Toyota, Aichi Explained

Toyota
Native Name Lang:ja
Settlement Type:Core city
Flag Alt:Flag of Toyota, Aichi
Image Blank Emblem:Emblem of Toyota, Aichi.svg
Blank Emblem Alt:Emblem of Toyota, Aichi
Blank Emblem Type:Emblem
Image Map1:Toyota in Aichi Prefecture Ja.svg
Mapsize1:300
Map Caption1: Location of Toyota in Aichi Prefecture
Pushpin Map:Japan
Pushpin Mapsize:300
Coordinates:35.0824°N 137.1563°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Japan
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Chūbu (Tōkai)
Subdivision Type2:Prefecture
Subdivision Name2:Aichi
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Toshihiko Ota
Area Total Km2:918.32
Population Total:426162
Population As Of:October 1, 2019
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:Japan Standard Time
Utc Offset1:+9
Blank Name Sec1:Phone number
Blank Info Sec1:0565-31-1212
Blank1 Name Sec1:Address
Blank1 Info Sec1:3–60 Nishimachi, Toyota-shi, Aichi-ken 471-8501
Blank Name Sec2:Climate
Blank Info Sec2:Cfa
Module:
Embedded:yes

, formerly known as Koromo, is a city in Aichi Prefecture, Japan., the city had an estimated population of 426,162 and a population density of 464 people per km2. The total area was 918.32sqkm. It is located about 50 minutes from Nagoya by way of the Meitetsu Toyota Line.

Several of Toyota Motor Corporation's manufacturing plants, including the Tsutsumi plant, are located there. The longstanding ties between the Toyota Motor Corporation and the town of Toyota, formerly known as, gave the town its current name. The city's flag (and seal), is a unicursal hexagram.

Geography

Toyota is located in north-central Aichi Prefecture, and is the largest city in the prefecture in terms of area. The city area is mountainous to the north, with peaks averaging around 1000 feet (328 m) in height along its northern border with Nagano and Gifu Prefectures. Much of the mountainous northern portion of the city is within the Aichi Kōgen Quasi-National Park.

Toyota is within a two-hour drive of Nagoya.[1]

Climate

The city has a climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild winters (Köppen climate classification, Cfa). The average annual temperature in Toyota is . The average annual rainfall is with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around, and lowest in January, at around .

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[2] the population of Toyota has been increasing over the past 50 years.

Surrounding municipalities

Aichi Prefecture
Gifu Prefecture
Nagano Prefecture

City scape

History

Origins

The area of present-day Toyota City has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and archaeologists have found a continuous record of artifacts from the Japanese paleolithic period onwards.In early proto-historic times, the area was under the control of the Mononobe clan, who built numerous kofun burial mounds. The local place name "Koromo" is mentioned in the Kojiki and other early Japanese documents.

Edo period

During the Edo period, parts of the area of the current city were under the control of Koromo Domain, a feudal han under the Tokugawa shogunate; however, most of the area of the current city was tenryō territory controlled directly by the government in Edo and administered through hatamoto class appointed administrators. The village of "Matsudaira", from which Tokugawa Ieyasu took his clan name, was located within what is now the city of Toyota.

Meiji period

After the Meiji restoration, the area was organized into the towns of Asuke and Koromo and numerous villages under Higashikamo District and Nishikamo District with the establishment of the modern municipalities system.

The area was a major producer of silk and prospered from the Meiji period through the Taishō periods. As the demand for raw silk declined in Japan and abroad, Koromo entered a period of gradual decline after 1930.[3] The decline encouraged Kiichiro Toyoda, cousin of Eiji Toyoda, to look for alternatives to the family's automatic loom manufacturing business. The search led to the founding of what became the Toyota Motor Corporation. Toyota built the first manufacturing facility, known as Toyota Honsha plant in November 1938, breaking ground in December 1935.[4]

Modern history

On March 1, 1951, Koromo gained city status, and absorbed the village of Takahashi from Nishikamo District on September 30, 1956. Due to the fame and economic importance of its major employer, the city of changed its name to Toyota on January 1, 1959.

Toyota became a sister city with Detroit, Michigan, United States in 1960. It continued to expand by annexing the towns of Kamigo (Hekikai District) on March 1, 1964, and Takaoka (Hekikai District) on September 1, 1965, and Sanage (Nishikamo District) on April 1, 1967, as well as the village of Matsudaira (Higashikamo District) on April 1, 1970.

In 1979 the Nagoya Railroad (Meitetsu) opened the Toyota New Line (now Toyota Line), and in 1988: The Aichi Loop Line was opened, thus considerably improving access to the city via rail transport.

Toyota became a Core City in 1998, with increased local autonomy.

On March 25, 2005, Expo 2005 opened with its main site in Nagakute and additional activity in Seto and Toyota. The Expo continued until September 25, 2005.

On April 1, 2005, Toyota absorbed the town of Fujioka, and the village of Obara (both from Nishikamo District), the towns of Asuke, Asahi and Inabu, and the village of Shimoyama (all from Higashikamo District) to create the new and expanded city of Toyota.[5] [6]

Mitsuru Obe and Eric Pfanner of The Wall Street Journal stated that by 2015 Toyota was recovering from an economic depression "so deep that some were comparing it to Detroit."[7]

Government

Mayor-council

Toyota has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 45 members. The city has a Virtual City Hall and Physical Building, the council usually stays at home and do the works online.

Prefectural Assembly

The city contributes five members to the Aichi Prefectural Assembly.

House of Representatives

In terms of national politics, the city is divided between Aichi District 11 and Aichi District 14 of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Public

Police

Firefighting

Health care

Post office

Library

Twin towns – sister cities

Toyota is twinned with:[8]

Economy

Primary sector of the economy

Agriculture
Forestry

Secondary sector of the economy

The main headquarters of Toyota is located in a 14-story building in Toyota. As of 2006 the head office has the "Toyopet" Toyota logo and the words "Toyota Motor". The Toyota Technical Center, a 14-story building, and the original Honsha plant, Toyota's first plant engaging in mass production and formerly named the Koromo plant, are adjacent to one another in a location near the headquarters. Vinod Jacob from The Hindu described the main headquarters building as "modest".[1] In 2013 company head Akio Toyoda reported that it had difficulties retaining foreign employees at the headquarters due to the lack of amenities in Toyota.[9]

Tertiary sector of the economy

Shopping center

Education

Colleges and universities

Primary and secondary education

Toyota has 78 public elementary schools and 27 public middle schools operated by the city government and 12 public high schools operated by the Aichi Prefectural Board of Education. There are also two private middle schools and eight private high schools. The prefecture also operates two special education schools for the disabled.

International schools

Transportation

Toyota, as the home city of Toyota Motor Corporation is well-served by expressways and national highways. However, it was the largest city in Japan which was not served by the Japanese National Railways (JNR) during its existence. The closest Shinkansen station is Mikawa-Anjō Station in the city of Anjō, although the limited-stop Nozomi and Hikari services do not stop there.

Railways

Conventional lines

Meitetsu

– –

– – – – – – – – –

Aichi Loop Railway

– – – – – – – – – – –

60px Linimo

Roads

Expressways

Japan National Route

Local attractions

Culture

Sports

Sports Team

SexNamecompetitionLeagueHomeSponsorSince
MenToyota VerblitzRugbyJapan Rugby League OneToyota Sports CenterToyota Motor Corporation1941
MenToyota SunhawksVolleyballV.League (V2)Toyota Sports CenterToyota Motor Corporation1946
MenToyota Baseball clubBaseballJapan Amateur Baseball Association (JABA)Toyota Sports CenterToyota Motor Corporation1947
WomenToyota Red TerriersSoftballJapan Softball League (JSL)Toyota Sports CenterToyota Motor Corporation1948
WomenToyota SunpienaVolleyballV.League (V2)Toyota Sports CenterToyota Motor Corporation1950
MenToyota GriffinsHandballJapan Handball League (JHL・Challenge Division)Toyota Sports CenterToyota Motor Corporation1970
MenKirix Toyota Bull FightersAmerican footballX-LeagueToyota Athletic StadiumKirix Group1974
MenToyota Tsusho BLUE WINGRugbyTOP West LeagueFujioka GroundToyota Tsusho1980
MenNagoya GrampusSoccerJ.League (J1)Toyota StadiumNagoya Grampus Eight Inc.1991

Sports Facilities

Notable people from Toyota

Notes and References

  1. Jacob, Vinod. "In Toyota land ." The Hindu Business Line. August 18, 2006. Retrieved on May 9, 2013.
  2. https://www.citypopulation.de/php/japan-aichi.php Toyota population statistics
  3. Web site: Municipalities of Aichi (Japan). 22 May 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20121021050911/http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/jp-23-.html. 21 October 2012. live.
  4. Web site: Toyota Honsha Plant history . 2015-06-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150306074306/http://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/data/automotive_business/production/production/japan/general_status/honsha.html . 2015-03-06 . live .
  5. Web site: 豊田市 . 山村地域移住情報バンク|豊田市 . 2024-02-07 . Toyota City . ja . 平成17年4月1日に旧藤岡町、小原村、足助町、下山村、旭町、稲武町(旧6町村)が合併し、現在の豊田市になりました。.
  6. Web site: 愛知県の市町村合併 - 愛知県 . 2024-02-07 . Aichi Prefectural Government.
  7. Obe, Mitsuru and Eric Pfanner. "Abe’s Backing Is Lukewarm, Even in Toyota’s Town". The Wall Street Journal. December 11, 2014. Retrieved on August 12, 2015.
  8. Web site: 国際交流. city.toyota.aichi.jp. Toyota. ja. 2023-12-27.
  9. Greimel, Hans. "Dreary HQ city is a handicap in global glitz plan." (Archive) Automotive News. May 6, 2013. Retrieved on May 9, 2013.
  10. "Escolas Brasileiras Homologadas no Japão" (Archive). Embassy of Brazil in Tokyo. Retrieved on October 13, 2015.