Akitakata, Hiroshima
Encyclopedia
is a city
located in north-central Hiroshima Prefecture
, Japan
.
As of April 1, 2011, the city has a population of 31,565, with a household
number of 13,223, and an area of 538.17 km².
Akitakata was founded on March 1, 2004 with the merger of six towns in Takata District
(Kōda, Midori, Mukaihara, Takamiya, Yachiyo and Yoshida), thereby dissolving the district.
It is a mountainous farming area known for many traditional events as well as certain food products.
One such food product is Ebisu tea, a sweet fragrant tea, that comes from Mukaihara Town. Another is "Yuzu juice" (柚子ジュース), a product of the Kawane area of Takamiya town in the northeastern part of the city.
The city also lays claim to be the birthplace and hometown of Mori Motonari
, the famous Warring States era daimyo
of the 16th century.
(高田郡), which combined 26 villages into a single administrative unit on April 1, 1889.
The area now known as Akitakata was the site of a number of fortifications during the period when Mori Motonari fought against the Amago clan
. Mori Motonari himself was born in Suzuo Castle (鈴尾城) in 1497, the remains of which are in the town of Yoshida. In 1500, Motonari's father, Mori Hiromoto (毛利弘元) retired to Tajihi-Sarukake castle(多治比猿掛城), about 4 kilometers north of the family's base in Kouriyama castle (郡山城), both of whose remains are also in Yoshida town. Motonari would remain based here until the age of 27 when he would return to the family base in Kouriyama castle.
Ikenouchi (池の内) in the town of Koda was part of the site of a battle against the Amago clan on September 26, 1540. The Amago clan was defeated, and it is said that the leader, Yubara Yajirou (湯原弥二郎) committed ritual suicide at that location, where a stone monument has been erected. Koda is also the site of the remains of Goryuu castle (五龍城), a castle of the Shishido clan (宍戸氏).The family would become tied to the Mori clan with the marriage of Motonari's eldest daughter to Shishido Takaie (宍戸隆家).
, an ancient traditional form of Shinto dance and music, is still alive there today. The towns of Midori and Takamiya practice the "new dance" style, which is not actually new at all, just a later emergent performance style compared to the "old style". (There is a Kagura village in Midori town called Kaguramonzentojimura where various Kagura performances and competitions begin in August and last until December.)
Akitakata city is in the countryside, and still maintains many traditional local festival
s. One such is Hanadaue, or rice-planting festival where men play flutes and taiko
while women sing and plant rice
. There are also new traditions, one in particular started by a participant in the JET program 10 years ago, called mud volleyball, in which locals and foreigners have an informal "soft-volleyball
" competition in rice paddies.
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 north-central Hiroshima Prefecture
Hiroshima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Hiroshima.- History :The area around Hiroshima was formerly divided into Bingo Province and Aki Province. This location has been a center of trade and culture since the beginning of Japan's recorded...
, 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 April 1, 2011, the city has a population of 31,565, with a household
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"....
number of 13,223, and an area of 538.17 km².
Akitakata was founded on March 1, 2004 with the merger of six towns in Takata District
Takata District, Hiroshima
Takata District is a former district located in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. On March 1, 2004, it was dissolved upon the formation of the city of Akitakata.-Towns in Takata District:* Kōda* Midori* Mukaihara* Takamiya* Yachiyo* Yoshida...
(Kōda, Midori, Mukaihara, Takamiya, Yachiyo and Yoshida), thereby dissolving the district.
It is a mountainous farming area known for many traditional events as well as certain food products.
One such food product is Ebisu tea, a sweet fragrant tea, that comes from Mukaihara Town. Another is "Yuzu juice" (柚子ジュース), a product of the Kawane area of Takamiya town in the northeastern part of the city.
The city also lays claim to be the birthplace and hometown of Mori Motonari
Mori Motonari
was a prominent daimyō in the west Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century.-Early years:Mōri Motonari was born under the name Shojumaru in a small domain of Aki province in 1497. He is said to have been born at Suzuo Castle, his mother's homeland...
, the famous Warring States era daimyo
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 the 16th century.
History
The area of Akitakata city was originally known as Takata DistrictTakata District, Hiroshima
Takata District is a former district located in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. On March 1, 2004, it was dissolved upon the formation of the city of Akitakata.-Towns in Takata District:* Kōda* Midori* Mukaihara* Takamiya* Yachiyo* Yoshida...
(高田郡), which combined 26 villages into a single administrative unit on April 1, 1889.
The area now known as Akitakata was the site of a number of fortifications during the period when Mori Motonari fought against the Amago clan
Amago clan
The , descended from the Emperor Uda by the Sasaki clan .Sasaki Takahisa in the 14th century, having lost his parents at the age of three years, he was brought up by a nun...
. Mori Motonari himself was born in Suzuo Castle (鈴尾城) in 1497, the remains of which are in the town of Yoshida. In 1500, Motonari's father, Mori Hiromoto (毛利弘元) retired to Tajihi-Sarukake castle(多治比猿掛城), about 4 kilometers north of the family's base in Kouriyama castle (郡山城), both of whose remains are also in Yoshida town. Motonari would remain based here until the age of 27 when he would return to the family base in Kouriyama castle.
Ikenouchi (池の内) in the town of Koda was part of the site of a battle against the Amago clan on September 26, 1540. The Amago clan was defeated, and it is said that the leader, Yubara Yajirou (湯原弥二郎) committed ritual suicide at that location, where a stone monument has been erected. Koda is also the site of the remains of Goryuu castle (五龍城), a castle of the Shishido clan (宍戸氏).The family would become tied to the Mori clan with the marriage of Motonari's eldest daughter to Shishido Takaie (宍戸隆家).
Culture
KaguraKagura
- Fictional characters :*Kagura Tsuchimiya, the protagonist of Ga-rei*Kagura, an InuYasha character*Kagura Sohma , a Fruits Basket character*Kagura, an Azumanga Daioh character*Ten'nōzu Kagura, a Speed Grapher character...
, an ancient traditional form of Shinto dance and music, is still alive there today. The towns of Midori and Takamiya practice the "new dance" style, which is not actually new at all, just a later emergent performance style compared to the "old style". (There is a Kagura village in Midori town called Kaguramonzentojimura where various Kagura performances and competitions begin in August and last until December.)
Akitakata city is in the countryside, and still maintains many traditional local festival
Festival
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....
s. One such is Hanadaue, or rice-planting festival where men play flutes and 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...
while women sing and plant rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
. There are also new traditions, one in particular started by a participant in the JET program 10 years ago, called mud volleyball, in which locals and foreigners have an informal "soft-volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
" competition in rice paddies.