Himeji, Hyogo
Encyclopedia
is a city
located in Hyōgo Prefecture
in the Kansai
region of Japan. As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population
of 535,945, with 206,409 household
s. The total area is 534.43 km².
since Nara period
. After the Battle of Sekigahara
, Ikeda Terumasa
received a fief at Harima Province and established the Himeji Domain
. He expanded the Himeji Castle and its castle town.
Himeji was the capital of Himeji Prefecture (later Shikama Prefecture) since 1871, but the prefecture was merged into Hyogo Prefecture in 1876. The city of Himeji was municipalized on April 1, 1889. After the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake
, the Japanese government reportedly considered moving the nation's capital from Tokyo to Himeji.
On March 27, 2006 the town of Yasutomi
, from Shisō District
, the town of Kōdera
, from Kanzaki District
, and the towns of Ieshima
and Yumesaki
, from Shikama District
, were merged into Himeji.
, a UNESCO
World Heritage Site. For over 400 years, Himeji Castle has remained intact, even throughout the extensive bombing of Himeji in World War II
and natural disasters such as the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake
and various typhoons. Other attractions include the Engyō-ji
temple, Mount Seppiko
, Himeji Central Park
(a safari park
), the Himeji City Tegarayama Botanical Garden
and the Koko-en Garden
.
", as the headquarters of four Shinkin banks are located here. Factories, iron works and thermal power generations line the seaside.
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, South Korea
Vashon Island High School, Washington
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 Hyōgo Prefecture
Hyogo Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...
in the 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...
region of Japan. As of April 1, 2011, the city 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 535,945, with 206,409 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"....
s. The total area is 534.43 km².
History
Himeji has been the center of Harima ProvinceHarima Province
or Banshu was a province of Japan in the part of Honshū that is the southwestern part of present-day Hyōgo Prefecture. Harima bordered on Tajima, Tamba, Settsu, Bizen, and Mimasaka Provinces. Its capital was Himeji....
since Nara period
Nara period
The of the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Gemmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō . Except for 5 years , when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kammu established a new capital, Nagaoka-kyō, in 784...
. After the Battle of Sekigahara
Battle of Sekigahara
The , popularly known as the , was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 which cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu...
, Ikeda Terumasa
Ikeda Terumasa
was a Japanese daimyo of the early Edo period. His court title was Musashi no Kami.Terumasa fought in many of the battles of the late Azuchi-Momoyama Period, and due to his service at the Battle of Sekigahara, received a fief at Himeji....
received a fief at Harima Province and established the Himeji Domain
Himeji Domain
The ' was a Japanese domain of the Edo Period, located in Harima Province .-List of lords:*Ikeda clan #Terumasa#Toshitaka#Mitsumasa*Honda clan #Tadamasa#Masatomo#Masakatsu...
. He expanded the Himeji Castle and its castle town.
Himeji was the capital of Himeji Prefecture (later Shikama Prefecture) since 1871, but the prefecture was merged into Hyogo Prefecture in 1876. The city of Himeji was municipalized on April 1, 1889. After the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake
1923 Great Kanto earthquake
The struck the Kantō plain on the Japanese main island of Honshū at 11:58:44 am JST on September 1, 1923. Varied accounts hold that the duration of the earthquake was between 4 and 10 minutes...
, the Japanese government reportedly considered moving the nation's capital from Tokyo to Himeji.
On March 27, 2006 the town of Yasutomi
Yasutomi, Hyogo
was a town located in Shisō District, Hyōgo, Japan.On March 27, 2006 Yasutomi, along with the towns of Ieshima and Yumesaki, both from Shikama District, and the town of Kōdera, from Kanzaki District, was merged into the expanded city of Himeji and is no longer an independent municipality.As of...
, from Shisō District
Shiso District, Hyogo
Shiso is a district located in Hyōgo, Japan.As of April 1, 2005 , the district has an estimated population of 5,983 and a density of 99 persons per km²...
, the town of Kōdera
Kodera, Hyogo
was a town located in Kanzaki District, Hyōgo, Japan.On March 27, 2006 Kōdera, along with the towns of Ieshima and Yumesaki, both from Shikama District, and the town of Yasutomi, from Shisō District, was merged into the expanded city of Himeji and is no longer an independent municipality.As of...
, from Kanzaki District
Kanzaki District, Hyogo
Kanzaki is a district located in Hyōgo, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 67,363 and a density of 185.93 persons per km²...
, and the towns of Ieshima
Ieshima, Hyogo
is a town located in Shikama District, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. It actually is a group of 40 small islands about 15 to 18 kilometers off the coast of Himeji and Akō...
and Yumesaki
Yumesaki, Hyogo
was a town located in Shikama District, Hyōgo, Japan.On March 27, 2006 Yumesaki, along with the town of Ieshima, also from Shikama District, the town of Yasutomi, from Shisō District, and the town of Kōdera, from Kanzaki District, was merged into the expanded city of Himeji and is no longer an...
, from Shikama District
Shikama District, Hyogo
Shikama was a district located in Hyogo, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 30,453 and a density of 182.91 persons per km². The total area is 166.49 km².On March 27, 2006, The district merged into Himeji....
, were merged into Himeji.
Points of interest
Originally a castle town, Himeji is home to the Himeji CastleHimeji Castle
When the han feudal system was abolished in 1871, Himeji Castle was put up for auction. The castle was purchased by a Himeji resident for 23 Japanese yen...
, a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site. For over 400 years, Himeji Castle has remained intact, even throughout the extensive bombing of Himeji in 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...
and natural disasters such as the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake
Great Hanshin earthquake
The Great Hanshin earthquake, or Kobe earthquake, was an earthquake that occurred on Tuesday, January 17, 1995, at 05:46 JST in the southern part of Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. It measured 6.8 on the moment magnitude scale , and Mj7.3 on JMA magnitude scale. The tremors lasted for approximately 20...
and various typhoons. Other attractions include the Engyō-ji
Engyo-ji
The is a temple of the Tendai sect in Himeji, Hyōgo, Japan. It was founded by Shoku Shonin in 966.The complex of buildings is at the top of Mt Shosha and can be reached by Mt. Shosha Ropeway, and is often visited by pilgrims. Scenes from The Last Samurai were filmed here.The Kansai Kannon...
temple, Mount Seppiko
Mount Seppiko
is a mountain or mountains in Himeji, Hyōgo, Japan. This mountain is one of the San-hiko-san, three Hiko Shugendō mountains in Japan, and also one of Hyōgo 50 mountains, and Kinki 100 mountains.- Outline :...
, Himeji Central Park
Himeji Central Park
The is a safari park in Himeji, Hyōgo, Japan. The park opened in March 1984, and is the only safari park in Kansai region. It has "sister park" agreement with Nairobi National Park, Kenya. The park also incorporates an amusement park...
(a safari park
Safari park
A safari park, sometimes known as a wildlife park, is a zoo-like commercial tourist attraction where visitors can drive in their own vehicles or ride in vehicles provided by the facility to observe freely roaming animals...
), the Himeji City Tegarayama Botanical Garden
Himeji City Tegarayama Botanical Garden
The , also known as the Himeji Tegarayama Green House, is a botanical garden located within a greenhouse in Tegarayama Central Park at 93 Tegara, Himeji, Hyogo, Japan.- References :* * *...
and the Koko-en Garden
Koko-en Garden
is a Japanese garden located next to Himeji Castle in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. It was constructed in 1992 at the site of the lord's west residence, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Himeji municipality...
.
Economy
Himeji is called "the kingdom of Shinkin bankShinkin bank
A is a type of Japanese bank.They are cooperative regional financial institutions serving small and medium enterprises and local residents. Anyone who lives, works, or has an office in the region served by the bank can become a member. However, companies with over 300 employees are prohibited...
", as the headquarters of four Shinkin banks are located here. Factories, iron works and thermal power generations line the seaside.
Twinnings
Himeji has sister city relationships with six international sister cities and two Japanese cities, as well as a sister castle located in France.Japan
- MatsumotoMatsumoto, Naganois a city located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Matsumoto is designated as a Special City.-Outline:The new city of Matsumoto is the city comprising the mergers of the old city of Matsumoto and four villages. Matsumoto officially absorbed those villages without creating a new municipal...
, in Nagano PrefectureNagano Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Nagano.- History :Nagano was formerly known as the province of Shinano... - TottoriTottori, Tottoriis the capital city of Tottori Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan.As of 2006, the city has an estimated population of 200,974 and a density of 262.48 persons per km². The total area is 765.66 km²....
, capital city in Tottori PrefectureTottori Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region. The capital is the city of Tottori. It is the least populous prefecture in Japan.- History :Before the Meiji Restoration, Tottori encompassed the old provinces of Hōki and Inaba...
International
CharleroiCharleroi
Charleroi is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. , the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 522,522 as of 1 January 2008, ranking it as...
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Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, United States Adelaide
City of Adelaide
The City of Adelaide is a local government area in the metropolitan area of Adelaide, South Australia. It covers the original Adelaide city centre settlement, , North Adelaide, and the Adelaide Park Lands which surround North Adelaide and the city centre.Established in 1840, the organisation now...
, Australia Curitiba
Curitiba
Curitiba is the capital of the Brazilian state of Paraná. It is the largest city with the biggest economy of both Paraná and southern Brazil. The population of Curitiba numbers approximately 1.75 million people and the latest GDP figures for the city surpass US$61 billion according to...
, Brazil Taiyuan
Taiyuan
Taiyuan is the capital and largest city of Shanxi province in North China. At the 2010 census, it had a total population of 4,201,591 inhabitants on 6959 km² whom 3,212,500 are urban on 1,460 km². The name of the city literally means "Great Plains", referring to the location where the Fen River...
, People's Republic of China Changwon
Changwon
Changwon is a city in and the capital of Gyeongsangnam-do in South Korea. Changwon city is 8th most populous city in South Korea, with a 2010 established population of 1,089,039. It encompasses a land area of on southeastern of South Korea. The population of Southeastern part of Korea, that...
, South Korea
International
Himeji Minami High School, Himeji, with Vashon Island High School, WashingtonFamous people from Himeji
- Aya MatsuuraAya Matsuurais a Japanese pop singer from Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.-2000–2009: Hello! Project:Aya auditioned in 2000 for the fourth Morning Musume & Heike Michiyo Protegee Audition and was selected along with Sheki-Dol to become a part of what was later known as Hello! Project. It is a common...
, entertainer - Psycho le CémuPsycho le CémuPsycho le Cému was a Japanese visual rock band. Its members are Aya, Daishi, Lida, Seek, and Yuraサマ . Formed in 1999, Psycho le Cému distinguished themselves in the visual kei scene via their cosplay, with its members dressing in colorful, extravagant outfits inspired by anime and video game...
, visual rock band - Kenzo TakadaKenzo TakadaKenzo Takada is a Japanese fashion designer. He is also the founder of Kenzo, a worldwide brand of perfumes, skincare products and clothes....
, fashion designer - Tetsuro WatsujiTetsuro WatsujiTetsuro Watsuji was a Japanese moral philosopher, cultural historian, and intellectual historian.-Early life:...
, philosopher and historian