Minamiashigara, Kanagawa

Minamiashigara 南足柄市
City
Minamiashigara City Hall
Flag Seal
Location of Minamiashigara in Kanagawa Prefecture
Minamiashigara
Coordinates:
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Kanagawa Prefecture
Area
• Total	76.93 km2 (29.70 sq mi)
Population (June 1, 2012)
• Total	43,753
• Density	569/km2 (1,470/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
- Tree	Camellia sasanqua
- Flower	Japanese gentian
Address	Sekimoto 440-banchi, Minamiashigara-shi, Kanagawa-ken 250-0192
Website	City of Minamiashigara

Minamiashigara (南足柄市, Minamiashigara-shi) is a city located in the far southwestern corner of Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.

As of June 2012, the city has an estimated population of 43,753 and population density of 569 persons per km². The total area is 76.93 km².

Geography

Minamiashigara is located in the mountainous west of Kanagawa Prefecture, with most of the city located within either the Tanzawa-Ōyama Quasi-National Park or the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.

Surrounding Municipalities

Kanagawa Prefecture

• Odawara
• Kaeisei
• Yamakita
• Hakone

Shizuoka Prefecture

• Oyama

History

The area that us now Minaimashigara was under control of the late Hōjō clan in the Sengoku period, and part of Odawara Domain during the Edo period.

After the Meiji Restoration, casastral reforms created Minamiashigawa, Fukusawa, Okamoto and Kitaashigara villages within Ashigarakami District, Kanagawa Prefecture. The development of the area was spurred by the opening of the Oyama Mountain Railway (present-day Izuhakone Railway Daiyūzan Line) on October 15, 1925. Minamiashigara was elevated in status to that of a town on April 1, 1940, and annexed neighboring Fukusawa, Okamoto and Kitaashigara villages in 1955. It was elevated to city status on April 1, 1972.

Economy

The economy of Minamiashigara is based on forestry and agriculture (primarily green tea and mikan). Fujifilm and Asahi Breweries have factories in Minamiashigara to make use of its abundant fresh water.

Transportation

Railway

• Izuhakone Railway - Daiyūzan Line
  • (Odawara) - Sagami-Numata - Iwahara - Tsukahara - Wadagahara - Fujifilm-Mae - Daiyūzan

Bus

• Hakone Tozan Bus
  • (Shin-Matsuda Station) - Sekimoto (Daiyūzan Station) - Jizodo

Road

• Kanagawa Prefectural Route 74
  • from Odawara
• Kanagawa Prefectural Route 78
  • from Ōi-Matsuda Interchange on the Tōmei Expressway

Sister City relations

• - Tilburg, Netherlands, since June 4, 1989.

Local attractions

• Saijoji Temple, many temples and shrines located in an old growth cedar forest.
• Maruta no Mori: a park with hiking trails and camp grounds.
• Niju Isseki no Mori (21st Century Forest), a park with hiking trails throughout.
• Yuhi no Taki (Fall), located in Jizodo.
• Ashigara Pass

Noted people from Minamiashigara

• Rina Uchiyama - actress

External links

• Minamiashigara City official website (Japanese)
• The Minamiashigaran
• Odawara Living - Information about Minami Ashigara
• Japan Living