Ōshū(Áo châu thị,Ōshū-shi)is acitylocated inIwate Prefecture,Japan.As of 30 April 2020[update],the city had an estimatedpopulationof 114,620 and apopulation densityof 120 persons per km2in 45,728 households.[1]The total area of the city is 993.30 square kilometres (383.52 sq mi). Ōshū is famous for its Maesawa Beef, numerous festivals, historic temples and shrines and Fujiwara no Sato, a theme park and movie lot based on the exploits of theNorthern Fujiwarasin the 12th century. Many famous people claim Ōshū as their home, includingLos Angeles DodgersbaseballplayerShohei OhtaniandIchiro Ozawa,the long-time leader of theDemocratic Party of Japan.
Ōshū
Áo châu thị | |
|---|---|
 From top left; Spring in Mizusawa Park, the Autumn rice harvest in Isawa, Maesawa and the Kitakami River in Summer from Mt. Otowa, Autumn foliage at Fujiwara no Sato in Esashi and a manhole cover in Koromogawa | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Ōshū in Iwate Prefecture | |
  Ōshū | |
| Coordinates:39°8′40.1″N141°08′20.9″E/ 39.144472°N 141.139139°E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Tōhoku |
| Prefecture | Iwate |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Masaaki Aihara |
| Area | |
• Total | 993.30 km2(383.52 sq mi) |
| Population (April 30, 2020) | |
• Total | 114,620 |
| • Density | 120/km2(300/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9(Japan Standard Time) |
| Phone number | 0197-24-2111 |
| Address | 1-1 Ōtemachi, Mizusawa-ku, Ōshū-shi, Iwate-ken 023-8501 |
| Climate | Cfa/Dfa |
| Website | Official website |
| Symbols | |
| Bird | Green pheasant |
| Flower | Sakura |
| Tree | Maple |
Geography
editŌshū is located in the south-central portion of Iwate Prefecture, bordered by theAkita Prefectureto the west. At 993.35 square kilometers, Ōshū is the second largest municipality inIwate Prefecturein terms of land area. The city lies in a fertile plain straddling theKitakami Riverand rises to theŌu Mountainsin the west and theKitakami Mountainsto the east. The city's highest point is Mt. Yakeishi-dake at 1,548 meters in the Ōu Mountains. The northern boundary is marked by theIsawa Riverwhile the Koromogawa River marks the southern border. Ishibuchi Dam creates a reservoir on the upper reaches of the Isawa River near Mt. Yakeishi-dake.
Neighboring municipalities
editAkita Prefecture
Iwate Prefecture
Climate
editŌshū has ahumid subtropical climate(Köppen climate classificationCfa) orhumid continental climate(Köppen climate classificationDfa) depending on the isotherm used with warm summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Ōshū is 10.4 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1278 mm with September as the wettest month and January as the driest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.2 °C, and lowest in January, at around -2.5 °C.[2]
| Climate data forWakayanagi,Ōshū, Iwate (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 14.1 (57.4) |
15.9 (60.6) |
21.7 (71.1) |
30.6 (87.1) |
33.6 (92.5) |
33.4 (92.1) |
35.8 (96.4) |
36.9 (98.4) |
34.7 (94.5) |
28.3 (82.9) |
22.7 (72.9) |
19.3 (66.7) |
36.9 (98.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 2.1 (35.8) |
3.3 (37.9) |
8.0 (46.4) |
14.9 (58.8) |
20.5 (68.9) |
23.9 (75.0) |
27.0 (80.6) |
28.5 (83.3) |
24.5 (76.1) |
18.4 (65.1) |
11.5 (52.7) |
4.6 (40.3) |
15.6 (60.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −1.4 (29.5) |
−0.7 (30.7) |
3.0 (37.4) |
8.9 (48.0) |
14.8 (58.6) |
18.8 (65.8) |
22.3 (72.1) |
23.4 (74.1) |
19.5 (67.1) |
13.1 (55.6) |
6.6 (43.9) |
1.0 (33.8) |
10.8 (51.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −5.1 (22.8) |
−4.7 (23.5) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
3.2 (37.8) |
9.7 (49.5) |
14.7 (58.5) |
18.8 (65.8) |
19.8 (67.6) |
15.5 (59.9) |
8.5 (47.3) |
2.1 (35.8) |
−2.4 (27.7) |
6.5 (43.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −19.9 (−3.8) |
−15.9 (3.4) |
−13.2 (8.2) |
−6.5 (20.3) |
0.9 (33.6) |
6.3 (43.3) |
9.0 (48.2) |
11.4 (52.5) |
4.4 (39.9) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
−8.2 (17.2) |
−12.5 (9.5) |
−19.9 (−3.8) |
| Averageprecipitationmm (inches) | 65.1 (2.56) |
50.4 (1.98) |
83.6 (3.29) |
87.6 (3.45) |
109.4 (4.31) |
136.6 (5.38) |
186.3 (7.33) |
154.4 (6.08) |
166.9 (6.57) |
124.6 (4.91) |
80.7 (3.18) |
80.8 (3.18) |
1,325.2 (52.17) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 14.0 | 11.7 | 12.0 | 10.3 | 10.5 | 10.6 | 13.1 | 11.9 | 11.6 | 10.8 | 11.6 | 14.6 | 142.7 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 74.6 | 90.8 | 141.5 | 171.0 | 179.3 | 140.2 | 119.3 | 133.0 | 115.8 | 127.8 | 109.7 | 76.2 | 1,485.2 |
| Source:JMA[3][4] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
editPer Japanese census data,[5]the population of Ōshū peaked at around the year 2000, and has been in decline since.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 93,876 | — |
| 1930 | 104,752 | +11.6% |
| 1940 | 110,980 | +5.9% |
| 1950 | 137,556 | +23.9% |
| 1960 | 138,272 | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 126,304 | −8.7% |
| 1980 | 130,318 | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 132,116 | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 133,056 | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 124,746 | −6.2% |
| 2020 | 112,937 | −9.5% |
History
editThe area of present-day Ōshū was part of ancientMutsu Province,and has been settled since at least theJapanese Paleolithicperiod.Isawais especially rich inKofun Periodremains from the 5th century. By theNara period,Japanese hunters, trappers, settlers and itinerant missionaries were visiting and settling in this area, and coming into contact with the nativeEmishipeople. In 729,Kokuseki-jitemple claims to have been established by the Buddhist priestGyōkiin a mountainous area to the east of the Kitakami River in what is nowMizusawa.In 776, two separate attacks were launched by theimperial dynastyagainst the Emishi with little success. In June 787 Emishi cavalry led byAteruiand More surprised and routed a larger force of Japanese infantry in the Battle of Subuse (located in what is now part of Mizusawa). Despite these successes the Emishi could not hold out against the Japanese and in 802 Aterui and More surrendered and were beheaded. That same yearSakanoue no Tamuramaro,establishedIsawa Castle.Despite the victory the Japanese found if difficult to rule the territory directly. Six semi-autonomous districts were established along theKitakami River.Eventually these came under the control of a powerful Emishi clan from Appi, theAbe clan.Early in the 11th centuryAbe no Yoritokirefused to pay taxes to the central government, led raiding parties south of the Koromo River, and generally ruled as an independent monarch. This led to theZenkunen War(Trước chín năm hợp chiến)or Early Nine-Years War (1050 - 1062), in whichMinamoto no Yoriyoshireinforced by Kiyohara no Takenori fromDewa Provincedefeated the Abe clan. The area later came under the rule of theKiyohara clan.Corrupt administration by the Kiyohara led to theGosannen War( sau ba năm hợp chiến ) or Latter Three Years' War (1083 - 1087) in whichMinamoto no Yoshiiesubdued the Kiyohara.
Fujiwara no Kiyohira,the founder of theŌshū Fujiwaradynasty, was born in Fort Toyota which is now in the Iwayado area ofEsashi.Around 1100, he relocated toHiraizumiwhere he and his descendants ruled for nearly a hundred years.
In 1348, a Zen Buddhist priest named Mutei Ryōshō founded the temple of Shōbō-ji near Kokuseki-ji temple in Mizusawa. It is the third head temple of theSōtōsect of Zen Buddhism and boasts the largest thatched roof in Japan.
During theSengoku period,the area came under control of the powerfulDate clan.During this period, ItalianJesuitmissionaries regarded it as a kingdom.[6]which they called "Voxu". Following theBattle of Sekigahara,theTokugawa shogunateconfirmed the area was part ofSendai DomainunderDate Masamune.One of his retainers was a certain Juan Gotō who commanded Date Masamune's gun regiment at Osaka in 1614 and 1615. He was also aKirishitanand established a church in the Fukuwara area of Mizusawa. After Christianity was outlawed in 1623 he went into hiding to escape capture. Foreign missionaries continued to visit the area in secret until December 1623 when the Jesuit Padre Diogo de Carvalho from Portugal was captured on the upper reaches of the Isawa River, sent to Sendai and forced to stand in the frozen Hirose River until he died in the early hours of what was then New Year's Day, namely February 19, 1624. There is a memorial to Juan Gotō in the Fukuwara area and many crypto-Christian remains can still be seen in that neighborhood.
Following theMeiji restoration,the area was assigned toIwate Prefecturerather thanMiyagi Prefectureas part of the governments efforts to break up formerSendai Domain,partly due to its role in opposing theMeiji governmentduring theBoshin War.The town ofMizusawawas created withinIsawa Districton April 1, 1889, with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. It was raised to city status on April 1, 1954. The village ofEsashiwas likewise created on April 1, 1889, raised to town status on February 10, 1955, and to city status on November 3, 1958.
The city of Ōshū was established on February 20, 2006, from the merger of the cities Esashi and Mizusawa with the towns ofIsawaandMaesawa,and the village ofKoromogawa.
Government
editŌshū has amayor-councilform of government with a directly elected mayor and aunicameralcity legislature of 28 members. Ōshū, together with the city ofKanegasakicontributes five seats to the Iwate Prefectural legislature. In terms of national politics, the city is part ofIwate 3rd districtof thelower houseof theDiet of Japan.
Education
edit- Graduate University for Advanced Studies– Iwate campus
- Iwate University– Ōshū campus
- Ōshū has 27 public elementary schools and 12 public middle schools operated by the city government and eight public high schools operated by the Iwate Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school.
Transportation
editRailway
edit
East Japan Railway Company(JR East) -Tōhoku Shinkansen
East Japan Railway Company(JR East) -Tōhoku Main Line
Highway
edit
Tōhoku Expressway– Maesawa SA, Mizusawa IC
National Route 4
National Route 107
National Route 343
National Route 397
National Route 456
Sister cities
edit
Breitenwang,Tirol, Austria, since June 2011[7]
Greater Shepparton,Victoria,Australia,since March 1979[7]- Reutte,Tirol,Austria,since June 2011[7]
Local attractions
edit- Isawa Castle,ruins of a Heian-period fortification, a National Historic Site[8]
- The sound of theNambuFūrin(wind chimes) atMizusawa Stationin Ōshū is designated as one of the100 Soundscapes of Japanby theMinistry of the Environment[9]
- Ōsuzukami Site,Jōmon periodruins, a National Historic Site[10]
- Shirotoridate ruins,Heian period settlement ruins, a National Historic Site[11]
- Tsunozuka Kofun,the northernmost keyhole-shapedkofunin Japan, a National Historic Site[12]
Notable people
edit- Shiina Etsusaburo,diplomat, foreign minister
- Maedagawa Katsu,sumo wrestler
- Keiji Kokuta,politician
- Akiko Kuji,announcer, actress, and model
- Saito Makoto,IJN admiral, politician and prime minister of Japan
- Eiichi Ohtaki,musician, singer-songwriter
- Shohei Ohtani,professional baseball player
- Gotō Shinpei,politician
- Oikawa Teruhisa,sumo wrestler
- Tatsuya Yoshida,musician
References
edit- ^Ōshū City official statistics(in Japanese)
- ^Ōshū climate data
- ^Quan trắc sử thượng 1～10 vị の trị ( trong năm を thông じて の trị ).JMA.RetrievedFebruary 25,2022.
- ^Khí tượng sảnh / năm thường trị ( năm ・ nguyệt ごと の trị ).JMA.RetrievedFebruary 25,2022.
- ^Ōshū population statistics
- ^Amati, Scipione (1615).Historia del regno di Voxu.
- ^abc"International Exchange".List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures.Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR).Retrieved21 November2015.
- ^"Chí sóng thành tích しわじょうあと".Cultural Heritage Online(in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs.Retrieved25 December2016.
- ^"100 Soundscapes of Japan".Ministry of the Environment.Retrieved8 December2015.
- ^"Đại Thanh thủy thượng di tích".Cultural Heritage Online(in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs.Retrieved25 December2016.
- ^Liễu chi ngự sở ・ bình tuyền di tích đàn[Yanagi Gosho - Hiraizumi Sites] (in Japanese).Agency for Cultural Affairs.Retrieved3 August2017.
- ^"Giác trủng cổ mồ"[Tsunozuka kofun] (in Japanese).Agency for Cultural Affairs.
External links
edit
- Official Website(in Japanese)