Towada, Aomori
| Towada 十和田市 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| City | |||
|
Oirase Valley in Towada | |||
| |||
 Location of Towada in Aomori Prefecture | |||
  Towada
| |||
| Coordinates: 40°36′45.7″N 141°12′21.1″E / 40.612694°N 141.205861°ECoordinates: 40°36′45.7″N 141°12′21.1″E / 40.612694°N 141.205861°E | |||
| Country | Japan | ||
| Region | Tōhoku | ||
| Prefecture | Aomori Prefecture | ||
| Government | |||
| • - Mayor | Hisashi Oyamada (since January 2009) | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 725.65 km2 (280.18 sq mi) | ||
| Population (September 1, 2015) | |||
| • Total | 63,340 | ||
| • Density | 87.3/km2 (226/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) | ||
| - Tree | Japanese Red Pine | ||
| - Flower | Azalea | ||
| Phone number | 0176-23-5111 | ||
| Address |
6-1 Nishi Jūniban-chō, Towada-shi, Aomori-ken 034-8615 | ||
| Website | Official website | ||
Towada (十和田市 Towada-shi) is a city located in central Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. As of September 2015, the city had an estimated population of 63,340 and a population density of 87.3 persons per km². The total area was 725.65 square kilometres (280.18 sq mi).
Geography
Towada is located in the foothills of the Hakkoda Mountains and encompasses the Aomori portion of Lake Towada. The Oirase River passes through the town. The city has a cold maritime climate characterized by cool summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. Part of the city is within the limits of the Towada-Hachimantai National Park.
Neighbouring municipalities
- Aomori Prefecture
- Akita Prefectyre
History
The area around present-day Towada was formerly a wasteland known as Sanbongihara (三本木原), which became the location of a colonization and land reclamation project initiated by the Nambu clan of Morioka Domain from 1855. The project was headed by Nitobe Tsutō, the grandfather of Inazō Nitobe. The project was continued by the Meiji government, and the area was designated a ranch area for breeding cavalry horses by the Imperial Japanese Army in 1885. The inclement climate of the area was considered ideal for breeding horses that would be suitable for use in the cold climate areas of Manchuria and Siberia. On September 1, 1910, Sanbongi was designated a town. It was elevated to the status of a city on February 1, 1955. In October 1956, it changed its name to “Towada”.
On January 1, 2005, the town of Towadako (from Kamikita District) was merged into Towada.
Education
Colleges and universities
- Kitasato University - Towada Campus (School of Veterinary Medicine)
High schools
- Sanbongi High School
- Sanbongi Agriculture High School
- Towada Technical High School
- Towada Nishi High School
Elementary schools and middle schools
There are 17 elementary schools and 10 middle schools in Towada.
Transportation
Rail
The Towada Kankō Electric Railway Line, which had following five stations in the city, was discontinued in 2012:
Highway
- Japan National Route 4
- Japan National Route 45
- Japan National Route 102
- Japan National Route 103
- Japan National Route 394
Local attractions
- Towada-Hachimantai National Park
- Lake Towada
- Oirase River - listed as one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment [1]
- Matsumi Falls - one of "Japan’s Top 100 Waterfalls" [2]
- Towada Art Center
Sister city relations
-
Canada - Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, since 2002 [3]
Noted people from Towada
- Koji Kumagai – soccer player
References
- ↑ "100 Soundscapes of Japan". Ministry of the Environment. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ↑ Ministry of Environment
- ↑ Lethbridge Twinning Society homepage
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Towada, Aomori. |
- Official website (Japanese)
- Chamber of Commerce website (Japanese)
| Core city |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Special city | ||
| Cities | ||
| Higashitsugaru District | ||
| Kamikita District | ||
| Kitatsugaru District | ||
| Minamitsugaru District | ||
| Nakatsugaru District | ||
| Nishitsugaru District | ||
| Sannohe District | ||
| Shimokita District | ||
