Takizawa, Iwate
| Takizawa 滝沢市 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| City | |||
 upper: Mount Iwate , upper-middle: Iwate Prefectural University lower-middle: Takisawa Station Takizawa C | |||
| |||
 Location of Takizawa in Iwate Prefecture | |||
  Takizawa | |||
| Coordinates: 39°44′4.9″N 141°4′37.4″E / 39.734694°N 141.077056°ECoordinates: 39°44′4.9″N 141°4′37.4″E / 39.734694°N 141.077056°E | |||
| Country | Japan | ||
| Region | Tōhoku | ||
| Prefecture | Iwate | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 182.46 km2 (70.45 sq mi) | ||
| Population (January 31, 2017) | |||
| • Total | 55,279 | ||
| • Density | 303/km2 (780/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) | ||
| - Tree | Sakura | ||
| - Flower | Mountain Lily | ||
| - Bird | Common cuckoo | ||
| Phone number | 019-684-2111 | ||
| Address | 55, Nakaukai, Takizawa-shi, Iwate-ken 020-0692 | ||
| Website | http://www.city.takizawa.iwate.jp/ | ||
Takizawa (滝沢市 Takizawa-shi) is a city located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 January 2017, the city had an estimated population of 279,483, and a population density of 303 persons per km². The total area of the city is 182.46 square kilometres (70.45 sq mi).
Geography
Takizawa is located in central Iwate Prefecture, bordered to the north and west by the Iwate Mountains, and the Kitakami River to the east and the Shizukuishi River to the south.
Neighboring municipalities
- Iwate Prefecture
Climate
Takizawa has a cold humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Takizawa is 9.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1386 mm with September as the wettest month and February as the driest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 23.3 °C, and lowest in January, at around -3.3 °C.[1]
Demographics
Per Japanese census data,[2] the population of Takizawa has grown rapidly over the past 40 years.
| Census Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1970 | 12,000 |
| 1980 | 25,686 |
| 1990 | 38,108 |
| 2000 | 51,241 |
| 2010 | 53,853 |
History
The area of present-day Takizawa was part of ancient Mutsu Province. During the Heian period, it was ruled by the Abe clan. During the Sengoku period, the area came under the control of the Nambu clan during the Edo period, who ruled Morioka Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate.
In the Meiji period, the village of Takizawa was established within Iwate District on April 1, 1889, with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. Takizawa was promoted directly from a village to a city on January 1, 2014.
Government
Takizawa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 18 members.
Economy
Takizawa is a bedroom community for Morioka. Agriculture still plays an important role in the local economy, with Takizawa known for its summer watermelon and fall apples.
Education
Universities and colleges
Primary and secondary education
Takizawa has nine public elementary schools, eight of which are operated by the city government, and one of which is operated by the Morioka city government, although physically located within Takizawa. There are likewise seven public middle schools, six of which are operated by the city government and one of which is operated by the Morioka city government. There are two public high schools operated by the Iwate Prefectural Board of Education. There is also a special education school operated by the prefectural government.
Transportation
Railway
Highway
Local attractions
- Chagu Chagu Umakko - Takizawa is famous for its Chagu-Chagu Horse Festival (チャグチャグ馬コ Chagu-Chagu Umakko) held every June. The festival is designated by the Japanese government to be an Important Cultural Asset. The festival celebrates the horses which once played an important role in the area’s agriculture. The festival gets its name from the bells the horses wear during the procession. The sound the bells make, in Japanese, is "chagu-chagu". The festival begins at Chagu-Chagu Shrine which is a large shrine in Takizawa dedicated to horses. After a brief ceremony a long line of colorfully dressed horses ridden mostly by children in traditional dress leave the shrine and go on a 15 km procession that takes them to Hachimangu Shrine in Morioka. In total the trip takes nearly five hours to complete.[3]
Noted people from Takizawa
- Azusa Iwashimizu – professional soccer player
References
- ↑ Takizawa climate data
- ↑ Takizawa population statistics
- ↑ Information about the Chagu-Chagu Horse Festival from the Japan National Tourist Organization
External links
- Official Website (in Japanese)
