Chichibu

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Chichibu-shi
秩 父 市
Chichibu
Geographical location in Japan
Chichibu (Japan)
Red pog.svg
Region : Kanto
Prefecture : Saitama
Coordinates : 36 ° 0 '  N , 139 ° 5'  E Coordinates: 35 ° 59 '30 "  N , 139 ° 5' 8"  E
Basic data
Surface: 577.69 km²
Residents : 60,303
(October 1, 2019)
Population density : 104 inhabitants per km²
Community key : 11207-1
Symbols
Flag / coat of arms:
Flag / coat of arms of Chichibu
Tree : maple
Flower : Upholstery phlox
Bird : Japanese snapper
town hall
Address : Chichibu City Hall
8 - 15 , Kumagi-machi
Chichibu -shi
Saitama  368-8686
Website URL: www.city.chichibu.lg.jp
Location Chichibus in Saitama Prefecture
Location Chichibus in the prefecture

Chichibu ( Japanese 秩 父 市 , - shi ) is a city in the west of Saitama Prefecture .

geography

Okuchichibu Mountains (Inner Chichibu Mountains)

The city is located in the far west of Saitama Prefecture. Unlike other parts of the prefecture, it is mountainous and the population is concentrated in river terraces along the Arakawa . It is Saitama's largest municipality by area and borders the prefectures of Tokyo , Yamanashi , Nagano and Gunma . Large parts of the city belong to the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park .

Since the area is not suitable for growing rice, other types of agriculture such as silkworm farming have developed here. Limestone from Mount Buko south of the city center , which is clearly visible from the hilltop, is another important source of income. Because of its rich nature and proximity to Tokyo , tourism is gaining in importance today. The city is also famous for its breweries.

history

The city originally developed as a marketplace for the district and as a city around the Shinto Chichibu shrine . The old name of the city, Ōmiya ( 大 宮 郷 -gō , dt. Large shrine ), was derived from this shrine. (It is mere coincidence that the Ōmiya district of Saitama prefecture capital , where the Hikawa Shrine is located, bears the same name.)

The remains of what is probably the oldest human-made structure have been found on a small hill. These are parts of a hut that was built half a million years ago by a Homo erectus, an ancestor of Homo sapiens. 30 stone tools were also found around the excavation site. The oldest finds of a human structure in Terra Amata (France) were "only" 200,000 to 400,000 years old.

In 708 copper was discovered in the area and brought to the imperial court. The era of Wadō (dt. Japanese copper ) was then proclaimed to commemorate it. The copper was used to mint Wadō Kaihō or Wadō Kaichin , which are among the oldest coins in Japan.

The Chichibu incident took place here in 1884 . This was an uprising of impoverished peasants under the influence of the freedom and civil rights movement . Seven were sentenced to death and over 4,000 were fined.

In 1889 the Chō Ōmiya ( 大 宮 町 Ōmiya-chō ) was founded and renamed to Chichibu in 1916. On April 1, 1950, she was declared Shi.

In 1954 the Mura Odamaki , Haraya and Kuna , 1957 Takashino and Ōta , 1958 the Chō Kagemori and in 2005 the Chō Yoshida and the Mura Arakawa and Ōtaki were incorporated.

Attractions

Night festival in Chichibu
Hitsujiyama Park.

Every year on December 3rd, a big night festival is held in Chichibu ( intangible cultural heritage ). Crowds of people come from Chichibu, the prefecture, Tokyo and the Kantō region.

Other attractions are:

traffic

Railway lines

Chichibu Railway Station

Two lines operate to Chichibu: Chichibu Tetsudō Chichibu main line to Hanyū and the Seibu Chichibu line to Hannō . The main Chichibu line was built along the Arakawa and opened in 1914. The Seibu Chichibu line opened in 1969 and shortened the distance to Tokyo. The journey time from Seibu-Chichibu Station to Ikebukuro Station , one of the main terminals in Tokyo, is 1.5 hours. These rail lines not only transport passengers, but also limestone from Mount Buko. Both lines were directly connected to each other on April 1, 1989. Chichibu Tetsudō also runs the Mitsumine Cable Car that takes visitors to the Mitsumine Shrine.

Streets

The national roads 140 and 299 lead to the city. National Road 140 connects the city to the Kan-Etsu Highway through the Hanazono Driveway . Until the opening of the Karisaka Tunnel in 1998, the city had no connection to Yamanashi Prefecture due to the steep Okuchichibu Mountains.

Neighboring cities and communities

sons and daughters of the town

Town twinning

Connection with Der Mikado

The city regards itself as a source of inspiration for Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta The Mikado . The setting Titipu of this opera is pronounced in Japanese Chichipu . Rokusuke Ei , a well-known essayist, believed that Chichibu, the site of the Chichibu incident in 1884, inspired author Gilbert to have the operetta performed in Japan. Others concluded that Gilbert may have heard of chichibu silk, a major export in the 19th century. A theater company from Chichibu presented The Mikado in Japanese across Japan and in August 2006 at the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival in Buxton, Derbyshire , England .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ http://www.pressetext.com/news/20000302046

Web links

Commons : Chichibu  - collection of images, videos and audio files