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Aizuwakamatsu

会津若松市

City

Aizuwakamatsu skyline in November 2020

Flag

Seal

Location of Aizuwakamatsu in Fukushima Prefecture

Aizuwakamatsu

Location in Japan

Japan

First official recorded

400 AD

City Settled for Wakamatsu

April 1, 1899

Current city name changed

January 1, 1955

Area

• Total

382.97 km² (147.87 sq mi)

Population

(March 1, 2020)

• Total

119,232

• Density

311.335/km² (806.354/sq mi)

Time zone

UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)

– Tree

Japanese Red Pine

– Flower

Common Hollyhock

– Bird

Common cuckoo

Phone number

0242-39-1111

Address

3–46 Higashisakaemachi, Aizuwakamatsu-shi, Fukushima-ken 965-8601

Higashiyama Onsen

Aizuwakamatsu (会津若松市, Aizuwakamatsu-shi) is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 January 2021 (2021 -01-01)^[update], the city had an estimated population of 118,159 in 50,365 households, and a population density of 310 persons per km². The total area of the city was 382.97 square kilometres (147.87 sq mi).

History

Aizuwakamatsu Castle after the Battle of Aizu, 1868 photograph.

The area of present-day Aizuwakamatsu was part of ancient Mutsu Province, and was settled from prehistoric times. The Aizu-Otsuka Kofun within the city borders dates from the 4th century AD, and is an Important Cultural Property.

According to legend, in 88 BCE, Emperor Sujin sent two generals; Ohiko and Takenukawa-wake to the Tōhoku region for the purpose of establishing peace after the quashing of a rebellion in the region.

Before the late 12th century, Aizuwakamatsu was mainly a market town and a base for regional warlords. Starting in 1192, Aizuwakamatsu became part of the regions that were controlled by the Kamakura shogunate. Soon after taking power, Yoritomo granted a samurai named Suwara Yoshitsura (from the Miura clan) all of Aizu. A descendant of Suwara, Ashina Morinori, began construction of the first castle in the city in 1384. During the Sengoku period the final lord of Aizu, Ashina Moritaka, died in 1583 and soon the Ashina clan lost power. After the Satake clan took control of the castle, they placed a twelve-year-old member of their clan who was renamed Ashina Morishige and proclaimed lord of Aizu. The Ashina clan regained control of Aizu for a brief time in 1589 with the help of Date Masamune. However, Masamune took over the domain for himself soon after. He surrendered in 1590 to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Toyotomi gave Aizu to one of his allies, Gamo Ujisato who then began construction in 1592 of a new castle at the site. It was during this time that the town was renamed "Wakamatsu" (young pine).

During the Edo period, Aizu was controlled briefly by Uesugi Kagekatsu in 1600 after the death of Gamo Ujisato in 1596. Tokugawa Ieyasu accused Uesugi of gathering troops in Aizu. Ieyasu then transferred the Uesugi to Yonezawa. Through inheritance, Aizu was passed to Hoshina Masayuki (a brother of the third Tokugawa shogun) in 1643. The Edo period saw the economic and cultural growth of Aizu.

Hoshina's descendants would rule the Aizu Domain for the next 200 years, adopting the Matsudaira name until the ninth generation Daimyō, Matsudaira Katamori, backed the bakufu in the Boshin War. Aizuwakamatsu Castle would fall during the Battle of Aizu and the domain forfeit. A group of 22, including loyal retainers and their families, managed to escape to California and lend the name of their home to establish the first Japanese colony in America, the ill fated Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony in 1869.

After the Meiji Restoration, Wakamatsu Town was created with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. It became Wakamatsu City in 1899. On April 1, 1937, a part of Machikita village (from Kitaaizu District) was merged into the city of Wakamatsu. The remained was annexed on April 1, 1951. The name of the city was changed to Aizuwakamatsu on January 1, 1955 when Wakamatsu merged with seven villages of Kitaaizu District (Kouya, Kouzashi, Monden, Ikki, Higashiyama, Ōto and Minato). . A part of the town of Hongō (locality of Oya) (from Ōnuma District) was merged into Aizuwakamatsu on April 1, 1955.

Aizuwakamatsu further expanded by annexing the village of Kitaaizu (from Kitaaizu District) on November 1, 2004 and the town of Kawahigashi (from Kawanuma District) on November 1, 2005.

Geography

Mount Iimori

Aizuwakamatsu is located in the western part of Fukushima Prefecture, in the southeast part of Aizu basin.

Mountains

Mount Ōtodake (1416 m)
Mount Seaburi
Mount Oda
Mount Iimori

Rivers

Aga River
Nippashi River
Yugawa River
Sesenagi River

Lakes

Lake Inawashiro
Lake Wakasato
Lake Higashiyama
Lake Sohara

Hot springs

Higashiyama Onsen
Ashinomaki Onsen

Administrative divisions

There are 11 administrative divisions (hamlets or 大字 (ooaza)) in the city.

Wakamatsu
Machikita
Kouya
Kouzashi
Monden
Ikki
Higashiyama
Ōto
Minato
Kitaaizu
Kawahigashi

Neighboring municipalities

Fukushima Prefecture

North: Kitakata, Aizubange, Yugawa, Bandai
East: Koriyama, Inawashiro
West: Aizumisato
South: Shimogo, Tenei

Climate

Aizuwakamatsu has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa) characterized by warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. Although it is located in an inland valley, Aizuwakamatsu's climate resembles that of the Hokuriku region on the Sea of Japan coast. Snowfall is very heavy during the winter at 4.78 metres (190 in), and snow cover reaches an average maximum of 0.39 metres (15.35 in) and has reached as much as 1.15 metres (45.3 in) for short periods, a figure one would usually associate with much colder regions like the Labrador Peninsula. The average annual temperature in Aizuwakamatsu is 11.2 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1270 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.7 °C, and lowest in January, at around -1.2 °C.

Climate data for Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1953−present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	13.1 (55.6)	16.1 (61.0)	22.8 (73.0)	30.5 (86.9)	35.6 (96.1)	36.4 (97.5)	37.3 (99.1)	38.5 (101.3)	37.1 (98.8)	31.3 (88.3)	24.5 (76.1)	20.9 (69.6)	38.5 (101.3)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	2.9 (37.2)	4.0 (39.2)	8.9 (48.0)	16.6 (61.9)	22.7 (72.9)	26.0 (78.8)	29.2 (84.6)	30.8 (87.4)	26.1 (79.0)	19.5 (67.1)	12.2 (54.0)	5.7 (42.3)	17.1 (62.7)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−0.3 (31.5)	0.1 (32.2)	3.7 (38.7)	10.1 (50.2)	16.2 (61.2)	20.5 (68.9)	24.0 (75.2)	25.2 (77.4)	20.8 (69.4)	14.1 (57.4)	7.4 (45.3)	2.2 (36.0)	12.0 (53.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−3.4 (25.9)	−3.5 (25.7)	−0.7 (30.7)	4.3 (39.7)	10.3 (50.5)	15.9 (60.6)	20.1 (68.2)	20.8 (69.4)	16.6 (61.9)	9.8 (49.6)	3.3 (37.9)	−0.9 (30.4)	7.7 (45.9)
Record low °C (°F)	−14.4 (6.1)	−15.2 (4.6)	−11.9 (10.6)	−4.6 (23.7)	−1.2 (29.8)	6.9 (44.4)	9.1 (48.4)	10.3 (50.5)	4.8 (40.6)	−1.5 (29.3)	−5.9 (21.4)	−14.4 (6.1)	−15.2 (4.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	102.4 (4.03)	69.2 (2.72)	77.5 (3.05)	63.1 (2.48)	75.8 (2.98)	108.6 (4.28)	196.4 (7.73)	139.1 (5.48)	124.0 (4.88)	112.6 (4.43)	75.5 (2.97)	108.7 (4.28)	1,252.9 (49.31)
Average snowfall cm (inches)	121 (48)	90 (35)	41 (16)	3 (1.2)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (0.4)	72 (28)	328 (128.6)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.5 mm)	19.0	16.1	16.6	12.0	11.4	12.2	15.2	12.6	12.4	12.4	15.1	18.3	173.3
Average snowy days	27.6	23.8	17.5	4.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.1	7.0	22.4	102.5
Average relative humidity (%)	82	79	74	67	67	73	79	77	79	80	83	84	77
Mean monthly sunshine hours	78.0	99.0	144.0	172.0	201.2	165.3	156.9	195.1	141.8	122.1	89.1	67.1	1,631.6
Source 1: Japan Meteorological Agency
Source 2: Japan Meteorological Agency (records)

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Aizuwakamatsu peaked around the year 1990 and had since declined to pre-1960 levels.

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1950	115,578	—
1960	119,402	+3.3%
1970	120,839	+1.2%
1980	130,883	+8.3%
1990	136,336	+4.2%
2000	135,415	−0.7%
2010	126,125	−6.9%
2020	117,376	−6.9%

Economy

Aizuwakamatsu is a local commercial center. The area is traditionally noted for sake brewing and lacquerware. Modern industries include textiles, wood processing and electronics.

Education

Aizuwakamatsu has one prefectural university and a private junior college. The city has 19 public elementary school and 11 public junior high schools operated by the city government. In addition, there is one private elementary school and one private junior high school. The Fukushima Prefectural Board of Education operates five public high schools and one combined junior/senior high school. The prefecture also operates two special education schools.

Universities and colleges

University of Aizu
Junior College of Aizu

Senior high schools

Public (prefectural)

Aizu High School (会津高等学校)
Aoi High School (葵高等学校)
Aizu Gakuhō High School (会津学鳳高等学校)
Wakamatsu Shōgyō High School (若松商業高等学校)
Aizu Kōgyō High School (若松工業高等学校)
Aizu Second High School (会津第二高等学校)

Private

Aizuwakamatsu Xaverio Gakuen High School (会津若松ザベリオ学園高等学校)
Wakamatsu 1st High School (若松第一高等学校)
Jinai High School (仁愛高等学校)

Junior high schools

Public (municipal)

Aizuwakamatsu First Junior High School (会津若松市立第一中学校)
Aizuwakamatsu Second Junior High School (会津若松市立第二中学校)
Aizuwakamatsu Third Junior High School (会津若松市立第三中学校)
Aizuwakamatsu Fourth Junior High School (会津若松市立第四中学校)
Aizuwakamatsu Fifth Junior High School (会津若松市立第五中学校)
Aizuwakamatsu Sixth Junior High School (会津若松市立第六中学校)
Ikki Junior High School (一箕中学校)
Ōto Junior High School (大戸中学校)
Minato Junior High School (湊中学校)
Kitaaizu Junior High School (北会津中学校)
Kawahigashi Junior High School (河東中学校)
Aizu Gakuhō Junior High School (会津学鳳中学校, prefectural)
- Note: All junior high schools are municipal except for Aizu Gakuhō Junior High School.