Akita (秋田市, Akita-shi) - The capital city
of Akita Prefecture in the Tohoku region of Japan.
As of January 11, 2005 with the merger of the former Kawabe
District (including the former towns of Kawabe and Yuwa),
the city has an estimated population of 336,250 and density
of 371 persons per km². The total area is 905.67 km².
While the modern city was officially founded on April 1,
1889, Akita has been one of the most important cities in the
Tohoku region since the medieval period. The Ashina and
Satake daimyo clans established their capital in present-day
Akita.
Akita is within proximity of the most important oil fields
in Japan. Oil refining, wood, metalworking, and the
production of silk textiles are the main industries. Akita
is also home to two regional banks that serve Akita
prefecture and the greater Tohoku region: Akita Bank and
Hokuto Bank.
History
Historically, Akita has seen changes throughout at least
four historcial Japanese periods; Edo, Meiji, Showa and
Heisei. The first beginnings were of Akita were in the Edo
period. A settlement, known as Kubota Castle Town, was
formed which would later become the center of Akita.
Construction is dated to 1604.
Meiji
Progress in the Meiji era included the renaming of the
Taihei School (太平学校), Akita Normal School (師範学校) April 12,
1878. In July, the school system was divided into 2 systems,
the Kitaakita and Minamiakita districts. A year later, on
April 1, 1889, Akita was officially established. In July the
city hall of Akita is located inside the former Minamiakita
District office. Transportation by horsecar began in July
from Shindaikumachi to Tsuchizaki. This later became the
Akita City Rail service. in May the first bank opened.
Showa
War devastated the city on August 14, 1945. 137 people are
killed in an air raid of 134 B-29s, attacking the city from
midnight to the early dawn of August 15. This was reportedly
the farthest-range and also the last bombing mission in
World War II, coming only hours before Japan announced its
surrender.
Heisei Era
On April 1, 1997 Akita was designated as a core city in
Japan. In August 2001 The World Games are held in Akita,
opening ceremony is held in the Yabase Track and Field
Stadium. In 2004, the city celebrated its 400th anniversary
and its beginnings as Kubota Castle town.
Information source: “Akita, Akita.” wikipedia.org. Article
date: 24 Jan. 2008. Retrieved: Wikipedia. 4 Mar. 2008 <Akita, Akita>. |
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