Wakayama (city)

Wakayama (和歌山市, Wakayama-shi, Japanese: [ɰakaꜜjama]) is the capital city of Wakayama Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan.

Wakayama

和歌山市
Core City
Wakayama City
Wakayama Castle, Nishinomaru Garden, Saikazaki, Kimiidera Temple, Downtown Wakayama viewed from the castle keep
Flag
Seal
Location of Wakayama in Wakayama Prefecture
Wakayama
Location of Wakayama in Wakayama Prefecture
Coordinates: 34°14′N 135°10′E
CountryJapan
RegionHonshu (Kansai)
PrefectureWakayama Prefecture
Government
 • MayorMasahiro Obana
Area
 • Land210.25 km2 (81.18 sq mi)
Population
 (1 May 2017)
 • Total360,664
 • Density1,730/km2 (4,500/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- TreeCinnamomum camphora
- FlowerAzalea
Websitewww.city.wakayama.wakayama.jp

Background

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 daimyō ruled from Wakayama Castle. Tokugawa Yoshimune, the fifth Kishū Tokugawa daimyō, became the eighth Tokugawa shōgun. 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 (mandarins).

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
(50.0)		 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)		 20.5
(68.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) 5.5
(41.9)		 5.8
(42.4)		 8.9
(48.0)		 14.6
(58.3)		 18.9
(66.0)		 22.5
(72.5)		 26.6
(79.9)		 27.6
(81.7)		 23.9
(75.0)		 18.0
(64.4)		 12.8
(55.0)		 8.0
(46.4)		 16.1
(61.0)
Average low °C (°F) 1.9
(35.4)		 2.0
(35.6)		 4.4
(39.9)		 10.0
(50.0)		 14.4
(57.9)		 19.1
(66.4)		 23.4
(74.1)		 24.0
(75.2)		 20.3
(68.5)		 13.9
(57.0)		 8.6
(47.5)		 4.1
(39.4)		 12.2
(53.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 49.0
(1.93)		 59.3
(2.33)		 89.2
(3.51)		 124.4
(4.90)		 136.8
(5.39)		 212.8
(8.38)		 149.0
(5.87)		 108.5
(4.27)		 200.2
(7.88)		 111.1
(4.37)		 73.1
(2.88)		 39.2
(1.54)		 1,352.6
(53.25)
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 69
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]

Transportation

Sightseeing spots
  • Art Cube of Wakanoura
  • Kimiidera
  • The Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama

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 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. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ウリハッキョ一覧. Chongryon. Retrieved October 14, 2015. (Archive).
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-02-20. Retrieved 2011-02-19.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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