Minami-Alps, Yamanashi

Minami-Alps 南アルプス市
—  City  —
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Location of Minami-Alps in Yamanashi
Minami-Alps
Coordinates: 35°36′N 138°28′E / 35.6°N 138.467°E / 35.6; 138.467Coordinates: 35°36′N 138°28′E / 35.6°N 138.467°E / 35.6; 138.467
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu
Prefecture	Yamanashi
Government
- Mayor	Yutaka Ichikawa
Area
- Total	264.06 km2 (102 sq mi)
Population (April 1, 2011)
- Total	72,854
- Density	275.9/km2 (714.6/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
Phone number	81-(0)55-282-1111
Address	Ogasawara 376, Minami-Alps city, Yamanashi (山梨県南アルプス市小笠原376) 400-0395
Website	City of Minami-Alps

Minami-Alps (南アルプス市, Minami-Arupusu-shi^?) is a city located in Yamanashi, Japan.

As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 72,854, with a household number of 25,470 and a density of 275.90 persons per km². The total area is 264.06 km².

The city's Japanese name, Minami-Arupusu, literally means "Southern Alps", which itself is named in reference to the European Alps. This city is located on the eastern foothills of these Southern Alps. Minami-Alps is Yamanashi Prefecture's eighth city, and its population of over 70,000 makes it the prefecture's third largest.

The city's name was chosen in September 2002 from among entries submitted by the general public. The following are the main reasons why this name was chosen.

• It conjures up the geographical image of the cities location at the foot of the Southern Alps.
• It goes with the characteristics of the environment shared by the six towns and villages.
• It gives the impression of cheerfulness and freshness that a tourism city should have.

It is the Southern Alps that characterize the city more than anything else. This mountain range includes Mount Kita, Japan's second-highest mountain, as well as a number of other mountains that top 3,000 meters. The urbanized zones lie along the three rivers running along these mountains: Midai River, Takizawa River, and Tsubo River.

Another striking characteristic of Minami-Alps is the natural bounty of the fruit and other crops that have found a home here, including cherries, peaches, plums, grapes, pears, persimmons, kiwi, and apples.

History

The city was established on April 1, 2003, by merging four towns and two villages, all from Nakakoma District:

• Shirane
• Wakakusa
• Kushigata
• Kōsai
• Hatta
• Ashiyasu

Sister cities

• Marshalltown, a city in Iowa, USA
• Winterset, a city in Iowa, USA
• Queanbeyan, a city in New South Wales, Australia
• Dujiangyan, a city in Sichuan Province, China

See also

• Hōzen-ji
• Minami Alps National Park
• List of national parks of Japan

External links

Media related to Minami-alps, Yamanashi at Wikimedia Commons

• Minami-Alps official website (English)