Iwata, Shizuoka facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Iwata 磐田市
City
Iwata City Hall
Flag Seal
Location of Iwata in Shizuoka Prefecture
Iwata Location in Japan
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu (Tōkai)
Prefecture	Shizuoka
Area
• Total	163.45 km2 (63.11 sq mi)
Population  (October 2020)
• Total	166,672
• Density	1,019.71/km2 (2,641.04/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number	0538-37-4827
Address	3-1, Kōnodai, Iwata-shi, Shizuoka-ken 438-8650
Climate	Cfa
Symbols Bird Blue Rock-thrush Flower Azalea Tree Camphor

former Mitsuke School in Iwata

Iwata (磐田市, Iwata-shi) is a city located in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 2019, about 170,000 people lived there. The city covers an area of 163.45 square kilometers (63.11 sq mi).

Iwata is famous as the home of the Yamaha Motor Corporation. This company makes motorcycles and other vehicles. The city is also home to two popular sports teams:

• Júbilo Iwata, a professional soccer team in the J. League.
• Yamaha Jubilo, a professional rugby team.

Geography of Iwata

Iwata is in the southwestern part of Shizuoka Prefecture. The Tenryū River forms its western border. To the south, the city has a small coastline along the Pacific Ocean.

Neighboring Cities and Towns

Iwata shares its borders with several other places in Shizuoka Prefecture:

• Fukuroi
• Hamamatsu
• Mori

Population Growth in Iwata

The number of people living in Iwata has grown steadily over the last 60 years. This shows that more and more people are choosing to live in the city.

Climate in Iwata

Iwata has a climate with hot and humid summers. The winters are usually mild. The average temperature each year is about 16.3 degrees Celsius (61.3°F). July is the wettest month, with a lot of rain. August is the hottest month, and January is the coldest.

History of Iwata

Iwata is a very old place where people have lived for a long time. Tools made of obsidian and ancient shell piles have been found here. These show that people lived in Iwata even during the Japanese Paleolithic period.

Many old burial mounds, called kofun, are also found in the area. These mounds suggest that the region was important during the time of the ancient Japanese emperors. During the Nara period, Iwata was the capital and main temple location for Tōtōmi Province.

Later, during the Edo period, Iwata became a busy post station called Mitsuke-juku. This station was on the Tokaido highway, which connected the cities of Edo (now Tokyo) and Kyoto.

Modern Iwata

On October 1, 1889, Mitsuke Town was officially created. Later, in 1940, Mitsuke Town merged with other nearby villages to form the new town of Iwata. Iwata officially became a city on April 1, 1948.

In 2005, several other towns and a village merged with Iwata. These included Fukude, Ryūyō, Toyoda, and Toyooka. This merger made Iwata even larger.

Economy of Iwata

The economy of Iwata is mainly based on farming. The city is well-known for its green tea and special melons. These melons are grown in greenhouses and are called "Iwata melon."

Besides agriculture, Iwata is a major center for manufacturing. The Yamaha Corporation was started here. Its motorcycle division, Yamaha Motor, has its main office in Iwata. Suzuki Motor Corporation also has a factory in Iwata where they build vehicles.

Education in Iwata

Iwata has many schools for students of all ages.

• Shizuoka Sangyo University, a private university, is located in Iwata.
• Shizuoka Professional University Junior College of Agriculture is a public college that opened in 2020.

The city government runs 23 public elementary schools and 11 public middle schools. The Shizuoka Prefectural Board of Education operates four public high schools. There are also two special education schools for students with disabilities.

Iwata also has two international schools for children from other countries, especially Brazil. These are CEP Brasil and Escola Objetivo de Iwata Tia Rosa.

Transportation in Iwata

Getting around Iwata is easy with its railway and highway systems.

Railway Lines

• Central Japan Railway Company - Tōkaidō Main Line
  • Iwata – Toyodachō
• Tenryū Hamanako Railroad Tenryū Hamanako Line
  • Shikiji – Toyooka – Kaminobe

Highways

• Tōmei Expressway
• National Route 150

Sister Cities

Iwata has special relationships with two cities in other countries:

• Dagupan, Philippines, since 1975
• Mountain View, California, United States, since 1976

Local Attractions

Iwata has several interesting places to visit, including historical sites and natural wonders.

National Historic Sites

• Chōshizuka Kofun: An ancient burial mound.
• Former Mitsuke School: An old school building with historical importance.
• Mikuriyama Kofun group: A group of ancient burial mounds.
• Shinpōinyama Kofun group: Another group of ancient burial mounds.
• Tōtōmi Kokubun-ji: The site of an ancient provincial temple.

The Great Camphor Tree

The Great Camphor tree of Zendoji situated on north exit of Iwata Station.

Near Iwata Station, you can find the amazing Great Camphor tree of Zendo-ji. People believe this tree is about 700 years old! It used to be part of a Buddhist temple. The tree is very tall, about 18.3 meters (60 feet) high. Its roots spread out of the ground, making a huge base that is almost 33 meters (108 feet) around.

Notable People from Iwata

Many talented people have come from Iwata, including:

• Saori Atsumi – A singer-songwriter.
• Shuji Ishikawa – A professional wrestler.
• Mima Ito – A professional table-tennis player.
• Noriko Mizoguchi – A judoka (judo athlete).
• Jun Mizutani – A professional table-tennis player.
• Masami Nagasawa – A famous actress.
• Ryosuke Sasagaki – A professional soccer player.

See also

In Spanish: Iwata (Shizuoka) para niños