Toyota, Aichi
Encyclopedia
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 the Mikawa
Mikawa
Mikawa may refer to:Places in Japan* Mikawa Province, an old province of Japan* Mikawa, Yamagata, a town in Yamagata Prefecture* Mikawa, Ishikawa, former town in Ishikawa Prefecture* Mikawa, Kumamoto, former town in Kumamoto Prefecture...
region of Aichi Prefecture
Aichi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- History :...
, 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...
, east of Nagoya
Nagoya, Aichi
is the third-largest incorporated city and the fourth most populous urban area in Japan.Located on the Pacific coast in the Chūbu region on central Honshu, it is the capital of Aichi Prefecture and is one of Japan's major ports along with those of Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, Yokohama, Chiba, and Moji...
.
Toyota's main plant, the Tsutsumi plant, is located here. The longstanding ties between the Toyota Motor Corporation and the town of Toyota-shi, formerly known as Koromo, gave the town its current name.
Geography
Toyota is located in north-central Aichi Prefecture, and is the largest city in the prefecture in terms of area. The city area is mountainous to the north, with peaks averaging around 1000 meters in height along its northern border with Nagano and Gifu Prefectures. Much of the mountainous northern portion of the city is within the Aichi Kōgen Quasi-National ParkAichi Kōgen Quasi-National Park
is a quasi-national park in the Tōkai region of Honshū in Japan. It is rated a protected landscape according to the IUCN. As with neighboring Hida-Kisogawa Quasi-National Park and Tenryū-Okumikawa Quasi-National Park the park includes mountainous landscapes with gorges and dense forests...
. The central and southern portions of the city have rolling hills and agricultural flatlands.
Surrounding municipalities
- Aichi Prefecture
- AnjōAnjo, Aichiis a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of August 2011, the city had an estimated population of 179,614 and a population density of 2,090 persons per km²...
, OkazakiOkazaki, Aichiis a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of August 2011, the city had an estimated population of 373,339 and a population density of 964 persons per km². The total area was 387.24 km².-Geography:...
, KariyaKariya, Aichiis a city located in central Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of October 2011, the city had an estimated population of 145,955 and a population density of 2890 persons per km²...
, ShinshiroShinshiro, Aichiis a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population of 49,731 and the population density of 99.7 persons per km². The total area was 499.00 km².-Geography:...
, SetoSeto, Aichiis a city located in Aichi, Japan. It is located about 35 minutes from Nagoya by way of the Meitetsu Seto Line.As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 133,121, with a household number of 53,253, and the density of 1,192.63 persons per km². The total area is 111.62 km².-...
, ChiryuChiryu, Aichiis a city located in central Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of October 2011, the city had an estimated population of 69,127 and a population density of 4230 persons per km². The total area was 16.34 km².-Neighboring municipalities:*Toyota*Kariya* Anjō...
, NisshinNisshin, Aichiis a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.As of July 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 83,120, with 32,471 households and a population density of 2,381.66 persons per km². Its total area is 34.90 km².The city was founded on October 1, 1994....
, NagakuteNagakute, Aichiis a town located in Aichi District, Aichi, Japan.On March 25, 2005, Expo 2005 opened with its main site being in Nagakute...
, MiyoshiMiyoshi, Aichiis a city located in central Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of October 2011, the city had an estimated population of 60,534 and a population density of 1890 persons per km². The total area was 32.11 km².-Neighboring municipalities:*Toyota*Nisshin*Kariya...
, ShitaraShitara, Aichiis a town located in Kitashitara District, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the town had an estimated population of 5,747 and a population density of 21 persons per km². The total area was 273.96 km².-Geography:...
- Anjō
- Gifu Prefecture
- TokiToki, Gifuis a city in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The city is located on the Honshū island, to the southeast of Gifu City, the prefectural capital. The Toki River runs through the downtown area. Toki is known as one of the largest producers of Japanese pottery. The products made in the region are generally...
, MizunamiMizunami, Gifuis a city located in the Tōnō region of Gifu, Japan.As of July 2011, the city has an estimated population of 40,030. The total area is 175.00 km².The city was founded on April 1, 1954....
- Toki
- Nagano Prefecture
- NebaNeba, Naganois a village located in Shimoina District, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the village has an estimated population of 1,289 and a density of 14.33 persons per km². The total area is 89.95 km².- History :...
- Neba
History
The area of present-day Toyota city has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and archaeologists have found a continuous record of artifacts from the Japanese paleolithicJapanese Paleolithic
The began around 50,000 to 30,000 BC, when the earliest stone tool implements have been found, and continued to around 14,000 BC, at the end of the last ice age, which corresponds to the beginning of the Mesolithic Jōmon period...
period onwards. In early proto-historic times, the area was under the control of the Mononobe clan
Mononobe clan
The was a Japanese clan of the Kofun period, known for its military opposition to the Soga clan. The Mononobe were opposed to the spread of Buddhism, not on religious grounds, but more so as the result of feelings of conservatism and a degree of xenophobia...
, who built numerous kofun
Kofun
Kofun are megalithic tombs or tumuli in Japan, constructed between the early 3rd century and early 7th century. They gave their name to the Kofun period . Many of the Kofun have a distinctive keyhole-shaped mound , unique to ancient Japan...
burial mounds. The local place name “Koromo” is mentioned in the Kojiki
Kojiki
is the oldest extant chronicle in Japan, dating from the early 8th century and composed by Ō no Yasumaro at the request of Empress Gemmei. The Kojiki is a collection of myths concerning the origin of the four home islands of Japan, and the Kami...
and other early Japanese documents.
During the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, parts of the area of the current city were under the control of Koromo Domain
Koromo Domain
was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in was is now the modern-day city of Toyota in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It was centered on Koromo Castle.-History:...
, a feudal han under the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
; however, most of the area of the current city was tenryō territory controlled directly by the government in Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
and administered through hatamoto
Hatamoto
A was a samurai in the direct service of the Tokugawa shogunate of feudal Japan. While all three of the shogunates in Japanese history had official retainers, in the two preceding ones, they were referred to as gokenin. However, in the Edo period, hatamoto were the upper vassals of the Tokugawa...
class appointed administrators. The village of “Tokugawa”, from which Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
took his clan name, was located within what is now the city of Toyota.
After the Meiji restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, the area was organized into the towns of Asuke and Koromo and numerous villages under Higashikamo District
Higashikamo District, Aichi
was a former rural district located in Nishimikawa Region in central Aichi, Japan. The entire district is now part of the city of Toyota.-History:Kamo District was one of the ancient districts of Shinano province, but was transferred to Mikawa province during the Sengoku period...
and Nishikamo District
Nishikamo District, Aichi
was a former rural district located in Nishimikawa Region in central Aichi, Japan.-History:Kamo District was one of the ancient districts of Shinano province, but was transferred to Mikawa province during the Sengoku period...
.
The area was a major producer of silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
and prospered from the Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
through the Taishō period
Taisho period
The , or Taishō era, is a period in the history of Japan dating from July 30, 1912 to December 25, 1926, coinciding with the reign of the Taishō Emperor. The health of the new emperor was weak, which prompted the shift in political power from the old oligarchic group of elder statesmen to the Diet...
s. As the demand for raw silk declined in Japan and abroad, Koromo entered a period of gradual decline after 1930. The decline encouraged Kiichiro Toyoda
Kiichiro Toyoda
was a Japanese entrepreneur and the son of Toyoda Loom Works founder Sakichi Toyoda. His decision to take Toyoda Loom Works into automobile manufacturing would create what would eventually become Toyota Motor Corporation, the world's largest automobile manufacturer....
, cousin of Eiji Toyoda
Eiji Toyoda
is a prominent Japanese industrialist, who was largely responsible for bringing Toyota Motor Corporation to profitability and worldwide prominence during his tenure as president and later chairman.-Career:...
, to look for alternatives to the family's automatic loom manufacturing business. The search led to the founding of what became the Toyota Motor Corporation.
On March 1, 1951, Koromo gained city status, and absorbed the village of Takahashi from Nishikamo District on September 30, 1956. Due to the fame and economic importance of its major employer, the city of changed its name to Toyota on January 1, 1959.
Toyota became a sister city with Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, Michigan
Michigan
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"....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1960. It continued to expand by annexing the towns of Kamigo (Hekikai District) on March 1, 1964, and Takaoka (Hekikai District) on September 1, 1965, and Sanage (Nishikamo District) on April 1, 1967, as well as the village of Matsudaira (Higashikamo District) on April 1, 1970.
In 1979 the Nagoya Railroad
Nagoya Railroad
, often abbreviated as , is a railroad company operating around Aichi Prefecture and Gifu Prefecture of Japan.Some of the more famous trains operated by Nagoya Railroad include the Panorama Car and the Panorama Car Super, both of which offer views through their wide front windows...
(Meitetsu) opened the Toyota New Line (now Toyota Line
Meitetsu Toyota Line
The is a railway line in Aichi Prefecture, Japan operated by Nagoya Railroad between Umetsubo Station in Toyota and Akaike Station in Nisshin.- Stations :- External links :* *...
), and in 1988: The Aichi Loop Line
Aichi Loop Line
is a Japanese railway line between Okazaki Station, Okazaki and Kōzōji Station, Kasugai, operated by . The company or the line is abbreviated as . This is the only line the company operates...
was opened, thus considerably improving access to the city via rail transport.
Toyota became a Core City
Core city
A is a class of Japanese city created by the first clause of Article 252, Section 22 of the Local Autonomy Law of Japan. Core cities are delegated many functions normally carried out by prefectural governments, but not as many as designated cities...
in 1998, with increased local autonomy. In 2005, Toyota further annexed the town of Inabu
Inabu, Aichi
is a former town located in Higashikamo District, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. A final population count was held on March 1, 2005 and the town had a population of 9,699 and a population density of 98.6 persons per km²...
from Higashikamo District.
On March 25, 2005, Expo 2005
Expo 2005
Expo 2005 was the World's Fair held for 185 days between Friday, March 25 and Sunday, September 25, 2005, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, east of the city of Nagoya. It was a Specialized International Exhibition under the scheme of the 1972 protocol of the Convention relating to International Exhibitions...
opened with its main site in Nagakute
Nagakute, Aichi
is a town located in Aichi District, Aichi, Japan.On March 25, 2005, Expo 2005 opened with its main site being in Nagakute...
and additional activity in Seto
Seto, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi, Japan. It is located about 35 minutes from Nagoya by way of the Meitetsu Seto Line.As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 133,121, with a household number of 53,253, and the density of 1,192.63 persons per km². The total area is 111.62 km².-...
and Toyota. The Expo continued until September 25, 2005.
Transportation
Toyota, as the home city of Toyota Motors is well-served by expressways and national highways. However, it is the largest city in Japan which was not served by the Japan National Railways (JNR), or its successor, JR-TokaiCentral Japan Railway Company
The is the main railway company operating in the Chūbu region of central Japan. It is officially abbreviated in English as JR Central and in Japanese as . Its headquarters are located in the JR Central Towers in Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture.The company's operational hub is Nagoya Station...
. The closest 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...
station is Mikawa-Anjō Station
Mikawa-Anjo Station
is a train station in Anjō, Aichi, Japan, operated by Central Japan Railway Company .-Lines:Mikawa-Anjō Station is served by the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and Tōkaidō Main Line, and is situated 336.3 rail km from Tokyo.-Station layout:...
in the city of Anjō
Anjo, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of August 2011, the city had an estimated population of 179,614 and a population density of 2,090 persons per km²...
, but many residents of Toyota use Nagoya Station
Nagoya Station
is a train station in Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Japan. It is one of the world's largest train stations by floor area , and houses the headquarters of the Central Japan Railway Company . Much of this space is located in the "JR Central Towers" atop the station, as well as in underground concourses. The...
because Nozomi
Nozomi (Shinkansen)
is the fastest train service running on the Tōkaidō/Sanyō Shinkansen in Japan. The service stops at only the largest stations, and along the stretch between Shin-Osaka and Hakata, Nozomi services using N700 series equipment reach speeds of...
and Hikari
Hikari (Shinkansen)
is the name of a high-speed train service running on the Tōkaidō and Sanyō Shinkansen "bullet train" lines in Japan. Slower than the Nozomi but faster than the Kodama, the Hikari is the fastest train service on the Tōkaidō and Sanyō Shinkansen that is covered in the Japan Rail Pass.-History:Before...
do not stop at Mikawa- Anjō.
Railway
- Meitetsu - Toyota LineMeitetsu Toyota LineThe is a railway line in Aichi Prefecture, Japan operated by Nagoya Railroad between Umetsubo Station in Toyota and Akaike Station in Nisshin.- Stations :- External links :* *...
} – –
- Meitetsu - Mikawa LineMeitetsu Mikawa LineThe is a railway line in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, operated by Nagoya Railroad between Sanage Station in Toyota and Hekinan Station in Hekinan.All trains on this line operate as Local trains and stop at every station...
} – – – – – – – - -
- Aichi Loop RailwayAichi Loop Lineis a Japanese railway line between Okazaki Station, Okazaki and Kōzōji Station, Kasugai, operated by . The company or the line is abbreviated as . This is the only line the company operates...
- Aichi Loop LineAichi Loop Lineis a Japanese railway line between Okazaki Station, Okazaki and Kōzōji Station, Kasugai, operated by . The company or the line is abbreviated as . This is the only line the company operates...
} – – – – – – – – – – –
- Aichi High-Speed TransitLinimo, formally the is a magnetic levitation train line in Aichi, Japan, near the city of Nagoya. While primarily built to serve the Expo 2005 fair site, the line is still operating to serve the local community.Linimo is owned and operated by...
} –
Highway
- Tōmei ExpresswayTomei ExpresswayThe is a national expressway on the island of Honshū in Japan. It is operated by Central Nippon Expressway Company. It is a part of Asian Highway Network -Naming:The word Tōmei is an acronym consisting of two kanji characters...
- New Tōmei ExpresswayNew Tomei ExpresswayNew Tōmei Expressway , for short DaiNiTomei or ShinTomei is an expressway running parallel to the Tomei Expressway, under construction as of 2008. It runs from Kanagawa prefecture to Aichi prefecture. It is planned to link with the Shizuoka Airport.It is planned to run through to Isewangan...
- Isewangan ExpresswayIsewangan ExpresswayThe is a national expressway in the Tōkai region of Japan. It is owned and operated by Central Nippon Expressway Company.-Naming:The route primarily follows the north shore of Ise Bay ....
- Tōkai-Kanjō ExpresswayTokai-Kanjo ExpresswayThe is a toll road in the Tōkai region of Japan. It is owned and managed by Central Nippon Expressway Company.-Naming:Officially, the route is designated as National Route 475...
- Japan National Route 153
- Japan National Route 155
- Japan National Route 248
- Japan National Route 301
- Japan National Route 419
- Japan National Route 420
- Japan National Route 257
- Japan National Route 473
Education
- Aichi Gakusen UniversityAichi Gakusen Universityis a private university with campuses in Okazaki, Aichi and Toyota, Aichi, Japan. The school was established in 1966 as a women's college. Later it became co-educational....
- Aichi Institute of TechnologyAichi Institute of Technologyis a private university at Toyota, Aichi, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1912, and it was chartered as a university in 1959.-External links:*...
- Aichi Mizuho CollegeAichi Mizuho Collegeis a private university with campuses in Mizuho-ku, Nagoya and Toyota, Aichi in Japan. The predecessor of the school, a junior college, was established in 1940, and it became a four-year college in 1993.-External links:*...
- Ohkagakuen UniversityOhkagakuen Universityis a women's private university headquartered in Toyoake, Aichi, Japan, with its so-called Nagoya Campus there. There is another campus in Toyota, Aichi. The school was established in 1990 as a junior college and then became a four-year college in 1998...
– Toyota campus - Chukyo UniversityChukyo Universityis a private university in Aichi, Japan, with campuses in Nagoya and Toyota.-External links:*...
– Toyota campus - Japanese Red Cross Toyota College of NursingJapanese Red Cross Toyota College of Nursingis a private university in Toyota, Aichi, Japan. The predecessor of the school, a training school for nurses, was founded in 1941. It was chartered in 1989 as a women's junior college called Japan Red Cross Aichi Junior College of Nursing. In 1997 it became coeducational. In 2004 it became a...
Places of interest
- Toyota Municipal Museum of ArtToyota Municipal Museum of ArtThe Toyota Municipal Museum of Art is an art museum located in the city of Toyota, Aichi in central Japan.- History :The museum features works by Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Edvard Munch, and others...
- Toyota Automobile Museum
Sister cities
Detroit, 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"....
, United States, from September 21, 1960 Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
, United Kingdom, from November 16, 1998
Noted people from Toyota
- Suzuki ShōsanSuzuki Shōsanwas a Japanese samurai who served under the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. Shōsan was born in modern-day Aichi Prefecture of Japan. He participated in the Battle of Sekigahara and the Battle of Osaka before renouncing life as a warrior and becoming a Zen Buddhist monk in 1621.Shōsan traveled throughout...
– Edo period Zen prelate - Yoshio MarkinoYoshio Markinowas a Japanese artist and author who spent much of his life in London. He was born at the town of Toyota in Japan, at birth being named Heiji Makino....
– artist, author - Miliyah Kato – singer
- Masami MitsuokaMasami Mitsuokais a Japanese singer. She started off singing straight pop music, but switched to the technopop genre with the release of "Robotics" on October 28, 2009, under her new stage name Mizca...
– singer - Etsuko Nishio- singer, actress
- Katsuaki WatanabeKatsuaki Watanabeis vice chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation. He was president and CEO of the company before Akio Toyoda assumed those positions on June 23, 2009.Watanabe, who earned a degree in economics from Tokyo's Keio University, joined Toyota upon graduating from that university in 1964.He has gained...
– former president of Toyota Motors - Tadashi SugiuraTadashi Sugiurawas a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player with the Nankai Hawks. He debuted in the 1958 and went on to join the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame for his skills as a pitcher.-External links:...
– professional baseball player - Masato NaitoMasato Naitois a Japanese hurdler.He finished fourth at the 2005 Asian Championships and third at the 2006 Asian Games. He also competed at the World Championships in 2001, 2003 and 2005 as well as the 2004 Olympic Games without reaching the final round....
– Olympic hurdler