Fujioka, Gunma
Encyclopedia
is a city
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...
in Gunma
Gunma Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island. Its capital is Maebashi.- History :The remains of a Paleolithic man were found at Iwajuku, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.Japan was without horses until...
, 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...
. The city's name means, "Wisteria Hill" in English, and is composed of the two kanji characters for "wisteria
Wisteria
Wisteria is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, that includes ten species of woody climbing vines native to the eastern United States and to China, Korea, and Japan. Aquarists refer to the species Hygrophila difformis, in the family Acanthaceae, as Water Wisteria...
" (fuji) and "Hill" (oka).
As of May 1, 2008, the city 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 70,676 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 392.44 persons per km². The total area is 180.09 km².
The city was founded on April 1, 1954. On January 1, 2006, Onishi
Onishi, Gunma
was a town located in Tano District, Gunma, Japan.On January 1, 2006 Onishi was merged into the expanded city of Fujioka.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 6,982 and a density of 133.12 persons per km². The total area was 52.45 km²....
, a town just south of the city, from Tano District
Tano District, Gunma
Tano is a district located in Gunma, Japan.As of 2003, the district had an estimated population of 49,743 and a density of 121.00 persons per km². The total area is 411.09 km²....
, was merged into Fujioka.
Surrounding municipalities
- Gunma PrefectureGunma Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island. Its capital is Maebashi.- History :The remains of a Paleolithic man were found at Iwajuku, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.Japan was without horses until...
- TakasakiTakasaki, Gunmais a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on April 1, 1900.Takasaki is a regional transportation hub because its train station is the junction of several rail lines as well as a Shinkansen stop....
- TamamuraTamamura, Gunmais a town located in Sawa District, Gunma, Japan.As of September 1, 2007, the town has an estimated population of 38,015 and a density of 1,470.03 persons per km²...
- KannaKanna, Gunmais a town located in Tano District, Gunma, Japan.As of 2007, the town has an estimated population of 2,828 and a density of 22.20 persons per km²...
- ShimonitaShimonita, Gunmais a town located in Kanra District, Gunma, Japan.As of September 1, 2007, the town had an estimated population of 9,693 and a density of 55.25 persons per km²...
- KanraKanra, Gunmais a town located in Kanra District, Gunma, Japan.As of September 1, 2007, the town has an estimated population of 14,119 and a density of 241.06 persons per km²...
- Takasaki
- Saitama PrefectureSaitama Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
- ChichibuChichibu, Saitamais a city in Saitama, Japan. As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 68,701, with a household number of 26,230. The total area is 577.69 km²....
- KamikawaKamikawa, Saitamais a town located in Kodama District, Saitama, Japan. Situated on the banks of the Kanna River. As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 13,704 and a density of 591.45 persons per km². The total area is 23.17 km²....
- KamisatoKamisato, Saitamais a town located in Kodama District, Saitama, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 30,913 and a density of 1,058.30 persons per km². The total area is 29.21 km². Kamisato has one train station called Jimbohara Station, which is a part of JR's Takasaki line.-External links:* *...
- Chichibu
History
- 1889 - Fujioka town, Kanna village, Ono village, Midori village, Mikuri village, Hirai village, Onishi town, Hino village,and Sanbagawa village are created in Midorino District. Mihara village is created in Minamikanra District.
- 1896 - Midorino District, Minamikanra District, and Tago District are united and renamed Tano District.
- 1954 - Kanna village, Ono village, Midori village, and Mikuri village are merged into Fujioka town, and is renamed Fujioka City.
- 1955 - Hirai village and Sanbagawa village are merged into Fujioka City.
- 2006 - Onishi village is merged into Fujioka City.
Geography
Mountains: Nishi-Mikaboyama (西御荷鉾山), Higashi-Mikaboyama (東御荷鉾山), Amefuriyama (雨降山), Sakurayama (桜山), Takayama (高山), Koshinyama (庚申山).Rivers: Karasugawa (烏川), Kaburagawa (鏑川), Ayugawa (鮎川), Nukuigawa (温井川), Kannagawa (神流川), Sannagawa (三名川), Sasagawa (笹川).
Lakes and marshes: Kannako (神流湖), Sannako (三名湖), Ayugawako (鮎川湖), Takenuma (竹沼)
Schools
There are three high schools, five junior high schools, and eleven elementary schools in Fujioka.- High Schools
- Fujioka Kita (群馬県立藤岡北高等学校)
- Fujioka Kogyo (群馬県立藤岡工業高等学校)
- Fujioka Chuo (群馬県立藤岡中央高等学校)
- Junior High Schools
- Fujioka Kita (藤岡市立北中学校)
- Fujioka Higashi (藤岡市立東中学校)
- Fujioka Nishi (藤岡市立西中学校)
- Fujioka Ono (藤岡市立小野中学校)
- Fujioka Onishi (藤岡市立鬼石中学校)
- Elementary Schools
- Fujioka Dai-ichi (藤岡第一小学校)
- Fujioka Dai-ni (藤岡第二小学校)
- Kanna (神流小学校)
- Ono (小野小学校)
- Midori (美土里小学校)
- Mikuri Higashi (美九里東小学校)
- Mikuri Nishi (美九里西小学校)
- Hirai (平井小学校)
- Hino (日野小学校)
- Onishi Kita (鬼石北小学校)
- Onishi (鬼石小学校)
As of June 2008 there are two high school, five junior high school, and two elementary school assistant language teachers
Assistant Language Teacher
Assistant Language Teacher is a term that was created by the Japanese Ministry of Education at the time of the creation of the JET Programme as a translation of the term 外国語指導助手 or literally "foreign language instruction assistant." The terms AET , ELT and NESA Assistant Language Teacher (ALT)...
(ALTs) working in Fujioka schools.
Transportation
TrainsThe Hachiko Line
Hachiko Line
The is a 92.0 km regional railway line owned and operated by East Japan Railway Company . It is located within Tokyo, Saitama, and Gunma Prefectures in Japan. Its endpoints are Hachiōji Station in Hachiōji, Tokyo and Kuragano Station in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture.-Services:Komagawa Station in...
has two stops in Fujioka.
- Gunmafujioka Station
- Kita-Fujioka StationKita-Fujioka Stationis a railway station in Fujioka, Gunma, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company .-Lines:Kita-Fujioka Station is served by the Hachikō Line between and .-Station layout:The station consists of one side platform serving a single track...
Expressways
Two Expressways come together at the Fujioka Junction (JCT).
- Kanetsu Expressway (関越自動車道)
- Joshinetsu Expressway (上信越自動車道)
- Fujioka Interchange (IC)
- Fujioka Parking Area (PA)
National Highways
- Route 17 (国道17号)
- Route 254 (国道254号)
- Route 462 (国道462号)
- Route 354 (国道354号)
Prefectural Roads
- Route 13, Maebashi - Nagatoro (群馬県道13号前橋長瀞線)
- Route 23, Fujioka - Honjo (群馬県道23号藤岡本庄線)
- Route 30, Terao - Fujioka (群馬県道30号寺尾藤岡線)
- Route 40, Fujioka - Daigo (群馬県道40号藤岡大胡線)
- Route 71, Takasaki - Kannachichibu (群馬県道71号高崎神流秩父線)
Rest Stops
- Fujioka (道の駅ふじおか)
- Joshin Onishi (道の駅上州おにし)
Annual events
- Fujioka Matsuri
- The Fujioka Matsuri is a two-day Summer festival which is typically held on a weekend in late July. The celebration, which takes place in central Fujioka, features food and entertainment stalls, a flea market, parade, and street dancing. There are many traditional events as well, such as taiko performances, omikoshiMikoshiA is a divine palanquin . Shinto followers believe that it serves as the vehicle to transport a deity in Japan while moving between main shrine and temporary shrine during a festival or when moving to a new shrine...
carrying, and the parading of Dashi floats through the streets.
- Fuji Matsuri
- The Fuji Matsuri (Wisteria Festival) is a Spring festival which takes place at Koshinyama Park every year in late April/early May, to celebrate the blooming of the wisteria flowers. Numerous vendor stalls sell various local products, food, and flowers. The wisteria flowers are illuminated after sunset.
Sister cities
Fujioka has sister cities in Hakui (Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan), ReginaRegina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
(Canada), Jiang Yin (China) and Bend
Bend, Oregon
Bend is a city in and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States, and the principal city of the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bend is Central Oregon's largest city, and, despite its modest size, is the de facto metropolis of the region, owing to the low population...
(Oregon United States).
An annual student exchange program between Fujioka and Regina takes place in August of each year. The host city alternates each year, and families in both cities serve as host families for the visiting students.