Mito, Ibaraki

For other uses, see Mito.
Mito
水戸市
Special city

City skyline over ume of Kairaku-en

Flag
Seal

Location of Mito in Ibaraki Prefecture
Mito

 

Coordinates: 36°21′57″N 140°28′16.5″E / 36.36583°N 140.471250°E / 36.36583; 140.471250Coordinates: 36°21′57″N 140°28′16.5″E / 36.36583°N 140.471250°E / 36.36583; 140.471250
Country Japan
Region Kantō
Prefecture Ibaraki Prefecture
Area
 • Total 217.32 km2 (83.91 sq mi)
Population (September 2015)
 • Total 270,953
 • Density 1,250/km2 (3,200/sq mi)
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
- Tree Prunus mume
- Flower Bush clover (hagi)
- Bird White wagtail
Phone number 029-224-1111
Address 1-4-1 Chūō, Mito-shi, Ibaraki-ken 310−8610
Website Official website
Mito city hall

Mito (水戸市 Mito-shi) is the capital city of Ibaraki Prefecture, in the northern Kantō region of Japan. As of September 2015, the city has an estimated population of 270,953 and a population density of 1250 persons per km². Its total area is 217.32  km².

History

The Yamato people settled in Mito around the 4th century CE. Around the end of the Heian period, Baba Sukemoto, a warlord of the Heike clan, moved to Mito and built a castle there. Mito Castle changed hands several times after that: a daimyo named Satake Yoshinobu won it in the mid-16th century, but he was forced to surrender it to Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603 after the epic Battle of Sekigahara. Ieyasu's son Tokugawa Yorifusa then was Mito Castle, becoming head of one of the three "gosanke" branches of the clan qualified to provide a new shogun should the main family line fail. During this period, Mito was the seat of the so-called Mito School, a congregation of nativist scholars of Confucian persuasion led by Aizawa Seishisai, who during the 18th and 19th centuries advocated Western learning as a means not only to further Japanese technological development and international strength, but as means to prove Japanese uniqueness and superiority among nations. The Kōdōkan was the largest of the han schools. The capital of Edo was directly connected to Mito by the Mito Kaidō.[1] The Tokugawa ruled Mito until the Meiji restoration.

The modern city of Mito was formed on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of the municipalities system. It was one of the first 31 cities in Japan. With a population of 25,000, it was designated as the prefectural capital. By 1900, the Joban Line connected Mito to Tokyo, and by 1910, telephones and electric lighting were available throughout the city. More than three-quarters of the city was burned to the ground during the Mito air raid of August 2, 1945, just before the end of World War II.

The borders of Mito expanded in 1955-1958 through the annexation of the neighboring villages of Kamiono, Watari, Yoshida, Sakedo, Kawawada, Yanagawa, Kunita and Iitomi and Akatsuka. The village of Tsunezumi was annexed in 1992. In 2001, Mito was designated a special city with increased local autonomy. The neighboring town of Uchihara was annexed in 2005. The city suffered from severe damage in the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami with 25,982 houses completely or partially destroyed; however, there were only two fatalities.

Geography

Mito is located in central Ibaraki Prefecture.

Surrounding municipalities

Climate

Mito has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but the winter months are somewhat drier.

Climate data for Mito, Ibaraki
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 8.8
(47.8)		 8.9
(48)		 11.7
(53.1)		 17.1
(62.8)		 21.3
(70.3)		 23.7
(74.7)		 27.3
(81.1)		 29.6
(85.3)		 25.4
(77.7)		 20.3
(68.5)		 15.9
(60.6)		 11.3
(52.3)		 18.44
(65.18)
Daily mean °C (°F) 2.4
(36.3)		 3.0
(37.4)		 6.0
(42.8)		 11.6
(52.9)		 16.3
(61.3)		 19.5
(67.1)		 23.1
(73.6)		 25.0
(77)		 21.1
(70)		 15.3
(59.5)		 10.0
(50)		 4.8
(40.6)		 13.18
(55.71)
Average low °C (°F) −3.0
(26.6)		 −2.1
(28.2)		 0.7
(33.3)		 6.3
(43.3)		 11.5
(52.7)		 16.1
(61)		 19.9
(67.8)		 21.5
(70.7)		 17.7
(63.9)		 11.0
(51.8)		 4.9
(40.8)		 −0.6
(30.9)		 8.66
(47.58)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 44.3
(1.744)		 60.9
(2.398)		 94.7
(3.728)		 117.6
(4.63)		 139.1
(5.476)		 174.6
(6.874)		 117.2
(4.614)		 134.9
(5.311)		 162.5
(6.398)		 144.6
(5.693)		 77.5
(3.051)		 39.9
(1.571)		 1,307.8
(51.488)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 5
(2)		 9
(3.5)		 3
(1.2)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 1
(0.4)		 18
(7.1)
Average relative humidity (%) 65 66 67 72 76 82 85 83 83 80 76 71 75.5
Mean monthly sunshine hours 180.5 155.5 172.5 160.2 181.7 121.5 129.9 171.8 112.6 132.9 141.8 169.5 1,830.4
Source: NOAA (1961-1990)[2]

Economy

Mito is primarily a regional commercial center and administrative city as most industry in Ibaraki is concentrated around the nearby cities of Tsukuba or Hitachi. Mito has a modest but thriving tourism industry, centered on the Kairaku-en gardens and local museums dedicated to the Tokugawa family.

Education

Transportation

Railway

Highway

Media

Local attractions

Professional sports

Mito is the home city of the J-League professional soccer team, Mito HollyHock.

Sister city relations

Noted people

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ Chiba Kokaidō Rekishi Sanpo. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Accessed December 28, 2007.
  2. ↑ "Mito Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 31, 2012.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mito, Ibaraki.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Mito.
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