Shikokuchuo, Ehime
Encyclopedia
is a city
located in Ehime
, Japan
.
Shikokuchūō is the leading producer of paper and paper products in Japan. It is also a port city and one of Ehime’s major centers of industry.
As of May 31, 2011, the city had an estimated population of 92,486, with 37,616 households
. The total area is 419.98 km2.
Industry began to flourish in Uma during the Edo period, and the city grew as a port town. The Tosa kaido offered access to Tosa in the south, so Uma was also a stopping spot, or ‘post station,’ for the Tosa daimyo and travelers to and from Tosa.
Paper making began in Uma around 1750, and much later grew into the region’s major industry.
, Iyomishima
, the town of Doi
and the village of Shingū
merged to form one new city. The name literally means "Shikoku
Central City" and was so named in the hopes of becoming the new capital of the island of Shikoku, should the four prefectures be merged into one state.
However, this name has been roundly criticized for its unoriginality, and is known as one of the "Strange City Names" throughout Japan.
The former cities of Kawanoe and Mishima (the two largest cities of the four that merged) have fought for political control over the new city.
The history of the paper industry extends back to around 1750, when washi was first produced in the Uma area. The area does not have much flat land, and is ill suited to rice farming, but as water and the proper kind of wood are plentiful, it’s ideal for paper manufacturing. The modern paper industry began to flourish when mechanized manufacturing techniques were developed in the Meiji era. After World War II, the paper industry contributed to the city’s rapid economic growth.
The city Paper Museum, Kami no Machi Shiryokan, has exhibits and information on traditional paper making and the modern paper industry.
, son of the nineteenth emperor, who in the Kojiki was banished to Iyo by his brother.
In recent years the Tosa kaido has been maintained through the efforts of volunteers. Hikers can walk on a footpath from Kawanoe to Otoyo, Kochi. (The path sometimes joins Ehime prefectural road 5.)
In 1984, Kawanoe City began a project to rebuild Kawanoe Castle. Construction was completed in 1988.
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...
.
Shikokuchūō is the leading producer of paper and paper products in Japan. It is also a port city and one of Ehime’s major centers of industry.
As of May 31, 2011, the city had an estimated population of 92,486, with 37,616 households
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"....
. The total area is 419.98 km2.
History
Shikokuchūō is part of the former Uma district. As Uma is centrally located in Shikoku, it was historically a transportation hub between Shikoku’s major cities. Due to its strategic importance, during the Sengoku period Uma was repeatedly invaded by the neighboring domains of Sanuki, Awa and Tosa. Forts were built in the east part of Uma to protect against these invasions.Industry began to flourish in Uma during the Edo period, and the city grew as a port town. The Tosa kaido offered access to Tosa in the south, so Uma was also a stopping spot, or ‘post station,’ for the Tosa daimyo and travelers to and from Tosa.
Paper making began in Uma around 1750, and much later grew into the region’s major industry.
Government and Naming
Shikokuchūō city was founded on April 1, 2004 when the cities of KawanoeKawanoe, Ehime
was a city located in Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2004 Kawanoe was merged with the town of Doi, the village of Shingū, both from Uma District, and the old city of Iyomishima, to form the new city of Shikokuchūō....
, Iyomishima
Iyomishima, Ehime
was a city located in Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2004 Iyomishima was merged with the town of Doi, the village of Shingū, both from Uma District, and the old city of Kawanoe, to form the new city of Shikokuchūō....
, the town of Doi
Doi, Ehime
was a town located in Uma District, Ehime, Shikoku, Japan.On April 1, 2004 Doi was merged with the village of Shingū, also from Uma District, and the old cities of Iyomishima and Kawanoe, to form the new city of Shikokuchūō....
and the village of Shingū
Shingu, Ehime
was a village located in Uma District, Ehime, Japan.On April 1, 2004 Shingū was merged with the town of Doi, also from Uma District, and the old cities of Iyomishima and Kawanoe, to form the new city of Shikokuchūō....
merged to form one new city. The name literally means "Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
Central City" and was so named in the hopes of becoming the new capital of the island of Shikoku, should the four prefectures be merged into one state.
However, this name has been roundly criticized for its unoriginality, and is known as one of the "Strange City Names" throughout Japan.
The former cities of Kawanoe and Mishima (the two largest cities of the four that merged) have fought for political control over the new city.
Paper Industry
Shikokuchūō is the leading producer of paper and paper products in Japan.The history of the paper industry extends back to around 1750, when washi was first produced in the Uma area. The area does not have much flat land, and is ill suited to rice farming, but as water and the proper kind of wood are plentiful, it’s ideal for paper manufacturing. The modern paper industry began to flourish when mechanized manufacturing techniques were developed in the Meiji era. After World War II, the paper industry contributed to the city’s rapid economic growth.
The city Paper Museum, Kami no Machi Shiryokan, has exhibits and information on traditional paper making and the modern paper industry.
Manabe house
The Manabe house is the oldest extant minka (traditional Japanese house) in Ehime, and is designated as a national cultural treasure. The house was built by the Manabe family, who were descended from members of the Heike clan who fled to Shikoku after the Heike’s defeat in the Genpei War.Junshin-do
The Buddhist monk Junshin dwelt here after he was expelled from Tosa province (modern day Kochi). As is described in the lyrics of the Yosakoi naruko dancing song, Junshin had an illicit affair with a comb-maker’s daughter, and the two of them attempted to elope. After they were caught leaving Tosa without permission, Junshin was permanently expelled from Tosa, and the two of them were separated. Junshin lived in this building for the remainder of his life.Kofun
Many burial mounds, or kofun, were built in the area during the mid to late Kofun period. These include the Toguzan burial mounds, the Kyogaoka burial mounds (circa sixth century AD), and the Mukaiyama burial mounds (early seventh century). The Toguzan kofun is said to be the grave of crown prince Kinashi no Karu no MikoPrince Kinashi no Karu
was a Japanese prince. He was a son of Emperor Ingyō.Prince Kinashi no Karu, Princess Karu no Ōiratsume, Prince Anaho and Prince Ōhatsuse Wakatake were born as children of Emperor Ingyō and Oshisaka no Ōnakatsuhime no Mikoto...
, son of the nineteenth emperor, who in the Kojiki was banished to Iyo by his brother.
Tosa Kaido
The Tosa kaido is a direct route over the mountains between Tosa (modern day Kochi) and Iyo (modern day Ehime) that was used from ancient times to the Edo era. In Shikokuchūō, the road starts in Kawanoe, passes through Shingu, and continues to Sasagamine ridge in Otoyo Town, Kochi. Parts of the road date back to 793, when it was made an official government route of the Daijo-kan (the central government in Kyoto). The road later fell out of use by the government, but continued to be used by travelers and people in Shikoku for the next nine hundred years. From 1718, the Edo shogunate began to use the road for sankinkotai, the policy of forcing the daimyo of every han to move periodically between Edo and his han.In recent years the Tosa kaido has been maintained through the efforts of volunteers. Hikers can walk on a footpath from Kawanoe to Otoyo, Kochi. (The path sometimes joins Ehime prefectural road 5.)
Kawanoe Castle
Kawanoe Castle was built in 1337 at the beginning of the Nanboku-cho period. For the next several hundred years, it was attacked repeatedly by armies from Sanuki, Awa, and Tosa. It fell to the armies of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1585, when he conquered Shikoku. The castle was torn down in 1611, and some of it was used for Matsuyama Castle.In 1984, Kawanoe City began a project to rebuild Kawanoe Castle. Construction was completed in 1988.
Shodo Girls
The 2010 movie Shodo Girls!! Watashi-tachi no Koshien was filmed in Shikokuchūō. The movie is about a high school calligraphy club which prepares to compete in the "Shodo Girls Koshien" -- a performance calligraphy event involving teams drawing on 10m x 12m sheets of paper while performing to music. Shodo Girls is based on a true story.People from Shikokuchūō
- Ken Kamakura, baseball player
- Minoru ShiraishiMinoru Shiraishiis a Japanese voice actor who was formerly affiliated with I'm Enterprise and Pro-Fit. He is the only "live-action" character in the Newtype Anime magazine to be featured in the Monthly Top-10 Most-Popular Male Character charts...
, voice actor - Yoshikazu ShirakawaYoshikazu Shirakawais a renowned Japanese photographer. He is particularly well known for his book Himalayas, published by Harry N. Abrams in 1971.-Bibliography:*Himalayas, preface by Arnold Toynbee & preface by Sir Edmund Hillary. New York: Harry N. Abrams ISBN 0810901625*The Alps, text translated by Max A. Wyss,...
, photographer - Kiyonori Sogabe, trumpeter
- Kumiko TakahashiChatmonchy' is a two-piece all-female rock band which consists of Eriko Hashimoto , Akiko Fukuoka , and formerly Kumiko Takahashi who are from Tokushima Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, Japan....
, drummer (chatmonchy)
External links
- Shikokuchuo official website in English