Nishiaizu, Fukushima
Encyclopedia
is a town
located in Yama District, Fukushima
, Japan
. It is known as the "front door" to the Iide Mountains
.
The town was founded in 1954 through a merger
of smaller villages. In 2006, Nishiaizu residents decided to decline a merger with the city of Kitakata
.
As of 2009, the town has an estimated population
of 7,655. Approximately 66% of the population is over the age of 65. The total area is 298.13 km². 86 percent of the total area is composed of mountains and forests.
.
The Fukushima Prefectural government maintains Nishiaizu High School.
or National Route 49. There is an expressway exit and rest area
. Also, there are four train stops along the West Ban'etsu Line
of East Japan Railway Company
within the town limits. There are buses for travel within the town and highway buses for travel to and from the surrounding areas, such as cities of Aizuwakamatsu
and Niigata
.
in Nishiaizu.
In addition, there are several Fukushima Prefectural Important Cultural Properties.
Towns of Japan
A town is a local administrative unit in Japan. It is a local public body along with prefecture , city , and village...
located in Yama District, Fukushima
Yama District, Fukushima
is a district located in Fukushima, Japan.As of 2008, the district has an estimated population of 31,175 and a density of 31.6 persons per km². The total area is 986.763 km².-Towns and villages:*Bandai*Inawashiro*Kitashiobara*Nishiaizu-Merger:...
, 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...
. It is known as the "front door" to the Iide Mountains
Iide Mountains
The or is a mountain range that spans over the Fukushima, Niigata and Yamagata prefectures in Japan. Its highest peak is at 2,128m, and the main peak of the range is Mount Iide at 2,105m above sea level...
.
The town was founded in 1954 through a merger
Merger and dissolution of municipalities of Japan
Municipal mergers and dissolutions carried out in Japan can take place within one municipality or between multiple municipalities and are required to be based upon consensus.- Merger policy:...
of smaller villages. In 2006, Nishiaizu residents decided to decline a merger with the city of Kitakata
Kitakata, Fukushima
is a city located in Fukushima, in northern Honshū, Japan. Kitakata was once written '北方', which meant 'northern place'.As of May 2011, the city had an estimated population of 51,955. The total area is 554.67km².The city was founded on March 31, 1954....
.
As of 2009, the town 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 7,655. Approximately 66% of the population is over the age of 65. The total area is 298.13 km². 86 percent of the total area is composed of mountains and forests.
Symbols
The town flower is the otomeyuri, a pink mountain lily. The town tree is the paulowniaPaulownia
Paulownia is a genus of from 6 to 17 species of plants in the monogeneric family Paulowniaceae, related to and sometimes included in the Scrophulariaceae. They are native to much of China, south to northern Laos and Vietnam, and long cultivated elsewhere in eastern Asia, notably in Japan and Korea...
.
School System
Nishiaizu-machi maintains one middle school and five elementary schools.- Nishiaizu Middle School
- Nozawa Elementary School
- Onomoto Elementary School
- Muraoka Elementary School
- Shingo Elementary School
- Okugawa Elementary School
The Fukushima Prefectural government maintains Nishiaizu High School.
Transportation
Nishiaizu can be accessed by car via the Ban-etsu ExpresswayBan-etsu Expressway
The is a national expressway in the Tōhoku region of Japan. It is owned and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.-Naming:The name is a kanji acronym consisting of characters found in the former names of the provinces linked by the expressway...
or National Route 49. There is an expressway exit and rest area
Rest area
A rest area, travel plaza, rest stop, or service area is a public facility, located next to a large thoroughfare such as a highway, expressway, or freeway at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting on to secondary roads...
. Also, there are four train stops along the West Ban'etsu Line
West Ban'etsu Line
The is a rail line in Japan operated by East Japan Railway Company . It runs between Kōriyama Station in Kōriyama, Fukushima Prefecture and Niitsu Station in Niigata, Niigata Prefecture. The name "Ban'etsu" is taken from the first characters of the names of the ancient provinces of and , which...
of East Japan Railway Company
East Japan Railway Company
is the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....
within the town limits. There are buses for travel within the town and highway buses for travel to and from the surrounding areas, such as cities of Aizuwakamatsu
Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima
is a city located in the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.As of May 2011, the city has an estimated population of 125,341. The total area is 383.03 km².-History:...
and Niigata
Niigata, Niigata
is the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It lies on the northwest coast of Honshu, the largest island of Japan, and faces the Sea of Japan and Sado Island....
.
Culture
There is one designated Important Cultural PropertyImportant Cultural Properties of Japan
The term is often shortened into just are items officially already classified as Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs and judged to be of particular importance to the Japanese people....
in Nishiaizu.
- Enmanji Kannon-dō, the temple building
In addition, there are several Fukushima Prefectural Important Cultural Properties.
- At Torioi-Kannon Nyohōji the gate and four wooden statues are Fukushima Prefectural Important Cultural Properties. The temple houses one of the Aizu region's three important statues of Kannon.