Tsuruoka


Tsuruoka is a city in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan., the city had an estimated population of 125,389 in 49,024 households, and a population density of 95.74 persons per km2. The total area of the city is. Tsuruoka is the biggest city in Tōhoku region in terms of land area.
Today's Tsuruoka is the result of the fusion of several neighborhoods around the center of the city such as Atsumi, Asahi, Fujishima, Kushibiki, and Haguro in 1953.
WWW Official SiteFB tsuruokacity

Geography

Tsuruoka is located on the coast of Yamagata Prefecture bordering the Sea of Japan and has some locally popular beaches such as Yunohama and Sanze. All three of the Three Mountains of Dewa are at least partially within the city limits.
Two main rivers run through Tsuruoka, the Akagawa River, and the Mogami River.

Neighboring municipalities

Climate

Tsuruoka has a Humid continental climate with large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year but is heaviest from August to October. The average annual temperature in Tsuruoka is. The average annual rainfall is with December as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around, and lowest in January, at around. The region is known for its heavy snowfalls during the winter, and people living in Sekigawa and Atsumi's neighborhoods can expect up to 2 meters of snow which after removal creates very particular snow walls standing high along the road. The first snows usually come in late November but the real peak is generally around January. The red leaves appear generally at the end of October and end in mid-November.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Tsuruoka has declined in recent decades.

History

The area of present-day Tsuruoka was part of ancient Dewa Province. In the Edo period, it served as the capital of the Shōnai Domain. It was a minor port for the kitamaebune coastal trade.
After the start of the Meiji period, the area organized as Tsuruoka Town under Nishitagawa District, Yamagata Prefecture in 1878. It was elevated to city status on October 1, 1924, becoming Japan's 100th city. In 1955, the city expanded by annexing the town of Kamo and nine neighboring villages. The town of Oyama was annexed by Tsuruoka in 1963.
On October 1, 2005, the towns of Fujishima, Haguro and Kushibiki, and the village of Asahi, and the town of Atsumi were merged into Tsuruoka.

Government

Tsuruoka has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 24 members. The city contributes five members to the Yamagata Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Yamagata District 3 of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Tsuruoka has a mixed economy based on light manufacturing, commercial services, agriculture, and commercial fishing.

Education

Tsuruoka has 26 public elementary schools and 11 public middle schools operated by the city government and six public high schools operated by the Yamagata Prefectural Board of Education. There are also two private high schools. The prefecture also operates two special education schools for the handicapped.

Colleges and universities

High schools

  • Tsuruoka Minami High School
  • Tsuruoka Kita High School
  • Tsuruoka Kamo Fisheries High School
  • Tsuruoka Higashi High School
  • Tsuruoka Kogyo High School
  • Tsuruoka Chuo High School
  • Yamazoe High School
  • Shonai Agricultural High School
  • Haguro High School

Junior high schools

  • Tsuruoka Daiichi Junior High School
  • Tsuruoka Daini Junior High School
  • Tsuruoka Daisan Junior High School
  • Tsuruoka Daiyon Junior High School
  • Tsuruoka Daigo Junior High School
  • Tsuruoka Toyoura Junior High School
  • Tsuruoka Fujishima Junior High School
  • Tsuruoka Haguro Junior High School
  • Tsuruoka Kushibiki Junior High School
  • Tsuruoka Asahi Junior High School
  • Tsuruoka Atsumi Junior High School

Elementary schools

  • Tsuruoka Choyo Daiichi Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Choyo Daini Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Choyo Daisan Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Choyo Daiyon Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Choyo Daigo Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Choyo Dairoku Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Itsuki Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Kogane Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Oizumi Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Yutagawa Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Kyoden Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Tagawa Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Sanze Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Kogata Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Yura Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Kamo Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Yunohama Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Oyama Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Nishigo Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Kamigo Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Fujishima Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Toei Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Watamae Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Haguro Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Hirose Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Kushibiki Higashi Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Kushibiki Nishi Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Kushibiki Minami Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Otsuna Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Asahi Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Atsumi Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Iragawa Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Nezugaseki Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Fukuei Elementary School
  • Tsuruoka Yamato Elementary School

Health care

  • Tsuruoka Shonai Hospital
  • Tsuruoka Kyoritsu Hospital
  • Yutagawa Onsen Rehabilitation Medical Center

Transportation

Airports

Railway

East [Japan Railway Company] - Uetsu Main Line
  • - - - - - - - - -

Highway

  • : Yudonosan, Shōnai Asahi, Tsuruoka interchanges
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Media

TV

  • NHK Tsuruoka Broadcast Station

Newspapers

  • Shonai Nippo

Culture

The Mountain Spirit

Tsuruoka is mostly known for its "Three Mountains of Dewa", which refers to Mt. Haguro, the smallest mount that culminates at only 436m high; Mt. Gassan, the highest mount at 1984m; and Mt. Yudono, at 1500m.

National Treasures

Mt. Haguro hosts The Five-Storied Pagoda, one of Japan's National Treasures. The pagoda's central pillar protects it from earthquakes, which inspired Tokyo's Skytree's architecture. Also in the grounds of Mt. Haguro is the Jiji-sugi 爺杉, a 30m high cedar that exists for more than 1000 years.

Culinary culture

Heritage and creativity

In 2014, Tsuruoka has been registered as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. Its more than 50 species of "ancestral food" that exist and remain intact for several centuries now are one of the reasons why the city has received this title. Among these there are: minden nasu 民田なす, からとりいも, 温海かぶ, ootaki carrot 大滝ニンジン, etc. The presence of such ancient food is not the only reason why Tsuruoka has been registered as a Creative City of Gastronomy. Its particular way to cook these ingredients was even more determinant. Tsuruoka's most known specialties are: kandarajiru 寒鱈汁, gomadôfu ごま豆腐, tochimochi とちもち, kitsunemen キツネ面, etc.
The city is also known for its large variety of soups, apart from kandarajiru, there is takenokojiru タケノコ汁, imoni 芋煮, nattôjiru 納豆汁, môsô jiru.

Peas

Tsuruoka is known for, a species of soybean, which have been called "the king of edamame"; they are also used for other products such as nattō and in manjū. There are two theories as to the origin of the name: one is that it derives from, the Shonai dialectical word for "father" – is the dialectical word for "mother", while the other is that the beans came from Date, Fukushima, and were originally called, which became and then.
are used in any kind of meal: sweet, salty, spicy, bitter, sour, just boiled, crushed, grilled, and in sauces.
Dadakko, are small cakes which contain a sweet paste. ''Dadappai are small pasted inside a puff pastry. There are also flavored ice creams, cookies, biscuits, creams.

Seafood

Tsuruoka and the whole region of Shônai benefit from a large variety of fishes and sea food coming from the Sea of Japan. Among all the local sea foods you can find in Tsuruoka, there are: Cherry salmon, Japanese seabream, blue crab, littlemouth flounder, flatfish, black rockfish, tonguefish, flying squid, oyster, sea robin, sandfish, Japanese codfish, and others. The huge variety of fresh local fishes and seafood in Tsuruoka had contributed to the local sushi shops' good reputation, but it has also helped constitute a very particular kind of "family gastronomy", where fishes hold a very important place.

Rice

The rice cultivated in Tsuruoka and more generally in Shonai region has been recognized for its strong umami taste. In 2010, searchers from Keiô University's Institute for Advanced Biosciences 慶應義塾大学先端生命科学研究所 have proven Tsuyahime local rice brand contained 1.5x more umami taste than the common other brands of rice thanks to the studies of metabolomes.

Arts and crafts

The city is literally surrounded by plains, forests and mountains. Thus, wood and grass were largely used in all kinds of crafts. As for architecture, thatch-roofed houses are one of the symbols of the city. Some of them remained in good condition through centuries now as for example Tasôminka 多層民家, a traditional farmer house from Meiji period, and the house in Chidô Museum 致道博物館.
Concerning clothing, shinaori しな織り, is a traditional weaving style from tree bark that is still performed these days. The items created with this solid and firm thread are very resistant and waterproof.

Local attractions

  • Yamabushi Training at Ideha Culture Museum
  • Mt. Haguro
  • Zenpō Temple
  • Chido Museum
  • Shōnai Shrine
  • Yutagawa Hot Spring
  • Yunohama Hot Spring
  • Atsumi Hot Spring
  • Dewa-no-Yuki Shuzō Museum
  • Tsuruoka Art Forum
  • Dewa Shōnai Kokusai Mura International Forum and the Amazon Folk Museum
  • Gassan Asahi Museum
  • Tsuruoka Kamo Aquarium

Local events

  • Saitansai in Mt. Haguro Shrine - January 1
  • Ogisai Kurokawa Noh in Kushibiki - February 1 to 2
  • Oyama Sake Festival - Middle of February
  • Mt. Yudono Ski Festival in Mt. Yudono - From middle to late February
  • Tsuruoka Hinamatsuri in Shonai Temple and Chido Museum - March
  • Tsuruoka Sakura Festival in Tsuruoka Park - From middle to late April
  • Tulip Festival in Ikoi Village Shonai - From late April to Early May
  • Amazon Kid Festival in Gassan Asahi Village - May 3 to 5
  • Ceremony for Women and Children in Mt. Haguro Shrine - May 5
  • Kinen-sai in Mt. Haguro Shrine - May 8
  • International Nordic Walk in Yunohama - Middle of May
  • Tenjin Festival - May 25
  • Oyama Dog Festival - June 5
  • Yutagawa Hot Spring Hotaru Matsuri - June 15 to August 10
  • Flower Festival in Mt. Haguro - July 15
  • Gassan Shrine Festival in Mt. Gassan - July 15
  • International Bungee jumping in Gassan Asahi Village - Middle of July
  • Edamame Shop Open in Shirayama - Late July to Late August
  • Akagawa Fireworks Festival - Middle of August
  • Oku no Hosomichi National Haiku Competition at Ideha Bunka Kinenkan - Middle of September
  • Experience:Yamabushi Training at Ideha Bunka Kinenkan - Middle of September
  • Miss Shonai Contest - Late October
  • Shonai Hyakuman-goku Festival - Early November
  • Shôreisai 松例祭 - Last day of December. Through different rites involving trees and fires, Yamabushi pray for a good rice harvest and the good health of the crops.

International relations

Sister cities

Tsuruoka is twinned with:

Notable people from Tsuruoka