Shiwa, Iwate

Shiwa
紫波町
Town

Shiwa Post Office

Flag
Seal

Location of Shiwa in Iwate Prefecture
Shiwa

 

Coordinates: 39°33′15.8″N 141°09′19.7″E / 39.554389°N 141.155472°E / 39.554389; 141.155472Coordinates: 39°33′15.8″N 141°09′19.7″E / 39.554389°N 141.155472°E / 39.554389; 141.155472
Country Japan
Region Tōhoku
Prefecture Iwate
District Shiwa
Area
 • Total 238.98 km2 (92.27 sq mi)
Population (September 2015)
 • Total 32,782
 • Density 137/km2 (350/sq mi)
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
Symbols  
• Tree Zelkova serrata
• Flower Platycodon grandiflorus
• Bird Barn swallow
Phone number 019-672-2111
Address Hizume Nishiura 23-1 Shiwa-chō, Shiwa-gun, Iwate-ken 028-3390
Website Official website

Shiwa (紫波町 Shiwa-chō) is a town located in Iwate Prefecture, in the Tohoku region of northern Japan. As of September 2015, the town had an estimated population of 32,782 and a population density of 137 persons per km2. The total area was 238.98 square kilometres (92.27 sq mi).

Geography

Shiwa is located in central Iwate Prefecture.

Neighboring municipalities

History

The area of present-day Shiwa was part of ancient Mutsu Province, and has been settled since at least the Jomon period. The area was inhabited by the Emishi people, and came under the control of the Yamato dynasty during the early Heian period. During the Sengoku period, the area was dominated by various samurai clans before coming under the control of the Nambu clan during the Edo period, who ruled Morioka Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. Shiwa prospered as a post station on the Ōshū Kaidō highway connecting Edo with the northern provinces.

The town of Hizume and the villages of Furudate, Mizuwake, Shiwa, Akaishi, Hikobe, Sahinai, Akasawa, ane Nagaoka were established within Shiwa District on April 1, 1889. These municipalities were merged on April 1, 1955 to form the town of Shiwa.

Economy

The local economy of Shiwa is traditionally based on agriculture, primarily rice cultivation; however, due to its proximity to Morioka city, it is increasingly serving as a bedroom community.

Transportation

Railway

Highway

International relations

Noted people from Shiwa

References

  1. 1 2 "International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Retrieved 21 November 2015.

Media related to Shiwa, Iwate at Wikimedia Commons

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