Imabari, Ehime
Encyclopedia
is a city
located in Ehime
, Japan
. It is the second largest city in Ehime prefecture.
Following a recent merger, the city has an estimated population
of 172,384 and density
of 410.87 persons per km². The total (merged) area is 419.56 km² (162 sq mi).
system. It is a main station on the Yosan line with limited express service. The city is also home to two large naval ports, and acts as a hub station for many of the ferry systems that link the nearby smaller islands.
. It was built by Tōdō Takatora
in 1604. It is unusual in that seawater is used in its moat.
Imabari has 6 temples of Shikoku Pilgrimage
from 54 to 59 which are Enmeiji, Nankōji, Taisanji, Eifukuji, Senyuji, and Kokubunji
.
and a physician in Tokyo, published A Japanese Boy by Himself in 1889, when he was studying at Yale University
. In this book he wrote vividly about his young age in Imabari, because he needed money for his study.
The area in which Imabari exists had long been a strategic point for the control of the Seto Inland Sea. As a result, it was controlled by a variety of forces throughout the warring period, including a number of inland sea pirate forces. The city was officially founded on February 11, 1920.
The city has recently experienced an economic surge as a result of the completion of the inter-island bridge network connecting it to Hiroshima
.
On January 16, 2005 11 towns and villages from Ochi District
merged with Imabari to form the new city of Imabari. As a result, there are no more villages within Ehime Prefecture. The municipalities participating in this merger were:
(since March 2, 1977) Lakeland, Florida
, United States
(since July 6, 1995)
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 Ehime
Ehime Prefecture
is a prefecture in northwestern Shikoku, Japan. The capital is Matsuyama.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, Ehime prefecture was known as Iyo Province...
, 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...
. It is the second largest city in Ehime prefecture.
Following a recent merger, the city has an estimated population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 172,384 and density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 410.87 persons per km². The total (merged) area is 419.56 km² (162 sq mi).
Transportation
The city is serviced by Imabari Station on the JR ShikokuShikoku Railway Company
, commonly known as , is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railways Group . It operates intercity rail services in the four prefectures on the island of Shikoku in Japan. The company is headquartered in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture.- Lines :...
system. It is a main station on the Yosan line with limited express service. The city is also home to two large naval ports, and acts as a hub station for many of the ferry systems that link the nearby smaller islands.
Place
In the center of the city lies Imabari CastleImabari Castle
is a Japanese castle in Imabari, Ehime, Japan. This castle is well-known as one of the three Mizujiro, literally 'Castles in the sea' in Japan, with Takamatsu Castle in Kagawa Prefecture and Nakatsu Castle in Oita Prefecture.-History:...
. It was built by Tōdō Takatora
Todo Takatora
was a Japanese daimyo of the Azuchi-Momoyama period through Edo period. He rose from relatively humble origins as an ashigaru to become a daimyo...
in 1604. It is unusual in that seawater is used in its moat.
Imabari has 6 temples of Shikoku Pilgrimage
Shikoku Pilgrimage
The or is a multi-site pilgrimage of 88 temples associated with the Buddhist monk Kūkai on the island of Shikoku, Japan. A popular and distinctive feature of the island's cultural landscape, and with a long history, large numbers of pilgrims still undertake the journey for a variety of ascetic,...
from 54 to 59 which are Enmeiji, Nankōji, Taisanji, Eifukuji, Senyuji, and Kokubunji
Kokubunji
can refer to:* Kokubunji, Tokyo* Kokubunji, Kagawa* Kokubunji, Tochigi* Kokubunji Station, a station in Kokubunji, Tokyo operated by Seibu Railway and JR East* Kokubunji Line, a railway operated by Seibu Railway.* Kokubun-ji, Provincial temples in Japan...
.
Culture
, a teacher of GakushuinGakushuin
The or Peers School is an educational institution founded in Tokyo in 1877, during the Meiji period, for the education of the children of the Japanese aristocracy, though it eventually also opened its doors to the offspring of extremely wealthy commoners...
and a physician in Tokyo, published A Japanese Boy by Himself in 1889, when he was studying at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. In this book he wrote vividly about his young age in Imabari, because he needed money for his study.
Economy
Imabari is home to a large number of maritime facilities along the northern and eastern coastlines of the city. Facilities include a container port and 20 maintenance and construction shipyards. The ports have also long been a trading center within Shikoku. The city is home to a large cotton processing industry, with particular emphasis on towels. The city produces around 60% of the towels produced in Japan. As of 1998, there were over 200 towel production plants in the city. The city also specializes in the dyeing industry.History
The city has recently experienced an economic surge as a result of the completion of the inter-island bridge network connecting it to 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...
.
On January 16, 2005 11 towns and villages from Ochi District
Ochi District, Ehime
The is a district located in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. As of 2004 the total population of 8,419 with a total area is 30.35 km².It consists of one town:*Kamijima-History:*September 12, 1895 — The village of Yuge broke off the village of Uoshima....
merged with Imabari to form the new city of Imabari. As a result, there are no more villages within Ehime Prefecture. The municipalities participating in this merger were:
- Imabari
- AsakuraAsakura, Ehimewas a village located in Ochi District, Ehime, Japan.On January 16, 2005 Asakura, along with the towns of Hakata, Kamiura, Kikuma, Miyakubo, Namikata, Ōmishima, Ōnishi, Tamagawa and Yoshiumi, and the village of Sekizen, all from Ochi District, was merged into the expanded city of Imabari and no...
- HakataHakata, Ehimewas a town located in Ochi District, Ehime, Japan.On January 16, 2005 Hakata, along with the towns of Kamiura, Kikuma, Miyakubo, Namikata, Ōmishima, Ōnishi, Tamagawa and Yoshiumi, and the villages of Asakura and Sekizen, all from Ochi District, was merged into the expanded city of Imabari and no...
- KamiuraKamiura, Ehimewas a town located in Ochi District, Ehime, Japan.On January 16, 2005 Kamiura, along with the towns of Hakata, Kikuma, Miyakubo, Namikata, Ōmishima, Ōnishi, Tamagawa and Yoshiumi, and the villages of Asakura and Sekizen, all from Ochi District, was merged into the expanded city of Imabari and no...
- KikumaKikuma, Ehimewas a town located in Ochi District, Ehime, Japan.On January 16, 2005 Kikuma, along with the towns of Hakata, Kamiura, Miyakubo, Namikata, Ōmishima, Ōnishi, Tamagawa and Yoshiumi, and the villages of Asakura and Sekizen, all from Ochi District, was merged into the expanded city of Imabari and no...
- MiyakuboMiyakubo, Ehimewas a town located in Ochi District, Ehime, Japan.On January 16, 2005 Miyakubo, along with the towns of Hakata, Kamiura, Kikuma, Namikata, Ōmishima, Ōnishi, Tamagawa and Yoshiumi, and the villages of Asakura and Sekizen, all from Ochi District, was merged into the expanded city of Imabari and no...
- NamikataNamikata, Ehimewas a town located in Ochi District, Ehime, Japan.On January 16, 2005 Namikata, along with the towns of Hakata, Kamiura, Kikuma, Miyakubo, Ōmishima, Ōnishi, Tamagawa and Yoshiumi, and the villages of Asakura and Sekizen, all from Ochi District, was merged into the expanded city of Imabari and no...
- ŌmishimaOmishima, Ehimewas a town located in Ochi District, Ehime, Japan.On January 16, 2005 Ōmishima, along with the towns of Hakata, Kamiura, Kikuma, Miyakubo, Namikata, Ōnishi, Tamagawa and Yoshiumi, and the villages of Asakura and Sekizen, all from Ochi District, was merged into the expanded city of Imabari and no...
- ŌnishiŌnishi, Ehimewas a town located in Ochi District, Ehime, Japan.On January 16, 2005 Ōnishi, along with the towns of Hakata, Kamiura, Kikuma, Miyakubo, Namikata, Ōmishima, Tamagawa and Yoshiumi, and the villages of Asakura and Sekizen, all from Ochi District, was merged into the expanded city of Imabari and no...
- SekizenSekizen, Ehimewas a village located in Ochi District, Ehime, Japan.On January 16, 2005 Sekizen, along with the towns of Hakata, Kamiura, Kikuma, Miyakubo, Namikata, Ōmishima, Ōnishi, Tamagawa and Yoshiumi, and the village of Asakura, all from Ochi District, was merged into the expanded city of Imabari and no...
- TamagawaTamagawa, Ehimewas a town located in Ochi District, Ehime, Japan.On January 16, 2005 Sekizen, along with the towns of Hakata, Kamiura, Kikuma, Miyakubo, Namikata, Ōmishima, Ōnishi and Yoshiumi, and the villages of Asakura and Sekizen, all from Ochi District, was merged into the expanded city of Imabari and no...
- YoshiumiYoshiumi, Ehimewas a town located in Ochi District, Ehime, Japan.On January 16, 2005 Yoshiumi, along with the towns of Hakata, Kamiura, Kikuma, Miyakubo, Namikata, Ōmishima, Ōnishi and Tamagawa, and the villages of Asakura and Sekizen, all from Ochi District, was merged into the expanded city of Imabari and no...
Sister cities
Imabari is twinned with: Panama City, PanamaPanama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
(since March 2, 1977) Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(since July 6, 1995)
External links
- Imabari official website in Japanese