Tahara, Aichi
Encyclopedia
is a city
located in Aichi Prefecture
, Japan
. As of August 2011, the city had an estimated population
of 63,886 and a population density
of 338 persons per km². The total area was 188.81 km².
. The peninsula is bounded on the north by Mikawa Bay
and to the south lies the Philippine Sea
, though it is commonly believed to be the Pacific Ocean
. Situated as it is between those two bodies of water, Tahara has a warm, maritime climate.
and burial mounds
from the Kofun period
. During the Nara period
, the area was assigned to ancient Atsumi County, and was divided into several shōen
during the Heian period
. During the Kamakura period
, the area was noted for production of a certain type of pottery. During the Sengoku period
, the area was under the control of the Toda clan, who constructed Tahara Castle
. The Toda, who were allied with Tokugawa Ieyasu
were dispossessed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi
, but returned as daimyō
of Tahara Domain
at the start of the Edo period
. The Toda were later replaced by the Miyake clan
, who ruled until the end of the Tokugawa shogunate
. The noted scholar Watanabe Kazan
was from Tahara.
At the start of the Meiji period
, on October 1, 1889 Tahara was a collection of villages within Atsumi District
, Aichi Prefecture
. Tahara Village was elevated to town status on October 3, 1892 and Fukue village became Fukue Town on February 22, 1897. Fukue later changed its name to Atsumi Town
on April 15, 1955. On November 11, 1958, the village of Akabane was raised to town status.
Tahara was raised to city status August 20, 2003 as a result of the town of Tahara absorbing the Akabane. On October 1, 2005 the town of Atsumi was merged
into the city of Tahara.
. The main industrial employer is Toyota Motor Corporation
, which has its award-winning Tahara plant
in Tahara which makes many Lexus
-brand cars and some Toyota models. The Toyota Celica
was manufactured in Tahara from 1979 to 1999. Many Lexus models are manufactured within this plant, as are many Toyota models for domestic and international markets.
.
connects Tahara with the town of Toba
, Mie prefecture
. The ferry can accommodate motor vehicles. The ferry also docks at the Central Japan International Airport
, built on an artificial island in Ise Bay
, south of Nagoya.
, USA since April 20, 1990 – Princeton, Indiana
, USA since August 8, 2002 - Kunshan
, Jiangsu
, China
, since May 14, 1993 – Dongjak-gu
, Seoul
, Korea
, since December 2006 – Miyada, Nagano
, Japan since November 9, 1999
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 Aichi Prefecture
Aichi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- 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...
. As of August 2011, the city 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 63,886 and a population 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 338 persons per km². The total area was 188.81 km².
Geography
Tahara is situated in southern Aichi Prefecture, and occupies most of Atsumi PeninsulaAtsumi Peninsula
is a peninsula in southeastern Aichi Prefecture, central Honshū, Japan.Atsumi Peninsula is a narrow strip of land running approximately east-west, separating Mikawa Bay from the Philippine Sea to the south. It faces the Chita Peninsula southeast across Mikawa Bay. It has a width ranging from to...
. The peninsula is bounded on the north by Mikawa Bay
Mikawa Bay
thumb|right|Mikawa Bay Mikawa Bay is a bay to the south of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, surrounded by Chita Peninsula to the west and Atsumi Peninsula to the east and south. Its area is approximately 604 km2...
and to the south lies the Philippine Sea
Philippine Sea
The Philippine Sea is a marginal sea east and north of the Philippines occupying an estimated surface area of 2 million mi² on the western part of the North Pacific Ocean...
, though it is commonly believed to be the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Situated as it is between those two bodies of water, Tahara has a warm, maritime climate.
History
The area of present-day Tahara has been continuously occupied since prehistoric times. Archaeologists have been found numerous remains from the Jōmon periodJomon 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...
and burial mounds
Kofun
Kofun are megalithic tombs or tumuli in Japan, constructed between the early 3rd century and early 7th century. They gave their name to the Kofun period . Many of the Kofun have a distinctive keyhole-shaped mound , unique to ancient Japan...
from the Kofun period
Kofun period
The is an era in the history of Japan from around 250 to 538. It follows the Yayoi period. The word kofun is Japanese for the type of burial mounds dating from this era. The Kofun and the subsequent Asuka periods are sometimes referred to collectively as the Yamato period...
. During the Nara period
Nara period
The of the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Gemmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō . Except for 5 years , when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kammu established a new capital, Nagaoka-kyō, in 784...
, the area was assigned to ancient Atsumi County, and was divided into several shōen
Shoen
A was a field or manor in Japan. The Japanese term comes from the Tang dynasty Chinese term zhuangyuan.Shōen, from about the 8th to the late 15th century, describes any of the private, tax-free, often autonomous estates or manors whose rise undermined the political and economic power of the...
during 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...
. During 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 area was noted for production of a certain type of pottery. During the Sengoku period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
, the area was under the control of the Toda clan, who constructed Tahara Castle
Tahara Castle
is a Japanese castle located in Tahara, southern Aichi Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Tahara Castle was home to the Miyake clan, daimyō of the 12,000 koku Tahara Domain...
. The Toda, who were allied with Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
were dispossessed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
, but returned as daimyō
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 Tahara Domain
Tahara Domain
was a minor fudai Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in southern Mikawa Province , Japan. It was centered on Tahara Castle in what is now the city of Tahara.-History:...
at the start 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....
. The Toda were later replaced by the Miyake clan
Miyake clan
The were a samurai kin group which rose to prominence in the Sengoku period and the Edo periods. Under the Tokugawa shogunate, the Miyake, as hereditary vassels of the Tokugawa clan, were classified as one of the fudai daimyō clans...
, who ruled until the end of 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...
. The noted scholar Watanabe Kazan
Watanabe Kazan
was a Japanese painter, scholar and statesman member of the samurai class.- Early life :He was born Watanabe Sadayasu in Edo to a poor samurai family, and his artistic talent was developed from an early age. His family served the lord of the Tahara Domain, located in present day Aichi prefecture....
was from Tahara.
At the start of the Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
, on October 1, 1889 Tahara was a collection of villages within Atsumi District
Atsumi District, Aichi
was a rural district located in southern Aichi, Japan, located on the Atsumi Peninsula in Mikawa Bay. As a result of various consolidations and mergers of municipalities, the district was incorporated into the cities of Toyohashi and Tahara in 2005....
, Aichi Prefecture
Aichi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- History :...
. Tahara Village was elevated to town status on October 3, 1892 and Fukue village became Fukue Town on February 22, 1897. Fukue later changed its name to Atsumi Town
Atsumi, Aichi
is a former town located in Atsumi District, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of July 31, 2005, the town had an estimated population of 22,472 and a population density of 436.77 persons per km². Its total area was 82.18 km².-Geography:...
on April 15, 1955. On November 11, 1958, the village of Akabane was raised to town status.
Tahara was raised to city status August 20, 2003 as a result of the town of Tahara absorbing the Akabane. On October 1, 2005 the town of Atsumi was merged
Merger and dissolution of municipalities of Japan
Municipal mergers and dissolutions carried out in Japan can take place within one municipality or between multiple municipalities and are required to be based upon consensus.- Merger policy:...
into the city of Tahara.
Economy
Tahara is a regional commercial center with a mixed economy of manufacturing and agriculture. Due to its long coastline, Tahara has many ports for 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...
. The main industrial employer is Toyota Motor Corporation
Toyota Motor Corporation
, , , commonly known simply as Toyota and abbreviated as TMC, is a multinational automaker headquartered in Toyota, Aichi, Japan. In 2010, Toyota Motor Corporation employed 317,734 people worldwide, and was the world's largest automobile manufacturer by production.The company was founded by...
, which has its award-winning Tahara plant
Tahara plant
Tahara plant is an automobile plant in Tahara, Aichi, Japan owned by Toyota Motor Corporation. It is a highly computerized and robotized plant and produces the Lexus brand of vehicles including the Lexus LS, Lexus LS Hybrid, Lexus GS, Lexus IS, Lexus GX, and Lexus LX models. Several Toyota...
in Tahara which makes many Lexus
Lexus
is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. First introduced in 1989 in the United States, Lexus is now sold globally and has become Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. The Lexus marque is marketed in over 70 countries and territories worldwide, and has...
-brand cars and some Toyota models. The Toyota Celica
Toyota Celica
The Toyota Celica name has been applied to a series of coupes made by the Japanese company Toyota. The name is ultimately derived from the Latin word coelica meaning "heavenly" or "celestial"....
was manufactured in Tahara from 1979 to 1999. Many Lexus models are manufactured within this plant, as are many Toyota models for domestic and international markets.
Railway
- Toyohashi RailroadToyohashi RailroadThe is a private railroad company in Japan, and a subsidiary of the Meitetsu Group. The company or its lines are commonly known as . The company operates the Atsumi Line train service on Atsumi Peninsula in Aichi Prefecture and a tram system in Toyohashi City, and has subsidiary operations...
– Atsumi LineToyohashi Railroad Atsumi LineThe is a railway line of the privately owned Toyohashi Railway in eastern Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The line runs from the center of Toyohashi along the center of the Atsumi Peninsula, a largely rural district noted also for its hot spring resorts and marine sports as part of Mikawa Wan...
Highway
- Japan National Route 259 is the main highway that runs the length of Atsumi Peninsula. An alternate reading of the kanjiKanjiKanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
in this highway numeral designation is ji-go-ku. In Japanese, the word jigoku means HellHellIn many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
, and thus some locals refer to it as ji-go-ku-douro, or the "Highway to Hell". This term was encouraged by the perception of a higher fatality rate along the road, especially before it was widened and improved. - Japan National Route 42Japan National Route 42National Route 42 is a national highway connecting Hamamatsu, Shizuoka and Wakayama, Wakayama in Japan. Part of the route requires crossing Ise Bay on the Ise-wan Ferry.It is the 8th longest national highway in Japan.-Route Data:...
Bus services
Toyotetsu buses and city-operated environmentally friendly public transport facilitate access throughout Tahara, even to the westernmost point at Cape IragoMikawa Wan Quasi-National Park
is a Quasi-National Park in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It is rated a protected landscape according to the IUCN.The park includes the coastal areas of Atsumi Peninsula, the Pacific shoreline of Chita Peninsula as well as islands and portion of the northern shoreline of Mikawa Bay.It was founded on 10...
.
Seaports
From the Port of Irago, the Ise-wan FerryIse-wan Ferry
The , or Ise Bay Ferry is a ferry that runs between the Port of Toba in Toba, Mie Prefecture and the Port of Irago in Tahara, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The ferry is operated by the Ise-wan Ferry Corporation....
connects Tahara with the town of Toba
Toba, Mie
is a city in Mie, Japan.Toba is the site of the Toba Aquarium, which houses such animals as dugongs, African manatees, porpoises, and a wide-variety of aquatic life....
, Mie prefecture
Mie Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan which is part of the Kansai regions on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Tsu.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, Mie prefecture was known as Ise Province and Iga Province....
. The ferry can accommodate motor vehicles. The ferry also docks at the Central Japan International Airport
Chubu Centrair International Airport
is an airport on an artificial island in Ise Bay, Tokoname City in Aichi Prefecture, south of Nagoya in central Japan.Centrair is classified as a first class airport and is the main international gateway for the Chūbu region of Japan...
, built on an artificial island in Ise Bay
Ise Bay
Ise Bay is a bay located at the mouth of the Kiso River between Mie and Aichi Prefectures in Japan. Ise Bay has an average depth of 19.5 metres and a maximum depth of 30 metres toward the centre. The mouth of the bay is 9 kilometres wide and is connected to the smaller Mikawa Bay by two channels:...
, south of Nagoya.
Sister cities
- Georgetown, KentuckyGeorgetown, Kentucky
Georgetown is a city in Scott County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 29,098 at the 2010 census. The original settlement of Lebanon, founded by Rev. Elijah Craig, was renamed in 1790 in honor of President George Washington. It is the home of Georgetown College, a private liberal arts...
, USA since April 20, 1990 – Princeton, Indiana
Princeton, Indiana
The median income for a household in the city was $26,689, and the median income for a family was $37,308. Males had a median income of $28,076 versus $19,825 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,049...
, USA since August 8, 2002 - Kunshan
Kunshan
Kunshan is a satellite city in the greater Suzhou region. Administratively, it is a county-level city within the prefecture-level city of Suzhou. It is located in southeastearn part of Jiangsu Province, China, adjacent to Jiangsu's border with the Shanghai Municipality.The total area of Kunshan...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, since May 14, 1993 – Dongjak-gu
Dongjak-gu
Dongjak-gu is one of the 25 gu which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. Its name was derived from the Dongjaegi Naruteo Ferry, located on the Han River which borders the district to the north...
, Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, since December 2006 – Miyada, Nagano
Miyada, Nagano
is a village located in Kamiina District, Nagano, Japan.As of 2003, the village has an estimated population of 8,870 and a density of 162.69 persons per km². The total area is 54.52 km²....
, Japan since November 9, 1999
Local attractions
- Yoshigo Kaizuka – Important Jomon periodJomon periodThe 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...
shell midden - Site of Tahara CastleTahara Castleis a Japanese castle located in Tahara, southern Aichi Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Tahara Castle was home to the Miyake clan, daimyō of the 12,000 koku Tahara Domain...
Noted people from Tahara
- Watanabe KazanWatanabe Kazanwas a Japanese painter, scholar and statesman member of the samurai class.- Early life :He was born Watanabe Sadayasu in Edo to a poor samurai family, and his artistic talent was developed from an early age. His family served the lord of the Tahara Domain, located in present day Aichi prefecture....
– Edo period samurai and artist - Noboru UedaNoboru Uedais a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He was exclusively a 125 class rider. Ueda began his Grand Prix career with a win in his inaugural race at the 1991 Japanese Grand Prix. His best seasons were in 1994, when he finished second in the 125cc world championship behind Kazuto Sakata and in...
– motorcycle racer
External links
- Tahara official website (with link to English pages)
- American Friendship Doll at Tahara Chubu Elementary School