Wakayama, Wakayama

"Wakayama" redirects here. For other uses, see Wakayama (disambiguation).
Wakayama
和歌山市
Core city

Wakayama Castle, Nishinomaru Garden, Saikazaki, Kimiidera Temple, Downtown Wakayama viewed from the castle keep

Flag

Location of Wakayama in Wakayama Prefecture
Wakayama

Location in Japan

Coordinates: 34°14′N 135°10′E / 34.233°N 135.167°E / 34.233; 135.167Coordinates: 34°14′N 135°10′E / 34.233°N 135.167°E / 34.233; 135.167
Country Japan
Region Kansai
Prefecture Wakayama Prefecture
Government
 • Mayor Kenichi Ohashi (since August 2002)
Area
 • Total 210.25 km2 (81.18 sq mi)
Population (October 1, 2010)
 • Total 369,088
 • Density 1,755.47/km2 (4,546.6/sq mi)
Symbols
 • Tree Cinnamomum camphora
 • Flower Azalea
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City hall address Nanabancho 23, Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture (和歌山県和歌山市七番丁23番)
640-8511
Website www.city.wakayama.wakayama.jp

Wakayama (和歌山市 Wakayama-shi) is the capital city of Wakayama Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan.

Background

Wakayama occupies 4% of the land area and has 40% of Wakayama Prefecture's population. The city was founded on April 1, 1889. It is on the northern edge of Wakayama prefecture, nearest Osaka. Southern Wakayama Prefecture is largely rural.

The city population rose from 382,155 in 2003 to 386,501 in 2004, a growth of 1.87%. The population density as of October 1, 2010, was 1,755.47 persons per km². The total area is 209.20 km².

This population increase has occurred despite Wakayama's beleaguered economy, which has suffered since Sumitomo Steel moved much of its steel producing operations to China. The Wakayama steel mills have since been reduced and restructured, with part of the industry completely shutting in 2004.

Wakayama is cleft in two by the Kinokawa River. The city is bordered at the north by mountains and Osaka Prefecture.

In the city center is Wakayama Castle, built on Mt. Torafusu (the name means "a tiger leaning on his side") in a city central park. During the Edo period, the Kishū Tokugawa daimyo ruled from Wakayama Castle. Tokugawa Yoshimune, the fifth Kishū Tokugawa daimyo, became the eighth Tokugawa shogun. This castle is a concrete replica of the original, which was destroyed in World War II.

Wakayama is home to one of Japan's three Melody Roads, which is made from grooves cut into the pavement, which when driven over causes a tactile vibration and audible rumbling transmitted through the wheels into the car body.[1][2]

Wakayama Prefecture is famous across Japan for its umeboshi, salty pickled plums, and mikan (tangerines).

Climate

Wakayama has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, and is greater in summer than in winter.

Climate data for Wakayama, Wakayama
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 9.5
(49.1)		 10.0
(50)		 13.5
(56.3)		 19.5
(67.1)		 23.6
(74.5)		 26.6
(79.9)		 30.6
(87.1)		 32.1
(89.8)		 28.3
(82.9)		 22.7
(72.9)		 17.4
(63.3)		 12.3
(54.1)		 20.51
(68.92)
Daily mean °C (°F) 5.5
(41.9)		 5.8
(42.4)		 8.9
(48)		 14.6
(58.3)		 18.9
(66)		 22.5
(72.5)		 26.6
(79.9)		 27.6
(81.7)		 23.9
(75)		 18.0
(64.4)		 12.8
(55)		 8.0
(46.4)		 16.09
(60.96)
Average low °C (°F) 1.9
(35.4)		 2.0
(35.6)		 4.4
(39.9)		 10.0
(50)		 14.4
(57.9)		 19.1
(66.4)		 23.4
(74.1)		 24.0
(75.2)		 20.3
(68.5)		 13.9
(57)		 8.6
(47.5)		 4.1
(39.4)		 12.18
(53.91)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 49.0
(1.929)		 59.3
(2.335)		 89.2
(3.512)		 124.4
(4.898)		 136.8
(5.386)		 212.8
(8.378)		 149.0
(5.866)		 108.5
(4.272)		 200.2
(7.882)		 111.1
(4.374)		 73.1
(2.878)		 39.2
(1.543)		 1,352.6
(53.253)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 1
(0.4)		 1
(0.4)		 1
(0.4)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 3
(1.2)
Average relative humidity (%) 63 63 62 65 68 75 76 73 73 70 68 66 68.5
Mean monthly sunshine hours 137.1 134.2 175.6 180.3 203.7 161.2 207.2 228.3 162.1 164.2 142.2 134.9 2,031
Source: NOAA (1961-1990)[3]

Sightseeing spots

Education

The city has a North Korean school, Wakayama Korean Elementary and Middle School (和歌山朝鮮初中級学校).[5]

Sister cities

Wakayama has sister-city relationships with four overseas municipalities:[6]

Wakayama City formed a sister-city relationship with the city of Jinan in China mainly due to the efforts of Hiroshi Yamazaki (山崎 宏), who was an escaped medic in the Imperial Japanese Army and stayed in China after the war. He married and runs his own clinic in China. In 1976, he visited Wakayama after nearly 40 years.

References

  1. ↑ Johnson, Bobbie (13 November 2007). "Japan's melody roads play music as you drive". The Guardian. Farringdon Road, London, England: GMG. p. 19 (International section). Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  2. ↑ "Your car as a musical instrument - Melody Roads". Noise Addicts. 29 September 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  3. ↑ "Wakayama Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  4. ↑ http://www.city.wakayama.wakayama.jp/english/destinations.html#marinacity. Retrieved 26 August 2015. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ↑ "ウリハッキョ一覧" (Archive). Chongryon. Retrieved on October 14, 2015.
  6. ↑ http://www.city.wakayama.wakayama.jp/english/sister.html
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