Asahi (旭市, Asahi-shi) is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 December 2020[update], the city had an estimated population of 64,690 in 26,510 households and a population density of 500 persons per km2.[3] The total area of the city is 129.91 square kilometres (50.16 sq mi).
History
The Chiba clan, or branches of it, ruled the Shimōsa region for about 400 years from the Kamakura period. During the Sengoku period, the Chiba clan gained the protection of such powerful clans as the Odawara Hōjō clan, allowing them to get a stronger foothold over the area. They lost control when the Hōjō clan was overthrown in 1590 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. After that, General Kiso Yoshimasa settled in the region. He restored the Ajito Castle, which was the inspiration for the name "Asahi." When poet Nonoguchi Takamasa visited the area in 1852, he wrote a poem about the general, from which the name "Asahi," which can mean "rising sun," was taken:
"from Shinano /
adoring the rising sun /
he came to the eastern land /
and there remains the evidence of his earthly life"
In the Edo period, various agricultural changes in the region occurred. The first was the reclamation of the "Sea of Camellias", a vast lake, which was drained into the Pacific Ocean to create the fertile Higata Hachiman-goku. The second was spurred on by the arrival of agrarian scholar Ohara Yugaku in 1835 and other kokugaku scholars who helped to revive agriculture in the area. During this same time, while Iioka Sukegoro was helping to develop the fishing industry, fishermen from the Kansai region moved to the area to take advantage of the bountiful fishing grounds available.[4]
The town of Asahi was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. It was raised to city status on July 1, 1954. On July 1, 2005, the city of Asahi, the town of Hikata (from Katori District), and the towns of Iioka and Unakami (both from Kaijo District) merged on equal terms to form the new Asahi city.
In March 2011, the city was greatly affected by 9.0 magnitude earthquake, tsunami, and subsequent nuclear disaster. Around 15 people were killed, 2,265 buildings were damaged, with 427 buildings destroyed, 716 people were left homeless, and heavy damage was done to the town's port and fishing boat fleet following the triple disaster.[5]
Geography
Asahi is located in far northeastern Chiba Prefecture, approximately 50 kilometers from the prefectural capital at Chiba and 80 to 90 kilometers from central Tokyo. Located at the northern end of the Kujukuri Plain, the southern part faces Kujukuri Beach and the Pacific Ocean, and the Shimōsa Plateau extends to the northern part.
Asahi has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Asahi is 15.0 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1559 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around 5.2 °C.[6]
Demographics
Per Japanese census data,[7] the population of Asahi has remained relatively steady over the past 70 years.
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±%
1920
45,595
—
1930
48,776
+7.0%
1940
51,473
+5.5%
1950
66,204
+28.6%
1960
64,226
−3.0%
1970
61,136
−4.8%
1980
65,405
+7.0%
1990
69,800
+6.7%
2000
71,176
+2.0%
2010
69,058
−3.0%
2020
63,745
−7.7%
Government
Asahi has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 20 members. Asahi contributes one member to the Chiba Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Chiba 10th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy
The local economy is dominated by commercial fishing, agricultural and seasonal tourism to its beach resorts.
Agriculture
Asahi City's agricultural output is ranked first in Chiba Prefecture and ninth in Japan. The city's location on the coast of the Bōsō Peninsula gives it easy access to abundant fishing grounds created by the intersection of the Japan Current and the Okhotsk Current. Iioka fishing port has the second highest volume of fish unloaded in Chiba Prefecture.[8]
Asahi has 15 public elementary schools and five public middle schools operated by the city government, and two public high schools operated by the Chiba Prefectural Board of Education.
Asahi City uses characters from Tetsuya Chiba's manga works as official mascots, including Mukai Taiyo from "Ashita Tenki ni Naare" as the mascot of Asahi Park Golf Course.[12] Framed art and messages from Tetsuya Chiba can be seen in many public buildings. Tetsuya Chiba lived in Asahi (then Iioka-machi) during his childhood.[13]
^千葉県旭市 米本新市長が初登庁 「汗をかき 市民のために働く」 [Yonemoto, the new mayor of Asahi City, Chiba Prefecture, arrives at the office for the first time. "I will sweat and work for the citizens."]. CHIBA TV Plus (in Japanese). Chiba Television Broadcasting. 2 August 2021. Archived from the original on 2019-03-31. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
^4月26日から新庁舎で業務を開始しました [We started operations at the new city hall building on April 26.]. Asahi City (in Japanese). 26 April 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
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