is the capital

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

Toyama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Toyama Prefecture has a population of 1,044,588 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,247.61 km2 (1,640.01 sq mi). Toyama Prefecture borders Ishikawa Prefecture to the ...

, Japan, located on the coast of the

Sea of Japan The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, i ...

in the Chūbu region on central Honshū, about north of the city of

Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most po ...

and northwest of

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...

. , the city had an estimated

population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...

of 415,844 in 176,643 households, and a

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

of 335 persons per km². Its total area was .

Overview

The city has been designated an environmental model city by the national government for its efforts to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.

Cityscapes

File:Toyama Castle (4207284334).jpg,

Toyama Castle Toyama Castle moat is a flatland-style Japanese castle located in the city of Toyama, Toyama Prefecture, in the Hokuriku region of Japan. It is also called Azumi Castle (安住城 ''Azumi-jō''). Built in 1543, the castle and its surroundi ...

（2009） File:Anyobo, Toyama, Toyama Prefecture 930-0881, Japan - panoramio (35).jpg,

Skyline A skyline is the outline or shape viewed near the horizon. It can be created by a city’s overall structure, or by human intervention in a rural setting, or in nature that is formed where the sky meets buildings or the land. City skyline ...

of Toyama City（2015） File:View from Toyama City Hall, north side.jpg, CBD of Toyama（2018） File:Sogawa st.jpeg, Downtown Sōgawa（2016） File:Fugan unga.JPG, Toyama Kansui park（2016）

Geography

Located in the middle of its prefecture, Toyama is a seaside city by the coast of the

. Its municipal territory borders with the Gifu Prefecture and with the municipalities of Imizu, Namerikawa,

Tonami 270px, Tonami-yotaka festival held in June is a city in Toyama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 48,659 in 16,739 households and a population density of 384 persons per km². Its total area was . Geography Tonami i ...

, Nanto, Hida and Takayama. The nearest towns are Imizu (west), and Namerikawa (east), both by the sea and part of the Toyama urban area. The nearest city is

Kanazawa is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 466,029 in 203,271 households, and a population density of 990 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . Overview Cityscape ...

, the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, which is away.

Climate

Toyama has a humid subtropical climate (

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

''Cfa'') with hot, humid summers and cool winters. Precipitation is abundant throughout the year, particularly in July, September and from November through January. Despite winter in Toyama being relatively mild, its position near the Sea of Japan places it within the heavy snow belt of Japan and on average of snow falls each season, almost all of it from December through March, as well as occasionally experiencing some tremendous amounts of snowfall.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Toyama has recently plateaued after a long period of growth.

Surrounding municipalities

;

* Imizu * Namerikawa *

* Nanto * Kamiichi *

Tateyama Tateyama may refer to: People with the surname * Midori Tateyama, Japanese writer * Shohei Tateyama (born 1981), Japanese baseball player * Yoshinori Tateyama (born 1975), Japanese baseball player * Homarefuji Yoshiyuki (born 1985), Japanese su ...

Funahashi is a village located in Nakaniikawa District, Toyama Prefecture, Japan. , the village had an estimated population of 3,064 in 1044 households and a population density of . The total area of the town was , making it the smallest municipality in ...

; Nagano Prefecture * Ōmachi ; Gifu Prefecture * Hida * Takayama

History

Early history

The area of present-day Toyama city was part of ancient Etchū Province. The Toyama Plain is good farmland and historically it was a point of strategic and traffic importance since prehistoric times.

Middle Ages

;Sengoku period During the

Sengoku period The was a period in History of Japan, Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615. The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the Feudalism, feudal system of Japan under the ...

, it was frequently a battlefield, coming under the control of warlord

Sassa Narimasa , also known as Kura-no-suke (内蔵助), was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku through Azuchi–Momoyama period.">DF 7 of 80">"Asa ..., where he was in the rear guard. In 1575, Narimasa fought at the Battle of Nagashino">DF 7 of 80/nowiki>">D ...

, who built a

castle town A castle town is a settlement built adjacent to or surrounding a castle. Castle towns were common in Medieval Europe. Some examples include small towns like Alnwick and Arundel, which are still dominated by their castles. In Western Europe, a ...

around

and channeled rivers to bringing about a flourishing agricultural industry.

Early Modern Ages

;Edo period The area subsequently became part of Kaga Domain under the

Maeda clan was a Japanese samurai clan who occupied most of the Hokuriku region of central Honshū from the end of the Sengoku period through the Meiji restoration of 1868. The Maeda claimed descent from the Sugawara clan of Sugawara no Kiyotomo and Sugaw ...

during the

Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characte ...

, during which time a positive industrial promotion policy was implemented on the production of

Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. It has been described as "fraught with pseudoscience", with the majority of its treatments having no logical mechanism of action ...

and ''

washi is traditional Japanese paper. The term is used to describe paper that uses local fiber, processed by hand and made in the traditional manner. ''Washi'' is made using fibers from the inner bark of the gampi tree, the mitsumata shrub (''E ...

'' (Japanese paper). Also, thanks to the improvement of ''

kitamaebune The was a shipping route (and also the ships involved) in Japan from the Edo period to the Meiji era. The route went from Osaka through the Seto Inland Sea and the Kanmon Straits to ports in Hokuriku on the Sea of Japan and later to Hokkaidō. ...

'' sea transportation routes, these industries thrived and Toyama became known nationwide as the province of medicine.

Recent history

Late Modern Ages

;Meiji period After the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...

, with the creation of the municipalities system, the city of Toyama was established on April 1, 1889, as one of the first 30 cities in Japan. Economically, the area developed heavy and chemical industries based on abundant hydroelectric electricity. Toyama has become one of the most influential cities on the

with its good water supply, drainage system and thriving agricultural, forestry, fishery, commercial and manufacturing industries.

Contemporary Ages

During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, Allied Prisoners of War (POWs) were sent to Toyama as forced labor. The city was almost completely destroyed on the night of August 1–2, 1945. At the time of the bombing, the city was a center for aluminum,

ball-bearing A ball bearing is a type of rolling-element bearing that uses balls to maintain the separation between the bearing races. The purpose of a ball bearing is to reduce rotational friction and support radial and axial loads. It achieves this ...

and special steel production. Left unscathed however, were the war-related factories just outside the city. The city during the time had a population of around 150,000 residents. The city also held Kakure Kirishitan, or "Hidden Christians" in Japan, forced from Nagasaki into internment camps after the government tried to punish them for their Christian beliefs. ;2005 mergers On April 1, 2005, the towns of Ōsawano and Ōyama (both from Kaminiikawa District), the towns of Fuchū and Yatsuo, and the villages of Hosoiri and

Yamada Yamada (山田, ) is the 12th most common Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include: *, Japanese model, actress and idol *, Japanese field hockey player *, Japanese illustrator and manga artist *, Japanese rugby union player *, Ja ...

(all from Nei District) were merged into Toyama. Kaminiikawa District and Nei District were both dissolved as a result of this merger.

Government

Toyama has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a

unicameral Unicameralism (from ''uni''- "one" + Latin ''camera'' "chamber") is a type of legislature, which consists of one house or assembly, that legislates and votes as one. Unicameral legislatures exist when there is no widely perceived need for multi ...

city legislature of 38 members.

External relations

Toyama International Conference Center 20180503

Twin towns – sister cities

Toyama is twinned with:

International

;Sister Cities ;Friendship city

Economy

Hokuriku Electric Power Company The Hokuriku Electric Power Company supplies power by a regulated monopoly to Toyama Prefecture, Ishikawa Prefecture, the northern part of Fukui Prefecture, and northwestern parts of Gifu Prefecture. It is often abbreviated within its area o ...

(colloquially known as ''Hokuden''), the regional power-supply monopoly, is based in Toyama. Bearing parts and industrial robot company

Nachi-Fujikoshi (known also by its trademark Nachi) is a Japanese corporation known for its industrial robots, machining tools and systems and machine components. Nachi-Fujikoshi is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and as of January 2014, comprises 50 compan ...

and software compan
INTEC
are also headquartered in Toyama. Regional banks include

Hokuriku Bank is a Japanese regional bank headquartered in Toyama, Toyama; '' Hokoriku'' refers to a greater region in Japan that encompasses Fukui, Ishikawa, and Toyoma prefectures. In addition to the Hokuriku region, the bank has branches in Kyoto, Osaka, ...

, First Bank of Toyama, and Toyama Bank.

Education

Colleges and universities

Toyama College is a private junior college in Toyama, Toyama, Japan. It is attached to the Kureha Campus of Toyama University of International Studies is a private university in Toyama, Toyama, Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkok ...

* Toyama National College of Technology * Toyama Prefectural University *

Toyama University of International Studies is a private university in Toyama, Toyama, Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan ...

University of Toyama The is a Japanese national university in Toyama Prefecture established in 1949. The University of Toyama has three campuses, namely the Gofuku, Sugitani, and Takaoka campuses. The University of Toyama, Sugitani campus is the home to Institut ...

Primary and secondary education

Toyama has 65 public elementary schools and 26 public middle schools operated by the city government. There is also one public elementary school and one public middle school operated by the national government. The city has fourteen public high schools operated by the Toyama Prefectural Board of Education. and one public combined middle/high school operated by the national government. There are also seven private high schools. Toyama Shogyo High School is a commercial high school.

Transportation

Airways

Airports

Toyama Airport is an airport located in the city of Toyama, Toyama Prefecture, Japan. The airport services are primarily domestic flights and international flights to China and Taiwan: however, seasonal international charter flights also service Toyama from A ...

Railways

High-speed rail

;

West Japan Railway Company , also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies and operates in western Honshu. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka. It is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the TOPIX Large70 index, and ...

(JR West) *

Hokuriku Shinkansen The is a high-speed Shinkansen railway line jointly operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West), connecting Tokyo with in the Hokuriku region of Japan. The first section, between and in Nagano Pr ...

：

Conventional lines

;

(JR West) *

Takayama Main Line The is a Japanese railway line between Gifu Station in Gifu and Toyama Station in Toyama, operated by Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West). The line directly links the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area ( ...

： - - - - - - - - - ; JR logo (central)

Central Japan Railway Company (JR Tōkai) *

： - ;

Ainokaze Toyama Railway The is a Japanese third-sector railway operating company established in 2012 to operate passenger railway services on the section of the JR West Hokuriku Main Line within Toyama Prefecture when it was separated from the JR West network in Mar ...

*Ainokaze Toyama Railway Line：- Kureha -

Toyama Toyama may refer to: Places and organizations * Toyama Prefecture, a prefecture of Japan located in the Hokuriku region on the main Honshu island * Toyama, Toyama, the capital city of Toyama Prefecture * Toyama Station, the main station of Toyama, ...

- Higashi-Toyama - Mizuhashi - ; 18px

Toyama Chihō Railway The is a transportation company in Toyama, Toyama Prefecture, Japan. The company is commonly known as . This private company operates railway, tram, and bus services in the eastern part of the prefecture. It also operates as the agency of A ...

*Main Line： - - - * Kamidaki Line： - - - - - - - - - - - - * Tateyama Line： -

Tramways

; 18px

Toyama Light Rail Toyamakō Line Toyama may refer to: Places and organizations * Toyama Prefecture, a prefecture of Japan located in the Hokuriku region on the main Honshu island * Toyama, Toyama, the capital city of Toyama Prefecture * Toyama Station, the main station of Toyama, ...

Toyama City Tram Line The of Toyama Chihō Railway, commonly referred to as , is a narrow gauge tram system in Toyama, Japan. Its first operation was in 1912. It has 23 stations and runs 7.3 km. While the system officially consists of five lines, the operat ...

Roads

Expressway

Hokuriku Expressway The , (abbreviated as , is a 4-laned national expressway in Japan. It is owned and managed by East Nippon Expressway Company and Central Nippon Expressway Company. Overview The first section was opened in 1972 by Japan Highway Public Corpo ...

Japan National Route

* * * * * * *

Seaways

Seaport

* Port of Toyama

Local attractions

* Botanic Gardens of Toyama * Toyama International Conference Center *

* Toyamaken Gokoku Shrine * Museum of Modern Art of Toyama * Toyama Athletic Recreation Park Stadium, home of Toyama's representative in the J.League, Kataller Toyama football club * Toyama Glass Art Museum * Yasuda Castle ruins, National Historic Site * Sugusaka Site, Japanese Paleolithic period site, National Historic Site * Kitadai Site, Jomon period site, National Historic Site * Ōzuka-Senbōyama Sites, Yayoi period settlement ruins and Kofun, National Historic Site

Culture

Festivals and events

* Toyama Chindon Contest (Toyama Band of musical sandwichmen contest) – proposed by the Toyama Chamber of Commerce in 1955 and is held annually in early April. This event has become a festival, and many bands of sandwichmen (men wearing sandwich boards for advertisements) participate, attracting many tourists every year. *

Kaze No Bon is a Japanese festival held every year from September 1 to 3 in Yatsuo, Toyama, Japan. literally translates to " Bon Dance of the Wind." This festival, having a history of about 300 years, recently became a popular tourist attraction to t ...

– held annually on September 1 to 3, in the Yatsuo region.Visit Toyama
. (2008). ''Visit Toyama''. Retrieved Jan. 6, 2013, from prefectural web site, English version.

References

External links

Toyama City official website

Toyama City's Website for foreign people Visit Toyama

{{Authority control Cities in Toyama Prefecture Port settlements in Japan Populated coastal places in Japan Environmental model cities