Asahi, Chiba

This article is about the city in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. For other uses see Asahi.

Asahi 旭市
—  City  —
Asahi as seen from above
Location of Asahi in Chiba
Asahi
Coordinates: 35°43′N 140°39′E / 35.717°N 140.65°E / 35.717; 140.65Coordinates: 35°43′N 140°39′E / 35.717°N 140.65°E / 35.717; 140.65
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Chiba
Government
- Mayor	Tadanao Akechi
Area
- Total	129.91 km2 (50.2 sq mi)
Population (February 2011)
- Total	69,000
- Density	531/km2 (1,375.3/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City Symbols
-Tree	Japanese Black Pine
- Flower	hydrangea
Phone number	0479-62-1212
Address	1920 Banchi, Asahi-shi, Chiba-ken 289-2595
Website	Asahi City

Asahi City Hall

Asahi (旭市, Asahi-shi^?) is a city located in northern Chiba, Japan. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population of 69,000 and a population density of 531 persons per km². The total area was 129.91 km².

Geography

Asahi is located in far northeastern Chiba Prefecture, bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the southeast.

Climate

Asahi has a mild climate. The average yearly temperature is 15 degrees Celsius. In 2007, Asahi received 1744.5 mm of precipitation.

Surrounding municipalities

• Choshi, Chiba
• Sōsa, Chiba

Katori, Chiba

• Tōnoshō, Chiba

History

Humans have lived in the Asahi area for at least 25,000 years. Clans gave way to a central power during the Taika Reform in 645 A.D. The Chiba clan, or branches of it, ruled the entire Shimōsa region for about 400 years from the Kamakura period. During the Sengoku period, the Chiba clan gained the protection of such powerful clans as the Odawara Hōjō clan, allowing them to get a stronger foothold of power over the area. They lost control when the Hōjō clan was overthrown in 1590 by Hideyoshi Toyotomi. After that, General Kiso Yoshimasa settled in the region. He restored the Ajito Castle, which was the inspiration for the name "Asahi." As the governor of the region, he became a popular and respected politician. When poet Nonoguchi Takamasa visited the area in 1852, he wrote a poem about the general, from which the name "Asahi," which can mean "rising sun," was taken.

"from Shinano / adoring the rising sun / he came to the eastern land / and there remains the evidence of his earthly life"

In the Edo Period, various agricultural changes in the region occurred. The first was the reclamation of the "Sea of Camellias," a vast lake, which was drained into the Pacific Ocean to create the fertile Higata Hachiman-goku. The second was spurred on by the arrival of Ohara Yugaku in 1835. Ohara was an agricultural revolutionary who helped to revive agriculture in the area. During this same time, while Iioka Sukegoro was helping to develop the fishing industry, fishermen from the Kansai region moved to the area to take advantage of the bountiful fishing grounds available.^[1]

The town of Asahi was founded on July 1, 1954. On July 1, 2005, the city merged with the town of Hikata, from Katori District, and the towns of Iioka and Unakami, both from Kaijo District, to form the new expanded city of Asahi.

The city was damaged during the March 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. Around 15 people were killed, 2,265 buildings were damaged, with 427 buildings destroyed, 716 people were left homeless, and heavy damage was done to the town's port and fishing boat fleet.^[2]

Transportation

Railways

• East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Sōbu Main Line
  • Higata - Asahi - Iioka - Kurahashi

The Shiosai Limited Express service stops at Asahi and Iioka stations.

Highways

• Japan National Route 126

City Landmarks

Iioka Gyobu Misaki Observatory and Lighthouse

Administered by Chiba Prefecture

• Chiba East Prefectural Library
• General Sports Center, Toso Stadium
• Iioka Gyobu Misaki Observatory and Lighthouse
• Toso Culture Center

Administered by Asahi City

• Asahi Chuo Hospital
• Asahi City Public Library
• Asahi Sports-no-Mori Park
• Asahi Park Golf Course
• Fukuro Park
• Iioka swimming area
• Manzai Nature Park
• Ohara Yugaku Memorial Hall and Historical Park
• Taki-no-Sato Nature Park
• Unakami Community Athletic Park
  

  Ryufukuji Temple
• Unakami Camp Park
• Yasashigaura swimming area (nicknamed "The Mecca of Surfing"^[3])

Temples and Shrines

• Kamakazu Ise Daijingu Shrine
• Kumano Shrine
• Rai Shrine
• Ryufukuji Temple
• Tamasaki Shrine

Other

• Kampo no Yado hotel and hot springs (run by Japan Post Holdings)

Education

High Schools

• Chiba Prefecture, Asahi City Agricultural High School
• Chiba Prefecture, Toso Technological High School

Junior High Schools

• Asahi City First Public Junior High School
• Asahi City Second Public Junior High School
• Hikata Public Junior High School
• Iioka Public Junior High School
• Unakami Public Junior High School

Elementary Schools

• Chuo Public Elementary School
• Chuwa Public Elementary School
• Higata Public Elementary School
• Iioka Public Elementary School
• Kojo Public Elementary School
• Kotoda Public Elementary School
• Kyowa Public Elementary School
• Manzai Public Elementary School
• Omei Public Elementary School
• Sangawa Public Elementary School
• Takisato Public Elementary School
• Tomiura Public Elementary School
• Toyohata Public Elementary School
• Tsurumaki Public Elementary School
• Yasashi Public Elementary School

Agriculture

Asahi City's agricultural output is ranked first in Chiba Prefecture and ninth in Japan. The city's location on the coast of the Boso Peninsula gives it easy access to abundant fishing grounds created by the intersection of the Japan Current and the Okhotsk Current. Iioka fishing port has the second highest volume of fish unloaded in Chiba Prefecture.^[4]

A field of Asahi rapeseed flowers

Flowers

• Cyclamens
• Garland Chrysanthemum
• Petunias
• Transvaal (Bellis perennis)
• Rapeseed

Fruits, Vegetables, and Grains

• Cherry Tomatoes
• Cucumbers (including heart-shaped and star-shaped^[5])
• Mushrooms
• Parsley
• Pickling Melons
• Rice
• Slender green peppers
• Strawberries
• Takami Melons
• Tomatoes
• Zucchini

Seafood and Meat

• Flounder
• Infant Anchovies
• Inshore Oysters
• Pork
• Sardines

Events

Annual

• Iioka Shiosai Marathon – first Sunday of February
• Fukuro Park Cherry Blossom Festival - April 1 - May 5
• Asahi Iioka Port / Seafood Festival - end of May
• Iioka Fireworks Festival – last Saturday of July
• Iioka "YOU You" Festival – last Saturday and Sunday of July
• Summer Fest at Yasashigaura - beginning of August
• Citizens' Tanabata Festival – August 6 and 7
• Asahi Beach Sand Sculpture displays
• Hebisono-deshimizu Cosmos Festival - beginning of October
• Ikiiki Asahi Citizens' Festival - middle of October
• Hikata Furusato Festival - middle of November
• Unakami Industry Festival - end of November

Other

• 2010 National Sports Festival of Japan Table Tennis tournament (Held at Sports-no-Mori Park from September 30 to October 4)
• Goshinkosai Festival at Kumano Shrine (held every 12 years)
• Goshinkosai Festival at Dairi Shrine (held every 33 years)
• Miroku-sanbaso procession of Kurahashi (held every 20 years)

Sister and Friendship Cities

• - Chino, Nagano Prefecture (Sister City) ^[6]
• - Nakagusuku, Okinawa Prefecture (Friendship City)^[6]

Mascots

Asahi City uses characters from Tetsuya Chiba's manga works as official mascots, including Mukai Taiyo from "Ashita Tenki ni Naare" as the mascot of Asahi Park Golf Course.^[7] Framed art and messages from Tetsuya Chiba can be seen in many public buildings. Tetsuya Chiba lived in Asahi (then Iioka-machi) during his childhood.^[8]

Noted people from Asahi

• Hiromichi Ishige – professional baseball player
• Shoya Tomizawa – professional motorcycle racer

References

1. ^ http://www.city.asahi.lg.jp/outline/guide/pdf/P40-43culture.pdf
2. ^ Fukue, Natsuko, "Tsunami came late to unprepared Chiba", Japan Times, 30 March 2011, p. 2.
3. ^ VIEW 旭市勢要覧2008 ASAHI GEOGRAPHY 大地の恵みとともに
4. ^ http://www.city.asahi.lg.jp/outline/guide/pdf/P34-35products.pdf
5. ^ indd
6. ^ ^{a b} http://www.city.asahi.lg.jp/outline/guide/pdf/P32partner.pdf
7. ^ VIEW 旭市勢要覧2008 あさひパークゴルフ場
8. ^ http://chibapro.co.jp/english/index.html

External links

• Asahi official English website
• English website for official Asahi live web cameras
• (Japanese) Asahi official website
• Katori Air Base Monument