Nagahama, Shiga

Nagahama
長浜市
City

Kurokabe square and main shopping street of central Nagahama

Flag

Location of Nagahama in Shiga Prefecture
Nagahama

Location in Japan

Coordinates: 35°23′N 136°17′E / 35.383°N 136.283°E / 35.383; 136.283Coordinates: 35°23′N 136°17′E / 35.383°N 136.283°E / 35.383; 136.283
Country Japan
Region Kansai
Prefecture Shiga Prefecture
Government
 • Mayor Nobuya Kawashima
Area
 • Total 680.79 km2 (262.85 sq mi)
Population (August 1, 2011)
 • Total 122,280
 • Density 180/km2 (500/sq mi)
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City hall address 12-34 Takada-chō, Nagahama-shi, Shiga-ken
526-8501
Website www.city.nagahama.shiga.jp

Nagahama (長浜市 Nagahama-shi) is a city located in Shiga Prefecture, Japan on the northeastern shore of Lake Biwa. The city center was developed and renamed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi when Hideyoshi moved the center of his administration from Odani Castle. Kunitomo (国友), the northeast of the city center, had been known for the production of arquebuses and guns since 1544.

As of August 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 122,280 and a population density of 180 persons per km². The total area is 680.79 km².

The current city is now historically located within three former districts; Sakata District, Higashiazai District and Ika District.

The naming

Nagahama used to be known as Imahama (今濱), but Toyotomi Hideyoshi renamed it Nagahama for Oda Nobunaga. It is not related to the area of the same name in Fukuoka City and same name town in Ehime Prefecture.

History

Nagahama city (2006-2010)

On April 1, 1943, the town of Nagahama from Sakata District merged with six other towns to gain city status. The last population count was conducted on December 1, 2005, and the city had a population of 63,057. The total area was 45.50 km².

On February 13, 2006, the towns of Azai and Biwa (both from Higashiazai District) were merged into Nagahama, which replaced all municipal organizations—including the old city of Nagahama itself. As a result of the city's annexation of Azai and Biwa in 2006, the total population stood at 84,410.

On January 1, 2010, the towns of Kohoku and Torahime (both from Higashiazai District), and the towns of Kinomoto, Nishiazai, Takatsuki and Yogo (all from Ika District) were merged into Nagahama. Both districts were thereby dissolved as a result of this merger.[1]

Sightseeing

Nagahama is one of the most famous tourist cities in Shiga. Attractions to be found in the city include:

Cuisine

Nagahama yaki-saba sōmen

In addition to the usual Shiga Prefecture cuisine, most famously funa-zushi, Nagahama has a local specialty of salty-sweet cooked sōmen with mackerel (焼鯖素麺 yaki-saba sōmen), related to its historical position on the mackerel highway.

Education

International schools:

Sister cities

The following cities were once sister cities of the former city of Nagahama.

Within Japan

Outside Japan

References

  1. ↑ http://www.kokudo.or.jp/new/cities/sub/chubu/20.htm
  2. ↑ Nagahama city. 長浜盆梅展のはじまり [The origin of Nagahama Bonbai] (in Japanese). Retrieved 2011-08-28.
  3. ↑ "Escolas Brasileiras Homologadas no Japão" (Archive). Embassy of Brazil in Tokyo. Retrieved on October 13, 2015.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nagahama, Shiga.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Nagahama.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/1/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.