Toyama, Toyama
Encyclopedia
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...
of Toyama Prefecture
Toyama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Hokuriku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Toyama.Toyama is the leading industrial prefecture on the Japan Sea coast, and has the industrial advantage of cheap electricity due to abundant water resources....
, 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...
, located on the coast of the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
in the Chūbu region
Chubu region
The is the central region of Honshū, Japan's main island. Chūbu has a population estimate of 21,886,324 as of 2008.Chūbu, which means "central region", encompasses nine prefectures : Aichi, Fukui, Gifu, Ishikawa, Nagano, Niigata, Shizuoka, Toyama, Yamanashi, and often Mie.It is located directly...
on central Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
, about 200 km north of the city of Nagoya and 300 km northwest of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
.
Historically, Toyama was the capital of Etchu Province
Etchu Province
was an old province in central Honshū, on the Sea of Japan side. It was sometimes called , with Echizen and Echigo Provinces. It bordered Echigo, Shinano, Hida, Kaga, and Noto provinces...
. The modern city was incorporated on April 1, 1889.
As of May 31, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 417,324, with 162,663 households
Household
The household is "the basic residential unit in which economic production, consumption, inheritance, child rearing, and shelter are organized and carried out"; [the household] "may or may not be synonymous with family"....
and a population density of 336.05 persons per square kilometer. The total area is 1,241.85 km².
Toyama is served by Toyama Airport
Toyama Airport
is an airport located south southwest of Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture, Japan, about 20 minutes by car from the city center.- Airlines and destinations :- External links :*...
and Toyama Station
Toyama Station
is a JR West railway station located in the city of Toyama, Toyama Prefecture, Japan.It is the biggest terminal station in Toyama.The , the terminal of the local Toyama Chihō Railway is next to the JR Toyama Station.-Lines:*JR West**Hokuriku Main Line...
of West Japan Railway Company
West Japan Railway Company
, also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group companies and operates in western Honshū. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka.-History:...
, with Toyama Light Rail, Toyama Chiho Railway
Toyama Chiho Railway
thumb|Type 9000 tramcar "Centram"The is a transportation company in Toyama, Toyama, Japan. The company is commonly known as . The private company operates railway, tram, and bus lines in the eastern part of the prefecture. It also operates as the agency of All Nippon Airways in Toyama area. The...
.
History
The Toyama Plain is good farmland and historically it was a point of strategic and traffic importance. During the Feudal AgeShogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
, it was frequently turned into a battlefield. Toward the end of the period of confusion, Sassa Narimasa
Sassa Narimasa
, also known as Kura-no-suke , was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku through Azuchi-Momoyama period. He became a retainer of Oda Nobunaga in 1550 and was granted Etchū Province as a reward for helping Shibata Katsuie fight the Uesugi clan. After Nobunaga's death, in 1584 he joined Tokugawa Ieyasu...
became the governor of Etchū Province
Etchu Province
was an old province in central Honshū, on the Sea of Japan side. It was sometimes called , with Echizen and Echigo Provinces. It bordered Echigo, Shinano, Hida, Kaga, and Noto provinces...
(the ancient name for present Toyama), and he accomplished the feat of taming the rampaging rivers, bringing about an even more flourishing agricultural industry in Toyama. In the early 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....
, a positive industrial promotion policy was implemented on the production of medicine and washi
Washi
is a type of paper made in Japan. Washi is commonly made using fibers from the bark of the gampi tree, the mitsumata shrub , or the paper mulberry, but also can be made using bamboo, hemp, rice, and wheat...
(Japanese paper). Also, thanks to the improvement of both land and sea transportation routes, these industries thrived and Toyama became known nation-wide as the province of medicine.
After the Meiji Restoration
Meiji 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...
, heavy and chemical industries developed in Toyama, based on abundant electricity which was generated in some hydro power stations in the mountains near-by. Although the streets of Toyama were devastated by an air raid in August 1945, Toyama has become one of the most influential cities on the Japan Sea
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
side with its good water supply, drainage system and thriving agricultural, forestry, fishery, commercial and manufacturing industries.
The city was nearly destroyed on the night of August 1–2, 1945, when 173 B-29 bombers of the American 73rd Bomber Wing dropped incendiary bombs
Incendiary device
Incendiary weapons, incendiary devices or incendiary bombs are bombs designed to start fires or destroy sensitive equipment using materials such as napalm, thermite, chlorine trifluoride, or white phosphorus....
on the city. 1.87 square miles (4.8 km²), or about 99.5 percent, of the urban center was destroyed. At the time of the bombing, the city was a center for aluminum, ball-bearing
Ball bearing
A ball bearing is a type of rolling-element bearing that uses balls to maintain the separation between the bearing races.The purpose of a ball bearing is to reduce rotational friction and support radial and axial loads. It achieves this by using at least two races to contain the balls and transmit...
and special steel production. The city during the time had a population of around 150,000 residents.
Mergers
On April 1, 2005, the former Toyama city, towns of ŌsawanoOsawano, Toyama
was a town located in Kaminiikawa District, Toyama, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Ōsawano, along with the town of Ōyama, from Kaminiikawa District, the towns of Fuchū and Yatsuo, and the villages of Hosoiri and Yamada, all from Nei District, was merged into the city of Toyama.As of 2003, the town had an...
and Ōyama
Oyama, Toyama
was a town located in Kaminiikawa District, Toyama, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Ōyama, along with the towns of Ōsawano, from Kaminiikawa District, the towns of Fuchū and Yatsuo, and the villages of Hosoiri and Yamada, all from Nei District, was merged into the city of Toyama.As of 2003, the town had an...
from Kaminiikawa District
Kaminiikawa District, Toyama
Kaminiikawa was a district located in Toyama, Japan.As of 2003, the district had an estimated population of 34,491 and a density of 53.31 persons per km²...
and the towns and villages of Fuchū
Fuchu, Toyama
was a town located in Nei District, Toyama, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Fuchū, along with the towns of Ōsawano and Ōyama, both from Kaminiikawa District, the town of Yatsuo, and the villages of Hosoiri and Yamada, all from Nei District, was merged into the city of Toyama.As of 2003, the town had an...
, Hosoiri
Hosoiri, Toyama
was a village located in Nei District, Toyama, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Hosoiri, along with the towns of Ōsawano and Ōyama, both from Kaminiikawa District, the towns of Fuchū and Yatsuo, and the village of Yamada, all from Nei District, was merged into the city of Toyama.As of 2003, the village had...
, Yamada
Yamada, Toyama
was a village located in Nei District, Toyama, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Yamada, along with the towns of Ōsawano and Ōyama, both from Kaminiikawa District, the towns of Fuchū and Yatsuo, and the village of Hosoiri, all from Nei District, was merged into the city of Toyama.As of 2003, the village had...
and Yatsuo
Yatsuo, Toyama
was a town located in Nei District, Toyama, Japan. It is famous for Owara Kaze no bon festival.On April 1, 2005 Yatsuo, along with the towns of Ōsawano and Ōyama, both from Kaminiikawa District, the town of Fuchū, and the villages of Hosoiri and Yamada, all from Nei District, was merged into the...
(all from Nei District
Nei District, Toyama
was a district located in Toyama, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 61,601 and a density of 159.56 persons per km². The total area is 386.06 km².-Towns and villages:* Fuchū* Hosoiri* Yamada* Yatsuo-History:...
) merged into the city of Toyama. Kaminiikawa District
Kaminiikawa District, Toyama
Kaminiikawa was a district located in Toyama, Japan.As of 2003, the district had an estimated population of 34,491 and a density of 53.31 persons per km²...
and Nei District
Nei District, Toyama
was a district located in Toyama, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 61,601 and a density of 159.56 persons per km². The total area is 386.06 km².-Towns and villages:* Fuchū* Hosoiri* Yamada* Yatsuo-History:...
were both dissolved as a result of this merger.
Economy
Asiana AirlinesAsiana Airlines
Asiana Airlines Inc. is one of South Korea's two major airlines, along with Korean Air. Asiana has its headquarters in Asiana Town in Osoe-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul...
operates a sales office on the eighth floor of the Toyama Daiichi-Seimei Building in Toyama, near the Toyama Airport
Toyama Airport
is an airport located south southwest of Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture, Japan, about 20 minutes by car from the city center.- Airlines and destinations :- External links :*...
grounds.
Morinaga Hokuriku Dairy
Morinaga Hokuriku Dairy
is a dairy products subsidiary of Morinaga Milk Industry founded in 1961. Its main office and processing plant is in Fukui, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. Another plant is located in Toyama, Toyama Prefecture. The company manufactures Morinaga-brand dairy products in the Hokuriku region of...
, a dairy products subsidiary of Morinaga Milk Industry
Morinaga Milk Industry
is a milk products and sweets company in Tokyo, Japan, in operation since September 1, 1917. Their products include milk products, drinks, candy, confectioneries, and infant formula. Morinaga has distribution agreements with Kraft Foods. It is an affiliate company of Morinaga & Company...
, operates a plant in Toyama.
Hokuriku Electric Power (Rikuden), bearing parts and industrial robot company of Fujikoshi and software company of Intec, which company's head-quarter place in Toyama.
Also, Hokuhoku Financial Holdings (Hokuriku Bank and Hokkaido Bank), First Bank of Toyama and Toyama Bank are regional bank, based on Toyama.
Points of interest
- Botanic Gardens of ToyamaBotanic Gardens of ToyamaThe are botanical gardens located at 42 Kamikutsuwada, Fuchu-machi, Nei-gun, Toyama, Toyama, Japan. They are open daily except Thursdays; an admission fee is charged....
- Toyama International Conference Center
- Toyama CastleToyama Castle, also called Azumi Castle , is a castle in Toyama city, Toyama Prefecture, Japan. Built in 1543, the castle and its surrounding land is maintained by the government of Japan as a public park....
- Museum of Modern Art, ToyamaMuseum of Modern Art, ToyamaThe is a prefectural museum in Toyama, Toyama.The museum, which opened in 1981, stands within Jōnan Park in central Toyama. It displays a permanent collection and also temporary exhibitions.-External links:* * *...
- Toyama Athletic Recreation Park StadiumToyama Athletic Recreation Park Stadiumis a multi-purpose stadium in Toyama, Japan. It is currently used mostly for football matches and athletics events. This stadium's capacity is 28,494 people.- External links :*...
, home of Toyama's representative in the J. LeagueJ. LeagueThe or is the top division of and is the top professional association football league in Japan. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football and the only league given top class 'A' ranking by the AFC. Currently, J. League Division 1 is the first level of the Japanese...
, Kataller ToyamaKataller ToyamaKataller Toyama is a football club in Japan that was formed from the merger of the old ALO's Hokuriku and YKK AP F.C. clubs. They currently play in J...
football club - Toyama Glass Studio
Festival and Event
- Toyama Chindon Contest (Toyama Band of musical sandwichmen contest) - Which held in April, and this event was proposed by Toyama Chamber of Commerce in 1955. This event paticipate in festival, and many band of sandwichimen with more tourists every year. But in 2011, which event cancelled the effects of 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunamiThe 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
. - Owara Winds BonKaze no bonKaze no Bon is a Japanese festival held every year from September 1 to 3 in Yatsuo, Toyama, Japan. Kaze-no-Bon literally translates to "Bon Dance of the Wind."...
- which held on September 1 to 3, in Yatsuo region.