| Numazu 沼津 |
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| — Special city — | |||
| 沼津市 · Numazu | |||
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  Numazu
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| Coordinates: 35°6′N 138°52′E / 35.1°N 138.867°E | |||
| Country | Japan | ||
| Region | Chūbu (Tōkai) | ||
| Prefecture | Shizuoka | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Hiroyasu Kurihara | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 187.11 km2 (72.2 sq mi) | ||
| Population (January 2009) |
205,636 | ||
| - Density | 1,100/km2 (2,849/sq mi) | ||
| City Symbols | |||
| - Tree | Pine | ||
| - Flower | Crinum asiaticum | ||
| - Bird | Common Gull | ||
| Website | Numazu City | ||
| Phone number | 055-931-2500 | ||
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16-1 Miyukichō, Numazu-shi, Shizuoka-ken |
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Numazu (沼津市 Numazu-shi) is a city located in eastern Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.
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Outline
Numazu is at the top of the Izu Peninsula, which is a leisure destination known for its hot springs. Mount Fuji, Japan's tallest mountain, may also be seen from Numazu on clear days. Numazu is located 130 kilometres (81 mi) west of Tokyo and is on the Tōkaidō Main Line, the main railway line from Osaka to Tokyo.
As of 2009, the city has an estimated population of 205,636 and density of 1,100 persons per km². The total area is 187.11 km².
History
Numazu is an ancient settlement, mentioned in Nara period records as the original provincial capital of Suruga Province before the separation of Izu Province from Suruga in 680, and subsequent transfer of the provincial capital to the banks of the Abe River in what is now Shizuoka city. During the early part of the Tokugawa shogunate, Numazu was ruled as part of Odawara Domain, but with the construction of Numazu Castle in 1777, it became the separate Numazu Domain. Numazu prospered in the Edo period from its location on the Tōkaidō, with Numazu-juku and Hara-juku as two of the 53 post stations.
After the Meiji Restoration, Numazu Station was opened on the Tōkaidō Main Line on February 1, 1889. From its seaside location, Numazu gained a reputation as a health resort, which was further enhanced by its selection as the location of a villa for Emperor Meiji in 1893. The area become popular with other members of the nobility, statesmen (including Inoue Kaoru) and writers. Numazu town expanded in 1923 by merger with Yanagihara village, becoming Numazu City on July 1, 1923.
Central Numazu was destroyed by a fire in 1926. In 1944, the city further expanded through merger with neighboring Katahama, Kanaoka, Ooka and Shizuura villages. The city was a target for American air raids in World War II, and was largely destroyed by bombing on July 17, 1945.
In 1955, the villages of Ashitaka, Oohira, Uchiura, and Nishiura merged with Numazu, and in 1968 Hara Town also merged with Numazu. In the year 2000, Numazu was designated a Special City (特例市 Tokureishi) by the central government. In April 2005, the village of Heda merged with Numazu. In 2007, Numazu hosted the 29th World Skills International Championship.
Economy
Numazu is an industrial city and regional financial center. It is also an important fishing port. Numazu produces more dried horse mackerel than any other region in Japan. The city accounts for about half of Japan's total production.
Sightseeing
Numazu is a gateway to Mount Fuji, Hakone, and Izu Peninsula, which are major tourist attractions. The Kano River runs through the middle of the city, and its port is a major center of Shizuoka prefecture's the fishery industry.
The harbour area is also well-known for its seafood restaurants and features an anti-tsunami barrier with an observation floor on top that offers a good panoramic view of the city and the surrounding area. There is a lively shopping street not too far from the train station.
Numazu has the longest coastline of any municipality in the prefecture. The Senbonhama ("Thousand Tree Beach") seaside is considered one of the best places to view Osezaki, Nihondaira, or the southern Japan Alps against the background of Sembonmatsubara and Mount Fuji. Two aquariums are located in Numazu, Mito Sea Paradise and Awashima Marine Park.
Notable natives
- Yasushi Inoue (novelist)
- Nobutaka Machimura (politician)
- Shinji Ono (Japanese football player)
- Yamada Nagamasa
Sister City relations
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Numazu, Shizuoka |
- City of Numazu (English)
- Mito Sea Paradise
- Awashima Marine Park
- Tasuke
- Information Portal for Numazu
- Restaurant Guide Blog of Numazu
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This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
