# Ichinomiya, Aichi

Ichinomiya (一宮市, Ichinomiya-shi) is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The city is sometimes called Owarichinomiya to avoid confusion with other municipalities of the same name, including Ichinomiya (now part of the city of Toyokawa) and Ichinomiya in Chiba Prefecture. As of 1 October 2019, the city had an estimated population of 379,654 in 161,434 households, and a population density of 3,336 persons per km$^2$. The total area of the city was 113.82 square kilometres (43.95 sq mi).

## Geography

Ichinomiya is situated in western Aichi Prefecture, bordered by Gifu Prefecture to the west. The Kiso River and the Gojō River both flow through the city.

### Climate

The city has a climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild winters (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Ichinomiya is 15.6 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1833 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 28.1 °C, and lowest in January, at around 4.2 °C.

### Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Ichinomiya has increased steadily over the past 70 years.

### Neighboring municipalities
#### Aichi Prefecture

* Inazawa
* Iwakura
* Kitanagoya
* Kiyosu
* Kōnan

#### Gifu Prefecture

* Ginan
* Hashima
* Kakamigahara
* Kasamatsu

### City scape

* Skyline of Ichinomiya City
* Skyline of Owari-Ichinomiya
* 138 Tower Park
* Downtown of Ichinomiya

## History
### Origins

"Ichinomiya" literally means "the first shrine" of a province.

### Ancient history

In case of Owari Province, this was Masumida Shrine, which dates to the Nara period and was located close to the provincial capital in what is now the city of Inazawa.

### Feudal period

Ichinomiya developed as a monzen-machi from the Heian period and was part of the holdings of Owari Domain under the Edo period Tokugawa Shogunate.

### Late modern period
#### Meiji period

In the early Meiji period, with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889, the town of Ichinomiya was created within Nakashima District
Ichinomiya was raised to city status on September 1, 1921.

### Contemporary history
#### Modern Ichinomiya

The city annexed the neighboring villages of Haguri and Nishinari in 1940, and with an additional eight surrounding municipalities (the villages of Chiaki, Tanyo, and Kitakata, and the towns of Asai, Yamato, Akiwara, Oku and a portion of Imaise) in 1955.
On April 1, 2002, Ichinomiya was designated as a special city, with increased local autonomy.
On April 1, 2005, the city was further expanded by absorbing the city of Bisai, and the town of Kisogawa (from Haguri District) which made it the fourth largest in Aichi Prefecture, after Nagoya, Toyota, and Toyohashi.
On April 1, 2021, Ichinomiya was designated as a core city, with increased local autonomy.

## Government
### Mayor-council

Ichinomiya has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 38 members.

### Prefectural Assembly

The city contributes five members to the Aichi Prefectural Assembly.

### House of Representatives

In terms of national politics, the city is divided between Aichi District 9 and Aichi District 10 of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

## Public
### Police

* Aichi Prefectural Police
** Ichinomiya police station

### Firefighting

* Fire department
** Ichinomiya fire department

### Health care

* Hospital
** Ichinomiya Municipal Hospital
** Kisogawa Municipal Hospital

### Post office

* Bisai Post office
* Ichinomiya Post office

### Library

* Ichinomiya City Library
* Ichinomiya Police Station
* Ichinomiya Fire Department
* Ichinomiya Municipal Hospital
* Ichinomiya Post Office
* Ichinomiya City Library

## External relations
### Twin towns – Sister cities
#### International
##### Friendship cities

* Treviso (Veneto, Italy)
** since January 30, 2013

#### National
##### Disaster Alliance city

* Takaoka (Toyama Prefecture, Chūbu region)
** since October 31, 2007
* Seki (Gifu Prefecture, Tōhoku region)
** since, 2011

## Economy
### Primary sector of the economy

Traditionally noted for textiles, Ichinomiya is now a regional commercial center with a mixed economy of manufacturing and agriculture.

#### Agriculture

* Allium fistulosum
* Dry Daikon
* Rice

#### Animal husbandry

* Poultry farming

### Secondary sector of the economy
#### Manufacturing

The Eisaku Noro Company, which produces colorful handcrafting and machine yarns for clothing, is also based here.

### Tertiary sector of the economy
#### Commerce

Kanesue has its headquarters in Ichinomiya. It moved to its current headquarters in July 1976.

##### Shopping center

* APiTA Ichinomiya (TelassWalk Ichinomiya)
* Æon mall Kisogawa
* Kanesue
* Meitetsu Department Store Ichinomiya
* Chiaki Paddy field
* Bisyu Woven fabric factory
* Shopping streets
* Kanesue
* TelassWalk Ichinomiya

### Companies headquartered in Ichinomiya

* Aichi small-elevator manufacturing corporation
* Ichibanya
* Japan Ecosystem
* Kanesue
* Konami Amusement
* SOTOH

## Education
### University

* Shubun University

### College

* Aichi Kiwami College of Nursing
* Ichinomiya Kenshin College

### Primary and secondary education

* Ichinomiya has 42 public elementary schools and 19 public middle schools operated by the city government, and 10 public high schools operated by the Aichi Prefectural Board of Education. The city also has one private middle school and two private high schools. The prefecture also operates two special education schools for the handicapped.

## Transportation
### Railways
#### Conventional lines
##### Central Japan Railway Company

* Tōkaidō Line: – Owari-Ichinomiya – Kisogawa –

##### Meitetsu

* Nagoya Main Line: Shima-Ujinaga – Myōkōji – Meitetsu-Ichinomiya – Imaise – Iwato – Shin-Kisogawa – Kuroda – Kisogawazutsumi
* Bisai Line: Tamano – Hagiwara – Futago – Kariyasuka – Kannonji – Meitetsu-Ichinomiya – Nishi-Ichinomiya – Kaimei – Okuchō – Tamanoi

### Roads
#### Expressways

* Meishin Expressway
    - Owari Ichinomiya PA – Ichinomiya IC – Ichinomita JCT –
* Tōkai-Hokuriku Expressway
    Ichinomiya JCT – Ichinomiya-Nishi IC – Hizai IC – Ichinomiya-Kisogawa IC –
* Nagoya Expressway
** Route 16 (Nagoya Expressway)

#### Japan National Route

* National Route 22
* National Route 155

### Riverways
#### Water taxi

* Nishinakano tosen (Kiso River)
* Owari-Ichinomiya
* Meitetsu-Ichinomiya
* Kisogawa Bridge
* Ichinomiya IC
* Nishinakano tosen

## Local attractions
### Castle

* Ichinomiya Castle
* Kuroda Castle
* Ōno Castle
* Ichinomiya Castle
* Kuroda Castle
* Ōno Castle

### Buddhist temple

* Houren-ji
* Myōkō-ji
* Sebe Saihō-ji
* Houren-ji
* Houren-ji (Yamauchi Kazutoyo)
* Myōkō-ji
* Sebe Saihō-ji

### Shinto shrines

* Azai shrine
* Ifuribe shrine
* Iwato shrine
* Masumida Shrine
* Owari Ōmiwa Shrine
* Azai jinja
* Ifuribe jinja
* Iwato jinja
* Masumida jinja
* Owari Ōmiwa Shrine

### Archaeological sites

* Mitsui Inariyama kofun
* Nekojima Site
* Mitsui Inariyama kofun

### Park

* 138 Tower Park
* Asano Park
* Azaiyama Park
* Umegae Park
* 138 Towr Park
* Asano Park
* Azaiyama Park
* Umegae Park

## Culture
### Festivals

* Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival (Double Seventh Festival)
* Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival

### Sports

| Sex | Name | competition | League | Home | Sponsor | Since |
| Women | Aichi Dione | Women's baseball | Japan Women's Baseball League | Ichinomiya Stadium Hirashima Park Baseball Playing Grounds | Aichi Dione | 2010 |
| Women | Dream Citrine | Softball | Japan Softball League (JSL) | Ichinomiya Stadium Hirashima Park Baseball Playing Grounds | Dream Citrine | 2016 |
| Women | Futsal Clube UNIAO Ladies | Women's Futsal | WOMEN'S F.LEAGUE | Ichinomiya Komyoji Park Playing Field DIADORA Arena | UNIAO | 2016 |
| Women | TOKAI NEXUS | Women's baseball | Women's Baseball Federation of Japan | Ichinomiya Stadium Hirashima Park Baseball Playing Grounds | TOKAI NEXUS | 2020 |
* Kōmyoji Park Stadium
* Hirashima Park Baseball Playing Grounds
* Ichinomiya Municipal Gymnasium (DIADORA Arena)

## Notable people from Ichinomiya

* Ichinomiya Eisuke, the heir of the city
* Tetsuma Esaki, politician
* Ichikawa Fusae, politician
* Kazuo Funaki, actor
* Nao Hibino, tennis player
* Masaaki Kanda, politician
* Ichinomiya Katsumi, owner of the city
* Rie Kitahara, actress, former idol
* Shinichi Kondoh, retired baseball player
* Jōji Matsuoka, movie director
* Yukiko Okada, singer
* Hisa Ōta, stage actress
* Tange Sakura, voice actress
* Haruka Tomatsu, voice actress
* Masayuki Toyoshima, shogi player