Gonohe, Aomori
Encyclopedia
is a town located in Sannohe District
, Aomori
, Japan
. Gonohe Town is located in the north-eastern part of Sannohe-gun, approximately 16 kilometres west of Hachinohe City
and 10 kilometres southeast of Towada City
. The town is adjacent to Hachinohe City to the east, Shingo Village
to the west, Nanbu Town
to the south, and Towada City, Oirase Town
and Rokunohe Town
to the north. With a total area of 177.82 km², the land extends 16.8 kilometres east to west and 18.55 kilometres north to south.
, and the Asamizugawa River, which originates from a hot spring swamp to join the Mabechigawa River, run parallel to each other through the town. While embracing these two rivers, residential areas have formed, and rice fields can be found in the flat areas that benefit from the favourable flows of water. The slightly sloped hillside areas spread to the east of the Ōu Mountains
and are utilized as crop fields and apple
orchards.
which bring cold air in summer. In Gonohe, the yamase brings rain and, when such conditions last for a long time, harvests are significantly affected because of the low temperatures and lack of sunshine. However, the town receives relatively less snow than its location in northern Tōhoku
would otherwise suggest.
, Nanbu Mitsuyuki, a retainer of Minamoto Yoritomo from Kai Province
was awarded the former Nukabe district (the current Sanhachi and Kamikita
districts of Aomori Prefecture) after the defeat of the Northern Fujiwara
clan. As the land was suited for raising battle horses, he divided it into nine he (ranches), then further divided each he into four plots of north, south, east and west. This ranch system, which comprised four mon (directions) and nine he, is said to be the origin of the town's name Gonohe. The Chinese characters 五戸 used in the town's name translate as "fifth gate or door".
In April 1889, with the introduction of the town and village system, the land became Gonohe Village. In November 1915, the village was elevated to town status. In July 1955, Gonohe Town was combined with neighboring Kawauchi
and Asada villages; this also included incorporating part of the Tekurabashi area of Nozawa Village and the Toyomauchi area of Toyosaki Village. After a merger with the neighbouring village of Kuraishi
on July 1, 2004, Gonohe now has an estimated population
of 25,635 and a density
of 116.04 persons per km². In recent years there has been a small community of repatriated Manchuria
n Japanese living in Kuraishi.
. With the decline of the samurai, Gonohe's horses continued to be bred for their meat. The lean horse meat is coveted as a delicacy, especially when served in its raw form, known as . This dish is a speciality of both Gonohe and Kumamoto
in southern Kyūshū
. After its horses, Gonohe is best known for the local popularity of soccer
.
Province, Philippines
, since 1983 - Okcheon, Chungcheongbuk-do
, South Korea
, since 1997
during World War II
. The youngsters had planned to visit between 29 August and 2 September that year, to coincide with the Gonohe festival held on 31 August. The event was preceded by a related incident in April of that year, when a group of Gonohe assemblymen cancelled a planned visit to Korea that May. That decision had also been made owing to the schism caused by the latest developments in the Japanese history textbook controversies
. Gonohe was disappointed because Okchongun had discontinued the contract of the exchange many times afterwards. Gonohe proposes to Okchongu "Gonohe hopes for a minimum exchange because Gonohe is a financial difficulty".
Article about Textbook Incident
Sannohe District, Aomori
is a district located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It occupies the southeast corner of the prefecture, bordering Iwate Prefecture.As of 2010, the district has an estimated population of 73,955 and a density of 76.3 persons per km². The total area was 969.38 km².- Towns and villages :The...
, Aomori
Aomori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region. The capital is the city of Aomori.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Aomori prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
, 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...
. Gonohe Town is located in the north-eastern part of Sannohe-gun, approximately 16 kilometres west of Hachinohe City
Hachinohe, Aomori
- Neighbouring municipalities :Aomori Prefecture*Sannohe District**Hashikami**Gonohe**Nanbu*Kamikita District**OiraseIwate Prefecture*Karumai-History:...
and 10 kilometres southeast of Towada City
Towada, Aomori
is a city located in central Aomori in Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the city had an estimated population of 65,818 and a density of 90.7 persons per km². Its total area was 725.67 km², making it the largest municipality in Aomori Prefecture in terms of area.-Geography:Towada is located in...
. The town is adjacent to Hachinohe City to the east, Shingo Village
Shingo, Aomori
is a village located in the Sannohe District of south-central Aomori Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the village had an estimated population of 2,830 and a density of 18.8 persons per km². Its total area was 150.85 km²...
to the west, Nanbu Town
Nanbu, Aomori
is a town located in the Sannohe District of southeastern Aomori Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the town had an estimated population of 20,381 and a density of 133 persons per km². Its total area was 153.150 km².-Geography:...
to the south, and Towada City, Oirase Town
Oirase, Aomori
is a town located in the Kamikita District of eastern Aomori Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the town had an estimated population of 24,363 and a density of 339 persons per km². Its total area is 71.88 km².-Geography:...
and Rokunohe Town
Rokunohe, Aomori
is a town located in the Kamikita District of northeastern Aomori Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the town had an estimated population of 10,197 and a density of 121 persons per km². Its total area was 84.06 km².-Geography:...
to the north. With a total area of 177.82 km², the land extends 16.8 kilometres east to west and 18.55 kilometres north to south.
Geography
The Gonohegawa River, which flows from Mt. Heraidake into the Pacific OceanPacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, and the Asamizugawa River, which originates from a hot spring swamp to join the Mabechigawa River, run parallel to each other through the town. While embracing these two rivers, residential areas have formed, and rice fields can be found in the flat areas that benefit from the favourable flows of water. The slightly sloped hillside areas spread to the east of the Ōu Mountains
Ou Mountains
The are a mountain range in the Tōhoku region of Honshū, Japan. The range is the longest range in Japan and stretch south from the Natsudomari Peninsula of Aomori Prefecture to the Nasu volcanoes at the northern boundary of the Kantō region. Though long, the range is only about wide...
and are utilized as crop fields and apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
orchards.
Climate
The type of weather most characteristic of the region is the yamase, the easterly windsPolar easterlies
The polar easterlies are the dry, cold prevailing winds that blow from the high-pressure areas of the polar highs at the north and south poles towards low-pressure areas within the Westerlies at high latitudes...
which bring cold air in summer. In Gonohe, the yamase brings rain and, when such conditions last for a long time, harvests are significantly affected because of the low temperatures and lack of sunshine. However, the town receives relatively less snow than its location in northern Tōhoku
Tohoku region
The is a geographical area of Japan. The region occupies the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region consists of six prefectures : Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata....
would otherwise suggest.
History
The name of the town is said to have derived from the ranch system used by the Nanbu clan who ruled in these parts. In 1189, during the Kamakura periodKamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....
, Nanbu Mitsuyuki, a retainer of Minamoto Yoritomo from Kai Province
Kai Province
, also known as , is an old province in Japan in the area of Yamanashi Prefecture. It lies in central Honshū, west of Tokyo, in a landlocked mountainous region that includes Mount Fuji along its border with Shizuoka Prefecture....
was awarded the former Nukabe district (the current Sanhachi and Kamikita
Kamikita District, Aomori
is a district located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It occupies the east-central portion of the prefecture, south of Shimokita Peninsula.As of 2010, the district has an estimated population of 100,526 and a density of 78.5 persons per km². The total area was 1281.05 km².- Towns and villages...
districts of Aomori Prefecture) after the defeat of the Northern Fujiwara
Northern Fujiwara
The Northern Fujiwara were a Japanese noble family that ruled the Tōhoku region of Japan from the 12th to the 13th centuries as if it were their own realm. They succeeded the semi-independent Emishi families of the 11th century who were gradually brought down by the Minamoto clan loyal to the...
clan. As the land was suited for raising battle horses, he divided it into nine he (ranches), then further divided each he into four plots of north, south, east and west. This ranch system, which comprised four mon (directions) and nine he, is said to be the origin of the town's name Gonohe. The Chinese characters 五戸 used in the town's name translate as "fifth gate or door".
In April 1889, with the introduction of the town and village system, the land became Gonohe Village. In November 1915, the village was elevated to town status. In July 1955, Gonohe Town was combined with neighboring Kawauchi
Kawauchi, Aomori
was a town located in Shimokita District in northern Aomori Prefecture, Japan.Kawauchi Village was founded in 1889 from the merger the hamlets of Kawauchi, Hinokigawa, Shukunohe, and Kakizaki. It was elevated to town status on October 31, 1917...
and Asada villages; this also included incorporating part of the Tekurabashi area of Nozawa Village and the Toyomauchi area of Toyosaki Village. After a merger with the neighbouring village of Kuraishi
Kuraishi, Aomori
was a village located in Sannohe District in central Aomori Prefecture, Japan.Kuraishi Village was founded on April 1, 1889. On July 1, 2004 it was merged into the town of Gonohe, and thus no longer exists as an independent municipality....
on July 1, 2004, Gonohe now 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 25,635 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 116.04 persons per km². In recent years there has been a small community of repatriated Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
n Japanese living in Kuraishi.
Local culture
In its earlier history Gonohe enjoyed a reputation as a breeding centre for horses of exceptional quality, popular amongst the samuraiSamurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
. With the decline of the samurai, Gonohe's horses continued to be bred for their meat. The lean horse meat is coveted as a delicacy, especially when served in its raw form, known as . This dish is a speciality of both Gonohe and Kumamoto
Kumamoto, Kumamoto
is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. Greater Kumamoto has a population of 1,460,000, as of the 2000 census...
in southern Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
. After its horses, Gonohe is best known for the local popularity of soccer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
.
Economy
Key industries of the town are agriculture, with a focus mainly on producing vegetables, rice and livestock. Since the town was designated a new industrial city of Hachinohe district, inland industries have developed in the Jizo-daira Industrial Estate, where 20 companies are now in operation.Sister City relations
- Bayombong, Nueva VizcayaNueva Vizcaya
Nueva Vizcaya is a province of the Philippines located in the Cagayan Valley region in Luzon. Its capital is Bayombong. It is bordered by, clockwise from the north, Ifugao, Isabela, Quirino, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, and Benguet.-History, people and culture:The name was derived from the...
Province, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, since 1983 - Okcheon, Chungcheongbuk-do
Chungcheongbuk-do
Chungcheongbuk-do is a province in the centre of South Korea. It was formed in 1896 from the northeastern half of the former Chungcheong province...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, since 1997
Recent controversy
On 28 June 2001 the town's Korean 'sister city' Okcheon cancelled a planned trip to send 25 young people, mostly students, on an exchange visit to Gonohe. According to the insistence of South Korea, The decision was a reaction to the recent approval in Japan of a series of junior high school history textbooks that were regarded by Korea as distorting historical fact and glossing over the atrocities carried out by the Japanese militaryImperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The youngsters had planned to visit between 29 August and 2 September that year, to coincide with the Gonohe festival held on 31 August. The event was preceded by a related incident in April of that year, when a group of Gonohe assemblymen cancelled a planned visit to Korea that May. That decision had also been made owing to the schism caused by the latest developments in the Japanese history textbook controversies
Japanese history textbook controversies
Japanese history textbook controversies refers to controversial content in government-approved history textbooks used in the secondary education of Japan...
. Gonohe was disappointed because Okchongun had discontinued the contract of the exchange many times afterwards. Gonohe proposes to Okchongu "Gonohe hopes for a minimum exchange because Gonohe is a financial difficulty".
Noted residents of Gonohe
- Kyōsuke EtoKyōsuke Etowas a career officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Russo-Japanese War and in World War I. He was killed in the disaster of 1917.-Biography:...
- local war hero - Masayoshi Miura - professional baseball player
- Makoto Teguramori - professional soccer player
- Hiroshi Teguramori - professional soccer player
- Takahiro Shimotaira - professional soccer player
- Tsuyoshi Furukawa - professional soccer player
External links
Gonohe official websiteArticle about Textbook Incident