Kōriyama, Fukushima

Japanese city| Name = Kōriyama
JapaneseName = 郡山市| Prefecture = Fukushima
Region = Tōhoku
Area_km2 = 757.06 | Population = 339,118
PopDate = 1 September2007
Density_km2 = 447.94
Coords=
LatitudeDegrees= 37
LatitudeMinutes= 24
LatitudeSeconds=
LongtitudeDegrees= 140
LongtitudeMinutes= 23
LongtitudeSeconds=
Mayor = Masao Hara
Tree = Prunus serrulata (Japanese hill cherry)
Flower = Japanese iris
Bird = Cuckoo
Symbol
!border| SymbolDescription= Flag
CityHallPostalCode =963-8601
CityHallAddress=7-23 1-chome Asahi Koriyama Fukushima JAPAN
CityHallPhone=024-924-2491
CityHallLink = [http://www.city.koriyama.fukushima.jp/international/index.html/ Koriyama City (English)] | City

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nihongo|Kōriyama|郡山市|Kōriyama-shi is a city located in the center of the Nakadōri region of Fukushima, Tōhoku, Japan. As of 2007, the city has an estimated population of 339,118 and a density of 447.94 persons per km². The total area is 757.06 km².

The city was founded on 1 September 1924. Now, the city is designated as a "core city" and works as a commercial city in Fukushima Prefecture. Kōriyama is the second largest conurbation in the Tōhoku region.

History

Kōriyama once thrived as a Shukuba town because of its importance as a traffic focal point. Kōriyama was fomerly called Asaka(安積). In the Meiji period, the Meiji government had many samurai reclaim the land to help the poor. As a result, Asaka developed into a big food basket and the population grew.

Kōriyama was incorporated as a city on 1 September 1924.

In 1965, the city merged with some nearby towns and villages.

In 1997, the city was designated as a "core city".

Geography and Climate

Kōriyama is located in the center of Fukushima Prefecture in the Tōhoku region (coord|37|24|N|140|23|E|type:city_region:JP). The Adatara mountains are to the north, Lake Inawashiro is to the west, and the Abukuma highlands are to the east. Lake Inawashiro is the forth largest lake in Japan, and is known for having the cleanest water in Japan. The Abukuma River flows through downtown Kōriyama.

The city is situated in a temperate zone, so a dry wind blows throughout the year.

The downtown area is front of Kōriyama Station.

Demographics

In a 2007 census the city's population was recorded as 339,118 and the population density as 447.94. The population of the conurbation is about 0.5 million, it is the second largest in Tōhoku region after Sendai.

Economy

Kōriyama city is called the "commercial capital in Fukushima" and the economic bloc is the biggest in Fukushima Prefecture.There are many department stores and shops in front of Kōriyama Station.;Principal companies
*XEBIO; sports goods
*Kourakuen; ramen shops
*York Benimaru; the biggest supermarket in Kōriyama with networks in south Tōhoku, Nigata, and North Kanto;Banks
*Daito Bank

Transportation

Kōriyama is an important point because it is located in the center of Fukushima and it is linked to many cities like Tokyo, Sendai, Fukushima, Niigata and Iwaki. The city serves as a hub for the railways and the expressways.

Railway

:Central station: Kōriyama Station

JR East Lines

*Tōhoku Shinkansen:Kōriyama Station:Yamabiko, Nasuno, Tsubasa
*Tōhoku Main Line:Asaka-nagamori - Kōriyama Station - Hiwada
*East Ban'etsu Line:Kōriyama Station - Mōgi
*West Ban'etsu Line:Kōriyama Station - Kikuta - Akogashima - Bandai-atami - Nakayamajuku
*Suigun Line:Kōriyama Station - Asaka-ngamori - Yataawa - Iwaki-moriyama

Roads

*Tōhoku Expressway
**Asaka PA - Kōriyama-minami IC - Kōriyama IC - Kōriyama JCT
*Ban-etsu Expressway
**Kōriyama-higashi IC - Kōriyama JCT - Gohyakugawa PA - Bandai-atami IC

*National Route 4
*National Route 49
*National Route 228
*National Route 294

Highway buses

*from Kōriyama to Fukushima, Aizu-Wakamatsu, Iwaki, Sendai, Niigata, Shin-Koshigaya, Tokyo, Shinjuku, Narita Airport, Yokohama, Ōsaka

Ports

*Konan Port (besides Lake Inawashiro)

Airports

"None" in the city. Some available airports are as follows.
*Fukushima Airport (Sukagawa, Fukushima); domestic and international
*Sendai Airport (Natori, Miyagi); domestic and international
*Niigata Airport (Niigata, Niigata); domestic and international
*Narita Airport (Narita, Chiba); international and domestic
*Haneda Airport (Ota, Tokyo); domestic and international

Culture

Festivals

*Kōriyama Uneme Festival
*Koriyama Summer Festival - an Oktoberfest-style festival.
*Koriyama Autumn Festival - includes children's activities, taiko and mikoshi parades.

Foods

*rice
*Peach
*Japanese Nashi
*Usukawa Manjū (means "thin-shell manjū")
*Yubeshi
*Mamadōru
*Lemo
*Farmed carp
*Kan-nyapo

Media

Television

analogue
*Fukushima Central Television (Nittele chain)
*Fukushima Broadcasting (TV Asahi chain)CATY
*Information Network Kōriyama

Newspaper

*Fukushima Mimpō (Fukushima, Mainichi chain)
*Fukushima Min-Yū (Fukushima, Yomiuri chain)
*Kahoku Shimpō (Sendai)

Radio

FM Fukushima (JFN)

Education

Universities and Colleges

*Nihon University, Faculty of Engineering
*Ohu University
*Kōriyama Women's University & Colleges
*Kōriyama Women's University Junior College
*Open University of Japan, Fukushima Learning Center

enior High Schools

Related pages

*Fukushima Prefecture
*Asaka Canal
*Fukushima, Fukushima
*core city

External links

* [http://www.city.koriyama.fukushima.jp/international/index.html Koriyama official website] in English
* [http://www.city.koriyama.fukushima.jp/ Koriyama official website] in Japanese