Tokushima, Tokushima
Encyclopedia
is the capital city
of Tokushima Prefecture
on Shikoku island in Japan.
As of May 1, 2011, the city had an estimated population
of 263,372, with 114,325 household
s, and a population density
of 1,377.25 persons per km². Its total area is 191.23 km².
The city is situated in the north-eastern part of Tokushima prefecture at the mouth of the Yoshino River
. In terms of layout and organization, Tokushima displays the typical characteristics of a Japanese castle town
.
Tokushima was developed under the Hachisuka clan
. Its prosperity was built on a strong indigo dye
industry.
Every August, during the Obon Festival, Tokushima holds a cultural dance festival, the Awa Odori
. Awa Odori literally translates as "Awa Dance" (Awa
being Tokushima prefecture's ancient name). During the festival, residents ranging from young children to professional dance troupes perform a distinctive style of Japanese traditional dance in regional costumes, accompanied by strings, drums, and singing (usually by the dancers themselves).
The modern city of Tokushima was founded on October 1, 1889. At the time, it was the 10th largest city in Japan.
The city is served by Tokushima Airport
(recently renamed to Awa Odori Airport), in nearby Matsushige
.
, USA Leiria
, Portugal Dandong
, Liaoning
, China
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...
of Tokushima Prefecture
Tokushima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on Shikoku island. The capital is the city of Tokushima.- Tokushima Prefecture and Myodo Prefecture :Long ago, Tokushima City belonged to a region known as Myōdō-gun...
on Shikoku island in Japan.
As of May 1, 2011, the city had 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 263,372, with 114,325 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, and a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 1,377.25 persons per km². Its total area is 191.23 km².
The city is situated in the north-eastern part of Tokushima prefecture at the mouth of the Yoshino River
Yoshino River
The Yoshino River is a river on the island of Shikoku, Japan. It is 194 km long and has a watershed of 3,750 km². It is the second longest river in Shikoku , and is the only river whose watershed spreads over the four prefectures of the island.It is regarded as one of the three greatest rivers of...
. In terms of layout and organization, Tokushima displays the typical characteristics of a Japanese castle town
Castle town
A castle town is a settlement built adjacent to or surrounding a castle. Castle towns are common in Medieval Europe. Good example include small towns like Alnwick and Arundel, which are still dominated by their castles...
.
Tokushima was developed under the Hachisuka clan
Hachisuka clan
The ' are descendants of Emperor Seiwa and are a branch of the Ashikaga clan and the Shiba clan .Ashikaga Ieuji , son of Ashikaga Yasuuji was the first who adopted the name of Shiba...
. Its prosperity was built on a strong indigo dye
Indigo dye
Indigo dye is an organic compound with a distinctive blue color . Historically, indigo was a natural dye extracted from plants, and this process was important economically because blue dyes were once rare. Nearly all indigo dye produced today — several thousand tons each year — is synthetic...
industry.
Every August, during the Obon Festival, Tokushima holds a cultural dance festival, the Awa Odori
Awa Dance Festival
The is held from 12 to 15 August as part of the Obon festival in Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku in Japan. Awa Odori is the largest dance festival in Japan, attracting over 1.3 million tourists every year....
. Awa Odori literally translates as "Awa Dance" (Awa
Awa Province
Awa Province may refer to:* Awa Province in modern-day Chiba Prefecture* Awa Province in modern-day Tokushima Prefecture...
being Tokushima prefecture's ancient name). During the festival, residents ranging from young children to professional dance troupes perform a distinctive style of Japanese traditional dance in regional costumes, accompanied by strings, drums, and singing (usually by the dancers themselves).
The modern city of Tokushima was founded on October 1, 1889. At the time, it was the 10th largest city in Japan.
The city is served by Tokushima Airport
Tokushima Airport
is an airport in Matsushige, Tokushima, Japan, near the city of Tokushima.In addition to scheduled passenger operations, the airport is the base of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Tokusima Air Training Group of 202 Air Training Squadron equipped with Beechcraft TC-90, and UH-60J Search and...
(recently renamed to Awa Odori Airport), in nearby Matsushige
Matsushige, Tokushima
is a town located in Itano District, Tokushima, Japan.As of 2003, the town haa an estimated population of 14,797 and a density of 1,129.54 per km². The total area is 13.10 km²....
.
Sister cities
Saginaw, MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, USA Leiria
Leiria
Leiria is a city in Leiria Municipality in the Centro Region, Portugal. It is the capital of Leiria District. The city proper has 50,200 inhabitants and the entire municipality has nearly 120,000...
, Portugal Dandong
Dandong
Dandong , previously known as Andong and Antung, is a city in Liaoning Province, Northeast China. It lies on the border between China and North Korea, which is marked by the Yalu River, and is the largest border city in China. Also, to the southwest of the city, the river flows into Korea Bay...
, Liaoning
Liaoning
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"...
, China
Education
- University of TokushimaUniversity of TokushimaThe is a national university in the city of Tokushima, Japan, with seven graduate schools and five undergraduate faculties. The university was founded in 1949, by merging six separate national educational facilities into one.-Overview:...
- Tokushima Bunri UniversityTokushima Bunri Universityis a private university in Tokushima, Japan.- History :In 1895, Sai Murasaki founded a private vocational school. In 1966, "Tokushima Women's University" was founded...
- Shikoku UniversityShikoku Universityis a private university in Tokushima, Japan.-External links:* *...
Mountains
| Name | Height | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bizan Mount Bizan is a mountain in Tokushima. Its name is formed of the kanji for eyebrow, and it is said to have earned this name because the mountain looks like an eyebrow from all views. Known as a symbol of Tokushima City, the name Mount Bizan appears in many school songs in the city district, such as the... (眉山) |
277 m | |
| Shiroyama (城山) |
62 m | |
| Nakatsu Mineyama (中津峰山) |
773 m | The highest mountain in the Tokushima City district. |
| Nishi Ryuo-san (西竜王山) |
495 m | |
| Higashi Ryuo-san (東龍王山) |
408m | |
| Kinobeyama (気延山) |
212 m | |
| Bentenzan (弁天山) |
6.1 m | Claimed to be the smallest natural mountain in all Japan. |
Rivers
- Akui River
- Imagire River
- Shinmachi RiverShinmachi RiverCounting the Suketō River, Tamiya River, Sako River, and Sumiyoshijima River as its tributaries, the is a river found in the heart of Tokushima City in Tokushima Prefecture....
- Suketō RiverSuketo RiverThe is a river in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. It starts on the western side of Hyōtan-jima where the Shinmachi River hits the Mitsuai Bridge and runs around to meet the river again to the east...
- Yoshino RiverYoshino RiverThe Yoshino River is a river on the island of Shikoku, Japan. It is 194 km long and has a watershed of 3,750 km². It is the second longest river in Shikoku , and is the only river whose watershed spreads over the four prefectures of the island.It is regarded as one of the three greatest rivers of...