Itami, Hyogo
Encyclopedia
is a city
located in Hyōgo Prefecture
, Japan
.
As of 2008, the city had an estimated population
of 194,488 and a population density
of 7,790 persons per km². The total area is 24.97 km².
The center of Itami became a wealthy town by the middle of Sengoku period. It was named Itami-go (town of Itami) and known as the only Japanese town within a castle (usually Japanese castles were located far from domestic areas). Itami-go was a part of Castle Arioka which Araki Murashige ruled under Oda Nobunaga
. After the uprising and defeat of Araki, the castle was torn down.
Today's city was established on 10 November 1940. Great portions of the city were damaged in the Great Hanshin Awaji earthquake of 1995, but were quickly rebuilt.
Most of Osaka International Airport
is located in Itami (hence the common name "Itami Airport"): it is Osaka
's primary domestic airport, although all international flights and many domestic flights shifted to Kansai International Airport
in 1994. Despite the airport's association with Itami, the terminal complex in truth sits in the neighboring city of Toyonaka
, and the Itami city center is connected to the airport only by a long tunnel
that passes beneath the runway and tarmac.
The city is also famous for Koyaike Park, which features a large model of the Japan
ese archipelago set in a circular pond. The park is a frequent sight for passengers on flights into Itami Airport. Moreover, Itami is one of the important sake-brewing cities in Japan. Some historians claimed Itami was the place where seishu, clear sake, was invented.
On January 20, 2009, a 69-year-old man injured in a traffic accident in Itami died after paramedics spent more than an hour negotiating with 14 hospitals before one admitted him.
Itami sits on the Hankyu Railway
Itami Line
and the JR Takarazuka Line (Fukuchiyama Line
).
Sister city is Hasselt
, Belgium
.
Cities of Japan
||A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of...
located in Hyōgo Prefecture
Hyogo Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...
, 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...
.
As of 2008, the city had an estimated population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 194,488 and a population density
Population 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...
of 7,790 persons per km². The total area is 24.97 km².
The center of Itami became a wealthy town by the middle of Sengoku period. It was named Itami-go (town of Itami) and known as the only Japanese town within a castle (usually Japanese castles were located far from domestic areas). Itami-go was a part of Castle Arioka which Araki Murashige ruled under Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
. After the uprising and defeat of Araki, the castle was torn down.
Today's city was established on 10 November 1940. Great portions of the city were damaged in the Great Hanshin Awaji earthquake of 1995, but were quickly rebuilt.
Most of Osaka International Airport
Osaka International Airport
or Osaka-Itami International Airport is the primary domestic airport for the Kansai region of Japan, including the major cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. It is classified as a first class airport....
is located in Itami (hence the common name "Itami Airport"): it is Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
's primary domestic airport, although all international flights and many domestic flights shifted to Kansai International Airport
Kansai International Airport
is an international airport located on an artificial island in the middle of Osaka Bay, southwest of Ōsaka Station, located within three municipalities, including Izumisano , Sennan , and Tajiri , in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The airport is off the Honshu shore. The airport serves as an...
in 1994. Despite the airport's association with Itami, the terminal complex in truth sits in the neighboring city of Toyonaka
Toyonaka, Osaka
is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 388,633 and a population density of 10,680 persons per km². The total area is 36.38 km²...
, and the Itami city center is connected to the airport only by a long tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
that passes beneath the runway and tarmac.
The city is also famous for Koyaike Park, which features a large model of the 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...
ese archipelago set in a circular pond. The park is a frequent sight for passengers on flights into Itami Airport. Moreover, Itami is one of the important sake-brewing cities in Japan. Some historians claimed Itami was the place where seishu, clear sake, was invented.
On January 20, 2009, a 69-year-old man injured in a traffic accident in Itami died after paramedics spent more than an hour negotiating with 14 hospitals before one admitted him.
Itami sits on the Hankyu Railway
Hankyu Railway
is a Japanese private railway that provides commuter and interurban service to the northern Kansai region and is one of major businesses operated by Hankyu Hanshin Holdings, Inc. The railway's main terminal is at Umeda Station in Osaka...
Itami Line
Hankyu Itami Line
The is a railway line of Hankyu Railway in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The line starts from Tsukaguchi Station in the city of Amagasaki and finishes at Itami Station in the city of Itami...
and the JR Takarazuka Line (Fukuchiyama Line
Fukuchiyama Line
The is a railway line of West Japan Railway between Osaka and Fukuchiyama, Japan. Within JR West's "Urban Network" covering the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan region, the line from Osaka to Sasayamaguchi is also called the JR Takarazuka Line...
).
Sister city is Hasselt
Hasselt
Hasselt is a Belgian city and municipality, and capital of the Flemish province of Limburg...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Notable people
- Aiko UemuraAiko Uemurais a Japanese freestyle skier. She participates in moguls and dual moguls.Her family moved to Hakuba town, Nagano Prefecture, Japan in 1986. She graduated from Hakuba High School in 1998, and works for the Kitano Construction Corporation in Nagano city, Japan....
, mogul skier - Aki Okui, singer-songwriter
- Akira UedaAkira Uedais a Japanese video game designer, director, and graphical artist. After previously working for several notable companies, he currently designs games from his own company Audio, Inc.-Career:...
, voice actor - Hayato SakamotoHayato Sakamotois a Japanese shortstop with the Yomiuri Giants.In , Sakamoto became the first player in Giants franchise history to start a season opener while under the age of 20 since Hideki Matsui...
, baseball player - Hirotoshi Kitagawa, baseball player
- Hiroyuki NakajimaHiroyuki Nakajimais a shortstop for the Saitama Seibu Lions.Nakajima played in the 2008 Beijing Olympics as well as the 2009 World Baseball Classic for the Japanese national team and is regarded as one of the most talented young stars in Japanese professional baseball today....
, baseball player - Katsuki Yamazaki, baseball player
- Masahiro TanakaMasahiro Tanakais a Japanese starting pitcher for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.Tanaka led his team to a championship in the National High School Baseball tournament as a junior for Komazawa University Tomakomai High School in and a runner-up berth in the same tournament as a senior in...
, baseball player - Masami OkuiMasami Okuiis a Rock/Pop/Anison singer who was born in Itami, Hyōgo, Japan. She began her professional musical career at age 21 as a concert backup singer.From almost the very beginning of her career, Masami has sung themes for anime TV and movies...
, singer - Natsumi Horiguchi, volleyball player
- Sae Nakarai, weather presenter
- Seiko Tanabe, novelist
- Tokindo Okada, biologist
- Toshinori Tsubouchi, poet
- Yasushi Maeda, comedian
- Yoko MinaminoYoko Minaminois a Japanese idol, singer, and actress born on June 23, 1967 in Itami, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. She graduated from Horikoshi High School in the Chūō district of Nakano, Tokyo. She is well known for her role as Saki Asamiya in the second season of the live action Sukeban Deka TV series, replacing...
, actress - Yuki Suzue, baseball player