Hagi, Yamaguchi
Encyclopedia
is a city
located in Yamaguchi
, Japan
and was incorporated as a city on July 1, 1932. Formerly part of Abu District
.
On March 6, 2005, the former city of Hagi merged with the towns of Susa
and Tamagawa
, and the villages of Asahi
, Fukue
, Kawakami
and Mutsumi
to form the new city of Hagi.
Iwami Airport
in nearby Masuda
, Shimane Prefecture
serves Hagi.
, of which the ruins can be visited today. The Mōri clan
became daimyo
of Chōshū Domain at the beginning of the Edo period
and built Hagi Castle
at the foot of Mt. Shizuki in 1608. They transferred the capital of the domain from Hiroshima
to Hagi at the same time. Since then, Hagi developed as the political center of Chōshū for over 250 years.
When the Meiji Restoration
came about in the 1860s, as the result of efforts by samurai from Chōshū and a number of other domains, this small city gained great historical significance. Many Japanese statesmen and Prime Ministers were born and brought up in this city.
One of the factors underlying the continual decrease of population is said to be its poor public transport. Industry didn't grow at all and the rapid economic growth of Japan only caused the town to decline. But it also left the traditional precious town as it is.
(ca. 1603–1868). Hagi is renowned for hagi-yaki
, a form of Japanese pottery
dating from 1604 when two Korean potters were brought to Hagi by Mori Terumoto
. Hagi was also the location for an International Sculpture Symposium
in 1981. Twenty-six international sculptors working worked together to create a seaside park. They created many functional sculptures, including tables and benches.
(울산광역시, 蔚山廣域市), a fishing port and market centre in the southeast of South Korea
.
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 Yamaguchi
Yamaguchi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Yamaguchi, in the center of the prefecture. The largest city, however, is Shimonoseki.- History :...
, 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...
and was incorporated as a city on July 1, 1932. Formerly part of Abu District
Abu District, Yamaguchi
Abu is a district located in Yamaguchi, Japan.As of 2010, the district has an estimated population of 3,731 and a density of 32.1 persons per km²...
.
On March 6, 2005, the former city of Hagi merged with the towns of Susa
Susa, Yamaguchi
was a town located in Abu District, Yamaguchi, Japan.On March 6, 2005 Susa, along with the town of Tamagawa, and the villages of Asahi, Fukue, Kawakami and Mutsumi, all from Abu District, was merged into the expanded city of Hagi....
and Tamagawa
Tamagawa, Yamaguchi
was a town located in Abu District, Yamaguchi, Japan.On March 6, 2005 Tamagawa, along with the town of Susa, and the villages of Asahi, Fukue, Kawakami and Mutsumi, all from Abu District, was merged into the expanded city of Hagi....
, and the villages of Asahi
Asahi, Yamaguchi
was a village located in Abu District, Yamaguchi, Japan.On March 6, 2005 Asahi, along with the towns of Susa and Tamagawa, and the villages of Fukue, Kawakami and Mutsumi, all from Abu District, was merged into the expanded city of Hagi....
, Fukue
Fukue, Yamaguchi
was a village located in Abu District, Yamaguchi, Japan.On March 6, 2005 Fukue, along with the towns of Susa and Tamagawa, and the villages of Asahi, Kawakami and Mutsumi, all from Abu District, was merged into the expanded city of Hagi....
, Kawakami
Kawakami, Yamaguchi
was a village located in Abu District, Yamaguchi, Japan.On March 6, 2005 Kawakami, along with the towns of Susa and Tamagawa, and the villages of Asahi, Fukue and Mutsumi, all from Abu District, was merged into the expanded city of Hagi....
and Mutsumi
Mutsumi, Yamaguchi
was a village located in Abu District, Yamaguchi, Japan.On March 6, 2005 Mutsumi, along with the towns of Susa and Tamagawa, and the villages of Asahi, Fukue and Kawakami, all from Abu District, was merged into the expanded city of Hagi....
to form the new city of Hagi.
Iwami Airport
Iwami Airport
is an airport located Masuda, a city in the Shimane Prefecture of Japan. It is also known as Hagi-Iwami Airport due to its location near the city of Hagi in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Contrary to what the name may make one think, it is not near the old town of Iwami, being about a 2 or 3 hour drive...
in nearby Masuda
Masuda, Shimane
is a city located in Shimane, Japan.As of September 2010 the city has a population of 51,118 and the density of 69.7 person persons per square km². The total area is 733.16 km²...
, Shimane Prefecture
Shimane Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is Matsue. It is the second least populous prefecture in Japan, after its eastern neighbor Tottori. The prefecture has an area elongated from east to west facing the Chūgoku Mountain Range on the south side and to...
serves Hagi.
History
In the medieval period, Hagi was dominated by the Yoshimi clan, who built Hagi CastleHagi Castle
, also known as Shizuki Castle, is a castle located in Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan.- History :Mori Terumoto lost his holdings around Hiroshima and was moved to Hagi following the Battle of Sekigahara when he supported the losing side. He built Hagi Castle in 1604, and his family continued to...
, of which the ruins can be visited today. The Mōri clan
Mori clan
The Mōri clan was a family of daimyō, descended from Ōe no Hiromoto and established themselves in Aki Province. Their name was derived from a shōen in Mōri, Aikō District, Sagami Province. The generation of Hiromoto began to name themselves Mōri.After the Jōkyū War, Mōri was appointed to the jitō...
became 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...
of Chōshū Domain at the beginning of 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....
and built Hagi Castle
Hagi Castle
, also known as Shizuki Castle, is a castle located in Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan.- History :Mori Terumoto lost his holdings around Hiroshima and was moved to Hagi following the Battle of Sekigahara when he supported the losing side. He built Hagi Castle in 1604, and his family continued to...
at the foot of Mt. Shizuki in 1608. They transferred the capital of the domain from Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
to Hagi at the same time. Since then, Hagi developed as the political center of Chōshū for over 250 years.
When 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...
came about in the 1860s, as the result of efforts by samurai from Chōshū and a number of other domains, this small city gained great historical significance. Many Japanese statesmen and Prime Ministers were born and brought up in this city.
Population
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1955 | 97,744 |
| 1960 | 93,245 |
| 1970 | 77,962 |
| 1980 | 74,846 |
| 1990 | 68,999 |
| 1995 | 65,293 |
| 2000 | 61,745 |
| 2005 | 57,989 |
| 2010 | 53,606 |
One of the factors underlying the continual decrease of population is said to be its poor public transport. Industry didn't grow at all and the rapid economic growth of Japan only caused the town to decline. But it also left the traditional precious town as it is.
Hagi-yaki
The city was the capital of the Chōshū Domain during the Edo periodEdo 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....
(ca. 1603–1868). Hagi is renowned for hagi-yaki
Hagi-yaki
' is a type of Japanese pottery most identifiable for its humble forms and use of translucent white glaze.It originated in the early 17th century with the introduction of potters brought back from Japanese invasions of Korea. The local daimyo of the time were very interested in tea ceremony and...
, a form of Japanese pottery
Japanese pottery
Japanese pottery and porcelain , one of the country's oldest art forms, dates back to the Neolithic period...
dating from 1604 when two Korean potters were brought to Hagi by Mori Terumoto
Mori Terumoto
Mōri Terumoto , son of Mōri Takamoto and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, fought against Toyotomi Hideyoshi but was eventually overcome, participated in the Kyūshū campaign on Hideyoshi's side and built Hiroshima Castle, thus essentially founding Hiroshima.Terumoto was a...
. Hagi was also the location for an International Sculpture Symposium
International Sculpture Symposium
The International Sculpture Symposium movement was spearheaded by Karl Prantl in Austria in 1959.This initiative grew from the need to facilitate communication and exchange between members of the international sculpture community...
in 1981. Twenty-six international sculptors working worked together to create a seaside park. They created many functional sculptures, including tables and benches.
Literature
- N. Taylor Gregg and Sam AbellSam AbellSam Abell is an American photographer known for his frequent publication of photographs in National Geographic. He first worked for National Geographic in 1967, and is one of the more overtly artistic photographers among his magazine peers...
(Photographs): Hagi: Where Japan's Revolution Began, National Geographic, Vol.165, No.6, June 1984, pp 750-773 http://www.shotokai.com/ingles/history/hagi.html
People
- Yoshida ShōinYoshida ShoinYoshida Shōin was one of the most distinguished intellectuals in the closing days of the Tokugawa shogunate...
(1830-1859), intellectual, teacher and revolutionary - Ito HirobumiIto HirobumiPrince was a samurai of Chōshū domain, Japanese statesman, four time Prime Minister of Japan , genrō and Resident-General of Korea. Itō was assassinated by An Jung-geun, a Korean nationalist who was against the annexation of Korea by the Japanese Empire...
, Japan's first modern prime ministerPrime ministerA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
, was born in Hagi and studied at Yoshida ShoinYoshida ShoinYoshida Shōin was one of the most distinguished intellectuals in the closing days of the Tokugawa shogunate...
's Shōka Sonjuku, a school in the town. Ito's birthplace is preserved next to a shrine that includes the school building in its compound. - Inoue MasaruInoue MasaruViscount was the first `Director of Railways` in Japan and is known as the "father of the Japanese railways".He was born into the Chōshū clan at Hagi, Yamaguchi...
, known as the "Father of the Japanese Railways". - Inoue KaoruInoue KaoruCount , GCMG was a member of the Meiji oligarchy during the Meiji period Empire of Japan. As one of the senior statesman in Japan during that period, he had a tremendous influence on the selection of the nation's leaders and formation of its policies.-Early years:...
- Katsura TaroKatsura TaroPrince , was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, politician and three-time Prime Minister of Japan.-Early life:Katsura was born into a samurai family from Hagi, Chōshū Domain...
, former prime minister of Japan. - Kido TakayoshiKido Takayoshi, also referred as Kido Kōin was a Japanese statesman during the Late Tokugawa shogunate and the Meiji Restoration. He used the alias when he worked against the Shogun.-Early life:...
- Omura MasujiroOmura Masujiro-External links:* * * http://www.jstor.org/view/03636917/di973569/97p0119n/0...
- Takasugi ShinsakuTakasugi Shinsakuwas a samurai from the Chōshū Domain of Japan who contributed significantly to the Meiji Restoration.He used the alias to hide his activities from the shogunate.-Early life:...
- Tanaka GiichiTanaka GiichiBaron was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, politician, and the 26th Prime Minister of Japan from 20 April 1927 to 2 July 1929.-Early life and military career:...
, former prime minister of Japan. - Yamagata AritomoYamagata AritomoField Marshal Prince , also known as Yamagata Kyōsuke, was a field marshal in the Imperial Japanese Army and twice Prime Minister of Japan. He is considered one of the architects of the military and political foundations of early modern Japan. Yamagata Aritomo can be seen as the father of Japanese...
, former prime minister of Japan.
Sister cities
Since 1968, Hagi has been a sister city to UlsanUlsan
Ulsan , officially the Ulsan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's seventh largest metropolis with a population of over 1.1 million. It is located in the south-east of the country, neighboring Busan to the south and facing Gyeongju to the north and the Sea of Japan to the east.Ulsan is the...
(울산광역시, 蔚山廣域市), a fishing port and market centre in the southeast 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...
.