Nagano (長野市, Nagano-shi) - The capital city
of Nagano Prefecture, situated in the northern part of the
prefecture near the junction of the Chikuma River and the
Sai River, on the main island of Honshū, Japan.
As of July 1, 2006, the city has an estimated population of
378,059. The total land area is 737.86 km².
Nagano is most famous for Zenkō-ji, a 7th century Buddhist
temple which overlooks the city. A million tourists visit
Nagano annually, the gateway to a variety of sightseeing
spots. Nagano was originally a small town in Kamiminochi
District (上水内郡) built around the hilltop temple, the largest
wooden building in eastern Japan, but the city now
encompasses locations that were within Sarashina (更級郡),
Hanishina (埴科郡), and Kamitakai (上高井郡) Districts as well.
In 1998, Nagano played host to the XVIII Olympic Winter
Games.
Sightseeing
The historic site of the Battles of Kawanakajima has been
retained as parkland, with a municipal museum of the history
of the Zenkoji plain.
Matsushiro, the former castle town of the Sanada clan, is
located in the southern part of the city. The town retains
an historical atmosphere, preserving many old samurai
residences, temples, and gardens of the feudal period,
including the remains of the castle and mansion of feudal
lord Sanada Jumangoku.
Sporting venues built for the Winter Olympics include the
M-Wave speed-skating arena (with the world's largest wooden
suspension roof), Big Hat arena, and the Aqua Wing Arena.
To north of the city is the village of Iizuna. A popular
destination in both summer and winter, it includes an
Olympic ski resort, campsite, onsen, 10 ponds, and a
mountain slide ride.
Northeast of the city is Japan's largest ski resort, Shiga
Kogen, with the nearby Jigokudani Monkey Park, famous for
the wild Japanese Snow Monkeys often found bathing in its
hot springs.
Just south of the downtown core, in Shinonoi, Mt. Chausu
hosts the Nagano Chausuyama Zoo, an outdoor dinosaur park,
botanical garden, and a museum of natural history.
Transportation
The city's main railway hub, Nagano Station, and the smaller
Shinonoi Station, were expanded for the 1998 Winter
Olympics. The Hokuriku Shinkansen opened in 1997, connecting
Nagano to Takasaki, Gunma. Nagano Station also serves the
Shinano Railway Line, Shin'etsu Main Line, and Iiyama Line.
The JR Chūō Main Line connects Nagano to the major city of
Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture.
The Nagano Electric Railway also runs the Nagano Line to
major sites around Nagano City and its suburbs.
The city is connected by rail south to Matsumoto via the
Shinonoi Line, which terminates at Shinonoi Station.
Buses for Kawanaka-jima Bus and the Nagano Dentetsu Bus Co.
service the city, and depart both Nagano Station and the
Nagano Bus Terminal just west of the station.
The city's nearest domestic airport is Matsumoto Airport,
connected via a 70-minute express bus from Nagano City.
History
The city is located within Minuchi (水内郡), Takai (高井),
Sarashina (更級郡), and Hanishina (埴科郡) Districts in the
ancient Shinano Province.
Zenkō-ji relocated from the current city of Iida. (642).
Afterwards, the town of Monzen becomes one of the motel
towns of Hokkoku Kaidō.
The Battles of Kawanakajima were held, where Shigen
Takeda(武田信玄) and Kenshin Uesugi (上杉謙信) fought.
Inu-no-Mansui (戌の満水 or 千曲川大洪水) (1742), the water level
reached at 6.4m(21ft) at Akanuma (near the border with the
former town Toyono)
Due to Zenko-ji Earthquake (May 8, 1847), nearly 10,000
people died (including the other disasters in Iiyama)
Gained city status (1897)
Matsushiro (松代大本営) was built (Started in 1944, but cancelled
in 1945 due to the end of war)
Biggest mergers of the Showa Era I (1954)
Due to the flooding of Chikuma River (1959), 71 people are
dead or missing and 20,000 homes were flooded
Biggest mergers of the Showa Era II(1966)
Matsushiro Earthquake (松代群発地震)
Due to Landslides (地附山地すべり災害)（1985), 26 people died and 60
homes were destroyed or near-destroyed
Hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics and the 1998 Winter
Paralympics(1998)
Became a Core city(1999)
Due to the Biggest Mergers in Heisei Era, the city absorbed
the municipalities of the town of Toyono, and the village of
Togakushi, and Kinasa Kamiminochi District, and the village
of Ooka and Sarashina District .
Hosted the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games.
Information source: “Nagano, Nagano.” wikipedia.org. Article
date: 26 Feb. 2008. Retrieved: Wikipedia. 4 Mar. 2008 <Nagano, Nagano>. |
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