Tosu (鳥栖市, Tosu-shi) is a city located in the eastern part of Saga Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. As of 30 April 2024[update], the city had an estimated population of 74,334 in 33597 households, and a population density of 1000 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the city is 71.72 km2 (27.69 sq mi).
Tosu
鳥栖市 | |
|---|---|
 Tosu City Hall | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Tosu in Saga Prefecture | |
 | |
  Tosu Location in Japan | |
| Coordinates: 33°23′N 130°30′E / 33.383°N 130.500°E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Kyushu |
| Prefecture | Saga |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Yasushi Hashimoto (since March 2007) |
| Area | |
• Total | 71.72 km2 (27.69 sq mi) |
| Population (April 30, 2024) | |
• Total | 74,334 |
| • Density | 1,000/km2 (2,700/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
| City hall address | 1118 Shukumachi, Tosu-shi, Saga-ken 841-8511 |
| Website | Official website |
| Symbols | |
| Bird | Japanese white-eye |
| Flower | Japanese iris |
| Tree | Round leaf holly |
Geography
editLocated in the Saga Plains, the Chikushi River runs along the southern border of Tosu. The lowlands are used for paddy fields and is where the urban center is located. The northwestern part of the city is in the eastern part of the Sefuri Mountaians.
Mountains
edit- Mount Ishidani (754 m)
- Mount Kusenbu (848 m)
- Shiroyama (501 m)
Rivers
edit- Akimitsu River
- Ara River
- Chikugo River
- Daigi River
- Hōman River
- Yamashita River
Dams
edit- Kawachi Dam
Adjoining municipalities
editClimate
editTosu has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Tosu is 15.1 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1766 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.2 °C, and lowest in January, at around 4.3 °C.[2]
Demographics
editPer Japanese census data, the population of Tosu is as shown below.[3]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 31,401 | — |
| 1950 | 39,781 | +26.7% |
| 1960 | 41,870 | +5.3% |
| 1970 | 47,369 | +13.1% |
| 1980 | 54,254 | +14.5% |
| 1990 | 55,877 | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 60,726 | +8.7% |
| 2010 | 69,074 | +13.7% |
| 2020 | 74,196 | +7.4% |
History
editThe area of Tosu was part of ancient Hizen Province, and during the Edo period was an exclave of Tsushima-Fuchū Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. Tashiro-juku was home to the taxation rice storehouse and magistrate's office of the domain. It was also a stopping place for Joseon missions to Japan. The Sō clan prospered from its knowledge of Chinese traditional medicine and access to supplies imported from Korea, and the region was considered one of the four major pharmaceutical centers in pre-modern Japan. Following the Meiji restoration, the area was the center of the 1874 Saga Rebellion, and a battle between the government troops and the rebel army occurred on Mount Asahi. The villages Asahi, Fumoto, Kizato, Tashiro and Todoroki were created on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. Todoroki was elevated to town status on March 19, 1907 and renamed Tosu. Tashiro was elevated to town status on March 11, 1936. On April 1, 1954 Tosu merged with Tashiro and the villages of Asahi, Fumoto and Kizato and was raised to city status.
Government
editTosu has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 22 members. Tosu contributes three members to the Saga Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Saga 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy
editTosu is a regional commercial center and logistics and distribution hub, due to its location at the intersection of several major highways and rail line. The local economy remains centered on agriculture, food processing and light manufacturing. Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical is headquartered inn Tosu.
Education
editTosu has eight public elementary schools and five public junior high schools operated by the city government, and three public high schools operated by the Saga Prefectural Board of Education.
Junior colleges
editSenior high schools
edit- Tosu Commercial High School
- Tosu Senior High School
- Tosu Technical High School
Junior high schools
edit- Kizato Junior High School
- Kounan Junior High School
- Tashiro Junior High School
- Tosu Junior High School
- Tosu Nishi Junior High School
Elementary schools
edit- Asahi Elementary School
- Fumoto Elementary School
- Kizato Elementary School
- Tashiro Elementary School
- Tosu Elementary School
- Tosu Kita Elementary School
- Wakaba Elementary School
- Yayoigaoka Elementary School
Transport
editTosu is one of the major transportation hubs of Kyushu. Its main train station is Tosu Station which connects the Nagasaki Main Line and the Kagoshima Main Line. There is also a junction connecting the Kyūshū Expressway, Nagasaki Expressway and Ōita Expressway. Economically it is part of the Fukuoka metropolitan area, and according to a 2000 census about 5% of the total population of Tosu commute to work or school in Fukuoka.
Rail
edit
JR Kyushu - Kagoshima Main Line
- JB Yayoigaoka - Tashiro - Tosu - Hizen-Asahi
JR Kyushu - Nagasaki Main Line
- JH Tosu - Shin-Tosu - Hizen-Fumoto
Highways
edit
Kyushu Expressway (Tosu Junction and Tosu Interchange)
Nagasaki Expressway (Tosu Junction and Tosu Interchange)- Ōita Expressway (Tosu Junction)
National Route 3
National Route 34
National Route 500
Sister cities
edit
Local attractions
edit
- Best Amenity Stadium
- Katsunoo Castle ruins
- Mount Asahi castle ruins
- Tashiroōta Kofun
- Yasunagata Site
Sightseeing spots
edit- Azumaya
- Kawachi Dam area
- Torigoe and Yamabiko mountain retreats
- Shimin no mori
- Kawachi swimming pool
- Mount Asahi Park
- Mount Kusenbu
- Kyushu Nature Walk
- Nakatomi Commemorative Medicine Museum
- Ochōzu waterfall
- Numakawa swimming pool
- Saga racecourse
- Tashiro Park
- Tosu Premium Outlets
Festivals and events
edit- Tosu Yayoi Matsuri (last Sunday of March)
- Hana no hi (May 4)
- Tori no hi (Sunday between May 10 and May 16)
- Matsuri Tosu (last Sunday of July)
- Tosu Yamakasa (first Saturday and Sunday of summer vacation)
- Doyō Yoichi (Saturday night market, end of July)
Sports
editNotable people from Tosu
edit- Yuga Kawada - jockey
- Koichi Ogata - pro baseball player
- Masayoshi Son - businessman, founder of SoftBank
References
edit- ^ "Tosu City official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
- ^ Tosu climate: Average Temperature, weather by month
- ^ Saga Prefecture population by municipality
- ^ "Partnerstädte". zeitz.de (in German). Zeitz. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
External links
edit
- Tosu City official website (in Japanese)
Geographic data related to Tosu, Saga at OpenStreetMap