Toyota, Aichi

is a city located in the Mikawa region of Aichi, Japan, east of Nagoya.

Koromo and Toyota

The town of Koromo (挙母市), the predecessor of present day Toyota, was a major producer of silk, and prospered in the Mikawa Region from the Meiji Era through the Taishō period. As the demand for raw silk declined in Japan and abroad, the town entered a period of gradual decline. That decline encouraged Kiichiro Toyoda, cousin of Eiji Toyoda, to look for manufacturing alternatives to the family's automatic loom manufacturing business. This in turn led to the founding of what became the Toyota Motor Corporation.

The town gained city status on March 1, 1951. The town changed its name to Toyota in 1959 and became the sister city of another automotive industry headquarters, Detroit, Michigan, one year later. Toyota-shi is also twinned with the County of Derbyshire, England, of which Toyota operates a manufacturing plant as well.

On March 25, 2005, Expo 2005 opened with its main site being in Nagakute and additional activity in Seto and Toyota. The expo continued until September 25, 2005.

Transport

The closest Shinkansen station is Mikawa-Anjō Station (often simply referred to as Anjo), but people of Toyota usually use Nagoya Station because Nozomi and Hikari do not stop at Mikawa-Anjo.

History

The Matsudaira clan, one member of which took the name Tokugawa Ieyasu and became the first of 15 Tokugawa shoguns, derived its name from a village of the same name, now part of Toyota.

*March 1, 1951: The town of Koromo from Nishikamo District gained city status.
*September 30, 1956: The city absorbed the village of Takahashi from Nishikamo District.
*January 1, 1959: The city changed its name to Toyota.
*1960: Became a sister city with Detroit, Michigan, United States.
*March 1, 1964: The city absorbed the town of Kamigo from Hekikai District.
*March 1965: The Sunflower became the city's flower.
*September 1, 1965: The city absorbed the town of Takaoka from Hekikai District.
*April 1, 1967: The city absorbed the town of Sanage from Nishikamo District.
*1968: The Inaugural Toyota Festival was held.
*April 1, 1970: The city absorbed the village of Matsudaira from Higashikamo District.
*1979: The Nagoya Railroad (Meitetsu) opened the Toyota New Line (now Toyota Line).
*1988: The Aichi Loop Line opened.
*1998: Became a Core City.
*1999: The Toyota Ohashi opened.
*2001: Toyota Stadium opened.
*2005: Aichi Rapid Transit opened the Tobukyuryo Line.
*April 1, 2005: The city absorbed the towns of Fujioka and Obara from Nishikamo District and the towns of Asuke, Shimoyama, Asahi and Inabu from Higashikamo District to become the current city of Toyota.

ister Cities

* Detroit, USA
* Derby, UK
* Pune, India

External links

* [http://www.city.toyota.aichi.jp/e/ Toyota city official website]
* [http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/life/2006/08/18/stories/2006081800020200.htm In Toyota land: A township that revolves around Japan's world-famous automotive company... ] A travel report by Vinod Jacob 18 Aug 2006