Uozu, Toyama facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Uozu 魚津市
City
Top-Tateyama Mountains 1st row: Tatemon Festival, Ariso Dome 2nd row:Mirage Land, Buried Forest 3rd row:Uozu Aquarium, Uozu Station bottom:Mirage
Flag Seal
Location of Uozu in Toyama Prefecture
Uozu Location in Japan
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu (Kōshin'etsu)
Prefecture	Toyama
First official recorded	701 AD
City Settled	April 1, 1952
Area
• Total	200.61 km2 (77.46 sq mi)
Population  (1 March 2016)
• Total	42,224
• Density	210.478/km2 (545.136/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number	0765-23-1067
Address	1-10-1 Shakadō, Uozu-shi, Toyama-ken 937-8555
Climate	Cfa
Symbols Flower Lilium speciosum, Azalea Tree Pinus

Tatemon Festival, one of the famous festivals in Toyama Prefecture

A view from Uozu Station

Uozu (魚津市, Uozu-shi) is a city located in the eastern part of Toyama Prefecture, Japan. As of March 1, 2018, about 42,224 people lived in Uozu. The city covers an area of 200.61 square kilometers.

Exploring Uozu: Geography and Climate

Uozu is located between the cities of Namerikawa and Kurobe. It stretches from Toyama Bay and the Sea of Japan in the northwest to tall mountains in the southeast. The highest mountains in Uozu are Sougadake and Kekachiyama. The highest point in Uozu is 2,414 meters above sea level.

Several fast-flowing rivers run through Uozu. From east to west, these are the Fuse River, the Katakai River, the Kado River, and the Hayatsuki River. Much of Uozu is a dispersed settlement. This means homes and buildings are spread out rather than grouped closely together.

Neighboring Cities and Towns

Uozu shares its borders with other places in Toyama Prefecture:

• Kamiichi
• Kurobe
• Namerikawa

Uozu's Weather and Climate

Uozu has a humid continental climate. This type of climate has mild summers and cold winters. There is also a lot of snowfall in winter. The average temperature in Uozu is 13.7 °C. The city gets about 2278 mm of rain each year. September is usually the wettest month. Temperatures are highest in August, around 26.3 °C. January is the coldest month, with temperatures around 2.4 °C.

Population Changes in Uozu

The number of people living in Uozu has gone down in recent years. This is shown by data from Japanese population counts.

A Look Back: The History of Uozu

The area where Uozu is today has been lived in for a very long time. People were here as far back as the Jōmon period, which was many thousands of years ago.

Early Settlements and Castles

Around the year 1394, gold was found in the mountains of Uozu. This discovery brought many people to the area. Because of this, the region around Matsukura Castle became an important center. Later, after Matsukura Castle was destroyed, a new center was built near the sea, around Uozu Castle.

In 1582, a big battle called the Siege of Uozu happened. It was fought between forces loyal to the Uesugi clan and forces led by Oda Nobunaga. Oda's forces captured Uozu Castle. This happened just three days before Oda Nobunaga was killed in an event known as the Honnō-ji incident.

Uozu in Modern Times

During the Edo period (1603-1868), Uozu was part of the Kaga Domain. This area was controlled by the Maeda clan. The modern town of Uozu was officially created on April 1, 1889, when Japan set up its system of towns and cities.

In 1918, the Taisho rice riots started in Uozu. These protests about the price of rice then spread across the whole country. In 1943, a large fire destroyed much of the western part of the town. Luckily, Uozu was not damaged during World War II. Uozu officially became a city on April 1, 1952. In September 1956, another big fire damaged many buildings in Uozu.

Learning in Uozu: Education

Uozu has many schools for young people. The city government runs ten public elementary schools and two public junior high schools. The Toyama Prefectural Board of Education operates three public high schools. There is also one private high school in Uozu.

Getting Around: Transportation in Uozu

Uozu is well-connected to other parts of Japan. You can reach Tokyo from Uozu in about 3 hours by train or 4.5 hours by car. Since March 2015, you can use the Hokuriku Shinkansen high-speed train. This train connects Uozu to Toyama, a major rail hub nearby.

Uozu has two main passenger train lines. These are the Toyama Chihō Railway Main Line and the Ainokaze Toyama Railway line. They both run together from Uozu Station towards the west and then separate when going eastward.

Railway Stations in Uozu

• Ainokaze Toyama Railway
  • Uozu
• Toyama Chihō Railway
  • Nishi-Uozu – Dentetsu-Uozu – Shin-Uozu – Kyōden

Major Roads in Uozu

• Hokuriku Expressway
• National Route 8

Global Connections: Sister Cities

Uozu has a special friendship with another city in the world. These cities are called "sister cities."

• Chiang Mai, Thailand, since August 8, 1989

Famous People from Uozu

Many talented people come from Uozu, Toyama. Here are a few:

• Ayumu Ishikawa: A professional baseball pitcher for the Chiba Lotte Marines.
• Akihiro Murata: A professional shogi (Japanese chess) player.
• Takashi Rakuyama: A former professional football player.
• Kaori Sadohara: A Japanese voice actress and singer.
• Akira Shoji: A former mixed martial artist and professional wrestler.
• Kōsuke Tamura: A professional shogi (Japanese chess) player.

Fun Things to See and Do in Uozu

Uozu is known for some unique and interesting attractions.

Uozu's Three Mysteries

Uozu is famous for three natural wonders that people call "mysteries."

The Buried Forest of Uozu

About 2000 years ago, a very old sugi (Cryptomeria) forest grew along the coast. Part of this forest was buried, but only the tree trunks were preserved. This area is now a National Natural Monument. You can see examples of these ancient tree trunks at a museum in Uozu.

The Glowing Firefly Squid

From late March to early June, if you go out in the early morning, you might see female firefly squid (ホタルイカ, hotaruika) rise to the surface of the water. They come up to lay their eggs. These squid get their name from a beautiful bluish-white glow. This glow comes from different spots on their bodies.

Seeing Mirages in Uozu

The waters of Toyama Bay are famous for mirages. Mirages are optical illusions that make things look like they are in a different place. They are especially common during spring and winter. The spring mirage that Uozu is known for can be seen on warm, sunny, and calm days from April to June. A popular spot to try and see these mirages is the Mirage Land Amusement Park (ミラージュランド), which has a large Ferris wheel.

Other Fun Places to Visit

There are many other great places to visit in Uozu:

• The Uozu Aquarium
• Kintaro Hot Springs (金太郎温泉)
• Ariso Dome Gymnasium
• Niikawa Culture Hall
• The Uozu Historical Folk Museum
• Lake Ikejiri
• Hirazawa Waterfalls
• The site of Matsukura Castle

See also

In Spanish: Uozu para niños