Date, Hokkaido
Encyclopedia
is a city
located in Iburi
, Hokkaidō
, Japan
.
Date was established around 1869 and became a city on April 1, 1972.
Date lies at the conjunction of National Highway
Route 37
and Route 453.
Date can be accessed via the Date Interchange from the expressway or from JR Hokkaido station Date-Monbetsu.
have been found in the Date area. The Ainu
, the native inhabitants of Hokkaido
, also maintained a settlement at another location nearby until the beginning of the 20th century, when the Ainu were mostly assimilated into Japanese society.
The name of the area comes from the Date clan, who rose to power in the 12th century in Fukushima
, on the mainland
. Before the Edo period
, their home castle was the Yanagawa castle in Date District, Fukushima
. Later, it became the Sendai castle. The Date clan ruled the whole of Miyagi Prefecture
as well as the southern part of Iwate Prefecture
prefecture, and was one of the most influential daimyo
s.
During the Meiji period
, many samurai, including the Date clan, lost their territories due to the political changes of the Meiji Restoration
. In 1869, a a branch family of the Date clan from Watari
-Date moved to and settled at the south coast of the then-uncultivated Hokkaidō. This was the foundation of Date.
On March 1, 2006, the village of Ōtaki
, from Usu District
, was merged into Date.
(702 metres (2,303 ft)) and the Osa-ru River.
As a result of city and village merges, Date can essentially be divided into two sections: The Otaki Forest area and the Date Historic City area. Otaki Forest is home to Sankaidaki Falls and the Shirakinu River Bed. Date Historic City contains buildings that were built by the samurai, the most famous of which is the Usu-Zenkou temple.
Cities of Japan
||A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of...
located in Iburi
Iburi Subprefecture
is a subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan.- Geography :Located in south-central Hokkaido, Iburi stretches East-West and North-South. Iburi covers an area of . Iburi borders Oshima subprefecture to the West, Shiribeshi, Ishikari, and Sorachi subprefectures to the North, and Hidaka subprefecture to the...
, Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, 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...
.
Date was established around 1869 and became a city on April 1, 1972.
Date lies at the conjunction of National Highway
National highways of Japan
Japan has a nationwide system of distinct from the expressways. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and other government agencies administer the national highways. Beginning in 1952, Japan classified these as Class 1 or Class 2. Class 1 highways had one- or two-digit numbers, while...
Route 37
Japan National Route 37
National Route 37 is a national highway connecting Oshamanbe and Muroran in Hokkaidō, Japan.-Route Data:*Length: 81.1 km *Origin: Oshamanbe, Hokkaido...
and Route 453.
Date can be accessed via the Date Interchange from the expressway or from JR Hokkaido station Date-Monbetsu.
History
Remains of settlements from the Jōmon periodJomon period
The is the time in Japanese prehistory from about 14,000 BC to 300 BC.The term jōmon means "cord-patterned" in Japanese. This refers to the pottery style characteristic of the Jōmon culture, and which has markings made using sticks with cords wrapped around them...
have been found in the Date area. The Ainu
Ainu people
The , also called Aynu, Aino , and in historical texts Ezo , are indigenous people or groups in Japan and Russia. Historically they spoke the Ainu language and related varieties and lived in Hokkaidō, the Kuril Islands, and much of Sakhalin...
, the native inhabitants of Hokkaido
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, also maintained a settlement at another location nearby until the beginning of the 20th century, when the Ainu were mostly assimilated into Japanese society.
The name of the area comes from the Date clan, who rose to power in the 12th century in Fukushima
Fukushima
may refer to:*Fukushima City – the capital city of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan*Fukushima Prefecture – a Japanese prefecture*Two nuclear power plants located in Fukushima Prefecture:**Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant...
, on the mainland
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
. Before the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, their home castle was the Yanagawa castle in Date District, Fukushima
Date District, Fukushima
is a district located in Fukushima, Japan.As of 2008, the district has an estimated population of 39,633 and a density of 190 persons per km². The total area is 208.53 km².-Towns and villages:*Kawamata*Kōri*Kunimi-Mergers:...
. Later, it became the Sendai castle. The Date clan ruled the whole of Miyagi Prefecture
Miyagi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku Region on Honshu island. The capital is Sendai.- History :Miyagi Prefecture was formerly part of the province of Mutsu. Mutsu Province, on northern Honshu, was one of the last provinces to be formed as land was taken from the indigenous Emishi, and became the...
as well as the southern part of Iwate Prefecture
Iwate Prefecture
is the second largest prefecture of Japan after Hokkaido. It is located in the Tōhoku region of Honshū island and contains the island's easternmost point. The capital is Morioka. Iwate has the lowest population density of any prefecture outside Hokkaido...
prefecture, and was one of the most influential daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
s.
During the Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
, many samurai, including the Date clan, lost their territories due to the political changes of the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
. In 1869, a a branch family of the Date clan from Watari
Watari, Miyagi
is a town located in Watari District, Miyagi, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 35,132 and a population density of 479.88 persons per km². The total area is 73.21 km²....
-Date moved to and settled at the south coast of the then-uncultivated Hokkaidō. This was the foundation of Date.
On March 1, 2006, the village of Ōtaki
Otaki, Hokkaido
was a village located in Usu District, Iburi, Hokkaidō, Japan.On March 1, 2006 Ōtaki was merged into the city of Date.As of 2004, the village had an estimated population of 2,054 and a density of 7.50 persons per km². The total area was 274.03 km²....
, from Usu District
Usu District, Hokkaido
is a district located in Iburi Subprefecture, Hokkaidō. As of March, 2008, the district has an estimated Population of 3,009 and a Density of 14.7 persons/km². The total area is 205.04 km².The district has only one town.*Sōbetsu-Timeline:...
, was merged into Date.
Geography
Date is home to Mount UsuMount Usu
is an active stratovolcano in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Hokkaidō, Japan. It has erupted four times since 1900: in 1910, 1944–45 , August 7, 1977, and on March 31, 2000. To the north lies Lake Toya...
(702 metres (2,303 ft)) and the Osa-ru River.
As a result of city and village merges, Date can essentially be divided into two sections: The Otaki Forest area and the Date Historic City area. Otaki Forest is home to Sankaidaki Falls and the Shirakinu River Bed. Date Historic City contains buildings that were built by the samurai, the most famous of which is the Usu-Zenkou temple.