Inuyama, Aichi Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Inuyama

犬山市

City

Inuyama Castle

Flag

Emblem

Location of Inuyama in Aichi Prefecture

Inuyama

Location in Japan

Japan

Chūbu (Tōkai)

First official recorded

3 BC

City Settled

April 1, 1954

Area

• Total

74.90 km² (28.92 sq mi)

Population

(October 1, 2019)

• Total

73,420

• Density

980.24/km² (2,538.8/sq mi)

Time zone

UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)

- Tree

Chinese hawthorn

- Flower

Sakura

Phone number

0568-61-1800

Address

36 Higashihata, Inuyama, Inuyama-shi, Aichi-ken 484-0081

Inuyama (犬山市, Inuyama-shi) is a city in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of October 1, 2019, about 73,420 people lived there in 31,276 homes. The city covers an area of 74.90 square kilometers. This means there are about 980 people per square kilometer. The name "Inuyama" literally means "Dog Mountain" in Japanese. This name has been used since at least 1336 AD, but no one knows how it started.

Geography and Climate

Inuyama skyline from the castle

Lake Iruka and Meiji-mura

Inuyama is located in the northwest part of Aichi Prefecture. The Kiso River flows along its border, separating it from Gifu Prefecture.

Weather in Inuyama

Inuyama has a climate with hot and humid summers, and winters that are quite mild. The average temperature each year is about 15.1°C. It rains a lot, with an average of 1910 mm of rain per year. September is usually the wettest month. August is the hottest month, with temperatures around 27.6°C. January is the coldest, with temperatures around 3.4°C.

Population Changes

The number of people living in Inuyama has grown steadily over the last 70 years.

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1940	26,079	—
1950	35,145	+34.8%
1960	38,202	+8.7%
1970	50,594	+32.4%
1980	64,614	+27.7%
1990	69,801	+8.0%
2000	72,583	+4.0%
2010	75,151	+3.5%

Neighboring Cities

Inuyama shares its borders with several other cities and towns:

In Aichi Prefecture

Kasugai
Komaki
Oguchi
Fuso

In Gifu Prefecture

Tajimi
Kakamigahara
Kani
Sakahogi

History of Inuyama

Inuyama Old Town

People have lived in the area around Inuyama since ancient times.

Early History and Castles

During the Sengoku period (a time of many wars in Japan), a part of the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute was fought in what is now Inuyama. The Oda clan rebuilt an old fort into Inuyama Castle during this time.

Later, during the Edo period (when the Tokugawa shogunate ruled Japan), Inuyama was a special area ruled by the Naruse family. They were important helpers to the main Tokugawa family in Nagoya.

Becoming a City

After the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Inuyama became its own independent area for a short time. Then, in 1889, the town of Inuyama was officially created.

Inuyama Castle was recognized as a very important national treasure in 1935 and again in 1952.

On April 1, 1954, Inuyama joined with four nearby villages to become the city we know today.

In 2016, the Inuyama Festival was named an Intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. This means it's a special tradition worth protecting.

Sister Cities Around the World

Inuyama has special friendships with other cities, both in Japan and in other countries. These are called "sister cities" or "friendship cities."

International Sister Cities

Davis, California, United States, since 2001
Haman, South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, since 2014

International Friendship Cities

Xiangyang, Hubei, China, since 1983
Sankt Goarshausen, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, since 1992

Japanese Sister Cities

Tateyama, Toyama Prefecture, since 1973
Nichinan,Miyazaki Prefecture, since 2000
Kakamigahara, Gifu Prefecture, since 2011
Tamba-Sasayama, Hyōgo Prefecture, since 2014

Economy and Education

Downtown Inuyama

Local Products

Inuyama ware is a special type of Japanese pottery made in the city. It's created in different pottery workshops.

Schools and Universities

Inuyama has ten public elementary schools and four public junior high schools, run by the city government. There are also two public high schools, managed by the Aichi Prefecture.

For higher education, Inuyama is home to:

Kyoto University (Primate Research Institute) - a national university
Nagoya Keizai University - a private university
Nagoya Keizai University Junior College - a private college

Transportation

Inuyama Bridge

Train Lines

Inuyama is connected by several train lines, making it easy to travel around.

Meitetsu

Inuyama Line: - Inuyamaguchi - Inuyama - Inuyama-Yūen
Komaki Line: - Gakuden - Haguro - Inuyama
Hiromi Line: Inuyama - Tomioka-mae - Zenjino -

Major Roads

National Route 41 is a main road that passes through Inuyama.

Fun Places to Visit

Inuyama has many interesting places to explore!

Castles and Ruins

Inuyama Castle is a famous and historic castle.
You can also find the ruins of Gakuden Castle and Kinoshita Castle.

Museums and Parks

Meiji Mura is an outdoor museum. It has many old buildings from the Meiji Era (1867–1912) and Taishō period (1913–1926) that were moved here to be saved. One famous building is the old entrance and lobby of Tokyo's Imperial Hotel, designed by a famous architect named Frank Lloyd Wright.
Little World Museum of Man is a fun amusement park with an anthropological museum. It has buildings built in the traditional styles of over 22 different countries.

Nature and Animals

The Kiso River has beautiful rapids and rock formations upstream from Inuyama Castle. These are called the Nihon Rhine, like the Rhine river in Germany. You can even take boat tours!
Cormorant fishing on the Kiso River is now mostly done for tourists to watch.
Japan Monkey Park is a park with many different kinds of monkeys and other fun things to do. It's also home to the Primate Research Institute of Kyoto University, a top place for studying monkeys and other primates. Famous chimpanzees like Ai and her son Ayumu live there.
Lake Iruka is a reservoir that is recognized as a special historical irrigation structure.

Other Interesting Places

Urakuen tea garden is a peaceful place used for tea ceremonies. It has a special tea house called Jo-an. This tea house was built in 1618 by Oda Uraku, who was the younger brother of a famous historical figure, Oda Nobunaga. Oda Uraku was also a student of the well-known tea master Sen no Rikyū. The Jo-an tea house was originally in Kyoto but was moved to Inuyama in 1972. It's considered one of the best examples of tea house design.
Aigi Bridge crosses the Kiso River and connects Inuyama to Kakamigahara in Gifu Prefecture.