Hachinohe, Aomori
Encyclopedia
Neighbouring municipalities
Aomori Prefecture- Sannohe DistrictSannohe District, Aomoriis a district located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It occupies the southeast corner of the prefecture, bordering Iwate Prefecture.As of 2010, the district has an estimated population of 73,955 and a density of 76.3 persons per km². The total area was 969.38 km².- Towns and villages :The...
- HashikamiHashikami, Aomoriis a town located in the Sannohe District of southeastern Aomori Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the town had an estimated population of 14,978 and a density of 159 persons per km². Its total area was 93.91 km².-Geography:...
- GonoheGonohe, Aomoriis a town located in Sannohe District, Aomori, Japan. Gonohe Town is located in the north-eastern part of Sannohe-gun, approximately 16 kilometres west of Hachinohe City and 10 kilometres southeast of Towada City. The town is adjacent to Hachinohe City to the east, Shingo Village to the west, Nanbu...
- NanbuNanbu, Aomoriis a town located in the Sannohe District of southeastern Aomori Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the town had an estimated population of 20,381 and a density of 133 persons per km². Its total area was 153.150 km².-Geography:...
- Hashikami
- Kamikita DistrictKamikita District, Aomoriis a district located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It occupies the east-central portion of the prefecture, south of Shimokita Peninsula.As of 2010, the district has an estimated population of 100,526 and a density of 78.5 persons per km². The total area was 1281.05 km².- Towns and villages...
- OiraseOirase, Aomoriis a town located in the Kamikita District of eastern Aomori Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the town had an estimated population of 24,363 and a density of 339 persons per km². Its total area is 71.88 km².-Geography:...
- Oirase
Iwate Prefecture
- KarumaiKarumai, Iwateis a town located in Kunohe District, Iwate, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 11,304 and a population density of 46.00 persons per km². The total area is 245.74 km².-External links:*...
History
The area around Hachinohe has been occupied since prehistoric times, and was a major population center for the EmishiEmishi
The constituted a group of people who lived in northeastern Honshū in the Tōhoku region. They are referred to as in contemporary sources. Some Emishi tribes resisted the rule of the Japanese Emperors during the late Nara and early Heian periods...
people. Numerous Jomon period
Jomon 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...
remains have been discovered within the borders of Hachinohe. The area was nominally under control of the Northern Fujiwara
Northern Fujiwara
The Northern Fujiwara were a Japanese noble family that ruled the Tōhoku region of Japan from the 12th to the 13th centuries as if it were their own realm. They succeeded the semi-independent Emishi families of the 11th century who were gradually brought down by the Minamoto clan loyal to the...
in the Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
, and became part of the holdings granted to the Nanbu clan
Nanbu clan
The ' was a Japanese samurai clan originating in northern Japan, specifically Mutsu Province . The Nanbu claimed descent from the Minamoto clan, and its members first enter the historical record as residents of Kai Province during the Kamakura period. The clan later moved to Mutsu...
after the defeat of the North Fujiwara by Minamoto Yoritomo in the Kamakura period
Kamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....
. The Nanbu established numerous horse ranches, accompanied by numbered fortified settlements. During 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....
, it was initially part of Morioka Domain
Morioka Domain
The was a han or feudal domain that encompasses present-day the middle-northern part of Iwate Prefecture and eastern part of Aomori Prefecture. It is sometimes colloquially called . The domain was tozama daimyo and was governed by the Satake clan. Its income was 100,000...
, but in 1664 the Tokugawa Shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
authorized the creation of a separate 20,000 koku
Koku
The is a Japanese unit of volume, equal to ten cubic shaku. In this definition, 3.5937 koku equal one cubic metre, i.e. 1 koku is approximately 278.3 litres. The koku was originally defined as a quantity of rice, historically defined as enough rice to feed one person for one year...
Hachinohe Domain
Hachinohe Domain
' was a tozama feudal domain of Edo period Japan, located in Mutsu Province, Honshū. Its territory included 41 villages in Sannohe District, 38 villages in Kunohe District, and 4 villages in Shiwa District, with a total revenue of 22,000 koku...
for a branch line of the Nanbu clan. The town prospered as a castle town
Castle town
A castle town is a settlement built adjacent to or surrounding a castle. Castle towns are common in Medieval Europe. Good example include small towns like Alnwick and Arundel, which are still dominated by their castles...
centered on Hachinohe Castle
Hachinohe Castle
was a Japanese castle that formed the administrative center of Hachinohe Domain, a feudal domain of the Nambu clan, located in the center of what is now the city of Hachinohe in Aomori Prefecture, Japan...
, and served as a small commercial centre and port for the fishing grounds off southeastern 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...
. Today, the port still serves the fishing industry and a number of international cargo vessels.
After 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...
, Hachinohe Domain was abolished, and replaced by Hachinohe Prefecture, which was subsequently merged into Aomori Prefecture
Aomori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region. The capital is the city of Aomori.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Aomori prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
. Initially, there was a debate as to whether the capital of newly-formed Aomori Prefecture should be at Hachinohe or Hirosaki
Hirosaki, Aomori
is a city located in southwest Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It is a castle town and was the Tsugaru clan ruled the 100,000 koku tozama han Hirosaki Domain from Hirosaki Castle during the Edo period. The city is currently a regional commercial center and the largest producer of apples in Japan...
; however, due to strong rivalry between the former Nanbu domain and former Tsugaru Domain
Hirosaki Domain
The ' was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in northern Mutsu Province . It was ruled by the Tsugaru clan...
, the Meiji government decided to build a new town called Aomori is a central location, and to designate it as the capital of the prefecture.
Per the reform of 1889, the town of Hachinohe was created within Sannohe District
Sannohe District, Aomori
is a district located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It occupies the southeast corner of the prefecture, bordering Iwate Prefecture.As of 2010, the district has an estimated population of 73,955 and a density of 76.3 persons per km². The total area was 969.38 km².- Towns and villages :The...
. In 1901, it merged with neighboring Choja, and on May 1, 1929 with neighboring Konakano, Minato and Same villages to form the city of Hachinohe.
The city further expanded by annexing the village of Shimonaganawashiro in 1942, Korekawa in 1954, Ichikawa, Kaminaganawashiro, Tachi and Toyosaki in 1955 and Odate in 1958. On March 31, 2005 the village of Nangō was also merged into Hachinohe.
During the American occupation of Japan following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, a United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
base Camp Haugen
JGSDF Camp Hachinohe
is a military base of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, located in Hachinohe, Aomori prefecture, Japan. It is one of several military facilities located in eastern Aomori Prefecture, and is located adjacent to the JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base.-History:...
was located in Hachinohe, and was the home of the Seventh Division. An Armed Forces Radio Service radio station was located on the base; it was known as AFRS Hachinohe. In 1950, after the North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n invasion of South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, troops from Camp Haugen left for Korea. AFRS Hachinohe altered its broadcasts to include coverage of South Korea so Americans could benefit from its news and entertainment programs.
From December 2002, the northern terminus
Terminal Station
Terminal Station is a 1953 film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
of the Tōhoku Shinkansen
Tohoku Shinkansen
The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line, connecting Tokyo with Aomori in Aomori Prefecture for a total length of 674 km, Japan's longest Shinkansen line. It runs through the more sparsely populated Tōhoku region of Japan's main island Honshu. It has two spur lines, Yamagata...
has been at Hachinohe Station
Hachinohe Station
is a railway station operated by the East Japan Railway Company in Hachinohe, Aomori, Japan.-Lines:Hachinohe Station is served by the high-speed Tōhoku Shinkansen line between Tokyo and , and forms the starting point of the Hachinohe Line to...
, connecting it to Tokyo Station
Tokyo Station
is a train station located in the Marunouchi business district of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, near the Imperial Palace grounds and the Ginza commercial district....
in under three hours.
In March 2011, the city was one of those hit by the 2011 Japanese tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
. The tsunami tossed many huge fishing boats ashore and heavily damaged the port area. About 100 homes were destroyed. Divers from the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
ship Safeguard
USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50)
USS Safeguard is a , the second United States Navy ship of that name.Safeguard was laid down on 8 November 1982 by Peterson Builders, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin; launched on 12 November 1983; and commissioned on 17 August 1985....
joined with Japanese workers to help clear the port to facilitate the delivery of relief supplies via the city.
Economy
Hachinohe is the largest city in eastern Aomori prefecture, and serves as the regional industrial and commercial center. Commercial fishingCommercial fishing
Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for commercial profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice it as an industry must often pursue fish far into the ocean under adverse conditions...
still plays a major role in the local economy, with Hachinohe port having one of the largest volumes of landed fish in Japan. However, since its designation as a new industrial city in 1964, Hachinohe has developed a large coastal industrial belt with a diverse range of chemical, steel, cement and fertilizer products. Major industrial parks include the Hachinohe High Tech Park and Hachinohe North-Interchange Industrial Complex. Hachinohe Port is a major international port for northern Japan.
Tourist attractions and festivals
- The symbol of Hachinohe is the Yawata-uma, a wooden horse with gold saddle markings and a decorative plume attached to its head. The Hachinohe area has been known since the Kamakura period for its breed of war horseHorses in warfareThe first use of horses in warfare occurred over 5,000 years ago. The earliest evidence of horses ridden in warfare dates from Eurasia between 4000 and 3000 BC. A Sumerian illustration of warfare from 2500 BC depicts some type of equine pulling wagons...
s. Also, farming horses have supported the lives of the commoners and have often been used as the theme for dances and folk tales. The art of Yawata-uma figurines is a regional art form and popular souvenir.
- Kabushima Shrine is a Shinto shrine that also serves as a habitat for forty thousand Black-tailed GullBlack-tailed GullThe Black-tailed Gull is a medium-sized gull, with a wingspan of 126-128 cm. The bird is resident in East Asia, including China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea. It is a vagrant to Alaska and northeastern North America....
s, or Umineko. It is situated on the bayside. There is a festival there on the third Sunday of April each year.
- Enburi is a city-wide festival which is also celebrated in nearby towns. The object of the festival is to pray for a bountiful harvest in the coming year. It originated as a dance with an agricultural tool (the eburi; enburi is a local pronunciation), which was used to teach people how to cultivate the land. Nowadays it is a parade of 15-20 people, with 3-5 dancers and a singer accompanied by wooden flutes, drums and bells. The festival takes place February 17–20, and marks the official end of the long, harsh winter.
- Hachinohe Sansha TaisaiHachinohe Sansha Taisaiis a Japanese festival celebrated from 1-3 August in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture. Its rites centre on the , , and shrines. There is a procession of twenty-seven floats and three mikoshi are also borne through the streets...
is another city-wide festival and is considered to be the main festival of the town. It is also billed as "Japan's Biggest Float Festival". Sansha means "three shrines" and Taisai means "festival": It is held by three Shinto shrines: Ogami Jinja, Shinra Jinja, and Shinmei-gu. Floats proceed through the main streets of the city, accompanied by people with drums, flutes and loud calls. 27 different floats are used, and they are proudly constructed and flourished by the members of various organizations, such as schools and the city hall. The floats are also accompanied by men in samuraiSamuraiis the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
costumes on horseback, and Tiger Dancers. On the second and third days of the festival, a traditional game of a sport similar to polo is held at the stables of Shinra Shrine. This sport (加賀美流騎馬打毬 Kaga Biryū Kiba Dakyū) is officially an "intangible cultural asset" of Aomori Prefecture. Sansha Taisai takes place from July 31 to August 4 every year. - The ruins of Edo period Hachinohe Castle and earlier Muromachi periodMuromachi periodThe is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate, which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi shogun, Ashikaga Takauji, two years after the brief Kemmu restoration of imperial...
Ne Castle (National Historic Landmark) are located in the city.
- The umi-nekoBlack-tailed GullThe Black-tailed Gull is a medium-sized gull, with a wingspan of 126-128 cm. The bird is resident in East Asia, including China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea. It is a vagrant to Alaska and northeastern North America....
are one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan100 Soundscapes of JapanIn 1996, as part of its efforts to combat noise pollution and to protect and promote the environment, the Ministry of the Environment designated the . 738 submissions were received from all over the country and the 100 'best' were selected after examination by the Japan Soundscape Study Group...
.
Railway
- East Japan Railway CompanyEast Japan Railway Companyis the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....
- Tohoku Main Line
- ,
- Hachinohe Line
- , , , , , , , , , ,
- Tohoku Main Line
- Aoimori Railway
- Aoimori Railway Line
},
- Hachinohe Rinkai Railway (freight only)
Highway
- Route 45 (Japan)
- Route 104 (Japan)Route 104 (Japan)National Route 104 is a national highway of Japan connecting Hachinohe, Aomori and Ōdate, Akita in Japan, with a total length of 128.8 km ....
- Route 340 (Japan)Route 340 (Japan)National Route 340 is a national highway of Japan connecting Rikuzentakata, Iwate and Hachinohe, Aomori in Japan, with a total length of 253.1 km ....
- Route 454 (Japan)Route 454 (Japan)National Route 454 is a national highway of Japan connecting Hachinohe, Aomori and Owani, Aomori in Japan, with a total length of 116.9 km ....
- Hachinohe ExpresswayHachinohe ExpresswayThe is a 4-laned national expressway in the Tōhoku region of Japan. It is owned and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.-Overview:The expressway is officially referred to as the Tōhoku Jūkan Expressway Hachinohe Route....
Notable people from Hachinohe
- Yuri Fujikawa - politician
- Motoko Hani - journalist
- Masako KatsukiMasako Katsukiis a Japanese voice actress who was born in Hachinohe, Aomori. Formerly from Theater Echo, she is currently employed by 81 Produce and has voiced in several notable films and tv series...
- seiyū - Yoichi Kitayama, musician
- Yoko Kudo - AV actress
- Conchita Matsumoto
- Tetsuo Miura - Akutagawa Award winning author
- Yuzuki Murai - writer
- Yoshio Otani - musician
- Marimo RagawaMarimo Ragawawas born on September 21 in Hachinohe, Aomori, but her age is not disclosed.Marimo Ragawa first started submitting manga to comic magazines when she was only 12 years old, which is when she was in 6th grade of elementary school. She continued to send her manga to the same magazine for four years,...
- manga artist - Shimpei Ruike - jazz musician
- Yoshitake Tanaka - actor, entrepreneur
- Mikako Umenai - singer
Sister city relations
Federal WayFederal Way, Washington
Federal Way is a city in King County, Washington, United States. Federal Way is located between Seattle and Tacoma. Its western boundary is Puget Sound. It is bordered by Des Moines on the north, Kent, unincorporated King County, and Milton on the east and Tacoma and Fife on the south...
, Washington, USA (since 1993)