Toyosato, Shiga Explained

Toyosato
Native Name Lang:ja
Settlement Type:Town
Image Blank Emblem:Emblem of Toyosato, Shiga.svg
Blank Emblem Type:Emblem
Image Map1:Toyosato in Shiga Prefecture Ja.svg
Pushpin Map:Japan
Pushpin Map Caption: 
Coordinates:35.2003°N 136.2299°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Japan
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Kansai
Subdivision Type2:Prefecture
Subdivision Name2:Shiga Prefecture
Subdivision Type3:District
Subdivision Name3:Inukami
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Sadamu Itō
Area Total Km2:7.80
Population Total:7,296
Population As Of:July 2021
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:Japan Standard Time
Utc Offset1:+9
Module:
Embedded:yes
Blank Name Sec2:Phone number
Blank Info Sec2:0749-35-8111
Blank1 Name Sec2:Address
Blank1 Info Sec2:375, Ishibatake, Toyosato-chō, Inukami-gun, Shiga-ken 529-1169

is a town located in Shiga Prefecture, Japan., the town had an estimated population of 7,296 in 3074 households and a population density of 940 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the town is 7.8sqkm. It is the home of Gōshū ondo, a traditional folk dance.

Geography

Toyosato is the smallest municipality in Shiga in terms of surface area. It is located on an alluvial fan of the Inukami River in central Shiga Prefecture. The entire area is a lowland with almost no undulations (highest point 115m, lowest point 95m).

Surrounding municipalities

Shiga Prefecture

Climate

Toyosato has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Toyosato is 14.1 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1810 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.9 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.7 °C.[2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Toyosato has remained relatively steady over the past century, with a noticeable uptick around 1950 due to World War II.

History

Pre-modern

The area of Toyosato was part of ancient Ōmi Province and (after the Taika Reform) corresponds to Inukami District Achiki Township and Aichi District Yoshida Township.It is claimed that the area was settled during the Kofun period by immigrants from Baekje, centered on what is now the Achiki Shrine. From the Heian period, the area was divided between several shoen landed estates, and a number of settlements arose along the route of the Tōkaidō highway connecting Heian-kyō with the eastern provinces of Japan. The merchants in these villages formed guilds controlling the transport of Japanese paper, which was mostly made in Mino Province to Kyoto, Ise and Owari.  During the Nanboku-chō and into the Sengoku period, the area was hotly contested between the Kyōgoku clan and the Rokkaku clan, and many mount fortifications were constructed. During the Edo period, the entire area of the town was part of the holdings of Hikone Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. “ Ōmi merchants” were very active and prospered during this period, notably the Fujino family, which had trading posts in Ezo and who were active in local politics, and the Ito family, which founded the Marubeni and Itochu trading houses.

Modern era

The village of Toyosato was created on April 1, 1889, with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. During the Meiji period the area suffered from repeated droughts, which led to the development of some of Japan's first agricultural cooperatives and investment in groundwater irrigation. Toyosato annexed the neighboring village of Achi in 1956 and was elevated to town status on February 11, 1956.

Government

Toyosato has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 11 members. Toyosato, collectively with the other municipalities of Inukami District, contributes one member to the Shiga Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Shiga 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Agriculture has dominated the local economy since ancient times. Manufacturing includes a number of small to medium-sized textile, chemicals, and metals processing factories.

Education

Toyosato has two public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government. The town does not have a high school.

Transportation

Railway

Ohmi RailwayMain Line

Highway

Local attractions

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Toyosato town official statistics. Japan. ja.
  2. https://en.climate-data.org/asia/japan/shiga/toyosato-47172/ Toyosato climate data
  3. https://www.citypopulation.de/php/japan-mie.php Toyosato population statistics
  4. http://en.gigazine.net/index.php?/news/comments/20100728_k-on_toyosato/ Anime Pilgrimage: Visiting the model of K-ON!! Highschool