the island of Shikoku. It is owned and operated by the Shikoku Electric Power Company....
- Seto Wind FarmSeto Wind FarmThe is a collection of wind turbines located on the peaks of mountains along the Sadamisaki Peninsula, in the town of Ikata, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. The windfarm borders the Seto Wind Hill Park....
- KuroshimaKuroshimaKuroshima or Kuro Island may refer to various Japanese islands:*Kuroshima, Ehime *Kuroshima, Kagoshima, part of Mishima village*Kuroshima, Shimane*Kuroshima, Okayama*Kuroshima, Tokashiki, Okinawa, in Tokashiki...