Tono, Iwate
Encyclopedia
is a city
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 Iwate
Iwate Prefecture
is the second largest prefecture of Japan after Hokkaido. It is located in the Tōhoku region of Honshū island and contains the island's easternmost point. The capital is Morioka. Iwate has the lowest population density of any prefecture outside Hokkaido...

, 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 of Tōno lies near the center of Iwate Prefecture
Iwate Prefecture
is the second largest prefecture of Japan after Hokkaido. It is located in the Tōhoku region of Honshū island and contains the island's easternmost point. The capital is Morioka. Iwate has the lowest population density of any prefecture outside Hokkaido...

 in the floodplain of the Sarugaishi River
Sarugaishi River
The is a river in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.The Sarugaishi River rises in the Kitakami Mountains just south of Mt. Yakushi in Tōno and empties into the Kitakami River in Hanamaki. The Tase Dam is situated on the Sarugaishi River, in eastern Hanamaki in the former town of Towa. This dam was completed...

. It is known as "The City of Folklore" for its rural nature, its preservation of traditional culture and especially for the collection of folktales, Tōno Monogatari, written by Kunio Yanagida in 1910. In 2005, Tōno absorbed the former village of Miyamori
Miyamori, Iwate
Miyamori was a village located in Kamihei District, Iwate, Japan.On October 1, 2005 Miyamori was merged into the expanded city of Tōno and no longer exists as an independent municipality....

.

Overview

The city has a number of sightseeing spots, such as Kappabuchi, a pool where the mythical creatures called kappa are said to live. Tōno Furusato Village preserves several magariya, or L-shaped houses, from the 18th and 19th centuries. The Chiba Family House is another large magariya that is preserved in Tōno as a museum.

Tōno's food includes Genghis Khan or barbecued lamb and hittsumi or wheat dumplings as well as horse meat. The Miyamori part of Tōno is known for its wasabi
Wasabi
, also known as Japanese horseradish, is a member of the Brassicaceae family, which includes cabbages, horseradish, and mustard. Its root is used as a condiment and has an extremely strong flavor. Its hotness is more akin to that of a hot mustard rather than the capsaicin in a chili pepper,...

production and a local brewery makes a wasabi beer.

Festivals include the Tōno Folktales Festival in early February, in which local storytellers recite stories from the Tōno Monogatari. Tōno Tanabata Festival is held in early August and features a parade of dancers through the city center. In mid-September is the Tōno Festival which also features a parade and yabusame or horseback archery.

Geography

Old Tōno lies in the center of a bowl formed by the floodplain of the Sarugaishi River
Sarugaishi River
The is a river in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.The Sarugaishi River rises in the Kitakami Mountains just south of Mt. Yakushi in Tōno and empties into the Kitakami River in Hanamaki. The Tase Dam is situated on the Sarugaishi River, in eastern Hanamaki in the former town of Towa. This dam was completed...

 surrounded by a ring of mountains. Mt. Hayachine
Mount Hayachine
, at , is the highest mountain in the Kitakami Range and the second highest in Iwate Prefecture after Mount Iwate.Mt. Hayachine is unusual in that it lies farther east than other large mountains on Honshu and the land in this area is the oldest in Japan...

 sits at the northernmost point of the city where Hanamaki
Hanamaki, Iwate
is a city located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of March 31, 2011, the city has an estimated total population of 102,455, with a household number of 35,831. Hanamaki is most famous as the birthplace of Kenji Miyazawa and for its onsen. The city recently celebrated the 50th anniversary since its...

, Kawai Village
Kawai, Iwate
Kawai was a village located in Shimohei District, Iwate, Japan.As of 2003, the village had an estimated population of 3,469 and a density of 6.16 persons per km². The total area was 563.07 km²....

 and Tōno meet. At 1,914 meters it is also the city's highest point. Mt. Rokkoushi, (1,294 meters) dominates the landscape to the east and Mt. Ishigami (1,038 meters) is the highest mountain in the west. Together these peaks form Tōno's "big three" mountains. They are sacred to the Ainu people
Ainu people
The , 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...

 and in Japanese Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...

. There are traditional tales related to each one as well. The highest points in southern Tōno are Mt. Sadato (884 meters) on the border of Sumida Town and Mt. Tane (871 meters) on the borders of Sumita Town
Sumita, Iwate
is a town located in Kesen District, Iwate, Japan.As of 2008, the town has an estimated population of 6,196 with a density of 18.5 persons per km². The total area is 334.83 km².-External links:*...

 and Oshu City
Oshu, Iwate
is the second largest city in Iwate Prefecture, Japan with a population of 127,804.The city was founded on February 20, 2006, as the result of a merger between the cities of Esashi and Mizusawa, the towns of Maesawa and Isawa and the village of Koromogawa from Isawa District...

.

There is an ancient legend that in the past the hills in Miyamori blocked the Sarugaishi River creating a large lake in the Tōno area. Miyamori itself is characterized by a series of valleys to the west of Mt. Ishigami that flow west into the Sarugaishi River
Sarugaishi River
The is a river in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.The Sarugaishi River rises in the Kitakami Mountains just south of Mt. Yakushi in Tōno and empties into the Kitakami River in Hanamaki. The Tase Dam is situated on the Sarugaishi River, in eastern Hanamaki in the former town of Towa. This dam was completed...

 just below the Tase Dam
Tase Dam
is a concrete dam located on the Sarugaishi River in the former town of Tōwa which is now a part of Hanamaki City in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.Work on the dam began in 1938, but it was not completed until 1954 due to World War II. Prefectural Road 178 passes over the top of the dam. The dam is used...

.

History

While the modern city of Tōno was created in 1954, the area encompassing the city has been occupied since Jomon
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...

 times. Pottery fragments can still be easily found in farmers' fields and other places. Later the area was inhabited by the Emishi
Emishi
The constituted a group of people who lived in northeastern Honshū in the Tōhoku region. They are referred to as in contemporary sources. Some Emishi tribes resisted the rule of the Japanese Emperors during the late Nara and early Heian periods...

 and many place names are still in the Ainu language
Ainu language
Ainu is one of the Ainu languages, spoken by members of the Ainu ethnic group on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaidō....

.

In the Zenkunen
Zenkunen War
The Zenkunen War , also known by the English translation Early Nine-Years War, was fought from 1051 to 1063, in Japan's Mutsu province, at the far north of the main island of Honshū...

, or Early Nine-Years War lasting from 1051 to 1063, Minamoto no Yoshiie
Minamoto no Yoshiie
Minamoto no Yoshiie , also known as Hachimantarō, was a Minamoto clan samurai of the late Heian period, and Chinjufu shogun...

 fought running battles with Abe no Sadato
Abe no Sadato
was a samurai of the Abe during the Heian period of Japan. Sadato was the son of Abe no Yoritoki, the chinjufu shogun...

 throughout the area. There are references to this in "Tōno Monogatari" and arrowheads still turn up from time to time.

Later the Hiraizumi Fujiwara's controlled Tōno which was a prized area for horse breeding, farming and hunting.

The Nanbu clan
Nanbu clan
The ' was a Japanese samurai clan originating in northern Japan, specifically Mutsu Province . The Nanbu claimed descent from the Minamoto clan, and its members first enter the historical record as residents of Kai Province during the Kamakura period. The clan later moved to Mutsu...

 added the territory of Tōno to their fiefdom in the 16th century and built Nabekura Castle in what is now known as Nabekura Park in downtown Tōno. The castle was completed in 1627 and occupied by a branch of the Nanbu clan from Hachinohe
Hachinohe Domain
' was a tozama feudal domain of Edo period Japan, located in Mutsu Province, Honshū. Its territory included 41 villages in Sannohe District, 38 villages in Kunohe District, and 4 villages in Shiwa District, with a total revenue of 22,000 koku...

. It was destroyed, along with other Nanbu castles, in 1869.

In the 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 :...

, Tōno developed a silk and cotton weaving industry dependent on Morioka
Morioka, Iwate
is the capital city of Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 300,740 and a population density of 588.11 persons per km². The total area is 489.15 km²....

. The silk industry was destroyed by intensely cold weather during the winter of 1905-06. The residents of Tōno were reduced to eating wild roots by the famine of this period and many died or moved away.

The modern city of Tōno was officially founded on December 1, 1954 by the merger of the former town of Tōno with the seven villages of Ayaori, Otomo, Tsukimoushi, Matsuzaki, Tsuchibuchi, Aozasa, and Kamigo.

Culture

The entire city can be considered a sightseeing attraction in itself considering the number of places mentioned in Tōno Monogatari. Besides the promoted attractions there are still many ordinary houses and other buildings throughout the area left over from a bygone era.

Locations

  • Tōno Furusato Village - is collection of magariya type houses from the 18th and 19th centuries that have been relocated to this site. There are seasonal events and entertainments provided during peak vacation times. There is also a restaurant, gift shop, library and museum of natural history.
  • Chiba Family Nanbu Magariya - is a large 200-year-old farmhouse which is still occupied but open for tourists as well.
  • Denshoen - is a group of buildings including the Kikuchi Family Magariya and the Sasaki Kizen Memorial Museum. The Oshirado Hall enshrines 1,000 Oshira-sama deities.
  • Tōno Castle Town Materials Museum - is dedicated to preserving artifacts from the Nanbu clan when Tōno was a prosperous castle town. There are kimono
    Kimono
    The is a Japanese traditional garment worn by men, women and children. The word "kimono", which literally means a "thing to wear" , has come to denote these full-length robes...

    , netsuke
    Netsuke
    Netsuke are miniature sculptures that were invented in 17th-century Japan to serve a practical function...

    , swords and so on on display.
  • Fukusen-ji Temple - is a Shingon Buddhist temple housing the largest wooden Kannon statue in Japan. The grounds of the temple are quite extensive and have many buildings including a five story pagoda.
  • Tōno Kura no Michi Gallery - is a collection of old "kura" or storehouses that have been made into an art gallery, gift shop and toy museum.
  • Kappabuchi - is a pool behind Joken-ji Temple which is said to be the home of many "kappa" or mythical water sprites.
  • Denderano - is a hut far from any houses where the elderly were brought to die in ages past.
  • 500 Buddhist Disciples - are a group of carvings on granite rocks done by a priest of Daiji-ji Temple to commemorate the victims of a famine.
  • Arakawa-kōgen Farm - an Important Cultural Landscape
    Cultural Landscapes of Japan
    Landscapes which have evolved together with the way of life and geocultural features of a region, and which are indispensable for understanding the lifestyle of the Japanese people, are recognized by the government of Japan as under article 2, paragraph 1, item 5 of the Law for the Protection of...


Events

  • Tōno Folktales Festival - in early February - in which storytellers recite tales from Tōno Monogatari.
  • Tōno Machiya Doll Festival - from late February through early March - in which traditional dolls are displayed in shops and museums throughout the city.
  • Tōno Cherry Blossom Festival - in early May - in which the cherries bloom and everyone parties under the blossoms.
  • Tōno Horsepower Tournament - on the 4th Sunday in June - in which draft animals compete in pulling heavy loads.
  • Manuke-bushi Festival - in early August - is a humorous dance held on the streets of Tōno.
  • Tōno Tanabata Festival - in early August - is a dance and parade that starts in front of the station and goes through the city.
  • Tōno Fireworks Festival - on August 15 - is fireworks.
  • Tōno Festival - in mid-September - is another dance and parade through the city streets elebrating the harvest.
  • Tōno Dobekko Festival - every weekend from late November to early March - is a chance to drink moonshine
    Moonshine
    Moonshine is an illegally produced distilled beverage...

     legally.

Folklore

Tōno is known throughout Japan as the cradle of Tōno Monogatari (Tales of Tōno), written in 1910 by Yanagita Kunio, who gathered folk tales of the area. This book is now considered one of the greatest studies of Japanese folklore, and inspired the 1982 movie of the same name.

Several of these tales involve the Kappa, mischievous water sprites. A legendary location in Tōno is the Kappa-buchi, a water stream where kappas are said to live.

The mascot of the city, Karin-chan, is a cute kappa holding a bellflower. She is usually depicted walking in front of a Magariya.

Transportation

Tōno is located within 1 hour of driving to most major destinations in Iwate. Route 396
Route 396 (Japan)
is a national highway of Japan connecting Tōno, Iwate and Morioka, Iwate in Japan, with a total length of 58.7 km .-Description:...

 leads to Morioka
Morioka, Iwate
is the capital city of Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 300,740 and a population density of 588.11 persons per km². The total area is 489.15 km²....

, Route 283
Route 283 (Japan)
is a national highway connecting Kamaishi, Iwate and Hanamaki, Iwate in Japan, with a total length of 89.3 km .- Description :...

 to Hanamaki
Hanamaki, Iwate
is a city located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of March 31, 2011, the city has an estimated total population of 102,455, with a household number of 35,831. Hanamaki is most famous as the birthplace of Kenji Miyazawa and for its onsen. The city recently celebrated the 50th anniversary since its...

 to the west and Kamaishi
Kamaishi, Iwate
is a small, historic city located on the Sanriku rias coast of Iwate, Japan. As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 41,022 and a density of 92.9 persons per km². The total area is 441.42 km². It is famous in modern times for its steel production and most recently for its promotion...

 to the east, Route 107 to Kitakami
Kitakami, Iwate
is a city located in Iwate Prefecture on the main island of Japan.- History :The first city of Kitakami was founded on April 1, 1954.The current and the second city of Kitakami was founded on April 1, 1991 when the first city merged with the villages of Ezuriko and Waga .- Sightseeing :The city is...

, and Route 340
Route 340 (Japan)
National Route 340 is a national highway of Japan connecting Rikuzentakata, Iwate and Hachinohe, Aomori in Japan, with a total length of 253.1 km ....

 leads to Miyako
Miyako, Iwate
is a city located in Iwate, Japan.It was founded on February 11, 1941.The city lies along the coast where the flows into the Pacific Ocean. It is connected to Morioka by an east-west train line and highway and the coastal highway also goes through the town...

 to the northeast and Ōfunato
Ofunato, Iwate
is a coastal city located in Iwate, Japan.It was founded on April 1, 1952.On November 15, 2001, the town of Sanriku, from Kesen District, was merged into Ōfunato....

 to the southeast. Route 283, which crosses Tōno close to the heart of the city, is known to locals as "the bypass" and has seen sustained commercial growth in the recent years.

Tōno will be a major stop on the Kamaishi Expressway, which is currently under construction. As of 2005, this expressway, which should eventually link the coast to the Tohoku Expressway in Hanamaki, only reaches Tōwa
Towa, Iwate
was a town located in Waga District, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. It is currently a branch of Hanamaki City.On January 1, 2006 Tōwa was merged with the towns of Ishidoriya and Ōhasama, both from Hienuki District, and the old city of Hanamaki to form the new city of Hanamaki.As of 2003, the town had an...

.

There are 12 train stations in the municipality, all on the JR Kamaishi Line
Kamaishi Line
The is a railway line operated by the East Japan Railway Company which runs 90.2 km between Hanamaki and Kamaishi in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.-Stations:All stations are in Iwate Prefecture.-See also:...

: Iwanebashi, Miyamori, Kashiwagidaira, Masuzawa, Arayamae, Iwate-Futsukamachi, Ayaori, Tōno, Aozasa, Iwate-Kamigō, Hirakura and Ashigase. At the heart of the city, Tōno Station
Tōno Station
is a train station in Tōno, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.The station is served by the Kamaishi Line of East Japan Railway Company ....

 is also the principal bus station. Most festival parades proceed along the street in front of the station.

Education

There are two senior high schools in Tōno, under the purview of Iwate's Prefectural Board of Education. Iwate Prefectural Tōno Senior High School offers an academic curriculum, while Iwate Prefectural Tōno Ryokuhō Senior High School is vocational.

As of 2007, the city operates eight junior high schools: Aozasa, Ayaori, Kamigō, Miyamori, Otomo, Tōno, Tsuchibuchi, and Tsukimoushi.

The city also operates 11 elementary schools: Aozasa, Ayaori, Kamigō, Masuzawa, Miyamori, Otomo, Tassobe, Tōno, Tōno North, Tsuchibuchi, and Tsukimoushi.

As the number of students is decreasing steadily, some of these schools will likely be merging or closing in the near future.

International relations

Tōno has been twinned with Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....

 in Italy since 1984.

Tōno is also twinned with three Japanese cities:
  • Mitaka, Tokyo
    Mitaka, Tokyo
    is a city located in Tokyo, Japan. As of 1 November 2010, the city has an estimated population of 176,737. The total area is 16.50 km² and is about 50 – 55 meters above sea level...

    , since 1989
  • Musashino, Tokyo
    Musashino, Tokyo
    is a city located in Tokyo, Japan.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 137,222 and a population density of 12,788.63 persons per km². The total area is 10.73 km².The city was founded on November 3, 1947...

    , since 1988
  • Kikuchi, Kumamoto
    Kikuchi, Kumamoto
    is a city located in Kumamoto, Japan.The city was founded on August 1, 1958. On March 22, 2005, the city merged with the municipalities of Kyokushi, Shichijo and Shisui into a new expanded city of Kikuchi. As of December 2006, the city has an estimated population of 52,646 and a density of 190.3...

    , since 1998


In 1990, the high schools of Tōno and the Chattanooga School for the Arts & Sciences
Chattanooga School for the Arts & Sciences
The Chattanooga School for the Arts & Sciences is a K-12 magnet school in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It was opened in 1986. Its liberal-arts curriculum is based around the 'Paideia' philosophy of Mortimer Adler. The school building has been a school in several incarnations, and was once attended by...

 (CSAS) in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...

were paired by School Partners Abroad to establish an exchange program. Near the end of every Japanese school year (in March), a delegation of Tōno high-schoolers visits Chattanooga, and reciprocally, a delegation from CSAS visits Tōno every summer. The city of Tōno has embraced this exchange and organizes a delegation of junior high school students which visits CSAS and the Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts (CSLA) a few weeks before the high schoolers.

External links

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