Tsuyama, Okayama

Tsuyama
津山市
City

Flag

Location of Tsuyama in Okayama Prefecture
Tsuyama

Location in Japan

Coordinates: 35°4′10″N 134°0′16″E / 35.06944°N 134.00444°E / 35.06944; 134.00444Coordinates: 35°4′10″N 134°0′16″E / 35.06944°N 134.00444°E / 35.06944; 134.00444
Country Japan
Region Chūgoku (Sanyō)
Prefecture Okayama Prefecture
Government
 • Mayor Akinori Miyaji (since March 2010)
Area
 • Total 506.36 km2 (195.51 sq mi)
Population (December 1, 2010)
 • Total 108,057
 • Density 213.40/km2 (552.7/sq mi)
Symbols
 • Tree Camphor laurel
 • Flower Satsuki azalea, Sakura
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City hall address 520 Yamakita, Tsuyama-shi, Okayama-ken
708-8501
Website www.city.tsuyama.lg.jp

Tsuyama (津山市 Tsuyama-shi) is a city in Okayama Prefecture, Japan.

As of 2003, the city had an estimated population of 89,974 and a population density of 484.43 persons per km². The total area was 185.73 km². The area increased in 2005 as the result of a merger with adjacent towns, which also boosted the city's population to more than 100,000.

Tsuyama city hall

History

The city was founded on February 11, 1929.

Tsuyama Castle in 1873

Tsuyama is known for the 17th century Tsuyama Castle, whose grandeur was said to rival that of Himeji Castle in neighboring Hyōgo Prefecture. The castle was destroyed in 1874, and today only the stone foundations remain, save for a single turret that was reconstructed in 2005. The castle ruins remain Tsuyama's main tourist attraction along with Joto Street, a narrow street of old, traditional buildings that was once part of the pilgrimage route from Kyoto to Izumo, and Shurakuen Garden, a traditional Japanese garden constructed in 1657.

The 1938 Tsuyama massacre, in which 21-year-old Mutsuo Toi murdered 30 people in the course of one and a half hours, took place in a village near Tsuyama which became part of the city of Tsuyama in 2005. It was considered for several decades to be the world's largest massacre committed by a single criminal.

On February 28, 2005, the town of Kamo, the village of Aba (both from Tomata District), the town of Shōboku (from Katsuta District), and the town of Kume (from Kume District) were merged into Tsuyama.

Climate

Tsuyama has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with very warm summers and cold winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is somewhat lower in winter.

Climate data for Tateyama, Okayama
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 7.2
(45)		 8.4
(47.1)		 12.4
(54.3)		 19.1
(66.4)		 23.6
(74.5)		 26.3
(79.3)		 30.1
(86.2)		 31.6
(88.9)		 27.0
(80.6)		 21.2
(70.2)		 15.3
(59.5)		 9.7
(49.5)		 19.33
(66.79)
Daily mean °C (°F) 1.7
(35.1)		 2.5
(36.5)		 5.7
(42.3)		 12.0
(53.6)		 16.7
(62.1)		 20.7
(69.3)		 24.8
(76.6)		 25.6
(78.1)		 21.2
(70.2)		 14.7
(58.5)		 8.8
(47.8)		 3.7
(38.7)		 13.17
(55.73)
Average low °C (°F) −2.4
(27.7)		 −2.0
(28.4)		 0.2
(32.4)		 5.7
(42.3)		 10.5
(50.9)		 16.2
(61.2)		 21.1
(70)		 21.5
(70.7)		 17.0
(62.6)		 9.8
(49.6)		 4.0
(39.2)		 −0.7
(30.7)		 8.41
(47.14)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 48.4
(1.906)		 57.0
(2.244)		 95.8
(3.772)		 144.1
(5.673)		 153.1
(6.028)		 230.1
(9.059)		 258.8
(10.189)		 125.5
(4.941)		 223.8
(8.811)		 96.3
(3.791)		 64.2
(2.528)		 34.8
(1.37)		 1,531.9
(60.312)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 22
(8.7)		 17
(6.7)		 7
(2.8)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 8
(3.1)		 54
(21.3)
Average relative humidity (%) 77 75 72 71 73 78 82 79 80 79 81 80 77.3
Mean monthly sunshine hours 127.4 128.3 166.4 178.5 202.7 158.3 154.2 189.1 147.1 154.5 120.3 116.2 1,843
Source: NOAA (1961-1990)[1]

Festivals

Attractions

View from Tsuyama Castle

Education

Transport

Tsuyama's main railway station is Tsuyama Station. The station is served by the Tsuyama Line (to Okayama), the Kishin Line (to Himeji and Niimi), and the Inbi Line (to Tottori). All services are operated by JR West. Tsuyama is one of the major cities along the Chūgoku Expressway. As with many Japanese cities, cycling is a very common form of transport, particularly among school students.

Air

The nearest airport is Okayama Airport.

Rail

Road

Sister cities

Notable people from Tsuyama

References

  1. ↑ "Tsuyama Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
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