is a small town

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 Anpachi District

Anpachi District, Gifu

is a district located in Gifu, Japan.As of July 2011, the district has an estimated population of 45,152. The total area is 62.71 km².-Merger:...

, Gifu

Gifu Prefecture

is a prefecture located in the Chūbu region of central Japan. Its capital is the city of Gifu.Located in the center of Japan, it has long played an important part as the crossroads of Japan, connecting the east to the west through such routes as the Nakasendō...

, 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 July 2011, the town 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 9,976. The total area is 22.36 km².

History

In 1954, the three villages Niki, Fukuzuka, and Oyabu were incorporated into one town, Wanouchi.

The kanji for Wanouchi (輪之内) literally translates to "within in a circle." This name is derived from the fact that Wanouchi is situated between the Ibi River

Ibi River

The is a tributary of the Kiso River located in Gifu and Mie Prefectures in Japan. Along with the Nagara and Kiso rivers, the Ibi is the third of the Kiso Three Rivers of the Nōbi Plain. It is one of Japan's first-class rivers...

 and the Nagara River

Nagara River

The has its source in the city of Gujō, Gifu Prefecture, and its mouth in the city of Kuwana, Mie Prefecture, Japan. Along with the Kiso River and Ibi River, the Nagara River is one of the Kiso Three Rivers of the Nōbi Plain. Previously, the river was named Sunomata River . With a length of , it...

. Historically, these two rivers ran together and the area known as Wanouchi today was one of many ring-levees in the middle of the river. Naturally, these levies were prone to frequent flooding and so the waters had to be diverted. Hence, Wanouchi's physical environment and history has been greatly shaped by the constant threat of floods.

In 1754, the Edo

Edo

, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...

 (modern Tokyo) Shogunate, under Shogun Tokugawa Ieshige

Tokugawa Ieshige

Tokugawa Ieshige; 徳川 家重 was the ninth shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan.The first son of Tokugawa Yoshimune, his mother was the daughter of Okubo Tadanao, known as Osuma no kata. His childhood name was Nagatomi-maru. He underwent the genpuku coming-of-age ceremony in 1725...

, ordered the rich and powerful Satsuma

Satsuma

Satsuma may refer to:* Satsuma , a citrus fruit* Satsuma , a genus of land snails-In Japan:* Satsuma, Kagoshima, a Japanese town* Satsuma District, Kagoshima, a district in Kagoshima Prefecture...

 feudal lord, Shimazu Shigetoshi (whose great wealth was regarded as a threat to the Shogunate) to send his samurai and resources to the Gifu area. Their task was to build embankments in order to divert the rivers. It seems the Shogun hoped that this project would weaken the Satsuma lord's power. This becames known as the Hōreki Age River Improvement Incident

1754 Horeki River Improvement Incident

1754 Horeki River Improvement Incident was an incident in which the Satsuma han was given merciless river improvement works; Rivers which caused frequent floods should be divided into Kiso River, Nagara River and Ibi River near Nagoya in the Horeki age...

.

The construction of these banks was extremely dangerous and difficult. It is said that a human sacrifice was made in the Wanouchi area during the construction when a local retainer voluntarily gave his life by remaining under the rushing waters in order to keep a foundation pillar from moving until it could be secured from above. As well as aiding in the construction, this sacrifice was also treated as an offering to the gods ensuring the successful completing of the project. In Japanese, this sacrifice is referred to as meaning "human pillar."

Ritual suicides have taken place in Wanouchi's history as well. The Satsuma samurai who came to Gifu from what is now Kagoshima Prefecture

Kagoshima Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Kagoshima.- Geography :Kagoshima Prefecture is located at the southwest tip of Kyushu and includes a chain of islands stretching further to the southwest for a few hundred kilometers...

 under the Shogun's orders, felt that they were betraying their own lord. This sense of disloyalty mixed with frustration of resulting from great difficulties with construction led the men to commit "seppuku

Seppuku

is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. Seppuku was originally reserved only for samurai. Part of the samurai bushido honor code, seppuku was either used voluntarily by samurai to die with honor rather than fall into the hands of their enemies , or as a form of capital punishment...

" (self-disembowelment). It is interesting to note, that out of respect for the Shogun, the cause of death was simply recorded as "sword wounds". Therefore, it is unclear exactly how many people took their own lives.

Despite the many difficulties, the initial construction was completed in 1755. More than 80 lives were lost. The graves of 8 of these men are located around Wanouchi, serving as a constant reminder of the great sacrifices made so that people could live in a safer environment.

Due to the construction of many banks over the last 200 years, the waters surrounding Wanouchi have become two separate rivers, the Ibi River

Ibi River

The is a tributary of the Kiso River located in Gifu and Mie Prefectures in Japan. Along with the Nagara and Kiso rivers, the Ibi is the third of the Kiso Three Rivers of the Nōbi Plain. It is one of Japan's first-class rivers...

 and Nagara River

Nagara River

The has its source in the city of Gujō, Gifu Prefecture, and its mouth in the city of Kuwana, Mie Prefecture, Japan. Along with the Kiso River and Ibi River, the Nagara River is one of the Kiso Three Rivers of the Nōbi Plain. Previously, the river was named Sunomata River . With a length of , it...

. The area located between the two rivers is referred to as the "Waju-tei" (輪中堤 or Waju levee). The name Wanouchi originates from this word and means "the town in Waju-tei".

In 1976, the Nagara River swelled and flooded Wanouchi's neighbouring towns, Anpachi, Gifu

Anpachi, Gifu

is a town located in the Anpachi District, Gifu, Japan.As of July 2011, the town has an estimated population of 15,274. The total area of the town is 18.19 km². The Solar Ark, an over 300m long photovoltaic power generation facility is located in the town....

 and Sunomata, Gifu

Sunomata, Gifu

was a town located in Anpachi District, Gifu, Japan.On March 27, 2006, Sunomata was merged into the city of Ōgaki.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 4,652 and a density of 1,372.39 persons per km². The total area was 3.39 km²....

. However, the people of Wanouchi were protected from the floods because of the strong embankments.

Every August, Satsuma Gishi, a Buddhist service, is held at one of the three temples where the graves of construction victims are located. The service honors these people and the Satsuma samurai.

Economy

Wanouchi's main areas of employment is in the manufacturing industry. However, many citizens also derive income from agricultural activities.

Festivals

Kayu no Tsuke

For over 100 years, every January, a ritual has been performed to predict the coming year's rice harvest. In the dead of night, farmers gather at four shrines in Wanouchi to witness the ritual.

Rice is steamed together with hollow, slender stalks of bamboo about 20 cm. in length. When the rice is ready, a priest slices the bamboo lengthwise. The amount of rice that has been cooked inside the stalk is believed to indicate the abundance of the next year's harvest.

Locations: Hakusan Shrine (白山神社), Kamo Shrine (加茂神社), Hachiman Shrine (八幡神社), and Hakusan Hime Shrine (白山比売神社)

Date: January 15

The Hoei no Mai Performance

This event occurs twice a year in memory of the Satsuma samurai. For over 200 years in the spring and Autumn young girls have performed special dances and songs at the Chisui Shrine.

Location: Chisui Shrine (治水神社）

Dates: April 5 and October 5

The Zosui Festival

It is said, that over 400 years ago, a god was carried by a great flood, or "zosui", to the Gotago area of Wanouchi. Thus, the Zosui Festival honours this god who is believed to protect Wanouchi from floods. Since "zosui" is also the name of a rice and vegetable porridge, people offer this porridge to the god. During the festival, the Shinmei Shrine is decorated with paper lanterns. Festivities include taiko drumming and the Shirakawa dance.

Location: Shinmei Shrine (神明神社)

Date: July 16

Noryo Hometown Festival

During Japan's stifling hot and humid summer, the Noryo Hometown Festival gives the people of Wanouchi the chance to enjoy Obon dancing in the cool of the evening. This festival occurs in the middle of August in conjunction with the nationwide festival, Obon

Obón

Obón is a municipality located in the province of Teruel, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 75 inhabitants....

. During Obon it is customary for people to return to their hometown, don yukata

Yukata

A is a Japanese garment, a casual summer kimono usually made of cotton. People wearing yukata are a common sight in Japan at fireworks displays, bon-odori festivals, and other summer events. The yukata is also frequently worn after bathing at traditional Japanese inns...

s and join in the local festivities.

Location: Town Office (役場)

Date: August 15

Sangyo Festival

The Sangyo Festival is a yearly celebration of Wanouchi's thriving industries. It is a chance for farmers and manufacturers to peddle their wares. "Takoyaki

Takoyaki

is a popular ball-shaped Japanese dumpling or more like a savory pancake made of batter and cooked in a special takoyaki pan...

," yakisoba

Yakisoba

', literally "fried noodles", is a dish often sold at festivals in Japan, but originates in China. The dish was derived by the Chinese from the traditional chow mein, but has been more heavily integrated into Japanese cuisine like ramen...

," baked yams, beer, and confections are available at food booths. Various entertainment events such as lotteries, karaoke competitions and firework displays create a carnival-like atmosphere. The grand finale of the 2 day fair is the Rice Cake Toss when hundreds of rice cakes are hurled into the crowd and everyone scrambles for them. The Sangyo festival is a great way to meet people from all walks of life in Wanouchi.

Location: Town Office (役場)

Date: First weekend in October

The Gomando Festival

This Shinto

Shinto

or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...

 festival, honoring the water god "Gomando", dates back to 1624. In the early evening, residents of Mirushinden gather at the Myoko Temple to acknowledge the community's founder, Kazuya Sozaemon. They then proceed to Tado shrine, nestled in a small pine grove. There, the sake flows, enhancing the pounding of taiko

Taiko

means "drum" in Japanese . Outside Japan, the word is often used to refer to any of the various Japanese drums and to the relatively recent art-form of ensemble taiko drumming...

 drums as people wearing "happi

Happi

Happi is a traditional Japanese straight-sleeved coat usually made of indigo or brown cotton and imprinted with a distinctive mon . They are usually worn only to festivals. Originally, these represented the crest of a family, as happi were worn by house servants. Later, the coats commonly began to...

" (festival) coats and brightly decorated umbrella hats perform the Shirakawa dance. Paper flowers on the dancers' hands add to the colourful spectacle.

Location: Tada Shrine (多度神社)

Date: October 3

Wanouchi Autumn Festival

On the evening of October 10, the rhythm of taiko drums echoes through Wanouchi. The Autumn Festival is a time for families to get together and enjoy a feast. Wanouchi's three traditional dances, the Dengarakashi dance, the Ondo dance and the Shirakawa dance can be seen at various Shinto shrines.

Location: Various Shrines in Wanouchi

Date: October 10

Local Dialect

The local dialect, called Wanouchi-ben, is a colourful mixture of Nagoya, Gifu

Gifu

Gifu may refer to:*Gifu Prefecture, located in the Chūbu region of central Japan*Gifu, Gifu, the capital city of Gifu Prefecture*Gifu , a region located in southcentral Gifu Prefecture*Gifu Castle atop Mt...

 and Kansai

Kansai

The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo, and Shiga. Depending on who makes the distinction, Fukui, Tokushima and even Tottori Prefecture are also included...

 dialects.

Dialect	Standard Japanese	English
wakarahen / wakaran	wakarimasen	I don't understand.
shiran	shirimasen	I don't know.
orahen / gozarahen	orimasen / gozaimasen (imasen)	(Someone) is not here.
ō ki ni	arigato	thank you
yattokame	hisashiburi	Long time, no see.
ee tenki ya namo	ii tenki desu ne	Nice weather, isn't it?
akan	dame	bad / must not do
erai	tsukaremashita / taihen / kurushii	tired / difficult / painful
hayo hayo!	hayaku hayaku!	Hurry up!
anbayo	jōzu ni	skillfully
a'chibeta ko'chibeta	achi kochi	here and there
ketta mashin	jitensha	bicycle
nebuka	negi	green onion
jagatara	jagaimo	potato
kōrai	kōn	corn
jiimo	satoimo	taro

Sister Town

Wanouchi has had a partnership with the town of Hinton, Alberta

Hinton, Alberta

Hinton is a town in west-central Alberta, Canada.It is located in Yellowhead County, northeast of Jasper and about west of Alberta's capital city, Edmonton, at the intersection of Yellowhead and Bighorn Highway, in the Athabasca River valley.-History:...

since 1998. This partnership is primarily for educational and cultural exchange. Every year, students from Wanouchi Junior High School travel to Hinton to learn about Canadian life and culture while living with a host family. Every 2 years, students from Hinton's Harry Collinge Junior High School visit Wanouchi and live with local families.

External links

• Wanouchi official website
• Human Pillars (Hitobashira): http://pinktentacle.com/2010/03/human-pillars/