Tsuruta, Aomori
Encyclopedia
is a town
located in the Kitatsugaru District
of northeastern Aomori Prefecture
in the Tōhoku region
of Japan
. As of 2009, the town had an estimated population
of 14,395 and a density
of 310 persons per km². Its total area was 46.4 km².The name "Tsuruta" is a combination of the character for crane (鶴) with that for rice field (田).
. The town has a cold maritime climate characterized by cool short summers and long cold winters with heavy snowfall. Tsuruta Town Office, approximately in the center of town, is 25 kilometers from the Sea of Japan
and about 45 kilometers from Aomori City
, the capital of Aomori Prefecture.
during the Edo period
. After the Meiji Restoration
, in 1895 it was formed into a village. It was elevated to town status on October 1, 1941. On March 1, 1955, it annexed the neighboring villages of Umezawa, Rokugo, and Mizumoto, and on November 1, 1958 it also annexed a portion of Itayanagi.
, especially for apple
s.
Cold-hardy varieties of rice and many varieties of apples are grown in the town. Farmers in the area have developed a strain of apples that does not oxidize (turn brown) when cut.
to kids starting in preschool. To implement this program in elementary schools, Tsuruta employs both a JET English teacher and a private English teacher from the sister city of Hood River, Oregon
. The Tsuruta-Hood River sister city relationship is among the most active in Japan, with groups of students and/or adults making a pilgrimage between the two towns several times a year.
festival that falls sometime around Japan's Golden Week, May 3–5. The town is also host to a summer festival, Tsuruta Matsuri, when floats (nebuta ねぶた) parade through the central streets. This is a time when Tsuruta's townfolk take to the streets to make what is claimed to be Japan's longest sushi
roll.
The town's central park, Sakura Dsutsumi Park (桜づつみ公園), has views of the nearby volcano, Mount Iwaki
, and has a stage where various events take place in the summer months.
, Oregon
, United States of America since 1977
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 the Kitatsugaru District
Kitatsugaru District, Aomori
is a district located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 59,751 and a density of 110.21 persons per km²...
of northeastern Aomori Prefecture
Aomori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region. The capital is the city of Aomori.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Aomori prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
in the Tōhoku region
Tohoku region
The is a geographical area of Japan. The region occupies the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region consists of six prefectures : Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata....
of 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 2009, 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 14,395 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 310 persons per km². Its total area was 46.4 km².The name "Tsuruta" is a combination of the character for crane (鶴) with that for rice field (田).
Geography
Tsuruta is located at the base of Tsugaru PeninsulaTsugaru Peninsula
The is a peninsula in Aomori Prefecture, at the northern end of Honshū island, Japan. The peninsula projects north into the Tsugaru Strait separating Honshū from Hokkaidō. The western coast is on the Sea of Japan, while on its eastern coast are Aomori Bay and Mutsu Bay...
. The town has a cold maritime climate characterized by cool short summers and long cold winters with heavy snowfall. Tsuruta Town Office, approximately in the center of town, is 25 kilometers from the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
and about 45 kilometers from Aomori City
Aomori, Aomori
is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, in the northern Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the city had an estimated population of 302,068 and a density of 366 persons per km². Its total area was 824.52 km².- History :...
, the capital of Aomori Prefecture.
Neighbouring municipalities
- HirosakiHirosaki, Aomoriis a city located in southwest Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It is a castle town and was the Tsugaru clan ruled the 100,000 koku tozama han Hirosaki Domain from Hirosaki Castle during the Edo period. The city is currently a regional commercial center and the largest producer of apples in Japan...
- GoshogawaraGoshogawara, Aomoriis a city located in northeastern Aomori in Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the city had an estimated population of 59,395 and a density of 147persons per km². Its total area was 404.56 km².-Geography:...
- ItayanagiItayanagi, Aomoriis a town located in the Kitatsugaru District of northeastern Aomori Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the town had an estimated population of 15,404 and a density of 368 persons per km². Its total area was 41.81 km².-Geography:...
- TsugaruTsugaru, Aomoriis a city located in northeastern Aomori in Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the city had an estimated population of 37,957 and a density of 150 persons per km². Its total area was 253.85 km²...
History
The area around Tsuruta was controlled by the Nambu clan of Morioka DomainMorioka Domain
The was a han or feudal domain that encompasses present-day the middle-northern part of Iwate Prefecture and eastern part of Aomori Prefecture. It is sometimes colloquially called . The domain was tozama daimyo and was governed by the Satake clan. Its income was 100,000...
during 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....
. After 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...
, in 1895 it was formed into a village. It was elevated to town status on October 1, 1941. On March 1, 1955, it annexed the neighboring villages of Umezawa, Rokugo, and Mizumoto, and on November 1, 1958 it also annexed a portion of Itayanagi.
Economy
The economy of Tsuruta is heavily dependent on horticultureHorticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
, especially for apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
s.
Cold-hardy varieties of rice and many varieties of apples are grown in the town. Farmers in the area have developed a strain of apples that does not oxidize (turn brown) when cut.
Education
Tsuruta's school system is part of a new government pilot program in Japan. Schools participating in the program pick an area of focus and develop specialized curricula that expose young kids to the specialty at an early age. Tsuruta's school system focuses on teaching EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
to kids starting in preschool. To implement this program in elementary schools, Tsuruta employs both a JET English teacher and a private English teacher from the sister city of Hood River, Oregon
Hood River, Oregon
The city of Hood River is the seat of Hood River County, Oregon, United States. It is a port on the Columbia River, and is named for the nearby Hood River. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,831...
. The Tsuruta-Hood River sister city relationship is among the most active in Japan, with groups of students and/or adults making a pilgrimage between the two towns several times a year.
Railway
- 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....
- Gonō LineGono LineThe is a railway line in Japan linking Higashi-Noshiro Station in Akita Prefecture with Kawabe Station in Aomori Prefecture, in the northern Tōhoku region of Honshū. The line stretches 147.2 km along the Sea of Japan coast with a total of 43 stations...
- ,
- Gonō Line
Events
Tsuruta is famous in Japan for having the longest wooden footbridge (300m) in Japan. It is said that anyone who walks across the bridge will have a long life. The bridge passes over Fujimi Lake in Fujimiko Park, where the town hosts a cherry blossomSakura
A cherry blossom is the flower of any of several trees of genus Prunus, particularly the Japanese Cherry, Prunus serrulata, which is sometimes called sakura after the Japanese . Many of the varieties that have been cultivated for ornamental use do not produce fruit...
festival that falls sometime around Japan's Golden Week, May 3–5. The town is also host to a summer festival, Tsuruta Matsuri, when floats (nebuta ねぶた) parade through the central streets. This is a time when Tsuruta's townfolk take to the streets to make what is claimed to be Japan's longest sushi
Sushi
is 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...
roll.
The town's central park, Sakura Dsutsumi Park (桜づつみ公園), has views of the nearby volcano, Mount Iwaki
Mount Iwaki
is a stratovolcano located in western Aomori Prefecture, Tohoku, Japan. It is also referred to as Tsugaru-Fuji from its shape. the mountain is listed as one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains in a book composed in 1964 by mountaineer/author Kyūya Fukada...
, and has a stage where various events take place in the summer months.
Sister city
Hood RiverHood River, Oregon
The city of Hood River is the seat of Hood River County, Oregon, United States. It is a port on the Columbia River, and is named for the nearby Hood River. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,831...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States of America since 1977