Minamiawaji, Hyogo
Encyclopedia
is a city
located in the southern part of Awaji Island
in Hyōgo Prefecture
, Japan
.
The city was formed on 11 January 2005 from the merger of all four towns of the former Mihara District
: Mihara
, Midori
, Nandan
and Seidan
. Minamiawaji also includes the island of Nushima, which is a small island off the Southeast coast of Awaji Island, and is only accessible by ferry.
As of 30 April 2008, the city has an estimated population
of 52,888. The total area is 229.17 km².
Minamiawaji's soil and climate make it ideal for growing onions. As such, Awaji onions are renowned across Japan as sweet and delicious.
Mihara town in Minamiawaji is home to a puppet
museum which houses numerous examples of locally crafted puppets. This art originated in the area.
Minamiawaji is connected to the south with the island of Shikoku by the Onaruto Bridge. The area is famous for the Naruto Whirlpools, which form when the changing tidal currents are forced through the Naruto Strait. Tourists can view the whirlpools from the bridge itself, or numerous commercial boats offer a closer viewing option.
and Sumoto
, the city operates a low-cost electric bike
rental scheme, designed to attract visitors to stay for more than one day in order to explore the island.
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 the southern part of Awaji Island
Awaji Island
is an island in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, in the eastern part of the Seto Inland Sea between the islands of Honshū and Shikoku. The island has an area of 592.17 km²...
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...
.
The city was formed on 11 January 2005 from the merger of all four towns of the former Mihara District
Mihara District, Hyogo
Mihara was a district located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district had an estimated population of 53,638 and a density of 234.05 persons per km²...
: Mihara
Mihara, Hyogo
was a town located in Mihara District, Hyogo, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 16,511 and a density of 282.96 persons per km². The total area was 58.35 km²....
, Midori
Midori, Hyogo
was a town located in Mihara District, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 6,202 and a density of 222.37 persons per km². The total area was 27.89 km²....
, Nandan
Nandan, Hyogo
was a town located in Mihara District, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. It consisted of a part of Awaji Island and the much smaller Numa island. It is located at the southern end of Awaji island, from which it also derived its name....
and Seidan
Seidan, Hyogo
was a town located in Mihara District, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 12,004 and a density of 214.40 persons per km². The total area was 55.99 km²....
. Minamiawaji also includes the island of Nushima, which is a small island off the Southeast coast of Awaji Island, and is only accessible by ferry.
As of 30 April 2008, the city has 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 52,888. The total area is 229.17 km².
Minamiawaji's soil and climate make it ideal for growing onions. As such, Awaji onions are renowned across Japan as sweet and delicious.
Mihara town in Minamiawaji is home to a puppet
Puppet
A puppet is an inanimate object or representational figure animated or manipulated by an entertainer, who is called a puppeteer. It is used in puppetry, a play or a presentation that is a very ancient form of theatre....
museum which houses numerous examples of locally crafted puppets. This art originated in the area.
Minamiawaji is connected to the south with the island of Shikoku by the Onaruto Bridge. The area is famous for the Naruto Whirlpools, which form when the changing tidal currents are forced through the Naruto Strait. Tourists can view the whirlpools from the bridge itself, or numerous commercial boats offer a closer viewing option.
Bicycle rental scheme
Jointly with AwajiAwaji, Hyogo
is a city located on Awaji Island in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.Awaji City was founded on 1 April 2005 from the merger of the former town of Awaji with the towns of Tsuna, Higashiura, Hokudan, Ichinomiya, all in Tsuna District....
and Sumoto
Sumoto, Hyogo
is a city located on Awaji Island, Hyōgo, Japan. The city was founded on February 11, 1940.As of March 31, 2008, the city has an estimated population of 50,087 and a density of 267 persons per km²...
, the city operates a low-cost electric bike
Electric bicycle
An electric bicycle, also known as an e-bike, is a bicycle with an electric motor used to power the vehicle. Electric bicycles typically cost between and , use rechargeable batteries and can travel up to...
rental scheme, designed to attract visitors to stay for more than one day in order to explore the island.