Uozu, Toyama
Encyclopedia
is a city
located in the eastern part of Toyama
, Japan
between Namerikawa
and Kurobe, stretching from Toyama Bay and the Japan Sea in the northwest to tall mountain ranges in the southeast. The highest mountains in Uozu are Sougadake and Kekachiyama, and the highest elevation in Uozu is 2,414 m. Several rapid rivers run through Uozu; from east to west, they are the Fuse River, the Katakai River, the Kado River, and the Hayatsuki River.
As of May 31, 2011, the city has an estimated population
of 44,963, with 16,523 households
and a total area of 200.63 km², constituting a population density
of 224.11 persons per km². Foreign nationals
, mostly Chinese
, Brazil
ians, and Thai
s, comprise 1% of the city's population
.
The city was founded on April 1, 1952, and has sister city relationships with Chiang Mai City
, Thailand
(since 1989) and Ibara City, Japan
(since 1982). The current mayor
(as of October, 2006) is Mr. Yoshinori Sawasaki (澤崎義敬).
(蜃気楼), the firefly squid
(ホタルイカ), and the buried forest
(埋没林).
The spring mirage for which Uozu is famous for may be seen on warm, sunny, windless days from April to June. Refraction
of light at the boundary between warm air above and colder air near the surface of the sea is responsible for the phenomenon. During a mirage, faraway objects such as ships at sea or the coastline appear to grow vertically, and may display bar-code-like stripes. In a Class A Mirage, the image of an object may appear upside-down above it.
The winter mirage seen from December to March results from a different process than the spring mirage and is common in many other parts of the world.
, or hotaruika (ホタルイカ), rise to the surface to spawn
. Their name comes from a bluish white glow which emanates from various points on their bodies.
forest along the coast
was partially buried so that only the trunks
were preserved. Trunks of such sugi tree
s are on display at Uozu's buried forest museum
(埋没林博物館).
(水族館) and Mirage Land Amusement Park
(ミラージュランド) with its large Ferris wheel
, Kintarou Hot Springs
(金太郎温泉), Ariso Dome Gym
nasium (ありそドーム), Niikawa Culture Hall (新川文化ホール), the Uozu Historical Folk Museum
(魚津歴史民俗博物館), the historical site of the Komesoudou Rice Riots (米騒動) in 1918, Dousugi (giant hollow sugi trees in the mountains), Ikejiri Lake (池尻の池), the Don Waterfall
s (平沢沌滝) and the remains of gold mines (金山) and castle sites (城跡) in the mountains.
Popular shopping destinations include the Sun Plaza, Apita, and Apple Hill shopping complexes.
(たてもん祭) held on the 7th and 8th of August is the most flamboyant of the city's festivals. Activities include fireworks
and the pulling of seven giant floats called Tatemons along the sea coast to Suwa Shrine (諏訪神社). Tatemons are 15 m tall and weigh 5 tons. They sport approximately 90 lantern
s, and resemble triangular sails of ships or piles of offerings in shape. This festival was held in Hawaii
as part of the Honolulu Festival in both 2001.
The next day, groups dance the "serikomi chouroku" (せりこみ蝶六) or butterfly dance through the streets of the old city.
Other festivals include the Sengoku Noroshi Matsuri (戦国のろし祭り) in May, and the Hachiman Mikoshi Matsuri (八幡社みこし祭り) in September.
in the mountains of Uozu around 1394 led to an influx of people, making the area around Matsukura Castle a center for the region. Later, when Matsukura Castle was destroyed, the center was reestablished around Uozu Castle close to the sea.
In 1582, a fierce battle was fought around Uozu Castle between the forces of a local lord, Lord Uesugi, and forces under Oda Nobunaga
. Lord Uesugi had 4000 soldiers, against an army
of 40,000. His troops managed to hold out for 3 month
s, before commanding officer
s surrendered the castle and committed suicide
. Ironically, the victors soon received word of Oda's assassination
, and had to give up the castle and retreat.
In 1918, riot
s precipitated by increases in rice prices (米騒動) started at Uozu port, spreading over the entire country
. This led to the resignation of the Terauchi Cabinet
.
In 1956, a great fire ravished many buildings in Uozu.
(魚津弁) varies region by region within the city. This section presents a few scattered constructions and expressions, but is by no means a comprehensive guide.
Intonation
may also vary; e.g., meat (niku) is pronounced flatly.
Many older people pronounce Shi/Ji/Chi as Su/Zu/Tsu. Thus "bushi" or "warrior
" might be pronounced as "busu" or "ugly". "Michi" or "road", might be pronounced as "Mitsu" or "third", and so forth.
wrapped around a rock
. He shot and killed it with silver bullet
s from his gun
, and it buried itself into the rock with a clap of thunder
, leaving a green band. A small shrine
may be seen near the dragon stone, or hebiishi (龍石).
holds that a dragon in a temple came alive during the great fire of 1956, dousing the temple and its surroundings in water and sparing it from the flames.
living in Toyama Bay.
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 the eastern part of Toyama
Toyama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Hokuriku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Toyama.Toyama is the leading industrial prefecture on the Japan Sea coast, and has the industrial advantage of cheap electricity due to abundant water resources....
, 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...
between Namerikawa
Namerikawa, Toyama
is a city located in Toyama, Japan.As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 33,772 and the density of 618.42 persons per km², The total area is 54.61 km². The city was founded on March 1, 1954...
and Kurobe, stretching from Toyama Bay and the Japan Sea in the northwest to tall mountain ranges in the southeast. The highest mountains in Uozu are Sougadake and Kekachiyama, and the highest elevation in Uozu is 2,414 m. Several rapid rivers run through Uozu; from east to west, they are the Fuse River, the Katakai River, the Kado River, and the Hayatsuki River.
As of May 31, 2011, 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 44,963, with 16,523 households
Household
The household is "the basic residential unit in which economic production, consumption, inheritance, child rearing, and shelter are organized and carried out"; [the household] "may or may not be synonymous with family"....
and a total area of 200.63 km², constituting 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 224.11 persons per km². Foreign nationals
Alien (law)
In law, an alien is a person in a country who is not a citizen of that country.-Categorization:Types of "alien" persons are:*An alien who is legally permitted to remain in a country which is foreign to him or her. On specified terms, this kind of alien may be called a legal alien of that country...
, mostly Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ians, and Thai
Thai people
The Thai people, or Siamese, are the main ethnic group of Thailand and are part of the larger Tai ethnolinguistic peoples found in Thailand and adjacent countries in Southeast Asia as well as southern China. Their language is the Thai language, which is classified as part of the Kradai family of...
s, comprise 1% of the city's 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...
.
The city was founded on April 1, 1952, and has sister city relationships with Chiang Mai City
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of Chiang Mai Province , a former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna and was the tributary Kingdom of Chiang Mai from 1774 until 1939. It is...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
(since 1989) and Ibara City, 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...
(since 1982). The current mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
(as of October, 2006) is Mr. Yoshinori Sawasaki (澤崎義敬).
Uozu's Three Mysteries
Uozu is known for three mysterious phenomena, the (spring) mirageMirage
A mirage is a naturally occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays are bent to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky. The word comes to English via the French mirage, from the Latin mirare, meaning "to look at, to wonder at"...
(蜃気楼), the firefly squid
Firefly squid
The Sparkling Enope Squid , also known as the Firefly Squid, is a species of squid in the family Enoploteuthidae. It is the sole species in the genus Watasenia.-Species characteristics:...
(ホタルイカ), and the buried forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
(埋没林).
The Mirage
Mirages, or shinkirou (蜃気楼), may be seen over the sea in both spring and winter.The spring mirage for which Uozu is famous for may be seen on warm, sunny, windless days from April to June. Refraction
Refraction
Refraction is the change in direction of a wave due to a change in its speed. It is essentially a surface phenomenon . The phenomenon is mainly in governance to the law of conservation of energy. The proper explanation would be that due to change of medium, the phase velocity of the wave is changed...
of light at the boundary between warm air above and colder air near the surface of the sea is responsible for the phenomenon. During a mirage, faraway objects such as ships at sea or the coastline appear to grow vertically, and may display bar-code-like stripes. In a Class A Mirage, the image of an object may appear upside-down above it.
The winter mirage seen from December to March results from a different process than the spring mirage and is common in many other parts of the world.
The Firefly Squid
In the early morning hours, from the end of March to the beginning of June, female firefly squidFirefly squid
The Sparkling Enope Squid , also known as the Firefly Squid, is a species of squid in the family Enoploteuthidae. It is the sole species in the genus Watasenia.-Species characteristics:...
, or hotaruika (ホタルイカ), rise to the surface to spawn
Spawn (biology)
Spawn refers to the eggs and sperm released or deposited, usually into water, by aquatic animals. As a verb, spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, also called spawning...
. Their name comes from a bluish white glow which emanates from various points on their bodies.
The Buried Forest
2000 years ago, a primeval sugi (Cryptomeria)Cryptomeria
Cryptomeria is a monotypic genus of conifer in the cypress family Cupressaceae formerly belonging to the family Taxodiaceae; it includes only one species, Cryptomeria japonica . It is endemic to Japan, where it is known as Sugi...
forest along the coast
Coast
A coastline or seashore is the area where land meets the sea or ocean. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the dynamic nature of tides. The term "coastal zone" can be used instead, which is a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs...
was partially buried so that only the trunks
Trunk (botany)
In botany, trunk refers to the main wooden axis of a tree that supports the branches and is supported by and directly attached to the roots. The trunk is covered by the bark, which is an important diagnostic feature in tree identification, and which often differs markedly from the bottom of the...
were preserved. Trunks of such sugi tree
Cryptomeria
Cryptomeria is a monotypic genus of conifer in the cypress family Cupressaceae formerly belonging to the family Taxodiaceae; it includes only one species, Cryptomeria japonica . It is endemic to Japan, where it is known as Sugi...
s are on display at Uozu's buried forest museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
(埋没林博物館).
Sights
Places to see in Uozu include the AquariumAquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
(水族館) and Mirage Land Amusement Park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
(ミラージュランド) with its large Ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
, Kintarou Hot Springs
Onsen
An 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...
(金太郎温泉), Ariso Dome Gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
nasium (ありそドーム), Niikawa Culture Hall (新川文化ホール), the Uozu Historical Folk Museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
(魚津歴史民俗博物館), the historical site of the Komesoudou Rice Riots (米騒動) in 1918, Dousugi (giant hollow sugi trees in the mountains), Ikejiri Lake (池尻の池), the Don Waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
s (平沢沌滝) and the remains of gold mines (金山) and castle sites (城跡) in the mountains.
Popular shopping destinations include the Sun Plaza, Apita, and Apple Hill shopping complexes.
Festivals
The Tatemon FestivalFestival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
(たてもん祭) held on the 7th and 8th of August is the most flamboyant of the city's festivals. Activities include fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
and the pulling of seven giant floats called Tatemons along the sea coast to Suwa Shrine (諏訪神社). Tatemons are 15 m tall and weigh 5 tons. They sport approximately 90 lantern
Lantern
A lantern is a portable lighting device or mounted light fixture used to illuminate broad areas. Lanterns may also be used for signaling, as 'torches', or as general light sources outdoors . Low light level varieties are used for decoration. The term "lantern" is also used more generically to...
s, and resemble triangular sails of ships or piles of offerings in shape. This festival was held in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
as part of the Honolulu Festival in both 2001.
The next day, groups dance the "serikomi chouroku" (せりこみ蝶六) or butterfly dance through the streets of the old city.
Other festivals include the Sengoku Noroshi Matsuri (戦国のろし祭り) in May, and the Hachiman Mikoshi Matsuri (八幡社みこし祭り) in September.
Historic Overview
Discovery of goldGold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
in the mountains of Uozu around 1394 led to an influx of people, making the area around Matsukura Castle a center for the region. Later, when Matsukura Castle was destroyed, the center was reestablished around Uozu Castle close to the sea.
In 1582, a fierce battle was fought around Uozu Castle between the forces of a local lord, Lord Uesugi, and forces under Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
. Lord Uesugi had 4000 soldiers, against an army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
of 40,000. His troops managed to hold out for 3 month
Month
A month is a unit of time, used with calendars, which was first used and invented in Mesopotamia, as a natural period related to the motion of the Moon; month and Moon are cognates. The traditional concept arose with the cycle of moon phases; such months are synodic months and last approximately...
s, before commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
s surrendered the castle and committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. Ironically, the victors soon received word of Oda's assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
, and had to give up the castle and retreat.
In 1918, riot
Riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
s precipitated by increases in rice prices (米騒動) started at Uozu port, spreading over the entire country
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...
. This led to the resignation of the Terauchi Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
.
In 1956, a great fire ravished many buildings in Uozu.
Local Dialect
Uozu's dialectDialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
(魚津弁) varies region by region within the city. This section presents a few scattered constructions and expressions, but is by no means a comprehensive guide.
| Dialect | Regular Japanese | English |
|---|---|---|
| ...aru ga? | ...aru no? | ...is there? |
| taberare | tabete kudasai | please eat |
| soboreta | bikkuri shita | I'm surprised |
| kenarui | urayamashii | I'm envious |
| dara | baka | dolt |
| iku cha | iku | I'm going. |
| nan | chigaimasu | no |
| yaotsu, ba, anta | anata | you |
Intonation
Intonation (linguistics)
In linguistics, intonation is variation of pitch while speaking which is not used to distinguish words. It contrasts with tone, in which pitch variation does distinguish words. Intonation, rhythm, and stress are the three main elements of linguistic prosody...
may also vary; e.g., meat (niku) is pronounced flatly.
Many older people pronounce Shi/Ji/Chi as Su/Zu/Tsu. Thus "bushi" or "warrior
Warrior
A warrior is a person skilled in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based society that recognizes a separate warrior class.-Warrior classes in tribal culture:...
" might be pronounced as "busu" or "ugly". "Michi" or "road", might be pronounced as "Mitsu" or "third", and so forth.
The Dragon Stone
A hunter in the mountains by the Katakai River came upon a dragonDragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
wrapped around a rock
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
. He shot and killed it with silver bullet
Bullet
A bullet is a projectile propelled by a firearm, sling, or air gun. Bullets do not normally contain explosives, but damage the intended target by impact and penetration...
s from his gun
Gun
A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
, and it buried itself into the rock with a clap of thunder
Thunder
Thunder is the sound made by lightning. Depending on the nature of the lightning and distance of the listener, thunder can range from a sharp, loud crack to a long, low rumble . The sudden increase in pressure and temperature from lightning produces rapid expansion of the air surrounding and within...
, leaving a green band. A small shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
may be seen near the dragon stone, or hebiishi (龍石).
The Water-breathing Dragon
LegendLegend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
holds that a dragon in a temple came alive during the great fire of 1956, dousing the temple and its surroundings in water and sparing it from the flames.
The Mirage in Legend
In old stories, the spring mirage was said to have arisen from the gas exhaled by a thousand year-old clamClam
The word "clam" can be applied to freshwater mussels, and other freshwater bivalves, as well as marine bivalves.In the United States, "clam" can be used in several different ways: one, as a general term covering all bivalve molluscs...
living in Toyama Bay.