Yonezawa, Yamagata facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yonezawa 米沢市
City
Overview of downtown Yonezawa
Flag Seal
Location of Yonezawa in Yamagata Prefecture
Yonezawa Location in Japan
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Prefecture	Yamagata
First official recorded	712 AD
City settled	April 1, 1889
Area
• Total	548.51 km2 (211.78 sq mi)
Population  (February 2020)
• Total	81,707
• Density	148.9617/km2 (385.809/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number	0238-22-5111
Address	5-2-25 Kanaike, Yonezawa-shi, Yamagata-ken 992-8501
Climate	Cfa/Dfa
Symbols Flower Azumashakunage (Rhododendron metternichii Sieb. et Zucc. var. pentamerum Maxim) Tree Kometsuga (Tsuga diversifolia)

Yonezawa City Hall

Yonezawa (米沢市 (Yonezawa-shi)) is a city located in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2020, about 81,707 people lived there in 33,278 homes. The city covers an area of 548.51 square kilometers. Yonezawa is famous for its delicious local foods like apples, Yonezawa beef, and carp. It is also known as a castle town that was once home to the powerful Uesugi clan. A famous leader from this clan was Uesugi Yozan.

Geography of Yonezawa

Yonezawa is in the southeast part of Yamagata Prefecture. The southern and eastern areas of the city are river basins. These basins are surrounded by large mountains, forming what is called the Yonezawa Basin. The southern part of the city has many rivers, ridges, and valleys. The Mogami River flows through Yonezawa. A part of the city is also inside the Bandai-Asahi National Park.

Nearby Cities and Towns

Yonezawa shares borders with several other places:

• In Yamagata Prefecture:
  • Takahata, Yamagata
  • Kawanishi, Yamagata
  • Iide, Yamagata
• In Fukushima Prefecture:
  • Fukushima, Fukushima
  • Kitakata, Fukushima
  • Inawashiro, Fukushima
  • Kitashiobara, Fukushima

Climate in Yonezawa

Yonezawa has a Humid continental climate. This means it has big differences in temperature between seasons. Summers are warm to hot and often humid. Winters are cold, sometimes very cold. It rains a lot throughout the year, especially from August to October. The average temperature in Yonezawa is about 11.4 degrees Celsius. The average yearly rainfall is about 1444.6 millimeters. July is usually the wettest month. Temperatures are highest in August, around 24.5 degrees Celsius. They are lowest in January, around -0.8 degrees Celsius.

Population Trends in Yonezawa

The number of people living in Yonezawa has recently gone down. Before this, the population was stable for a long time.

History of Yonezawa

The area where Yonezawa is today was once part of an old Japanese province called Dewa Province. During the Sengoku period (a time of civil war in Japan), the powerful Date clan controlled this area. The famous warlord Date Masamune was born in Yonezawa.

Later, during the Edo period (a time of peace and stability), Yonezawa became a special area called Yonezawa Domain. It was ruled by the Uesugi clan under the Tokugawa shogunate. After the Edo period ended and the Meiji period began, Yonezawa became part of Minamiokitama District in Yamagata Prefecture. The city of Yonezawa was officially created on April 1, 1889.

Economy of Yonezawa

The economy of Yonezawa relies on a few main things. These include farming, growing plants and flowers (horticulture), light manufacturing (making goods in factories), and tourism.

Education in Yonezawa

Yonezawa has many schools and colleges for students of all ages.

Colleges and Universities

• Yamagata University has a campus in Yonezawa.
• Yonezawa Women's Junior College is also located here.

Schools for Younger Students

The city government runs 18 public elementary schools and eight public middle schools. The Yamagata Prefectural Board of Education operates four public high schools. There are also two private high schools in Yonezawa.

Transportation in Yonezawa

Getting around Yonezawa and to other places is easy thanks to its railway lines and highways.

Railway Lines

East Japan Railway Company operates these lines:

• Yamagata Shinkansen (bullet train)
  • Yonezawa
• Ōu Main Line
  • Itaya - Tōge - Ōsawa - Sekine - Yonezawa - Oitama
• Yonesaka Line
  • Yonezawa - Minami-Yonezawa - Nishi-Yonezawa - Narushima

Major Highways

• Tōhoku-Chūō Expressway – Yonezawa IC
• National Route 13
• National Route 121
• National Route 287
• National Route 399

Fun Places to Visit in Yonezawa

Yonezawa has many interesting places to explore:

• Yonezawa City Uesugi Museum: Learn about the Uesugi clan.
• Yonezawa Castle: Explore the historic castle grounds.
• Tateyama Castle: Another historic castle site.
• Yonezawa Onsen: Relax in hot springs.
• Namegawa Great Falls: See a beautiful waterfall.
• Shirabu Onsen: Enjoy hot springs in the Otaru River gorges.

Yonezawa's International Friends

Yonezawa has "sister city" relationships with other cities around the world and in Japan. These relationships help promote cultural exchange and friendship.

Sister Cities Worldwide

• Moses Lake, Washington, United States (since May 1, 1981)
• Taubaté, Brazil (since January 28, 1974)

Sister Cities in Japan

• Takanabe, Miyazaki (since 1981)
• Jōetsu, Niigata (since 1981)
• Okinawa, Okinawa (since 1994)
• Tōkai, Aichi (since 1999)

Famous People from Yonezawa

Many notable individuals have come from Yonezawa:

• Junzaburo Ban, an actor
• Itō Chūta, an architect
• Takehiko Endo, a politician
• Yamashita Gentarō, an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy
• Masami Kobayashi, an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy
• Hiroshi Masumura, a manga artist
• Mutsuo Minagawa, a professional baseball player
• Chūichi Nagumo, an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy
• Ikeda Shigeaki, a politician
• Hirata Tosuke, a statesman from the Meiji period

See also

In Spanish: Yonezawa para niños