Gonohe, Aomori

Gonohe
五戸町
Town

Gonohe Town Hall

Flag
Seal

Location of Gonohe in Aomori Prefecture
Gonohe

 

Coordinates: 40°31′52.4″N 141°18′28.8″E / 40.531222°N 141.308000°E / 40.531222; 141.308000Coordinates: 40°31′52.4″N 141°18′28.8″E / 40.531222°N 141.308000°E / 40.531222; 141.308000
Country Japan
Region Tōhoku
Prefecture Aomori Prefecture
District Sannohe
Area
 • Total 177.67 km2 (68.60 sq mi)
Population (September 2015)
 • Total 17,421
 • Density 98.1/km2 (254/sq mi)
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
- Tree Japanese yew
- Flower Chrysanthemum
Phone number 0178-62-2111
Address 21-1 Fukutachi, Gonohe-machi, Sannohe-gun, Aomori-ken 039-1513
Website Gonohe Town

Gonohe (五戸町 Gonohe-machi) is a town located in Sannohe District, Aomori Prefecture, in the northern Tōhoku region of Japan. As of September 2015, the town had an estimated population of 17,421 and a population density of 98.1 persons per km2. Its total area was 177.67 square kilometres (68.60 sq mi).

Geography

Gonohe is located in the north-eastern part of Sannohe District, approximately 16 kilometres west of Hachinohe City and 10 kilometres southeast of Towada City. The town is adjacent to Hachinohe City to the east, Shingō Village to the west, Nanbu Town to the south, and Towada City, Oirase Town and Rokunohe Town to the north. The land extends 16.8 kilometres east to west and 18.55 kilometres north to south.

The Gonohegawa River, which flows from Mt. Heraidake into the Pacific Ocean, and the Asamizugawa River, which originates from a hot spring swamp to join the Mabechigawa River, run parallel to each other through the town. While embracing these two rivers, residential areas have formed, and rice fields can be found in the flat areas that benefit from the favourable flows of water. The slightly sloped hillside areas spread to the east of the Ōu Mountains and are utilized as crop fields and apple orchards.

Neighbouring municipalities

Climate

The type of weather most characteristic of the region is the yamase, the easterly winds which bring cold air in summer. In Gonohe, the yamase brings rain and, when such conditions last for a long time, harvests are significantly affected because of the low temperatures and lack of sunshine. However, the town receives relatively less snow than its location in northern Tōhoku would otherwise suggest.

History

The most common meanings of the Chinese characters used in the town's name (五戸) are "five" and "door/gate," respectively. However, in the case of Gonohe (and other similar place names in the region), it is believed that the second character in the name carries the meaning of 'ranch,' with the town name being derived from the ranch system developed by the Nanbu clan who once ruled in the region. In 1189, during the Kamakura period, Nanbu Saburo Mitsuyuki, a retainer of Minamoto Yoritomo from Kai Province was awarded the former Nukanobu (糠部) district (the current Sanhachi and Kamikita districts of Aomori Prefecture) after the defeat of the Northern Fujiwara clan. The land was found to be suitable for raising warhorses, and to manage it Nanbu divided it into nine he (ranches). The name Gonohe, then, refers to the fifth of these.[1]

In April 1889, with the introduction of the municipalities system, the area became Gonohe Village. In November 1915, the village was elevated to town status. In July 1955, Gonohe Town was combined with neighboring Kawauchi and Asada villages; this also included incorporating part of the Tekurabashi area of Nozawa Village and the Toyomauchi area of Toyosaki Village. The town merged with the neighbouring village of Kuraishi on April 1, 2012. In recent years there has been a small community of repatriated Manchurian Japanese living in Kuraishi.

Local culture

In its earlier history Gonohe enjoyed a reputation as a breeding centre for horses of exceptional quality, popular amongst the samurai. With the decline of the samurai, Gonohe's horses continued to be bred for their meat. The lean horse meat is coveted as a delicacy, especially when served in its raw form, known as Basashi (馬刺し). This dish is a specialty of both Gonohe and Kumamoto in southern Kyūshū. After horses, Gonohe is best known for the local popularity of soccer.

Economy

The key industry of the town is agriculture, with a focus mainly on producing vegetables, rice and livestock. Since the town was designated a new industrial city of Hachinohe district, inland industries have developed in the Jizo-daira Industrial Estate, where 20 companies are now in operation.

Education

Gonohe has four elementary schools, three middle schools and one high school.

Sister City relations

, since 1983

Recent controversy

On 28 June 2001 the town's Korean 'sister city' Okcheon cancelled a planned trip to send 25 young people, mostly students, on an exchange visit to Gonohe. According to the South Korean government, the decision was a reaction to recent approvals by the Japanese government of a series of junior high school history textbooks that were regarded by Korea as distorting historical facts and glossing over the atrocities carried out by the Japanese military. The event was preceded by a related incident in April of that year, when a group of Gonohe assemblymen cancelled a planned visit to Korea that May, citing financial difficulties.[3]

Transportation

Railway

The Tohoku Shinkansen passes through Gonohe, but the town has had no passenger railway services after the discontinuation of the Nambu Railway in 1968, which previously connected it to Hachinohe.

Highway

Noted residents of Gonohe

References

  1. ↑ http://www.town.gonohe.aomori.jp/kurashi/kikakushinko/h26_shinkokeikaku_soan.pdf
  2. 1 2 "International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  3. ↑ Daily Tohoku Shinbunsha 財政難､国際交流事業見直し/五戸町 （2007/10/23）「交流に計画性がなくなってきている。町の行財政は厳しく、健全化するまで交流は計画的に進めたい」
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