Toyokawa, Aichi

Toyokawa, Aichi
is a city in the eastern part of Aichi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 183,930 in 72,949 households, and a population density of 1,141 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Toyokawa, famous for its Toyokawa Inari temple, has a good balance of industry, commerce, agriculture and forestry, and is situated in an area rich in history, traditions, and culture.
Geography
Toyokawa is located in an area of rolling hills in southeastern Aichi Prefecture. It has a short coastline with Mikawa Bay.
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 Toyokawa is 15.8 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1751 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.5 °C, and lowest in January, at around 4.8 °C.
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Toyokawa has been increasing over the past 60 years.
Surrounding municipalities
Aichi Prefecture
Toyohashi
Okazaki
Shinshiro
Gamagōri
History
Origins
The area of modern Toyokawa was settled in prehistoric times. During the Nara period, the kokubunji of Mikawa Province was established in 741.
Middle Ages
Muromachi Period
The temple of Toyokawa Inari, a popular pilgrimage destination, dates from 1441.
Sengoku Period
A number of daimyō clans under the Tokugawa shogunate originate in what are now parts of Toyokawa, most notably the Makino clan.
Early modern period
Edo Period
The area prospered during the Edo period with two post towns along the Tōkaidō, Goyu-shuku and Akasaka.
Late modern period
Meiji Period
After the Meiji Restoration, on October 1, 1889, several villages were organized with the establishment of the modern municipalities system within Hoi District, Aichi Prefecture, including Toyokawa Village.
On March 13, 1893, Toyokawa was promoted to town status.
Showa Period
Toyokawa City was founded on June 1, 1943, by the merger of Toyokawa town with neighboring Ushikubo Town and Yawata Village, all from Hoi District.
In 1939 the massive Toyokawa Naval Arsenal was established, one of the largest producers of machine guns, aviation ordnance and ammunition in the Empire of Japan.
It also had sections that produced military-issue katana, bayonets, and glass lenses for use in cameras, binoculars, and similar equipment.
During World War II, many thousands of civilians were conscripted or volunteered to work at the Arsenal, and towards the end of the war, this workforce included hundreds of middle school students and high school girls.
On August 7, 1945, the Toyokawa Naval Arsenal was targeted by a flight of B-29 bombers.
About 2,500 people were killed during the Toyokawa Air Raid.
Toyokawa was one of the last places to be targeted using conventional explosive and incendiary bombs in the closing days of World War II, occurring the day after Hiroshima was destroyed by an atomic bomb.
Contemporary history
After WWII
After the war, on April 12, 1955, Toyokawa annexed Mikami village from Yana District. This was followed by the neighboring town of Goyu from Hoi District on April 1, 1959. Toyokawa further expanded on February 1, 2006, by annexing Ichinomiya, On January 15, 2008, the towns of Otowa and Mito became part of Toyokawa, and finally on February 1, 2010, the town of Kozakai likewise was merged into Toyokawa City.
Government
Toyokawa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 30 members. The city contributes one member to the Aichi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Aichi District 8 of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Military facilities
JGSDF Camp Toyokawa
External relations
Twin towns/sister cities
International
Sister cities
Cupertino, California (California, United States of America)
since, 1978
Friendship city
Xinwu District (Wuxi, Jiangsu, China)
since April 15, 2009
Education
Toyokawa has 26 public elementary schools and 10 public junior high schools operated by the city government, and five public high schools operated by the Aichi Prefectural Board of Education. There is also one private high school. The prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped.
Transportation
Railways
Conventional lines
Central Japan Railway Company
Tōkaidō Main Line: - – –
Iida Line: - – – – – – – –
Meitetsu
Nagoya Main Line: - – – – – – –
Toyokawa Line: - – – – –
Roads
Expressways
Tōmei Expressway
Japan National Route
Seaways
Seaport
Port of Mito (Port of Mikawa)
Local attractions
Castles
Ina Castle
Makino Castle
Ushikubo Castle
Temples
Toyokawa Inari – noted Buddhist temple
Mikawa Kokubun-ji
Shrines
Toga Shrine – ichinomiya of Mikawa Province
Notable people from Toyokawa
Atsuya Ota, Basketball player
Yuka Kato, Olympic swimmer
Gakuto Kondo, professional soccer player
Masahiko Morifuku, Baseball player
Sion Sono, movie director
Yukinari Sugawara, professional soccer player
Yamamoto Kansuke, Japanese Samurai of the Sengoku period
Yusuke Yamamoto, Japanese Actor
References
External links
Cities in Aichi Prefecture
Populated coastal places in Japan