is a
townA town is a local administrative unit in Japan. It is a local public body along with prefecture , city , and village...
located in
Kita DistrictThe is a district located in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. As of 2005, the estimated population is 20,782 with a total area is 299.50 km².The district includes one town.*Uchiko- Origin of name :...
,
Ehimeis a prefecture in northwestern Shikoku, Japan. The capital is Matsuyama.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, Ehime prefecture was known as Iyo Province...
,
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of 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...
.
On January 1, 2005 the towns of
Ikazakiwas a town located in Kita District, Ehime, Japan. On January 1, 2005 the town merged with the town of Uchiko and no longer exists as an independent municipality....
and
Odawas a town located in Kamiukena District, Ehime, Japan. On January 1, 2005 the town merged with the town of Uchiko and another town in the neighboring Kita District and no longer exists as an independent municipality....
merged with Uchiko. As of January, 2005 (after this merge), the town has an estimated
populationIn biology, a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular species; in sociology, a collection of human beings. Individuals within a population share a factor may be reduced by statistical means, but such a generalization may be too vague to imply anything...
of 20,782 and a
densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
of 69.4 persons per km². The total area is 299.50 km².
The traditional town of Uchiko is surrounded by much natural beauty and is located about 42 kilometers southwest of Matsuyama in the
Ehime prefectureis a prefecture in northwestern Shikoku, Japan. The capital is Matsuyama.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, Ehime prefecture was known as Iyo Province...
.
is a
townA town is a local administrative unit in Japan. It is a local public body along with prefecture , city , and village...
located in
Kita DistrictThe is a district located in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. As of 2005, the estimated population is 20,782 with a total area is 299.50 km².The district includes one town.*Uchiko- Origin of name :...
,
Ehimeis a prefecture in northwestern Shikoku, Japan. The capital is Matsuyama.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, Ehime prefecture was known as Iyo Province...
,
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of 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...
.
On January 1, 2005 the towns of
Ikazakiwas a town located in Kita District, Ehime, Japan. On January 1, 2005 the town merged with the town of Uchiko and no longer exists as an independent municipality....
and
Odawas a town located in Kamiukena District, Ehime, Japan. On January 1, 2005 the town merged with the town of Uchiko and another town in the neighboring Kita District and no longer exists as an independent municipality....
merged with Uchiko. As of January, 2005 (after this merge), the town has an estimated
populationIn biology, a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular species; in sociology, a collection of human beings. Individuals within a population share a factor may be reduced by statistical means, but such a generalization may be too vague to imply anything...
of 20,782 and a
densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
of 69.4 persons per km². The total area is 299.50 km².
Overview
The traditional town of Uchiko is surrounded by much natural beauty and is located about 42 kilometers southwest of Matsuyama in the
Ehime prefectureis a prefecture in northwestern Shikoku, Japan. The capital is Matsuyama.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, Ehime prefecture was known as Iyo Province...
. Three streams run through the area: the Oda, the Nakayama and the Fumoto. Uchiko has few flat areas and about 70% of the land is forest. The soil is fertile and the main industry is
agricultureAgriculture is the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of human civilization, with the husbandry of domesticated animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more densely populated and...
, particularly leaf
tobaccoTobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as an organic pesticide, and in the form of nicotine tartrate it is used in some medicines. In consumption it most commonly appears in the forms of smoking, chewing, snuffing, or...
,
shiitakeThe Shiitake is an edible mushroom native to East Asia, which is cultivated and consumed in many Asian countries, as well as being dried and exported to many countries around the world. It is a feature of many Asian cuisines including Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Thai...
mushrooms, and fruits such as
persimmonA persimmon, known to the ancient Greeks as "the fruit of the gods" is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees of the genus Diospyros in the ebony wood family...
s, grapes and
nashi pearPyrus pyrifolia is a pear tree species native to China, Japan, and Korea. The tree's edible fruit is known by many names, including: Asian pear, nashi or nashi pear, African pear, Japanese pear, Korean pear, Taiwan pear, sand pear, apple pear, bapple, papple, bae, li Pyrus pyrifolia is a pear...
s. The riversides are used mainly by farms and farmland can extend to the hills and the steep mountainsides. As of April 2005, the population in Uchiko was approximately 20,650.
All year round, the stunning views and the very green, fertile mountains and valleys give the people of Uchiko both the feeling of restfulness and economic sustenance.
From the end of the
Edo PeriodThe , or , is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1868 and is the premodern era. The period marks the governance of the Edo or Tokugawa shogunate, which was officially established in 1603 by the first Edo shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. The period ended with the Meiji Restoration, the...
(1603-1867) to the end of the
Meiji PeriodThe , or Meiji era denotes the period in Japanese history during the 45-year reign of the Meiji Emperor . During this time, Japan began its modernization and rose to world power status...
(1868-1912), Uchiko developed and thrived as a manufacturing center of Japanese
paperPaper is thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
and Japanese
waxWax refers to beeswax or another substance with similar properties. The traditional meaning, beeswax, refers to a substance secreted by bees and used by them in constructing their honeycombs...
. At that time the Yokaichi and Gokoku districts became industrialised and their historical houses still retain some vestige of Uchiko’s former glory. In the Yokaichi and Gokoku districts is a street of merchant houses, which have solemn white or cream coloured plaster walls, lattices, decorative walls and old-style Japanese desks. This traditional street is about 600 meters long and around 90 of these historical houses are still lived in.
The campaign to preserve this old town area has been on going since 1975 and the national government designated this area as an “Important Traditional Construction Preservation Area” in 1982.
The
Nobel laureateThe Nobel Prize in Literature is awarded annually, since 1901, to an author from any country who has, in the words from the will of Alfred Nobel, produced "in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction"...
Kenzaburo Oeis a major figure in contemporary Japanese literature. His works, strongly influenced by French and American literature and literary theory, engage with political, social and philosophical issues including nuclear weapons, social non-conformism and existentialism....
was born in Uchiko.
Uchiko-za Theatre
Uchiko-za Theatre was built as a traditional Kabuki theatre in 1916 and was famous for its Kabuki and Bunraku (traditional puppet show) performances. In the course of time, it became used for film shows, variety shows and lectures, amongst other things. In 1985, the theatre was restored to its original appearance. Today, Uchiko-za Theatre presents plays, concerts and other events, including the very popular Bunraku performances. Uchiko-za Theatre is unique and traditional because of its open Taiko-drum tower, the boxed seating area, the broad ramp leading to the stage along one side of the audience and the wooden, revolving stage. Uchiko-za Theatre is considered a showpiece of Japanese culture and architecture.
The Kamihaga Residence and Japanese Wax Museum
The Kamihaga Residence was built in 1894 by a family who were a branch of the Honhaga household (the main household in Uchiko). The Kamihaga family was one of the most influential families in Uchiko. They established the production of wax in Uchiko and thus, the family became very wealthy and powerful.
Now, this elegant and traditional property, with its spacious garden, is used a museum that has exhibitions on commerce, the lifestyle of the merchants and the production of wax. These grounds are designated as an important cultural property and have been since 1990.
Annual Events
- Late April: The Raft Festival at the River Oda, Oda.
- May 5th: The Kite Flying Festival in Ikazaki
was a town located in Kita District, Ehime, Japan. On January 1, 2005 the town merged with the town of Uchiko and no longer exists as an independent municipality....
.
- Late May–Early June: Rice
Rice is the seed of a monocot plant Oryza sativa, of the grass family . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East, South, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the West Indies...
planting in Ikazakiwas a town located in Kita District, Ehime, Japan. On January 1, 2005 the town merged with the town of Uchiko and no longer exists as an independent municipality....
.
- August 6th–8th: The Bamboo
The bamboos are a group of woody perennial evergreen plants in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Some are giant bamboos, the largest members of the grass family. Bamboos are the fastest growing woody plants in the world...
Festival in Uchiko.
- August 15th: The Fire Festival in Oda.
- October: The Autumn Festival, The Japanese Lion Dance.
- November: Momiji – Autumn leaf viewing.
- December: Solfa Ski Resort opens in Oda.
External links