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| Izumo 出雲市 |
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  Izumo
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| Coordinates: 35°22′N 132°46′E / 35.367°N 132.767°E | |||
| Country | Japan | ||
| Region | Chūgoku (San'in) | ||
| Prefecture | Shimane | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Hideto Nagaoka (長岡秀人) | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 543.48 km2 (209.8 sq mi) | ||
| Population (January 2008) |
146,115 | ||
| - Density | 269/km2 (696.7/sq mi) | ||
| City Symbols | |||
| - Tree | Japanese Black Pine | ||
| - Flower | Chrysanthemum | ||
| Website | Izumo City | ||
| Phone number | 0853-21-2211 | ||
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109-1 Imaichichō, Izumo-shi, Shimane-ken |
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Izumo (出雲市 Izumo-shi) is a city located in Shimane, Japan. Izumo is known for Izumo soba noodles and the Izumo Taisha Shinto shrine.
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Demographics
The modern city was founded on November 3, 1941.
As of 2003, the city had an estimated population of 87,940 and density of 510.30 persons per km². The total area was 172.33 km².
On March 22, 2005, the city merged with the city of Hirata, and the towns of Koryō, Sada, Taisha and Taki, all from Hikawa District, to form the new city of Izumo.
After the creation of the new city, as of 2008, the estimated total population is 146,115 and the combined area of the new city of Izumo is 543.48 km².
Transportation
Izumo is serviced by two rail networks. The first is JR West Sanin Main Line, connecting Izumo-shi Station to Okayama through Yonago and Matsue to the east, and connecting along the coast to Ōda, Hamada and Masuda to the west.
The secondary rail network is the Ichibata Electric Railway. The Dentetsu Izumo-shi Station is the terminal, and the line runs from Izumo to Matsue, passing through and connecting Hirata. The Dentetsu line also branches out and runs to Izumo Taisha from Kawato Station.
Izumo Airport serves the city.
History and attractions
The Grand Shrine (Izumo Taisha) is the oldest Shinto shrine in Japan. In 2008, the holy area was open to the public from 1 August until August 17, after which extensive renovation work began. The nearby Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo[1], also located in Taisha Machi (大社町), has artifacts from the site.
In 2009, a team of archaeologists announced that they likely discovered—at the Sunabara Remains in Taki-cho, Izumo City—the oldest stone tools ever found in Japan. The find totaled about 20 tools dating back an estimated 120,000 years: about 80,000 years earlier than previous estimates of when the first humans arrived in the Japanese archipelago. The stones were found directly across Route 9 from Kirara Taki beach on the Sea of Japan. The excavation team was led by Doshisha University professor Kazuto Matsufuji, and the first of the tools were unearthed by Toshiro Naruse, a professor emeritus at Hyogo University of Teacher Education.[1]
The Takase River is a canal that runs through the center of Izumo. Beginning at the Hiikawa River, the canal runs directly across the town. Constructed by developer Okaji Shichibei in 1670, the Takase was the first canal ever constructed in the then-Matsue domain. Before Okaji began his agricultural developments, the Izumo area was infertile and unable to support crops. Thanks to Okaji's developments, the area became an important region for the growing of rice and grain in the Matsue area.
Izumo Dome is a venue located just north of the city proper. It has the distinction of being Japan's largest wooden building, at 49 metres high and 143 metres in diameter. It is used for sports and events such as baseball games and soccer matches, as well as for other events including sumo. It is a prominent symbol of Izumo, and can be seen from a distance from the train passing towards Hamada.
Orochi Festival is held every November. Celebrating the myth of Susanoo slaying the fearsome Orochi serpent that would come to take one girl from the village every year, a long mock snake is paraded through the streets with dancers following.
Hinomisaki Lighthouse (日御碕灯台 Hinomisaki tōdai) is a modern stone lighthouse with a powerful lamp. From the tower, one can see the Oki Islands, from where the story of the "white rabbit" comes.
Shimane Winery[2] is known for its super-sweet wines.
In Izumo, there are various tombs and temples, including an ancient cluster of tombs to the south of the station.
"Kirara Taki" Beach is located in Taki (多伎町), one of the towns merged into Izumo in 2005. The beach has clean water and off-shore stacks of cement tetrapods to break the waves. Nearby is an onsen called Marine Thalasso Izumo.
The Okuizumo Museum of Tatara and Sword-making features demonstrations twice a month, switching off every two weeks: one demonstration shows smithing techniques, while the other is a usage demonstration.
The Izumo Handicraft Museum is set in a traditional Japanese workshop complex.
Town twinning
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This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2009) |
Izumo has a town twinning relationship with these sister cities:
Santa Clara, California (1986)
Hanzhong, People's Republic of China (1996)
Évian-les-Bains, France (2002)
Kalajoki, Finland (2003)
See also
- Mergers and dissolutions in Shimane
- Merger and dissolution of municipalities of Japan
- Tetsundo Iwakuni
References
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This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (February 2009) |
- ^ Japan Times, (October 1, 2009), "Tools may rewrite Paleolithic Japan", accessed 11-25-2009
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Izumo, Shimane |
- Izumo official website in Japanese
- Izumo travel guide from Wikitravel
- Santa Clara Sister Cities: Izumo in English
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