Yonezawa, Yamagata

"Yonezawa" redirects here. For the toy manufacturer, see Yonezawa Toys.

Yonezawa 米沢市
City
Overview of downtown Yonezawa
Flag Seal
Location of Yonezawa in Yamagata Prefecture
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Prefecture	Yamagata
Government
• -Mayor	Abe Sanjuro
Area
• Total	548.51 km2 (211.78 sq mi)
Population  (October 2015)
• Total	85,475
• Density	156/km2 (400/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- Tree	Kometsuga (Tsuga diversifolia)
- Flower	Azumashakunage (Rhododendron metternichii Sieb. et Zucc. var. pentamerum Maxim)
Phone number	0238-22-5111
Address	5-2-25 Kanaike, Yonezawa-shi, Yamagata-ken 992-8501
Website	www.city.yonezawa.yamagata.jp

Yonezawa (米沢市, Yonezawa-shi) is a city in Yamagata Prefecture, in the Tohoku region of northern Japan. Yonezawa is most famous for its local delicacies (apples, beef, and carp) and for being a castle town that was once home to the Uesugi clan, including the daimyō Uesugi Yozan.

As of October 2015, the city has an estimated population of 85,475 and a population density of 156 persons per km². The total area was 548.51 square kilometres (212 sq mi).

Geography

Yonezawa is located in the southeast corner of Yamagata Prefecture, in the Yonezawa Basin. The Mogami River flows through the city. Part of the city is within the borders of the Bandai-Asahi National Park.

Neighboring municipalities

• Yamagata Prefecture
  • Takahata, Yamagata
  • Kawanishi, Yamagata
  • Iide, Yamagata
• Fukushima Prefecture
  • Fukushima, Fukushima
  • Kitakata, Fukushima
  • Inawashiro, Fukushima
  • Kitashiobara, Fukushima

Climate

Yonezawa has a Humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfa) with large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is heaviest from August to October.

History

The area of present-day Yonezawa was part of ancient Dewa Province and was controlled in the Sengoku period by the Date clan. The famed warlord Date Masamune was born in Yonezawa. During the Edo period, the area became Yonezawa Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate, ruled by the Uesugi clan. After the start of the Meiji period, the area was organized into Minamiokitama District, Yamagata Prefecture. The modern city of Yamagata was established on April 1, 1889.

Economy

The economy of Yamagata is based on agriculture, horticulture, light manufacturing and tourism.

Education

Colleges and universities

• Yamagata University Yonezawa campus
• Yonezawa Women's Junior College

Transportation

Rail

• JR East - Yamagata Shinkansen
  • Yonezawa
• JR East - Ōu Main Line
  • Itaya - Tōge - Ōsawa - Sekine - Yonezawa - Oitama
• JR East - Yonesaka Line
  • Yonezawa - Minami-Yonezawa - Nishi-Yonezawa - Narushima

Highways

• Tōhoku Chūō Expressway: Yonezawa IC
• National Route 13
• National Route 121
• National Route 287
• National Route 399

Local attractions

• Yonezawa City Uesugi Museum
• Yonezawa Castle
• Yonezawa Onsen
• Namegawa Great Falls
• Shirabu Onsen (in gorges of Otaru River south of Yonezawa)

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Japan

Japan

• Takanabe, Miyazaki, since 1981
• Jōetsu, Niigata, since 1981
• Okinawa, Okinawa, since 1994
• Tōkai, Aichi, since 1999

Worldwide

• Taubaté, Brazil, since January 28, 1974
• Moses Lake, Washington, USA, since May 1, 1981

Notable people from Yonezawa

• Hirata Tosuke, Meiji period statesman
• Ikeda Shigeaki, politician
• Yamashita Gentarō, admiral, Imperial Japanese Navy
• Chūichi Nagumo, admiral, Imperial Japanese Navy
• Masami Kobayashi, admiral, Imperial Japanese Navy
• Takehiko Endo, politician
• Junzaburo Ban, actor
• Itō Chūta, architect

External links

• Official website Template:Ja icon