Saijo, Hiroshima (Kamo)
Encyclopedia
Saijō-chō was a town
located in Kamo District
, Hiroshima
, Japan
. The town is situated Higashihiroshima
.
(Aki-Kokubun temple) from the 8th Century. It benefited from its location on the Sanyodō linking the capital with Kyūshū
, but the benefit was double-edged as its communications and proximity to the sea meant it was heavily embroiled in the Sengoku period
struggles between the clans of western Honshū
.
During the later Edo period, Saijō was a post-town on the Sanyodō and home to a government office.
In 1974 the Kamo District towns of Saijō, Hachihonmatsu, Shiwa and Takaya were combined to form Higashihiroshima, the twelfth city in Hiroshima Prefecture
.
In April 1973, Saijō was chosen as the home of the (largely) relocated Hiroshima University
. The relocation of the university and the establishment of the Hiroshima Central Technopolis (since 1984) has created many jobs and intellectual opportunities, a new communications network (Saijō was made part of the Sanyo Shinkansen
in October 1993) and has put the area on the technology map, but has also seen much of the green-field areas eaten up as the population of Higashihiroshima City soared to 100,000 (August 1992).
(white-lattice walled) and Sekishu Gawara (red-roof tile) roofs of ten well-known sake breweries; Chiyonoharu, Fukubijin, Hakubotan, Kamoki, Kamoizumi, Kamotsuru, Kirei, Saijotsuru, Sakurafubuki, and Sanyotsuru. From July 1995 Saijō was made the home of the Brewery Laboratory of the National Tax Office.
Each October there is also the Saijō Sake Matsuri 酒まつり (Sake Festival) which draws crowds of between 100-200,000 revelers and sake connoisseurs before the brewing season (October-March) begins.
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 Kamo District
Kamo District, Hiroshima
Kamo was a district located in Hiroshima Prefecture until 2005. On March 22, 2005 the town of Daiwa merged with the city of Mihara and two towns to form the city of Mihara at which point the district officially ceased to exist...
, Hiroshima
Hiroshima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Hiroshima.- History :The area around Hiroshima was formerly divided into Bingo Province and Aki Province. This location has been a center of trade and culture since the beginning of Japan's recorded...
, 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 town is situated Higashihiroshima
Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima
is a city located in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.Higashihiroshima is a university town of Hiroshima University. Higashihiroshima is adjacent to Hiroshima, and so also forms a commuter town of Hiroshima....
.
History
From the earliest times, the fertile region around Saijō (part of the ancient province of Aki) has been occupied, as displayed by the Mitsushiro Kofun (a 5th Century burial mound) and the Aki-KokubunjiProvincial temple
Emperor Shōmu of Japan established so-called provincial temples in each province of Japan...
(Aki-Kokubun temple) from the 8th Century. It benefited from its location on the Sanyodō linking the capital with 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....
, but the benefit was double-edged as its communications and proximity to the sea meant it was heavily embroiled in the Sengoku period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
struggles between the clans of western Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
.
During the later Edo period, Saijō was a post-town on the Sanyodō and home to a government office.
In 1974 the Kamo District towns of Saijō, Hachihonmatsu, Shiwa and Takaya were combined to form Higashihiroshima, the twelfth city in Hiroshima Prefecture
Hiroshima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Hiroshima.- History :The area around Hiroshima was formerly divided into Bingo Province and Aki Province. This location has been a center of trade and culture since the beginning of Japan's recorded...
.
In April 1973, Saijō was chosen as the home of the (largely) relocated Hiroshima University
Hiroshima University
, located in the Japanese cities of Higashihiroshima and Hiroshima, was established 1949 by the merger of a number of national educational institutions.-History:Under the National School Establishment Law, Hiroshima University was established on May 31, 1949...
. The relocation of the university and the establishment of the Hiroshima Central Technopolis (since 1984) has created many jobs and intellectual opportunities, a new communications network (Saijō was made part of the Sanyo Shinkansen
Shinkansen
The , also known as THE BULLET TRAIN, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of of lines with maximum speeds of , of Mini-shinkansen with a...
in October 1993) and has put the area on the technology map, but has also seen much of the green-field areas eaten up as the population of Higashihiroshima City soared to 100,000 (August 1992).
Sake
If Saijō is famed for one thing in particular, it is sake (rice wine). Within the narrow streets of the Sakagura Dori ("Sake Storehouse Road") area near JR Saijō Station are the Namako wallNamako wall
Namako wall or Namako-kabe is a Japanese wall design widely used for vernacular houses, particularly on fireproof storehouses by the latter half of the Edo period. The namako wall is distinguished by a white grid pattern on black slate...
(white-lattice walled) and Sekishu Gawara (red-roof tile) roofs of ten well-known sake breweries; Chiyonoharu, Fukubijin, Hakubotan, Kamoki, Kamoizumi, Kamotsuru, Kirei, Saijotsuru, Sakurafubuki, and Sanyotsuru. From July 1995 Saijō was made the home of the Brewery Laboratory of the National Tax Office.
Each October there is also the Saijō Sake Matsuri 酒まつり (Sake Festival) which draws crowds of between 100-200,000 revelers and sake connoisseurs before the brewing season (October-March) begins.
External links
- Sake Festival
- http://www.sakematsuri.com/2006/index_e.html (English)
- http://www.sakematsuri.com/2006/index.html (Japanese)
- Hiroshima Cricket Club
- http://www.city.higashihiroshima.hiroshima.jp/www/toppage/0000000000000/APM03000.html (Japanese)
- http://www.city.higashihiroshima.hiroshima.jp/eng/index.html (English)
- http://www.jnto.go.jp/tourism/en/71.html
- http://park.org/Japan/Public/Hiroshima/htmleng/ecity12.htm