Iyo, Ehime
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...

 located in Ehime
Ehime Prefecture
is a prefecture in northwestern Shikoku, Japan. The capital is Matsuyama.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, Ehime prefecture was known as Iyo 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...

.

On April 1, 2005, Iyo merged with the towns of Nakayama
Nakayama, Ehime
was a town located in Iyo District, Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Nakayama, along with the town of Futami, also from Iyo District, was merged into the expanded city of Iyo....

 and Futami
Futami, Ehime
was a town located in Iyo District, Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Futami, along with the town of Nakayama, also from Iyo District, was merged into the expanded city of Iyo....

 from the surrounding Iyo District
Iyo District, Ehime
The is a district located in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. As of 2004 the estimated population is 52,832 with a total area is 121.89 km².The district contains two towns*Masaki*Tobe-History:...

 to form the new city of Iyo, raising its population to over 40,000 and nearly quadrupling its area.

Geography

Iyo is situated in the center of Ehime
Ehime Prefecture
is a prefecture in northwestern Shikoku, Japan. The capital is Matsuyama.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, Ehime prefecture was known as Iyo Province...

, approximately 10 kilometers southwest of the prefectural capital of Matsuyama
Matsuyama, Ehime
is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture on the Shikoku island of Japan. It is located on the northeastern portion of the Dōgo Plain. Its name means "pine mountain." The city was founded on December 15, 1889....

. The western portion of the city, from Gunchū in the north down to Futami
Futami, Ehime
was a town located in Iyo District, Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Futami, along with the town of Nakayama, also from Iyo District, was merged into the expanded city of Iyo....

's Shimonada in the south, hug the coast of the Inland Sea, nestled in the southwestern section of the Dogo Plain. The southeastern portion of the city enters into the mountains in the interior of the prefecture, and the Nakayama
Nakayama, Ehime
was a town located in Iyo District, Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Nakayama, along with the town of Futami, also from Iyo District, was merged into the expanded city of Iyo....

 area in particular is quite mountainous.

Nearby cities and towns

  • Masaki
    Masaki, Ehime
    is a town located in Iyo District, Ehime, Japan.As of March 1, 2007, the town has an estimated population of 31,560 and a density of 1,605.29 persons per km². The total area is 19.66 km².-External links:*...

     to the north
  • Tobe
    Tobe, Ehime
    is a town located in Iyo District, Ehime, Japan.As of January 1, 2005, the village of Hirota, also from Iyo District, was merged into Tobe.Following this merger, the town has an estimated population of 22,780 and a density of 224 persons per km². The total area is 101.57 km².Ehime Prefectural...

     to the east
  • Uchiko
    Uchiko, Ehime
    is a town located in Kita District, Ehime, Japan.On January 1, 2005 the town of Ikazaki, from Kita District; and the town of Oda, from Kamiukena District, were merged into Uchiko....

     and Ōzu
    Ozu, Ehime
    is a city located in Ehime, Japan.On January 11, 2005 Ōzu absorbed the towns of Hijikawa and Nagahama, and the village of Kawabe, all from Kita District, to form the new and expanded city of Ōzu....

     to the south

History

While archaeological artifacts show that the Iyo area has been settled since at least as far back as the Yayoi period
Yayoi period
The is an Iron Age era in the history of Japan traditionally dated 300 BC to 300 AD. It is named after the neighbourhood of Tokyo where archaeologists first uncovered artifacts and features from that era. Distinguishing characteristics of the Yayoi period include the appearance of new...

 (300 BC to 250 AD), the origins of the present city of Iyo can be traced back to the year 1635, when the Matsuyama han ceded the territory including Iyo to the Ōzu han
Ozu Domain
was a Japanese han or fief centered on Ōzu in Iyo Province . It was governed from Ōzu Castle.Ōzu Domain was abolished, along with all the other han, in 1871.-House of Katō:#Katō Sadayasu #Katō Yasuoki...

. The port at Gunchū, the heart of present-day Iyo, became the main commercial port for the Ōzu han
Ozu Domain
was a Japanese han or fief centered on Ōzu in Iyo Province . It was governed from Ōzu Castle.Ōzu Domain was abolished, along with all the other han, in 1871.-House of Katō:#Katō Sadayasu #Katō Yasuoki...

 and the surrounding community flourished.
  • January 1, 1955 — The town of Gunchū merged with the villages of Kita-yamasaki, Minami-yamasaki and Minami-iyo to form the first incarnation of the city of Iyo.
  • April 1, 2005 — The city absorbed the neighboring towns of Nakayama
    Nakayama, Ehime
    was a town located in Iyo District, Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Nakayama, along with the town of Futami, also from Iyo District, was merged into the expanded city of Iyo....

     and Futami
    Futami, Ehime
    was a town located in Iyo District, Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Futami, along with the town of Nakayama, also from Iyo District, was merged into the expanded city of Iyo....

     from the surrounding Iyo District
    Iyo District, Ehime
    The is a district located in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. As of 2004 the estimated population is 52,832 with a total area is 121.89 km².The district contains two towns*Masaki*Tobe-History:...

    .

Economy

Iyo houses the national headquarters for Marutomo and Yamaki, food manufacturing companies that specialize in dried Bonito flakes
Katsuobushi
is the Japanese name for dried, fermented, and smoked skipjack tuna .Shaved Katsuobushi and dried kelp - kombu - are the main ingredients of dashi, a broth that forms the basis of many soups and sauces in Japanese cuisine.Katsuobushi's distinct umami flavor comes from its high...

. Other main products include mikan
Mikan
The satsuma is a seedless and easy-peeling citrus mutant of Japanese origin introduced to the West.In Japan, it is known as mikan or formally unshu mikan . In China, it is known as Wenzhou migan . The Japanese name is a result of the local reading of the same characters used in the Chinese...

 and Nakayama chestnut
Chestnut
Chestnut , some species called chinkapin or chinquapin, is a genus of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.-Species:The chestnut belongs to the...

s and other fruits and vegetables. In addition, Futami
Futami, Ehime
was a town located in Iyo District, Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Futami, along with the town of Nakayama, also from Iyo District, was merged into the expanded city of Iyo....

 has had some success in making its sunset a local tourist draw, creating a seaside park, a sunset museum and an annual sunset concert at its Shimonada Station.

Transportation

Rail

Iyo is served by the Yosan and Uchiko lines
Yosan Line
The is a railway line on the island of Shikoku in Japan, operated by the Shikoku Railway Company . It runs along the Inland Sea coast, connecting the prefectural capitals of Takamatsu and Matsuyama , continuing on to Uwajima...

 of JR Shikoku and the Gunchū line of the Matsuyama commuter railway system run by the Iyo Railway Company.

The Yosan Line follows the coastline, running from Torinoki Station in the north through Iyoshi Station, the main station serving pre-merger Iyo, Mukaibara Station, then Konokawa Station, Iyo-Kaminada Station, Shimonada Station and Kushi Station in Futami before running into Ōzu
Ozu, Ehime
is a city located in Ehime, Japan.On January 11, 2005 Ōzu absorbed the towns of Hijikawa and Nagahama, and the village of Kawabe, all from Kita District, to form the new and expanded city of Ōzu....

. Nakayama is served by the Uchiko line, which diverges from the Yosan Line
Yosan Line
The is a railway line on the island of Shikoku in Japan, operated by the Shikoku Railway Company . It runs along the Inland Sea coast, connecting the prefectural capitals of Takamatsu and Matsuyama , continuing on to Uwajima...

 at Mukaibara and continues on Iyo-Ohira Station and Iyo-Nakayama Station before entering Uchiko
Uchiko, Ehime
is a town located in Kita District, Ehime, Japan.On January 1, 2005 the town of Ikazaki, from Kita District; and the town of Oda, from Kamiukena District, were merged into Uchiko....

 and eventually rejoining the Yosan Line
Yosan Line
The is a railway line on the island of Shikoku in Japan, operated by the Shikoku Railway Company . It runs along the Inland Sea coast, connecting the prefectural capitals of Takamatsu and Matsuyama , continuing on to Uwajima...

 in Ōzu
Ozu, Ehime
is a city located in Ehime, Japan.On January 11, 2005 Ōzu absorbed the towns of Hijikawa and Nagahama, and the village of Kawabe, all from Kita District, to form the new and expanded city of Ōzu....

. Limited express trains stop regularly at Iyoshi Station and occasionally at Iyo-Nakayama Station.

The stations on Iyo Railway Company's Gunchū line within the city of Iyo are Shinkawa Station, Gunchū Station and the terminal station, Gunchūkõ, which is directly across the street from Iyoshi Station on JR Shikoku's Yosan Line
Yosan Line
The is a railway line on the island of Shikoku in Japan, operated by the Shikoku Railway Company . It runs along the Inland Sea coast, connecting the prefectural capitals of Takamatsu and Matsuyama , continuing on to Uwajima...

.

Road

The Matsuyama Expressway
Matsuyama Expressway
The is an expressway running in the northwestern and western parts of the island of Shikoku and entirely in the Ehime Prefecture. It passes through the municipalities of Shikokuchūō, Niihama, Saijō, Tōon, Matsuyama, a tiny portion of northern Tobe, Iyo, Uchiko, Ōzu and Seiyo.The superhighway runs...

's Iyo exit provides access to the Matsuyama International Airport and runs through the center of the city, as does Route 56 linking Matsuyama
Matsuyama, Ehime
is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture on the Shikoku island of Japan. It is located on the northeastern portion of the Dōgo Plain. Its name means "pine mountain." The city was founded on December 15, 1889....

 to Ōzu
Ozu, Ehime
is a city located in Ehime, Japan.On January 11, 2005 Ōzu absorbed the towns of Hijikawa and Nagahama, and the village of Kawabe, all from Kita District, to form the new and expanded city of Ōzu....

. Route 378, running from downtown Iyo through Futami
Futami, Ehime
was a town located in Iyo District, Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Futami, along with the town of Nakayama, also from Iyo District, was merged into the expanded city of Iyo....

 and towards Nagahama
Nagahama, Ehime
was a town located in Kita District, Ehime, Japan.On January 11, 2005 Nagahama, along with the town of Hijikawa, and the village of Kawabe, all from Kita District, was merged into the expanded city of Ōzu and no longer exists as an independent municipality....

, is a scenic coastal road.

External links

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