[go: up one dir, main page]
Wikipedia

Toyokawa, Aichi

For the surname, see Toyokawa (surname).

Toyokawa (豊川市, Toyokawa-shi) is a city in the eastern part of Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 October 2019, the city had an estimated population of 183,930 in 72,949 households,[1] and a population density of 1,141 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 161.14 square kilometres (62.22 sq mi). 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.

Toyokawa
豊川市
City
Toyokawa Inari
Tezutsu Fireworks Festival
Toga Shrine
Mikawa Province Kokufu
Toyokawa skyline
Flag of Toyokawa
Flag
Official logo of Toyokawa
Emblem
Map
Interactive map outlining Toyokawa
  Location of Toyokawa in Aichi Prefecture
Toyokawa is located in Japan
Toyokawa
Toyokawa
Coordinates: 34°49′36.4″N 137°22′33.3″E / 34.826778°N 137.375917°E / 34.826778; 137.375917
CountryJapan
RegionChūbu (Tōkai)
PrefectureAichi
First official recorded480 AD
City SettledJune 1, 1943
Government
 • MayorMinoru Yamawaki
Area
 • Total
161.14 km2 (62.22 sq mi)
Population
 (October 1, 2019)
 • Total
183,930
 • Density1,100/km2 (3,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
– TreeJapanese Black Pine
– FlowerDwarf azalea
Phone number0533-89-2111
Address1-1 Suwa-chō, Toyokawa-shi, Aichi-ken 442-0068
WebsiteOfficial website

Geography

edit

Located in the eastern part of Aichi Prefecture, the city has the Toyogawa River to the east, the Otoha River to the west, and the Sana River in the central area, flowing into Mikawa Bay in the southwest. The northern part of the city is predominantly mountainous, featuring numerous golf courses.

The city is divided into three districts covering 122.4 hectares in the central business area: the Suwa District, where public institutions and commercial facilities are located, the Toyogawa District, which developed as the gateway town to Toyogawa Inari Shrine, and the Chuo-dori District, connecting both areas. The city has implemented the "Basic Plan for Revitalization of the Central Business District," aiming to promote development in the central business district [4].

However, due to the merger of four villages that originally formed independent central areas, the city struggled to form a centralized urban center. Despite the expansive nature of the city's urban areas, the central functions are dispersed among several stations in different districts. Notably, Toyogawa Station, despite its name, does not function as the central station, further complicating the formation of a centralized business district. Consequently, large-scale commercial facilities and urban development lagged behind, leading to a prolonged situation where the purchasing population flowed to neighboring cities.

Entering the Heisei era, efforts were made to open medium-sized commercial facilities in the Suwa District and its vicinity. Simultaneously, roadside stores concentrated around Toyokawa IC and the southern part of Nagadoshi, near the border with Toyohashi City, without a clear shift in the decentralization trend.

Major roads, such as National Route 1 to the west, National Route 23 to the southwest, and National Route 151 from the east to the south, traverse the city. Additionally, the Hime Kaido (Hon-Zaka Street) runs east to west within the city. There are four railway lines, roughly parallel to the main roads.

In spring, cherry blossoms bloom along the Sana River, Otoha River, and in the Sakura Tunnel near the city hall, adding color to the streets. The summer season sees various festivals throughout the city, creating a lively atmosphere. The city enjoys a relatively mild climate, with little to no snowfall even in winter.

Climate

edit

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.[2]

Demographics

edit

Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Toyokawa has been increasing over the past 60 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1950 98,332—    
1960 105,590+7.4%
1970 130,997+24.1%
1980 157,084+19.9%
1990 168,796+7.5%
2000 176,698+4.7%
2010 181,882+2.9%

Surrounding municipalities

edit
 Aichi Prefecture

History

edit

Origins

edit

The area of modern Toyokawa was settled in prehistoric times. During the Nara period, the kokubunji of Mikawa Province was established in 741.

Feudal period

edit

Muromachi period

edit

The temple of Toyokawa Inari, a popular pilgrimage destination, dates from 1441.

Sengoku period

edit

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

edit

Edo period

edit

The area prospered during the Edo period with two post towns along the Tōkaidō, Goyu-shuku and Akasaka.

Late modern period

edit

Meiji period

edit

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

edit

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.[4]

Contemporary history

edit

After WWII

edit

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

edit
 
Toyokawa City Hall

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

edit

International relations

edit
Sister cities
Friendship city

Education

edit

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

edit
 
Toyokawa Station

Railways

edit

Conventional lines

edit
  Central Japan Railway Company
  Meitetsu

Roads

edit

Expressways

edit

Japan National Route

edit

Seaways

edit

Seaport

edit
  • Port of Mito (Port of Mikawa)

Local attractions

edit
 
Toyokawa Inari Omotesando
Castles
  • Ina Castle
  • Makino Castle
  • Ushikubo Castle
Temples
Shrines

Notable people from Toyokawa

edit
 
Sion Sono
（2015）

References

edit
  1. ^ Toyokawa City official statistics (in Japanese)
  2. ^ Toyokawa climate data
  3. ^ Toyokawa population statistics
  4. ^ Air War Pacific Chronology: America's Air War Against Japan in East Asia and the Pacific 1941–1945 by Eric Hammel, (Pacifica, CA: Pacifica Press, 1988, ISBN 0-935553-26-6)
  5. ^ "豊川市 姉妹都市キュパティーノ市".
  6. ^ "International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Archived from the original on December 24, 2015. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
edit
 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Toyokawa, Aichi.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Toyokawa,_Aichi&oldid=1249227241"