Tsu, Mie

{{About|the capital city of Mie Prefecture, Japan|a county-level city in Hunan Province, China|Jinshi City}} {{More citations needed|date=December 2013}} {{Infobox settlement  | name = Tsu | native_name = {{nobold|{{lang|ja|津市}}}} | official_name = | settlement_type = Prefecture capital and City  | image_skyline = Tsu Montage.jpg | image_alt = | image_caption = <table style="width:280px;margin:2px auto; border-collapse: collapse"> <tr><td style="vertical-align:middle;text-align:center">Tsu Castle<td style="vertical-align:middle;text-align:center" width=50%>Tsu Kannon</tr> <tr><td style="text-align:center">Mie Gokoku Jinja<td style="text-align:center">Tsu Station sign</tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align:center">Tsu Nagisamachi</tr> </table> | image_flag = Flag of Tsu, Mie.svg | flag_alt = | image_seal = Emblem of Tsu, Mie.svg | seal_alt = | image_shield = | shield_alt = | image_blank_emblem = | nickname = | motto =  | image_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-width=265|type=shape|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#000000|zoom=8}} | image_map1 = Tsu in Mie prefecture Ja.svg | map_alt = | map_caption = Location of Tsu in Mie Prefecture | pushpin_map = Japan | pushpin_label_position =  | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption =   | coordinates = {{coord|34|43|59|N|136|30|48|E|region:JP-24|display=it}} | coor_pinpoint =  | coordinates_footnotes =   | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Japan | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = Kansai (Tōkai) | subdivision_type2 = Prefecture | subdivision_name2 = Mie | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 =  | established_title =  | established_date = | founder = | named_for =  | seat_type =  | seat =  | government_footnotes =  | leader_party = | leader_title = -Mayor | leader_name = Yasuyuki Maeba (since May 2011) | leader_title1 = | leader_name1 =   | total_type =  | unit_pref =   | area_magnitude =  | area_footnotes =  | area_total_km2 = 711.11 | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | area_water_percent = | area_note =  | elevation_footnotes =  | elevation_m =  | population_footnotes =  | population_total = 266185 | population_as_of = September,2025 | population_density_km2 = auto | population_est = | pop_est_as_of = | population_demonym =  | population_note =  | timezone1 = Japan Standard Time | utc_offset1 = +9  | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | 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 = Azalea | blank3_name_sec1 = • Bird | blank3_info_sec1 = Japanese bush warbler | 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 = 059-229-3110 | blank1_name_sec2 = Address | blank1_info_sec2 = 23-1 Nishi-Marunouchi, Tsu-shi, Mie-ken 514-8611  | website = {{Official website|www.info.city.tsu.mie.jp}} | footnotes = }} thumb|200px|Tsu City Hall [[File:Down Town of Tsu City.jpg|thumb|200px|Skyline of Tsu City]] [[File:Mie prefectural road No.19 start.jpg|thumb|200px|Downtown of Tsu City]] thumb|200px|Tsu Castle from the air

{{nihongo|'''Tsu'''|津市|Tsu-shi|{{IPA|ja|tsɯꜜ(.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 Mie Prefecture, Japan. {{As of|2021|07|31}}, the city had an estimated population of 274,879 in 127,273 households and a population density of 390 persons per km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name="Tsu-hp">{{cite web |url=https://www.info.city.tsu.mie.jp/www/contents/1001000000814/index.html|title= Tsu city official statistics|location= Japan|language= ja}}</ref> The total area of the city is {{convert|711.11|sqkm|sqmi}}. Although the second largest city in the prefecture in terms of population (behind Yokkaichi), its designation as the prefectural capital and its holding of a large concentration of national government offices and educational facilities make the city the administrative and educational center of Mie Prefecture.

==Geography== Tsu is located in east-central Kii Peninsula, in central Mie Prefecture. It is the largest city in Mie Prefecture in terms of area and stretches the width of Mie Prefecture, and is bordered by Ise Bay on the Pacific Ocean to the east, and Nara Prefecture to the west. Parts of the city are within the limits of the Murō-Akame-Aoyama Quasi-National Park.

===Neighboring municipalities=== * The city of Iga, to the west * The city of Kameyama, to the north * The city of Matsusaka, to the south * The city of Nabari to the west * The village of Mitsue, Nara to the west * The village of Soni, Nara to the west * The city of Suzuka, to the north

==Climate== Tsu has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen ''Cfa'') characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Tsu is 15.6 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1931 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.7 °C, and lowest in January, at around 5.0 °C.<ref>[https://en.climate-data.org/asia/japan/mie-prefecture/tsu-5032/ Tsu climate data]</ref> Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is heaviest from May to September.

{{Weather box |width = auto |collapsed = Y |single line = Y |metric first = Y |location = Tsu (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1889−present) |Jan record high C = 19.0 |Feb record high C = 22.8 |Mar record high C = 25.9 |Apr record high C = 31.0 |May record high C = 33.9 |Jun record high C = 36.7 |Jul record high C = 39.1 |Aug record high C = 39.5 |Sep record high C = 37.7 |Oct record high C = 31.0 |Nov record high C = 27.2 |Dec record high C = 23.7 |Jan record low C = -7.8 |Feb record low C = -7.0 |Mar record low C = -5.6 |Apr record low C = -3.0 |May record low C = 3.0 |Jun record low C = 9.0 |Jul record low C = 14.6 |Aug record low C = 14.6 |Sep record low C = 8.7 |Oct record low C = 2.3 |Nov record low C = -1.4 |Dec record low C = -6.4 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 48.5 |Feb precipitation mm = 57.1 |Mar precipitation mm = 104.5 |Apr precipitation mm = 129.0 |May precipitation mm = 167.3 |Jun precipitation mm = 201.8 |Jul precipitation mm = 173.9 |Aug precipitation mm = 144.5 |Sep precipitation mm = 276.6 |Oct precipitation mm = 186.1 |Nov precipitation mm = 76.4 |Dec precipitation mm = 47.2 |year precipitation mm = 1612.9 |Jan mean C = 5.7 |Feb mean C = 5.9 |Mar mean C = 9.0 |Apr mean C = 14.2 |May mean C = 19.0 |Jun mean C = 22.7 |Jul mean C = 26.8 |Aug mean C = 27.9 |Sep mean C = 24.4 |Oct mean C = 18.8 |Nov mean C = 13.2 |Dec mean C = 8.1 |year mean C = 16.3 |Jan high C = 9.5 |Feb high C = 10.0 |Mar high C = 13.4 |Apr high C = 18.6 |May high C = 23.1 |Jun high C = 26.2 |Jul high C = 30.4 |Aug high C = 31.6 |Sep high C = 28.0 |Oct high C = 22.6 |Nov high C = 17.1 |Dec high C = 12.0 |year high C = 20.2 |Jan low C = 2.4 |Feb low C = 2.4 |Mar low C = 5.2 |Apr low C = 10.2 |May low C = 15.4 |Jun low C = 19.7 |Jul low C = 24.0 |Aug low C = 25.0 |Sep low C = 21.4 |Oct low C = 15.5 |Nov low C = 9.5 |Dec low C = 4.6 |year low C = 12.9 |Jan humidity = 61 |Feb humidity = 61 |Mar humidity = 62 |Apr humidity = 64 |May humidity = 68 |Jun humidity = 74 |Jul humidity = 75 |Aug humidity = 73 |Sep humidity = 72 |Oct humidity = 69 |Nov humidity = 65 |Dec humidity = 63 |year humidity = 67 |Jan sun = 162.9 |Feb sun = 156.2 |Mar sun = 186.1 |Apr sun = 192.7 |May sun = 197.8 |Jun sun = 146.9 |Jul sun = 180.2 |Aug sun = 220.7 |Sep sun = 165.3 |Oct sun = 164.5 |Nov sun = 163.7 |Dec sun = 171.5 |year sun = 2108.6 |Jan snow cm = 2 |Feb snow cm = 3 |Mar snow cm = 0 |Apr snow cm = 0 |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 = 1 |year snow cm = 6 |unit precipitation days = 0.5 mm |Jan precipitation days = 6.4 |Feb precipitation days = 7.5 |Mar precipitation days = 10.5 |Apr precipitation days = 9.8 |May precipitation days = 10.9 |Jun precipitation days = 12.8 |Jul precipitation days = 12.3 |Aug precipitation days = 9.8 |Sep precipitation days = 12.3 |Oct precipitation days = 10.1 |Nov precipitation days = 6.8 |Dec precipitation days = 6.5 |year precipitation days = 115.7 |source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/index.php?prec_no=53&block_no=47651&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> }}

==Demographics== Per Japanese census data,<ref>[https://www.citypopulation.de/php/japan-mie.php Tsu population statistics]</ref> the population of Tsu has been relatively stable over the past 40 years.

{{Historical populations | 1960 | 226,065 | 1970 | 242,000 | 1980 | 265,443 | 1990 | 280,384 | 2000 | 286,521 | 2010 | 285,728 |align = none | footnote = }}

==History== {{Unreferenced section|date=December 2013|small=}}

===Origin=== Tsu originally developed as a port town known as {{nihongo|Anotsu|安濃津|}} in the Nara and Heian periods.<ref>{{cite web |title=市の概要 |url=https://www.info.city.tsu.mie.jp/www/sp/contents/1001000005549/index.html |website=津市(in Japanese)}}</ref>

The port was destroyed by a tsunami in the 1498 Meiō Nankaidō earthquake. <gallery mode="packed" style="text-align: center;" heights="110" perrow="3" caption=""> File:Kitabatake Akiyoshi.jpg|Kitabatake Akiyoshi File:北畠氏館跡庭園.jpg|Kitabatake Family Residence Gardens（Kitabatake Shrine） </gallery>

===Edo period=== The town was rebuilt as a castle town and a post station by the Tōdō clan, ''daimyō'' of Tsu Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. During the Edo period, it became a popular stopping point for travelers to Ise Grand Shrine, about 40 km to the southeast. <gallery mode="packed" style="text-align: center;" heights="110" perrow="3" caption=""> File:藤堂高虎像／津城 - panoramio.jpg|Tōdō Takatora File:Marunouchi, Tsu, Mie Prefecture 514-0033, Japan - panoramio (1).jpg|Tsu Castle File:Tage Jōka Ezu.png|This is a map of Tage castle or Kiriyama castle in Edo period. </gallery>

===Modern Tsu=== Following the Meiji Restoration, Tsu became the capital of Mie Prefecture in 1871. With the establishment of then modern municipalities on April 1, 1889, Tsu was one of the original 31 cities to be proclaimed. The city borders gradually expanded, with Tsu annexing the neighboring villages of Tatebe and Tosa in 1909, Shinmachi in 1934, Fujimi in 1936, Takachaya in 1939 and Anto, Kanbe and Kushigata in 1943. During World War II, Allied air raids on July 24 and July 28, 1945, destroyed most of the city and killed 1,239 people. In 1953, Tsu annexed the neighboring villages of Kumozu in 1953, Isshinden, Shiratsuka, Kurima, and Katada in 1954 and Toyosato in 1973.

<gallery mode="packed" style="text-align: center;" heights="110" perrow="3" caption=""> File:Tsu Shinsekai before 1945.jpg|Tsu Shinsekai before 1945 </gallery>

On January 1, 2006, the neighboring city of Hisai, the towns of Anō, Geinō and Kawage, and the village of Misato (all in Age District), the towns of Hakusan, Ichishi and Karasu, and the village of Misugi (all in Ichishi District) were merged into Tsu. As a result of the merger, the city became the second largest in Mie by population behind Yokkaichi, and the largest in Mie by area ahead of Matsusaka.

==Government== Tsu has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 34 members. Tsu contributes seven members to the Mie Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Mie 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

==Economy== {{expand section|date=February 2016}} thumb|Hyakugo Bank

Imuraya Confectionery, a confectionery company,<ref>"[http://www.imuraya-support.com/english/about/corporate.htm Corporate profile]." Imuraya Confectionery. March 30, 2008. Retrieved on January 11, 2010.</ref> and ZTV, a cable television operator, are headquartered in Tsu.<ref>[http://www.ztv.co.jp/ Home page]. ZTV. Retrieved on October 2, 2009.</ref>

==Education== ===Colleges and universities=== *Mie Prefectural College of Nursing *Mie University, the prefecture's only national university. *Takada Junior College *Tsu City College

===Primary and secondary education=== *Tsu has 48 public elementary schools and 19 public middle schools operated by the city government, one public elementary school and one public middle schools affiliated with Mie University and two private middle schools, as well as one compulsory (Combined elementary and junior high) school.<ref>{{Cite web |title=c-misato |url=https://ednet.res-edu.ed.jp/c-misato/?page_id=13 |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=ednet.res-edu.ed.jp}}</ref> The city has nine public operated by the Mie Prefectural Board of Education and three private high schools. *The prefecture also operates six special education schools for the disabled.

===Railway=== 20px JR Tōkai – Kisei Main Line *{{STN|Ishinden|x}} - {{STN|Tsu|x}} - {{STN|Akogi|x}} - {{STN|Takachaya|x}} 20px JR Tōkai –Meishō Line *{{STN|Ise-Hata|x}} - {{STN|Ichishi|x}} - {{STN|Isegi|x}} - {{STN|Ise-Ōi|x}} – {{STN|Ise-Kawaguchi|x}} - {{STN|Sekinomiya|x}} - {{STN|Ieki|x}} - {{STN|Ise-Takehara|x}} - {{STN|Ise-Kamakura|x}} - {{STN|Ise-Yachi|x}} - {{STN|Hitsu|x}} - {{STN|Ise-Okitsu|x}} 20px Kintetsu Railway -Nagoya Line * {{STN|Chisato|x|Mie}} - {{STN|Toyotsu-Ueno|x}} - {{STN|Shiratsuka|x}} - {{STN|Takadahonzan|x}} - {{STN|Edobashi|x}} - {{STN|Tsu|x}} - {{STN|Tsu-shimmachi|x}} - {{STN|Minamigaoka|x}} - {{STN|Hisai|x}} - {{STN|Momozono|x}} 20px Kintetsu Railway -Osaka Line * {{STN|Higashi-Aoyama|x}} - {{STN|Sakakibara-Onsenguchi|x}} - {{STN|Ōmitsu|x}} - {{STN|Ise-Ishibashi|x}} - {{STN|Kawai-Takaoka|x}} Ise Railway - Ise Railway Ise Line * {{STN|Ise-Ueno|x}} – {{STN|Kawage|x}} – {{STN|Higashi-Ishinden|x}} - {{STN|Tsu|x}}

===Highway=== ====Expressway==== *24px|link=|alt=E23 Ise Expressway

====Japan National Route==== * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|23}} * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|163}} * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|165}} * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|306}} * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|368}} * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|369}} * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|422}} * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|306}}]

===Sea ports=== *Port of Tsu-Matsusaka

==Sister cities== *{{flagicon|Japan}} Higashishirakawa, Gifu, since June 28, 1989 *{{flagicon|Brazil}} Osasco, São Paulo, Brazil, since October 18, 1976<ref name=International>{{cite web|url=http://www.clair.or.jp/cgi-bin/simai/e/03.cgi?p=24&n=Mie%20Prefecture|title=International Exchange|work=List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures|publisher=Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR)|access-date=21 November 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205181930/http://www.clair.or.jp/cgi-bin/simai/e/03.cgi?p=24&n=Mie%20Prefecture|archive-date=5 February 2016}}</ref> *{{flagicon|PRC}} Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China, since June 11, 1984<ref name=International/>

== Local attractions == Tsu is famous for its {{nihongo|Tōjin Odori|唐人踊り|}}, a festival commemorating the arrival of the Joseon Tongsinsa delegation from Korea during the feudal period.<ref>http://www.searchnavi.com/~hp/tojin/eng/ Toujin House</ref> There are two other cities that celebrate Tōjin Odori: Suzuka city in Mie Prefecture and Ushimado-chō in Okayama Prefecture.<ref>http://www006.upp.so-net.ne.jp/asao/toujin.htm 唐人踊り (Tōjin Odori)</ref>

The ruins of Tsu Castle have been made into a downtown city park.

Kitabatake Shrine and Yūki Shrine are notable local Shinto shrines.

==Culture== ===Sports=== ====Baseball==== *Mie Takatora baseball club (JABA)

====Volleyball==== *Veertien Mie (V.League)

==Notable people== {{Unreferenced section|date=December 2013}} *Sho Gokyu, professional soccer player *Yuki Hashimoto, politician, former idol *Sota Higashide, professional soccer player *Mu Kanazaki, professional soccer player *Kintaro Kanemura, professional wrestler *Kōji Kitao, sumo wrestler *Kotokaze Kōki, sumo wrestler *Yoshihito Nishioka, professional tennis player *Ayumi Oka, actress *Hiroshi Okuda, former president of Toyota Motors *Keisuke Okuda, professional wrestler *Edogawa Rampo, author *Chikara Sakaguchi, politician *Kōdō Sawaki, Zen Buddhist *Hidesaburō Ueno, agricultural scientist *Saori Yoshida, Olympic wrestler

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{Official website}} {{in lang|ja}} * {{osmrelation-inline|4538734}}

Category:Tsu, Mie Category:Cities in Mie Prefecture Category:Populated coastal places in Japan Category:Port settlements in Japan