Nikaho, Akita
Encyclopedia
is a city
located in Akita
, Japan
.
On October 1, 2005, the town of Nikaho merged with the towns of Kisakata
and Konoura
, all from Yuri District
, to form the city of Nikaho. The new city has an area of 240.61km², and an estimated population of 27,245 as of October 2011.
. The city bird is the sea cormorant
. The city fish is the codfish, which is plentiful off the coast.
is an inactive volcano which stands alone on the border between Akita Prefecture
and Yamagata Prefecture
. It is 2236 metres high and is the second highest mountain in the Tōhoku area. It is popular with skiers, hikers and climbers.
There are two main trails for climbing Mount Chōkai from the Akita side. One trailhead is in Yurihonjō, Akita
, north of Nikaho. The other, in Nikaho, starts at the Nakajima parking area. A one-way hike from the Nakajima commonly takes 4 hours and offers outstanding views of the Japan Sea coast and the lush greenery of the Nikaho area.
The mountain has its own unique Alpine plants and vegetation such as or .
with Shawnee, Oklahoma
and Anacortes, Washington
(both United States
).
Also, the Konoura area of Nikaho has a strong relationship with Christchurch
in New Zealand
because of Shirase Nobu
's voyage to Antarctica.
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 Akita
Akita Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region of northern Honshu, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Akita.- History :The area of Akita has been created from the ancient provinces of Dewa and Mutsu....
, 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 October 1, 2005, the town of Nikaho merged with the towns of Kisakata
Kisakata, Akita
Kisakata was a town located in Yuri District, Akita, Japan.On October 1, 2005, along with the town of Konoura, Kisakata was merged into the town of Nikaho, all from Yuri District, to become the city of Nikaho....
and Konoura
Konoura, Akita
Konoura was a town located in Yuri District, Akita, Japan.On October 1, 2005, along with the town of Kisakata, Konoura was merged into the town of Nikaho, all from Yuri District, to become the city of Nikaho....
, all from Yuri District
Yuri District, Akita
Yuri was a district located in Akita, Japan.There were three towns left before the district dissolved.* Kisakata* Konoura* NikahoOn October 1, 2005, all towns merged to form the city of Nikaho which will dissolve Yuri District....
, to form the city of Nikaho. The new city has an area of 240.61km², and an estimated population of 27,245 as of October 2011.
City Symbols
The city tree is the Mura pine, which grows thickly in forests covering the surrounding mountains. The city flower is the flower of the silk treeAlbizia julibrissin
Albizia julibrissin is a species of legume in the genus Albizia, native to southwestern and eastern Asia, from Persia east to China and Korea...
. The city bird is the sea cormorant
Cormorant
The bird family Phalacrocoracidae is represented by some 40 species of cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed recently, and the number of genera is disputed.- Names :...
. The city fish is the codfish, which is plentiful off the coast.
Sightseeing spots
-
- a thousand-year old temple in the south of Nikaho which was made famous by the haiku poet Matsuo BashōMatsuo Basho, born , then , was the most famous poet of the Edo period in Japan. During his lifetime, Bashō was recognized for his works in the collaborative haikai no renga form; today, after centuries of commentary, he is recognized as a master of brief and clear haiku...
's visit to the area in 1689. He wrote of the temple in his Oku no HosomichiOku no Hosomichi, translated alternately as The Narrow Road to the Deep North and The Narrow Road to the Interior, is a major work by the Japanese poet Matsuo Bashō considered "one of the major texts of classical Japanese literature."...
. - a collection of clumps of land which used to be small islands until a major earthquake in 1804 submerged the sea around them. They were often compared to the similar small islands on the Pacific coast of MatsushimaMatsushimais a group of islands in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. There are some 260 tiny islands covered in pines – hence the name – and is ranked as one of the Three Views of Japan....
. - a long stretch of sandy beach in the south of Nikaho.
- An onsenOnsenAn is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...
(hot springHot springA hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are geothermal hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth.-Definitions:...
) located in the Nemunooka Roadside StationRoadside StationA is a government-designated rest area found along roads and highways in Japan.In addition to providing places for travelers to rest, they are also intended to promote local tourism and trade...
. The hot spring offers stunning views of the Japan Sea coast. - a children's museum in the north of Nikaho which explores the different uses of ferriteFerrite (magnet)Ferrites are chemical compounds consisting of ceramic materials with iron oxide as their principal component. Many of them are magnetic materials and they are used to make permanent magnets, ferrite cores for transformers, and in various other applications.Many ferrites are spinels with the...
. Admission is 500 yen and includes many interactive exhibits. - a memorial museum which focuses on the Antarctic Expedition by local explorer Nobuo Shirase. Admission is 300 yen for adults and there is a park opposite with a replica of Shirase's Antarctic ship.
- a recently opened museum full of fascinating information and exhibits about the company TDKTDK, formerly , is a Japanese company which manufactures electronic materials, electronic components, and recording and data-storage media, and markets them globally. Their motto is "Contribute to culture and industry through creativity"...
. TDK was founded by a local man Kenzō Saitō and there are many TDK factories and suppliers in the area.
- a thousand-year old temple in the south of Nikaho which was made famous by the haiku poet Matsuo Bashō
Parks in Nikaho
There are a number of parks in Nikaho with outstanding natural beauty-
- a park surrounding a lake and ringed with cherry trees. It is especially attractive in late April and early May when the cherry trees start to bloom.
- a park in the foothills of Mount Chokai with a small lake, cherry trees and hydrangeas.
- a park which snakes along the coast on the border of Yamagata and Akita Prefectures.
- a plateau in the foothills of Mount Chokai with splendid views of the area.
Events
- Fireworks
- A fireworks festival is held each year over three nights in each of the former towns of Nikaho City.
- This religious event takes place in February in which cod are carried from the Konoura fishing port to a local shrine.
- one of the top triathlon events in the Japanese calendar.
- a tough but fun mountain bike race around the base of Mount ChōkaiMount Chokaiis the second tallest mountain in the Tōhoku region of Japan. It stands on the border of Yamagata and Akita prefectures, and is tall.Mount Chōkai is regarded as sacred by followers of the Shugendō branch of Shinto and is popular with hikers. It is one of the 100 famous mountains in Japan.-External...
.
Mount Chōkai
Mount ChōkaiMount Chokai
is the second tallest mountain in the Tōhoku region of Japan. It stands on the border of Yamagata and Akita prefectures, and is tall.Mount Chōkai is regarded as sacred by followers of the Shugendō branch of Shinto and is popular with hikers. It is one of the 100 famous mountains in Japan.-External...
is an inactive volcano which stands alone on the border between Akita Prefecture
Akita Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region of northern Honshu, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Akita.- History :The area of Akita has been created from the ancient provinces of Dewa and Mutsu....
and Yamagata Prefecture
Yamagata Prefecture
-Fruit:Yamagata Prefecture is the largest producer of cherries and pears in Japan. A large quantity of other kinds of fruits such as grapes, apples, peaches, melons, persimmons and watermelons are also produced.- Demographics :...
. It is 2236 metres high and is the second highest mountain in the Tōhoku area. It is popular with skiers, hikers and climbers.
There are two main trails for climbing Mount Chōkai from the Akita side. One trailhead is in Yurihonjō, Akita
Yurihonjo, Akita
is a city located in Akita, Japan.The city was founded on March 22, 2005 from the merger of the former city of Honjō and the former towns of Chōkai, Higashiyuri, Iwaki, Nishime, Ōuchi, Yashima and Yuri...
, north of Nikaho. The other, in Nikaho, starts at the Nakajima parking area. A one-way hike from the Nakajima commonly takes 4 hours and offers outstanding views of the Japan Sea coast and the lush greenery of the Nikaho area.
The mountain has its own unique Alpine plants and vegetation such as or .
Local crafts, arts, and food
- Sake (Rice wine)
- There is one independent rice wine brewery in Nikaho:
- a local sushiSushiis a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
of raw hatahata fish.
- Oysters & abalone
- the coastline of Nikaho is renowned for its oysters and abalone.
- KarintōKarintois a traditional Japanese snack food. Sweet and deep-fried, it is made primarily of flour, yeast, and brown sugar. It has a deep brown and pitted appearance, and takes the form of a "bite-sized" pillow or short cylinder...
- a local brown sugar-coated candy.
- a superhero character which was born in Nikaho.
Sporting Achievement
- Intercity Baseball TournamentIntercity Baseball TournamentThe Intercity Baseball Tournament of Japan, commonly known as "Summer All-star" , is an annual nationwide City baseball tournament...
(2006)- Nikaho (represented by TDK) won the 2006 national Intercity Baseball Tournament in Tokyo
- JFL Soccer League
- TDK won promotion to the third tier of Japanese football - the Japan Football LeagueJapan Football LeagueThe is the 3rd tier of the Japanese association football league system, following J. League Division 1 and J. League Division 2. Also known as the JFL, it is generally considered as the top amateur league in Japan although in reality it is a semi-professional league as many full-time footballers...
- in 2007. They play their home games at Nikaho.
- TDK won promotion to the third tier of Japanese football - the Japan Football League
Famous people from Nikaho
, an Antarctic explorer who led an expedition to the South Pole in 1910 on the Kainan Maru. , the founder of TDK.Rail
- 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....
- Uetsu Main LineUetsu Main LineThe is a railway in the Tōhoku and Chūbu regions of Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company system, it connects Niitsu Station in the city of Niigata and Akita Station in Akita...
: Kosagawa; Kamihama; Kisakata; Konoura; Nikaho
- Uetsu Main Line
Road
- ExpresswaysExpressways of JapanThe expressways of Japan make up a large network of freeway-standard toll roads.- History :Following World War II, Japan's economic revival led to a massive increase in personal automobile use...
- Nihonkai-Tōhoku ExpresswayNihonkai-Tohoku ExpresswayThe is a national expressway in Japan. It is owned and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.-Naming:The course of the expressway takes it alongside the coastline of the Sea of Japan in the Tōhoku region of Japan....
- Nihonkai-Tōhoku Expressway
- National HighwaysNational highways of JapanJapan 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...
(Ordinary)- Japan National Route 7
Twin Cities
Nikaho is a sister cityTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with Shawnee, Oklahoma
Shawnee, Oklahoma
Shawnee is a city in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 29,857 at the 2010 census. The city is part of the Oklahoma City-Shawnee Combined Statistical Area; it is also the county seat of Pottawatomie County and the principal city of the Shawnee Micropolitan Statistical...
and Anacortes, Washington
Anacortes, Washington
Anacortes is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The name "Anacortes" is a consolidation of the name Anna Curtis, who was the wife of early Fidalgo Island settler Amos Bowman. Anacortes' population was 15,778 at the time of the 2010 census...
(both United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
).
Also, the Konoura area of Nikaho has a strong relationship with Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
because of Shirase Nobu
Shirase Nobu
was a Japanese army officer who led the Japanese Antarctic Expedition, 1910–12. This expedition explored the coastal area of King Edward VII Land and the eastern part of the Ross Ice Shelf, reaching a latitude of 80°05'S...
's voyage to Antarctica.