Kitaarima, Nagasaki
Encyclopedia
was a town
located in Minamitakaki District
, Nagasaki
, Japan
.
On March 31, 2006 Kitaarima was merged with the towns of Arie
, Fukae
, Futsu
, Kazusa
, Kuchinotsu
, Minamiarima
and Nishiarie
, all from Minamitakaki District
, to form the new city of Minamishimabara
.
As of 2003, the town had an estimated population
of 4,203 and a density
of 160.85 persons per km². The total area was 26.13 km².
were part of what was known as Arima County in the south-eastern portion of the Shimabara Peninsula
until they were split into two separate towns in 1889 during the Meiji Era. Kitaarima was the location of Hinoe Castle
which was the estate of the Arima clan
. Though initially against the Christians
, Arima Harunobu
eventually became a Christian himself and allowed Portuguese missionaries to build a seminary in 1580. The "Arima Semenario", as it was called, was a center for Renaissance
learning. Japanese students of the Seminario received Western language, religious, and cultural training. The most famous graduates were Mancio Ito
, Miguel Chijiwa
, Martino Hara, and Julian Nakaura. These four young men were the first Japanese envoys to visit Europe. Arima Harunobu's son and his family were transferred to Hyuga Province
in 1615 following Harunobu's execution in 1612. Hinoe castle was burned down by Tokugawa forces during the Shimabara Rebellion
in 1637. The site of the destroyed castle still remains today and is a popular site for hanami
, or flower viewing, in March and April.
. Most of Kitaarima-chō's population is centered in the southern part of the county in the town of Kitaarima near the Ariake Sea
and Minamiarima town. Kitaarima town is further split into smaller subdivions; Tanigawa, Sakaueshita, Tabira, Saishoji, Oriki.
The central area of Kitaarima town contains the town office, the board of education building, bank, and the post office. Nearby is Kitaarima Junior High School which has 141 students and Kitaarima Elementary School has about 200 students. The town elementary school was built in 2004 to condense the four old elementary schools into one new facility. Also nearby are the town's main stores Parusu and Mizota. Parusu is a one story department store that has a supermarket, a flower shop, a clothes and shoes store, a photo shop, and a pharmacy. Mizota is a large home furnishings and 100 yen store. Kitaarima was a stop on the now defunct Shimatetsu train line which connected all of the towns from Kazusa to Isahaya
.
The town has several important festivals every year. The most important is Festivitus Natalis, the town's Christmas festival held at the elementary school sports field. This festival celebrates the Christian history of the town. The festival has musical performances by junior highschool students and guest bands. Many booths offer different foods. Other festivals include Hinoe Festival, which is held at the elementary school as well. The yosakoi
Festival is held every year at Fureai Sports Park. Kitaarima town's own yosakoi team performs along with other Yosakoi teams from around Nagasaki Prefecture.
Other sights of interest include Sunset Hill at the highest point in Kitaarima-cho that overlooks Obama-cho to the northeast. Across from Sunset Hill is Kitaarima's brand-new camping facilities built in 2005 and opened on July 20, 2005. Kitaarima has several old bridges constructed during the Meiji Era. The bridges include; Motobira, Arata, Tanaka, Higuchi, Omonashi, and Aratashimo.
Towns of Japan
A town is a local administrative unit in Japan. It is a local public body along with prefecture , city , and village...
located in Minamitakaki District
Minamitakaki District, Nagasaki
was a district located in Nagasaki, Japan. The district was dissolved on March 31, 2006.The district was equivalent to the cities of Shimabara, Unzen, and Minamishimabara....
, Nagasaki
Nagasaki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. The capital is the city of Nagasaki.- History :Nagasaki Prefecture was created by merging of the western half of the former province of Hizen with the island provinces of Tsushima and Iki...
, 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...
.
On March 31, 2006 Kitaarima was merged with the towns of Arie
Arie, Nagasaki
was a town located in Minamitakaki District, Nagasaki, Japan.On March 31, 2006 Arie was merged with the towns of Fukae, Futsu, Kazusa, Kitaarima, Kuchinotsu, Minamiarima and Nishiarie, all from Minamitakaki District, to form the new city of Minamishimabara....
, Fukae
Fukae, Nagasaki
was a town located in Minamitakaki District, Nagasaki, Japan.On March 31, 2006 Fukae was merged with the towns of Arie, Futsu, Kazusa, Kitaarima, Kuchinotsu, Minamiarima and Nishiarie, all from Minamitakaki District, to form the new city of Minamishimabara....
, Futsu
Futsu, Nagasaki
was a town located in Minamitakaki District, Nagasaki, Japan.On March 31, 2006 Futsu was merged with the towns of Arie, Fukae, Kazusa, Kitaarima, Kuchinotsu, Minamiarima and Nishiarie, all from Minamitakaki District, to form the new city of Minamishimabara....
, Kazusa
Kazusa, Nagasaki
was a town located in Minamitakaki District, Nagasaki, Japan.On March 31, 2006 Kazusa was merged with the towns of Arie, Fukae, Futsu, Kitaarima, Kuchinotsu, Minamiarima and Nishiarie, all from Minamitakaki District, to form the new city of Minamishimabara....
, Kuchinotsu
Kuchinotsu, Nagasaki
was a town located in Minamitakaki District, Nagasaki, Japan.On March 31, 2006 Kuchinotsu was merged with the towns of Arie, Fukae, Futsu, Kazusa, Kitaarima, Minamiarima and Nishiarie, all from Minamitakaki District, to form the new city of Minamishimabara....
, Minamiarima
Minamiarima, Nagasaki
was a town located in Minamitakaki District, Nagasaki, Japan.On March 31, 2006 Minamiarima was merged with the towns of Arie, Fukae, Futsu, Kazusa, Kitaarima, Kuchinotsu and Nishiarie, all from Minamitakaki District, to form the new city of Minamishimabara....
and Nishiarie
Nishiarie, Nagasaki
was a town located in Minamitakaki District, Nagasaki, Japan.On March 31, 2006 Nishiarie was merged with the towns of Arie, Fukae, Futsu, Kazusa, Kitaarima, Kuchinotsu and Minamiarima, all from Minamitakaki District, to form the new city of Minamishimabara....
, all from Minamitakaki District
Minamitakaki District, Nagasaki
was a district located in Nagasaki, Japan. The district was dissolved on March 31, 2006.The district was equivalent to the cities of Shimabara, Unzen, and Minamishimabara....
, to form the new city of Minamishimabara
Minamishimabara, Nagasaki
is a city in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. It occupies the southern tip of Shimabara Peninsula.Minamishimabara city was founded on March 31, 2006 upon the merger of the towns of Arie, Fukae, Futsu, Kazusa, Kitaarima, Kuchinotsu, Minami-Arima and Nishi-Arie, all from Minamitakaki District, which was...
.
As of 2003, the town had 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 4,203 and a 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 160.85 persons per km². The total area was 26.13 km².
History
Both Kitaarima and Minamiarima, NagasakiMinamiarima, Nagasaki
was a town located in Minamitakaki District, Nagasaki, Japan.On March 31, 2006 Minamiarima was merged with the towns of Arie, Fukae, Futsu, Kazusa, Kitaarima, Kuchinotsu and Nishiarie, all from Minamitakaki District, to form the new city of Minamishimabara....
were part of what was known as Arima County in the south-eastern portion of the Shimabara Peninsula
Shimabara Peninsula
Shimabara Peninsula is east of Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture, Kyūshū, Japan. On its north-eastern tip stands Shimabara City. It was also the site of the Shimabara Rebellion, a 1637-1638 peasant revolt led by Christians. This further reinforced distrust of Christians and foreigners by Shogun...
until they were split into two separate towns in 1889 during the Meiji Era. Kitaarima was the location of Hinoe Castle
Hinoe Castle
Hinoe Castle is a castle located in Minamishimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. The castle was originally built in the 13th century. It belonged to the Arima Clan, and was the residence of the Christian daimyo. In 1637, during the Shimabara Rebellion, it was burned down by the forces of the...
which was the estate of the Arima clan
Arima clan
The was a Japanese feudal daimyo family dating to the Sengoku period. Its name "Arima," transliterates as "has horses," reflecting the samurai/cavalry origins of the family. Famous members include Arima Harunobu and Arima Naozumi....
. Though initially against the Christians
Kirishitan
, from Portuguese cristão, referred to Roman Catholic Christians in Japanese and is used as a historiographic term for Roman Catholics in Japan in the 16th and 17th centuries. Christian missionaries were known as bateren or iruman...
, Arima Harunobu
Arima Harunobu
was the second son and successor of Japanese daimyo Arima Yoshisada. Harunobu was born in the castle of Arima and controlled the Shimabara area of Hizen province. After Harunobu's father's death, he began the persecution of Christians in his region. With Ryūzōji Takanobu expanding into his domain,...
eventually became a Christian himself and allowed Portuguese missionaries to build a seminary in 1580. The "Arima Semenario", as it was called, was a center for Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
learning. Japanese students of the Seminario received Western language, religious, and cultural training. The most famous graduates were Mancio Ito
Mancio Ito
The Tenshō embassy was an embassy sent by the Japanese Christian Lord Ōtomo Sōrin to the Pope and the kings of Europe in 1582...
, Miguel Chijiwa
Miguel Chijiwa
was a member of Japanese delegate of Japan to European Christendom, Tenshō embassy. Later, he abandoned the faith. -References:...
, Martino Hara, and Julian Nakaura. These four young men were the first Japanese envoys to visit Europe. Arima Harunobu's son and his family were transferred to Hyuga Province
Hyuga Province
was an old province of Japan on the east coast of Kyūshū, corresponding to the modern Miyazaki Prefecture. It was sometimes called or . Hyūga bordered on Bungo, Higo, Ōsumi, and Satsuma Province.The ancient capital was near Saito.-Historical record:...
in 1615 following Harunobu's execution in 1612. Hinoe castle was burned down by Tokugawa forces during the Shimabara Rebellion
Shimabara Rebellion
The was an uprising largely involving Japanese peasants, most of them Catholic Christians, in 1637–1638 during the Edo period.It was one of only a handful of instances of serious unrest during the relatively peaceful period of the Tokugawa shogunate's rule...
in 1637. The site of the destroyed castle still remains today and is a popular site for hanami
Hanami
is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers, "flower" in this case almost always meaning cherry blossoms or ume blossoms. From the end of March to early May, sakura bloom all over Japan, and around the first of February on the island of Okinawa...
, or flower viewing, in March and April.
Kitaarima Today
Kitaarima is a farming community that grows rice, potatoes, mikan, strawberries, and other crops. It has several distribution facilities to move produce to more populated areas. Kitaarima-chō is situated in seven valleys that run up the southern reaches of Mount UnzenMount Unzen
is an active volcanic group of several overlapping stratovolcanoes, near the city of Shimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture, on the island of Kyūshū, Japan’s southernmost main island....
. Most of Kitaarima-chō's population is centered in the southern part of the county in the town of Kitaarima near the Ariake Sea
Ariake Sea
The is a body of salt water surrounded by Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, and Kumamoto Prefectures, all of which lie on the island of Kyūshū in Japan. It is the largest bay in Kyūshū. Its deepest point is only about 50 m deep, and extreme tides exceed 4 m. It is used for aquaculture, with nori...
and Minamiarima town. Kitaarima town is further split into smaller subdivions; Tanigawa, Sakaueshita, Tabira, Saishoji, Oriki.
The central area of Kitaarima town contains the town office, the board of education building, bank, and the post office. Nearby is Kitaarima Junior High School which has 141 students and Kitaarima Elementary School has about 200 students. The town elementary school was built in 2004 to condense the four old elementary schools into one new facility. Also nearby are the town's main stores Parusu and Mizota. Parusu is a one story department store that has a supermarket, a flower shop, a clothes and shoes store, a photo shop, and a pharmacy. Mizota is a large home furnishings and 100 yen store. Kitaarima was a stop on the now defunct Shimatetsu train line which connected all of the towns from Kazusa to Isahaya
Isahaya, Nagasaki
is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on September 1, 1940. On March 1, 2005, the city expanded through a merger with the surrounding towns of Tarami, Moriyama, Iimori, Takaki and Konagai merged to form the new city of Isahaya...
.
The town has several important festivals every year. The most important is Festivitus Natalis, the town's Christmas festival held at the elementary school sports field. This festival celebrates the Christian history of the town. The festival has musical performances by junior highschool students and guest bands. Many booths offer different foods. Other festivals include Hinoe Festival, which is held at the elementary school as well. The yosakoi
Yosakoi
Yosakoi is a unique style of dance that originated in Japan. Yosakoi started in the city of Kōchi in 1954, as a modern rendition of Awa Odori, a traditional summer dance. Yosakoi-style dancing has spread throughout much of Japan. The style of dance is highly energetic, combining traditional...
Festival is held every year at Fureai Sports Park. Kitaarima town's own yosakoi team performs along with other Yosakoi teams from around Nagasaki Prefecture.
Other sights of interest include Sunset Hill at the highest point in Kitaarima-cho that overlooks Obama-cho to the northeast. Across from Sunset Hill is Kitaarima's brand-new camping facilities built in 2005 and opened on July 20, 2005. Kitaarima has several old bridges constructed during the Meiji Era. The bridges include; Motobira, Arata, Tanaka, Higuchi, Omonashi, and Aratashimo.