Toyama (city)

{{Infobox settlement | name = Toyama | native_name = {{nobold|{{lang|ja|富山市}}}} | official_name = | settlement_type = Prefecture capital and Core city | image_skyline = Toyama montage 0.png | image_size = | image_caption = (''From top, left to right '': Kureha Hills •Tomiiwa Canal Kansui Park • Toyama Black Ramen• Toyama Glass Museum• Toyama Light Rail • Avile • Toyama Drug Sales • Sogawa Ferio • Fugan Canal) | image_flag = Flag of Toyama, Toyama.svg | flag_alt = | image_seal = Emblem of Toyama, Toyama.svg | seal_alt = | image_shield = | shield_alt = | image_blank_emblem = | nickname = | motto =  | image_map = Toyama in Toyama Prefecture Ja.svg | map_alt = | map_caption = Location of Toyama in Toyama Prefecture | pushpin_map = Japan | pushpin_label_position =  | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption =   | coordinates = {{coord|36|41|45.3|N|137|12|49.3|E|region:JP-16|display=it}} | coor_pinpoint =  | coordinates_footnotes =  | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{JPN}} | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = Chūbu (Hokuriku) | subdivision_type2 = Prefecture | subdivision_name2 = {{flag|Toyama}} | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 =  | established_title = First official recorded | established_date = 6th century AD | established_title2 = City settled | established_date2 = April 1, 1889 | founder = | named_for =  | seat_type =  | seat =  | government_footnotes =  | leader_party = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Hirohisa Fujii | leader_title1 = | leader_name1 =  | total_type =  | unit_pref =  | area_magnitude =  | area_footnotes =  | area_total_km2 = 1241.77 | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | area_water_percent = | area_note =  | elevation_footnotes =  | elevation_m =  | population_footnotes =  | population_total = 415844 | population_as_of = June 1, 2019 | population_density_km2 = auto | population_est = | pop_est_as_of = | population_demonym =  | population_note = | population_metro_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web |title=UEA Code Tables |url=http://www.csis.u-tokyo.ac.jp/UEA/uea_code_e.htm |publisher=Center for Spatial Information Science, University of Tokyo |access-date=January 26, 2019 |archive-date=January 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109011635/http://www.csis.u-tokyo.ac.jp/UEA/uea_code_e.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> (2015) | population_metro = 1066328 (16th) | timezone1 = JST | utc_offset1 = +9 | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = 930-8510 | area_code_type =  | area_code =  | blank_name_sec1 = Symbols | blank_info_sec1 =   | blank1_name_sec1 = • Tree | blank1_info_sec1 = ''Zelkova serrata'' | blank2_name_sec1 = • Flower | blank2_info_sec1 = ''Helianthus annuus'' | blank3_name_sec1 = • Flowering tree | blank3_info_sec1 = ''Camellia japonica'' | blank4_name_sec1 = | blank4_info_sec1 = | blank5_name_sec1 = | blank5_info_sec1 = | blank6_name_sec1 = | blank6_info_sec1 = | blank7_name_sec1 = | blank7_info_sec1 =  | blank_name_sec2 = Phone number | blank_info_sec2 = 076-431-6111 | blank1_name_sec2 = Address | blank1_info_sec2 = 7-38 Shinsakuramachi, Toyama-shi, Toyama-ken | website = {{Official website|https://www.city.toyama.toyama.jp/}} | footnotes = }} {{nihongo|'''Toyama'''|富山市|Toyama-shi|{{IPA|ja|toꜜ.ja.ma, to.ja.maꜜ.ɕi}}<ref>{{cite book|script-title=ja:NHK日本語発音アクセント新辞典|publisher=NHK Publishing|editor=NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute|date=24 May 2016|lang=ja}}</ref>}} is the capital city of Toyama Prefecture, Japan, located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in the Chūbu region on central Honshū, about {{convert|200|km|abbr=on}} north of the city of Nagoya and {{convert|300|km|abbr=on}} northwest of Tokyo. {{As of|2019|06|01}}, the city had an estimated population of 415,844 in 176,643 households,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.city.toyama.toyama.jp/kikakukanribu/johotokeika/tokei/jinkosetai/jinkosetai.html|title=official city statistics}}</ref> and a population density of 335 persons per km<sup>2</sup>. Its total area was {{convert|1241.77|sqkm|sqmi}}. The city has been designated an environmental model city by the national government for its efforts to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.

==Geography== Located in the middle of its prefecture, Toyama is a seaside city by the coast of the Sea of Japan. Its municipal territory borders with the Gifu Prefecture and with the municipalities of Imizu, Namerikawa, Tonami, Nanto, Hida and Takayama.<ref>{{OSM|r|4807827|Toyama}}</ref> The nearest towns are Imizu (west), and Namerikawa (east), both by the sea and part of the Toyama urban area. The nearest major city is Kanazawa, the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, which is {{convert|65|km|mi|abbr=in}} away.

===Climate=== Toyama has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification ''Cfa'') with hot, humid summers and cool winters. Precipitation is abundant throughout the year, particularly in July, September and from November through January. Despite winter in Toyama being relatively mild, its position near the Sea of Japan places it within the heavy snow belt of Japan and on average {{convert|3.8|m|abbr=on}} of snow falls each season, almost all of it from December through March, as well as occasionally experiencing some tremendous amounts of snowfall.

{{Weather box | width = auto | single line = Y | metric first = Y | location = Toyama (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1939−present) | Jan record high C = 20.9 | Feb record high C = 22.5 | Mar record high C = 28.3 | Apr record high C = 32.4 | May record high C = 33.3 | Jun record high C = 37.2 | Jul record high C = 38.8 | Aug record high C = 39.8 | Sep record high C = 38.3 | Oct record high C = 33.3 | Nov record high C = 29.2 | Dec record high C = 24.8 | Jan record low C = -11.9 | Feb record low C = -11.1 | Mar record low C = -7.0 | Apr record low C = -2.2 | May record low C = 2.3 | Jun record low C = 7.7 | Jul record low C = 13.0 | Aug record low C = 14.1 | Sep record low C = 8.9 | Oct record low C = 1.9 | Nov record low C = -2.0 | Dec record low C = -8.5 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 259.0 | Feb precipitation mm = 171.7 | Mar precipitation mm = 164.6 | Apr precipitation mm = 134.5 | May precipitation mm = 122.8 | Jun precipitation mm = 172.6 | Jul precipitation mm = 245.6 | Aug precipitation mm = 207.0 | Sep precipitation mm = 218.1 | Oct precipitation mm = 171.9 | Nov precipitation mm = 224.8 | Dec precipitation mm = 281.6 | year precipitation mm = 2374.2 | Jan mean C = 3.0 | Feb mean C = 3.4 | Mar mean C = 6.9 | Apr mean C = 12.3 | May mean C = 17.5 | Jun mean C = 21.4 | Jul mean C = 25.5 | Aug mean C = 26.9 | Sep mean C = 22.8 | Oct mean C = 17.0 | Nov mean C = 11.2 | Dec mean C = 5.7 | year mean C = 14.5 | Jan high C = 6.3 | Feb high C = 7.4 | Mar high C = 11.8 | Apr high C = 17.6 | May high C = 22.7 | Jun high C = 25.7 | Jul high C = 29.8 | Aug high C = 31.4 | Sep high C = 27.0 | Oct high C = 21.6 | Nov high C = 15.7 | Dec high C = 9.5 | year high C = 18.9 | Jan low C = 0.2 | Feb low C = 0.1 | Mar low C = 2.6 | Apr low C = 7.4 | May low C = 12.9 | Jun low C = 17.7 | Jul low C = 22.1 | Aug low C = 23.2 | Sep low C = 19.1 | Oct low C = 13.1 | Nov low C = 7.3 | Dec low C = 2.5 | year low C = 10.7 | Jan humidity = 82 | Feb humidity = 78 | Mar humidity = 72 | Apr humidity = 68 | May humidity = 70 | Jun humidity = 78 | Jul humidity = 79 | Aug humidity = 77 | Sep humidity = 78 | Oct humidity = 77 | Nov humidity = 77 | Dec humidity = 81 | year humidity = 76 | Jan sun = 68.1 | Feb sun = 89.7 | Mar sun = 135.9 | Apr sun = 173.6 | May sun = 199.9 | Jun sun = 154.0 | Jul sun = 153.3 | Aug sun = 201.4 | Sep sun = 144.2 | Oct sun = 143.1 | Nov sun = 105.1 | Dec sun = 70.7 | year sun = 1647.2 | Jan snow cm = 104 | Feb snow cm = 84 | Mar snow cm = 17 | Apr snow cm = 1 | May snow cm = 0 | Jun snow cm = 0 | Jul snow cm = 0 | Aug snow cm = 0 | Sep snow cm = 0 | Oct snow cm = 0 | Nov snow cm = 0 | Dec snow cm = 49 | year snow cm = 253 | unit precipitation days = 0.5 mm | Jan precipitation days = 23.7 | Feb precipitation days = 19.9 | Mar precipitation days = 18.2 | Apr precipitation days = 13.5 | May precipitation days = 12.0 | Jun precipitation days = 12.1 | Jul precipitation days = 15.3 | Aug precipitation days = 11.6 | Sep precipitation days = 13.7 | Oct precipitation days = 14.2 | Nov precipitation days = 17.9 | Dec precipitation days = 23.0 | year precipitation days = 194.9 | source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/index.php?prec_no=55&block_no=47607&year=&month=&day=&view= |script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値） | publisher = Japan Meteorological Agency | access-date = May 19, 2021}}</ref> | source = }}

==History== ===Early history=== The area of present-day Toyama city was part of ancient Etchū Province. The Toyama Plain is good farmland and historically it was a point of strategic and traffic importance since prehistoric times.

====Feudal period==== During the Sengoku period, it was frequently a battlefield, coming under the control of warlord Sassa Narimasa, who built a castle town around Toyama Castle and channeled rivers to bringing about a flourishing agricultural industry.

===Early modern ages=== ;Edo period The area subsequently became part of Kaga Domain under the Maeda clan during the Edo period, during which time a positive industrial promotion policy was implemented on the production of Chinese medicine and ''washi'' (Japanese paper). Also, thanks to the improvement of ''kitamaebune'' sea transportation routes, these industries thrived and Toyama became known nationwide as the province of medicine.

====Meiji period==== After the Meiji Restoration, with the creation of the municipalities system, the city of Toyama was established on April 1, 1889, as one of the first 30 cities in Japan. Economically, the area developed heavy and chemical industries based on abundant hydroelectric electricity. Toyama has become one of the most influential cities on the Sea of Japan with its good water supply, drainage system and thriving agricultural, forestry, fishery, commercial and manufacturing industries.

====World War II==== During World War II, Allied prisoners of war (POWs) were sent to Toyama as forced labor.<ref>{{cite news |last=Pennington |first=Matthew |agency=Associated Press |title='The truth needs to be told' about Japan's war history, some vets say |url=http://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/japan/the-truth-needs-to-be-told-about-japan-s-war-history-some-vets-say-1.342262 |newspaper=Stars and Stripes |location=United States |date=25 April 2015 |access-date=25 April 2015 }}</ref> The city was almost completely destroyed on the night of August 1–2, 1945. At the time of the bombing, the city was a center for aluminum, ball-bearing and special steel production. Left unscathed however, were the war-related factories just outside the city.<ref>[http://home.att.net/~sallyann6/b29/56years-4508a.html Info on att.net] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070228232357/http://home.att.net/~sallyann6/b29/56years-4508a.html |date=2007-02-28 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.echigonagaoka.com/bomb/n15.html|title=Nagaoka Air Raid | Comparison to Other Cities|website=www.echigonagaoka.com}}</ref> The city during the time had a population of around 150,000 residents. The city also held Kakure Kirishitan, or "Hidden Christians" in Japan, forced from Nagasaki into internment camps after the Tokugawa government tried to punish them for their Christian beliefs. <gallery mode="packed" style="text-align: center;" caption="Gallery" heights="130px" perrow="3"> Higasiaimon-cho Street in Toyama City in late Meiji era.jpg|Higasiaimon-cho Street in Toyama City in late Meiji era. File:Firebombing of Toyama.jpg|Bombing of Toyama in World War II Toyama City before Bombing of Toyama(1).jpg|Toyama before World War II </gallery>

===Contemporary ages=== ====2005 mergers==== On April 1, 2005, the towns of Ōsawano and Ōyama (both from Kaminiikawa District), the towns of Fuchū and Yatsuo, and the villages of Hosoiri and Yamada (all from Nei District) were merged into Toyama. Kaminiikawa District and Nei District were both dissolved as a result of this merger.

===Demographics=== Per Japanese census data,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/japan/toyama/|title=Toyama (Japan): Cities, Towns and Villages in Prefecture - Population Statistics, Charts and Map|website=www.citypopulation.de}}</ref> the population of Toyama has recently plateaued after a long period of growth. {{Historical populations | 1970 | 350,085 | 1980 | 391,554 | 1990 | 408,942 | 2000 | 420,804 | 2010 | 421,953 | 2020 | 413,938 |align = none | footnote = }}

===Surrounding municipalities=== ;{{flagicon|Gifu}}Gifu Prefecture *Hida *Takayama ;{{flagicon|Nagano}}Nagano Prefecture *Ōmachi ;{{flagicon|Toyama}}Toyama Prefecture *Funahashi *Imizu *Kamiichi *Namerikawa *Nanto *Tateyama *Tonami

==Government== Toyama has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 38 members. {{Clear}}

==Sister cities== {{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Japan}} thumb|200px|Toyama International Conference Center Toyama is twinned with:<ref>{{cite web |title=市の国際交流|url=https://www.city.toyama.toyama.jp/kikakukanribu/bunkakokusaika/shinokokusaikoryu.html|website=city.toyama.toyama.jp|publisher=Toyama|language=ja|access-date=2020-04-09}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable" !City!!Country!!State!!Since |- |Mogi das Cruzes |{{Flagicon|BRA}}Brazil |São Paulo |November 8, 1979 |- |Durham |{{Flagicon|USA}}United States |North Carolina |June 13, 1989 |- |Wellington |{{Flagicon|AUS}}Australia |New South Wales |August 24, 1992 |- |Gwangju |{{Flagicon|KOR}}South Korea |Special cities |2011 |} ;Friendship city {|class="wikitable" !City!!Country!!State!!Since |- |Qinhuangdao |{{Flagicon|CHN}}China |Hebei |May 8, 1981 |}

==Economy== Hokuriku Electric Power Company (colloquially known as ''Hokuden''), the regional power-supply monopoly, is based in Toyama.<ref>"[http://www.rikuden.co.jp/annual/anre2013.pdf Annual Report 2013]". Hokuriku Electric Power Company. Retrieved on August 28, 2014.</ref> Bearing parts and industrial robot company Nachi-Fujikoshi and software company [https://www.intec.co.jp/english/ INTEC] are also headquartered in Toyama.<ref>"[http://www.nachi-fujikoshi.co.jp/eng/company/index.html Corporate Info]". Nachi-Fujikoshi. Retrieved on August 27, 2014.</ref><ref>"[https://www.intec.co.jp/english/company/about/ About INTEC]". INTEC. Retrieved on August 27, 2014.</ref>

Regional banks include Hokuriku Bank, First Bank of Toyama, and Toyama Bank.<ref>"[http://www.hokuhoku-fg.co.jp/english/info/corporate/ Corporate Data]". Hokuhoku Financial Group. Retrieved on August 28, 2014.</ref>

==Education== [[File:University of Toyama.jpg|thumb|200px|University of Toyama]]

===Colleges and universities=== *Toyama College *Toyama National College of Technology *Toyama Prefectural University *Toyama University of International Studies *University of Toyama

===Primary and secondary education=== Toyama has 65 public elementary schools and 26 public middle schools operated by the city government. There is also one public elementary school and one public middle school operated by the national government. The city has fourteen public high schools operated by the Toyama Prefectural Board of Education. and one public combined middle/high school operated by the national government. There are also seven private high schools. Toyama Shogyo High School is a commercial high school. {{Clear}}

===Airways=== ====Airports==== *Toyama Airport

===Railways=== ====High-speed rail==== ;22pxWest Japan Railway Company (JR West) *Hokuriku Shinkansen: {{STN|Toyama|x}}

====Conventional lines==== ;22pxWest Japan Railway Company (JR West) *Takayama Main Line: {{STN|Inotani|x}} - {{STN|Nirehara|x}} - {{STN|Sasazu|x}} - {{STN|Higashi-Yatsuo|x}} - {{STN|Etchū-Yatsuo|x}} - {{STN|Chisato|x|Toyama}} - {{STN|Hayahoshi|x}} - {{STN|Fuchū-Usaka|x}} - {{STN|Nishi-Toyama|x}} - {{STN|Toyama|x}} ;22pxCentral Japan Railway Company (JR Tōkai) *Takayama Main Line: {{STN|Inotani|x}} - ;22px Ainokaze Toyama Railway *Ainokaze Toyama Railway Line: - Kureha - Toyama - Higashi-Toyama - Mizuhashi - ;18pxToyama Chihō Railway *Main Line: {{STN|Toyama|x}} - {{STN|Inarimachi|x|Toyama}} - {{STN|Shinjō-Tanaka|x}} - {{STN|Higashi-Shinjō|x|Toyama}} - {{STN|Etchū-Ebara|x}} - {{STN|Etchū-Sangō|x}} *Kamidaki Line: {{STN|Inarimachi|x|Toyama}} - {{STN|Fujikoshi|x}} - {{STN|Ōizumi|x|Toyama}} - {{STN|Minami-Toyama|x}} - {{STN|Asanamachi|x}} - {{STN|Kamihori|x}} - {{STN|Kosugi|x|Toyama, Toyama}} - {{STN|Nunoichi|x}} - {{STN|Kaihotsu|x}} - {{STN|Tsukioka|x|Toyama}} - {{STN|Ōshō|x}} - {{STN|Kamidaki|x}} - {{STN|Daisenji|x}} *Tateyama Line: {{STN|Arimineguchi|x}} - {{STN|Hongū|x}}

===Tramways=== ;18pxToyama Chihō Railway *Toyama Light Rail Toyamakō Line *Toyama City Tram Line

===Roads=== ====Expressway==== * 30px|link=|alt= Hokuriku Expressway : Nagaresugi IC - Toyama IC - Toyama-nishi IC

====Japan National Route==== * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|8}} * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|41}} * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|359}} * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|360}} * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|415}} * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|471}} * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|472}}

===Seaways=== ====Seaport==== *Port of Toyama

==Local attractions== [[File:Yatsuo - Toyama.jpg|thumb|200px|Yatsuo Area]] thumb|200px|''Gohyaku rakan'' - five hundred statues depicting arhats, at the Chōkei-ji temple in Toyama * Botanic Gardens of Toyama *Kitadai Site, Jomon period site, National Historic Site *Kurobe Dam * Museum of Modern Art of Toyama *Ōzuka-Senbōyama Sites, Yayoi period settlement ruins and Kofun, National Historic Site *Sugusaka Site, Japanese Paleolithic period site, National Historic Site * Toyama Athletic Recreation Park Stadium, home of Toyama's representative in the J.League, Kataller Toyama football club * Toyama Castle * {{ill|Toyama Chukyoin|ja|富山中教院|simple}} the smallest shinto shrine * Toyama Glass Art Museum<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://toyama-glass-art-museum.jp/en/|title=Toyama Glass Art Museum – English Site|website=toyama-glass-art-museum.jp}}</ref> * Toyama International Conference Center<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ticc.co.jp/english/|title=TOYAMA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTER|date=September 13, 2022|website=TOYAMA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTER}}</ref> * Toyamaken Gokoku Shrine * Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design, replaced the Museum of Modern Art of Toyama *Yasuda Castle ruins, National Historic Site

==Culture== [[File:おわら玉天（富山県の菓子）20250614-P1069186.jpg|thumb|''Owara-tamaten'', a kind of ''wagashi'' from Toyama city made of egg white, sugar, and agar]] [[File:Toyama Black Pride 02 - Jun 3, 2019.jpg|thumb|Toyama black ramen]] ===Festivals and events=== * Toyama Chindon Contest (Toyama Band of musical sandwichmen contest) – proposed by the Toyama Chamber of Commerce in 1955 and is held annually in early April. This event has become a festival, and many bands of sandwichmen (men wearing sandwich boards for advertisements) participate, attracting many tourists every year. * Kaze No Bon – held annually on September 1 to 3, in the Yatsuo region.<ref>[http://visit-toyama.com/en/entry.php?nid=322 Visit Toyama] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512225710/http://visit-toyama.com/en/entry.php?nid=322 |date=2013-05-12 }}. (2008). ''Visit Toyama''. Retrieved Jan. 6, 2013, from prefectural web site, English version.</ref>

==Notable people==

* Gaku Matsumoto, actor * Eikichi Minato, politician, Mayor of Toyama * Ryūzō Sejima, Japanese army officer, business leader * Koichi Tanaka, chemist, 2002 Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner. * Tamisuke Watanuki, politician * Kaede Yamada, member of Korean girl-group tripleS * Hikaru Masai, Japanese singer, member of Kalafina * Masato Nakazawa, former Japanese baseball player * Rui Hachimura, basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA * Sakura Tobi, member of Los Angeles-based girl group Saint Satine

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Toyama, Toyama}} {{Wikivoyage|Toyama}} * [http://www.city.toyama.toyama.jp Toyama City official website] {{in lang|ja}} * [http://www.city.toyama.toyama.jp/english/English.html Toyama City official website] {{in lang|en}} * [http://www.visit-toyama.com/ Toyama City's Website for foreign people Visit Toyama] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120115912/http://www.visit-toyama.com/ |date=2008-11-20 }} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927034107/http://sightseeing.in-japan.jp/2007/05/toyama_castle_toyama.html Toyama Castle]

Category:Toyama (city) Category:Cities in Toyama Prefecture Category:Port settlements in Japan Category:Populated coastal places in Japan Category:Environmental model cities