Ashikaga, Tochigi

Japanese city
Name = Ashikaga
JapaneseName=足利市
Prefecture=Tochigi Prefecture
Region=Kantō
Area_km2=177.82
Population=156,917
PopDate=September 1 2008
Density_km2=
Coords=
LatitudeDegrees= 36
LatitudeMinutes= 20
LatitudeSeconds=
LongtitudeDegrees= 139
LongtitudeMinutes= 27
LongtitudeSeconds=
Postal code=
Area code=
Mayor =Muneo Yoshitani
Tree =Maple
Flower =Azalea
Bird =
Symbol

SymbolDescription= Flag
CityHallPostalCode =326-8601
CityHallAddress= 3-2145 Honjo,Ashikaga
CityHallPhone= 0284-20-2222
CityHallLink = [http://www.city.ashikaga.tochigi.jp/002english/ Ashikaga City] | City

Elevation=

nihongo|Ashikaga|足利市|Ashikaga-shi is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Ashikaga is located 80 km (50 miles) north of Tokyo.

As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 156,917 and a density of 882.45 persons per km². The total area is 177.82 km².

The city was founded on January 1, 1921.

History

During the Heian Period, Ashikaga was developed by Minamoto no Yoshikuni, whose descendants later became the Ashikaga clan.

Ashikaga has long been noted for its textile industry, but in recent years it has also become known as an industrial and commercial city producing various aluminum, machine metal works and products.

Education

Ashikaga is home to Ashikaga Kogyō Daigaku Fuzoku Kōkō 足利工業大学付属高校(Ashikodai足工大) boys' high school, as well as Ashikaga Tanki Daigaku Fuzoku Kōkō 足利短期大学付属高校(Ashitandai足短大) girls' high school. These schools are notable due to a 19-year standing foreign exchange program with a United States high school, Elk Grove High School, in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. The city was also recently named a special area for English education by the Japanese government, as all the junior high schools have native English-speaking ALTs, three hailing from Ashikaga's sister City, Springfield (Illinois), United States.

Tourism

*Ashikaga Gakkō (足利学校):referred to as the oldest school in Japan.
*Ashikaga Flower Park (足利フラワーパーク）:Japan's oldest and largest wisteria.

Other locations popular with domestic tourists include
*Orihime Shrine（織姫神社):This shrine was built in 1879,the guardians of the textile city, Ashikaga.
*Bannaji Temple（鑁阿寺):It is a temple known for its association with the Ashikaga clan.
*Kuruta Museum(栗田美術館):This museum has a fine collection of "Imari" and "Nabeshima" porcelains.

The Watarase River Fireworks display, which takes places on the first Saturday of August attracts thousands of people from around the Kantō area.

The foothills on the outskirts of town are home to Coco Farm & Winery. Founded around 1950, the vineyards are tended by adults with special needs and staff members living in community. During the third weekend of November, a harvest festival is held with live music and wine-tasting. Thousands of visitors attend every year.

Transportation

*Route 50: for Maebashi or Mito
*Route 293: for Hitachi
*Route 407: for Iruma
*Ryomo Line(Ashikaga Station): for Takasaki or Oyama
*Tobu Isesaki line(Ashikagashi Station): for Asakusa or Isesaki
*Intercity/Express bus: for Narita Airport,Haneda Airport, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Nagoya, Kanazawa, Toyama and Sendai

Sister cities

*flagicon|United States Springfield (Illinois), United States
*flagicon| People's Republic of China Jining, China

ee also

* Ashikaga shogunate

External links

* [http://www.city.ashikaga.tochigi.jp/ Ashikaga official website] in Japanese
* [http://www.city.ashikaga.tochigi.jp/english/index.html Ashikaga official website] in English (very little information)
* [http://www.cocowine.com/english/english.html Coco Farm & Winery Home Page]
* [http://sightseeing.in-japan.jp/2007/06/ashikaga_flower_park_tochigi_p.html Ashikaga Flower Park]
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