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| Toyama 富山 |
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| — Core city — | |||
| 富山市 · Toyama City | |||
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  Toyama
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| Coordinates: 36°42′N 137°13′E / 36.7°N 137.217°ECoordinates: 36°42′N 137°13′E / 36.7°N 137.217°E | |||
| Country | Japan | ||
| Region | Chūbu | ||
| Prefecture | Toyama Prefecture | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 1,241.85 km2 (479.5 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2009) | |||
| - Total | 420,508 | ||
| Time zone | Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) | ||
| Website | City of Toyama | ||
Toyama (富山市 Toyama-shi) is the capital city of Toyama Prefecture, Japan, located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in the Chūbu region on central Honshū, about 200 km north of the city of Nagoya and 300 km northwest of Tokyo.
Historically, Toyama was the capital of Etchu Province. The modern city was incorporated on April 1, 1889. As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 420,804 and a density of 338.85 persons per km². The total area is 1,241.85 km².
Toyama is served by Toyama Airport and Toyama Station of West Japan Railway Company.
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[edit] History
The Toyama Plain is good farmland and historically it was a point of strategic and traffic importance. During the Feudal Age, it was frequently turned into a battlefield. Toward the end of the period of confusion, Sassa Narimasa became the governor of Etchū Province (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, a positive industrial promotion policy was implemented on the production of medicine and 和紙 (washi, 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, 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 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 on the city. 1.87 square miles, 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 and special steel production. [1][2] The city during that time had a population of around 150,000.
[edit] Mergers
On April 1, 2005, the former Toyama city, towns of Ōsawano and Ōyama from Kaminiikawa District and the towns and villages of Fuchū, Hosoiri, Yamada and Yatsuo (all from Nei District) merged into the city of Toyama. Kaminiikawa District and Nei District were both dissolved as a result of this merger.
[edit] Economy
Asiana Airlines operates a sales office on the eighth floor of the Toyama Daiichi-Seimei Building in Toyama, near the Toyama Airport grounds.[1]
Morinaga Hokuriku Dairy, a dairy products subsidiary of Morinaga Milk Industry, operates a plant in Toyama.
[edit] Points of interest
- Botanic Gardens of Toyama
- Toyama International Conference Center
- Toyama Castle
- Museum of Modern Art, Toyama
- Toyama Athletic Recreation Park Stadium, home of Toyama's representative in the J. League, Kataller Toyama football club
- Toyama Glass Studio
[edit] Educational institute
[edit] Sister cities
Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil
Qinhuangdao, People's Republic of China
Durham, North Carolina, United States
Wellington, Australia
[edit] Sister States
[edit] References
- ^ "Worldwide Offices Japan." Asiana Airlines. Retrieved on January 19, 2009.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Toyama, Toyama |
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