Utsunomiya
宇都宮市
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Utsunomiya Castle, Statue of gyoza
Futaarayama Shrine, Oya Stone Museum Utsunomiya Tower, City view from the tower | |
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Location of Utsunomiya in Tochigi Prefecture
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  Utsunomiya
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| Coordinates: 36°33′18.4″N 139°52′57.2″E / 36.555111°N 139.882556°E / 36.555111; 139.882556 | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Kantō |
| Prefecture | Tochigi |
| First official recorded | 353 AD |
| City Settled | April 1, 1896 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Eiichi Sato |
| Area | |
| • Core city | 416.85 km2 (160.95 sq mi) |
| Population
(July 1, 2023)
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| • Core city | 513,584 |
| • Density | 1,200/km2 (3,200/sq mi) |
| • Metro
[1] (2015)
| 1,103,745 (15th) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
| Phone number | 028-632-2222 |
| Address | 1-1-5, Asahi, Utsunomiya-shi, Tochigi-ken 320-8540 |
| Climate | Cfa |
| Website | Official website |
| Symbols | |
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| Flower | Satsuki azalea |
| Tree | Ginkgo biloba |
Utsunomiya (宇都宮市, Utsunomiya-shi, [ɯᵝt͡sɯ̃ᵝno̞mija̠] ⓘ) is the capital and largest city of Tochigi Prefecture in the northern Kantō regionofJapan. As of 1 July 2023[update], the city had an estimated population of 513,584, and a population density of 1,232 persons per square kilometre (3,190/sq mi). The total area of the city is 416.85 km2 (160.95 sq mi).[2] Utsunomiya is famous for its gyoza (pan fried dumplings). There are more than two hundred gyoza restaurants in Utsunomiya.[3]
Greater Utsunomiya (ja:宇都宮都市圏, Utsunomiya Toshi-ken) had a population of 888,005 in the 2000 census. The nearby city of Oyama is included in Greater Tokyo, but Greater Utsunomiya is not, despite the two areas amalgamating somewhat. It is the 10th most populated city in the Kantō region.
Utsunomiya is located in south-central Tochigi Prefecture in the northern Kantō plains. It is approximately 100 km (60 mi) north of Tokyo. The historic town of Nikkō is approximately 25 km (15 mi) northwest of Utsunomiya. The average elevation of the city is 100 metres (330 ft).
Utsunomiya has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot and humid summers and cool winters. The average annual temperature in Utsunomiya is 14.3 °C (57.7 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,524.7 mm (60.03 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.0 °C (78.8 °F), and lowest in January, at around 2.8 °C (37.0 °F).[4]
| Climate data for Utsunomiya (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1890−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 21.0 (69.8) |
24.6 (76.3) |
27.2 (81.0) |
30.4 (86.7) |
34.4 (93.9) |
37.5 (99.5) |
38.7 (101.7) |
37.5 (99.5) |
36.5 (97.7) |
33.5 (92.3) |
25.1 (77.2) |
24.7 (76.5) |
38.7 (101.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 8.6 (47.5) |
9.7 (49.5) |
13.4 (56.1) |
18.8 (65.8) |
23.3 (73.9) |
25.9 (78.6) |
29.5 (85.1) |
30.9 (87.6) |
27.0 (80.6) |
21.4 (70.5) |
15.9 (60.6) |
10.8 (51.4) |
19.6 (67.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 2.8 (37.0) |
3.8 (38.8) |
7.4 (45.3) |
12.8 (55.0) |
17.8 (64.0) |
21.2 (70.2) |
24.8 (76.6) |
26.0 (78.8) |
22.4 (72.3) |
16.7 (62.1) |
10.6 (51.1) |
5.1 (41.2) |
14.3 (57.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −2.2 (28.0) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
2.1 (35.8) |
7.4 (45.3) |
13.0 (55.4) |
17.4 (63.3) |
21.4 (70.5) |
22.5 (72.5) |
18.8 (65.8) |
12.6 (54.7) |
5.7 (42.3) |
0.2 (32.4) |
9.8 (49.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −14.8 (5.4) |
−13.3 (8.1) |
−12.4 (9.7) |
−6.4 (20.5) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
4.7 (40.5) |
10.3 (50.5) |
11.4 (52.5) |
5.5 (41.9) |
−2.7 (27.1) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
−10.9 (12.4) |
−14.8 (5.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 37.5 (1.48) |
38.5 (1.52) |
87.7 (3.45) |
121.5 (4.78) |
149.2 (5.87) |
175.2 (6.90) |
215.4 (8.48) |
198.5 (7.81) |
217.2 (8.55) |
174.4 (6.87) |
71.1 (2.80) |
38.5 (1.52) |
1,524.7 (60.03) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 7 (2.8) |
8 (3.1) |
2 (0.8) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
1 (0.4) |
18 (7.1) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.5 mm) | 4.3 | 5.5 | 9.6 | 11.2 | 12.4 | 14.9 | 16.0 | 13.8 | 13.6 | 11.4 | 7.1 | 4.7 | 124.4 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 61 | 59 | 60 | 64 | 69 | 76 | 79 | 78 | 77 | 74 | 71 | 66 | 70 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 211.7 | 193.3 | 194.2 | 184.9 | 175.4 | 118.5 | 118.9 | 140.9 | 119.8 | 140.3 | 165.9 | 197.4 | 1,961.1 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[4] | |||||||||||||
Per Japanese census data,[5] the population of Utsunomiya has recently plateaued after decades of strong growth.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 235,516 | — |
| 1960 | 261,964 | +11.2% |
| 1970 | 324,216 | +23.8% |
| 1980 | 408,908 | +26.1% |
| 1990 | 465,162 | +13.8% |
| 2000 | 487,560 | +4.8% |
| 2010 | 511,296 | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 518,757 | +1.5% |
Archaeologists have uncovered evidence that the area of Utsunomiya has been continuously settled since the Japanese Paleolithic period onwards, and numerous burial mounds from the Kofun period are found within its borders. The Utsunomiya Futarasan Shrine (宇都宮二荒山神社), which is the IchinomiyaofShimotsuke Province claims to have been founded in 353 AD. The town of Utsunomiya developed around this shrine, and the area was under the control of the Utsunomiya clan, an offshoot of the Fujiwara clan from the Heian through Sengoku periods, and was destroyed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
During the Edo period, the Utsunomiya area was ruled by a succession of daimyō clans under Utsunomiya Domain, and prospered from its location at the junction of the Nikkō Kaidō and the Ōshū Kaidō. During the Bakumatsu period Boshin War, the Battle of Utsunomiya Castle was a major conflict in the northern Kantō area. Following the Meiji restoration, Utsunomiya was briefly (1871–1873) part of Utsunomiya Prefecture, which was then merged into the new Tochigi Prefecture, and became the capital of the prefecture in 1884. Utsunomiya became an important garrison for the Imperial Japanese Army.
With the establishment of the municipalities system on April 1, 1889, the town of Utsunomiya was officially established. At the end of 1889, Utsunomiya had a population of 30,698 making it the third most populous municipality in the Kantō area, after Tokyo and Yokohama. Utsunomiya was raised to city status on April 1, 1896. On July 12, 1945, much of Utsunomiya and the surrounding areas were destroyed in the American Bombing of Utsunomiya during World War II.
The city limits were expanded from 1951 to 1955 by annexing neighboring Suzumenomiya town and Hiraishi, Yokokawa, Mizuhono, Kunimoto, Shiroyama, Tomiya, Toyosato, and Sugatagawa villages and the part of Shinoi village from Kawachi District and Kiyohara village from Haga District. In 1996, Utsunomiya was designated a core city with increased autonomy. On March 31, 2007, Utsunomiya absorbed the towns of Kamikawachi and Kawachi (both from Kawachi District), pushing the population of Utsunomiya City over 500,000.
Utsunomiya has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 45 members. Utsunomiya, together with the town of Kamikawa collectively contributes 13 members to the Tochigi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is divided between the Tochigi 1st district and Tochigi 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
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Utsunomiya is the commercial and industrial center of Tochigi Prefecture. Utsunomiya is home to a Canon optical manufacturing plant, a Japan Tobacco plant, Honda design centers, and various other industrial concerns in the Kiyohara Industrial Park. In addition, one of the largest malls in the north Kantō region, Bell Mall is located near central Utsunomiya.
Utsunomiya is served by the high-speed Tohoku Shinkansen line from Tokyo, as well as a number of suburban lines operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and the private railway operator Tobu Railway.
JR East – Tohoku Main Line (Utsunomiya Line/Shōnan-Shinjuku Line/Ueno-Tokyo Line)
Tobu Railway - Tobu Utsunomiya Line
Construction of a light rail transit system, Utsunomiya Light Rail, connecting Utsunomiya railway station with the neighbouring town of Haga was approved in 2016, with completion scheduled for December 2019.[6][7][needs update] The network started operation on August 26, 2023 and Utsunomiya became the first city in Japan to have a new tram system in 75 years after Takaoka, Toyama.[8]
Tōhoku Expressway
Kita-Kantō Expressway
Nikkō Utsunomiya Road
National Route 4
National Route 119
National Route 121
National Route 123
National Route 293
National Route 408Following the Second World War, Japanese soldiers who returned from Manchuria brought home to Utsunomiya gyoza recipes that originated from China. Soon after, the soldiers began to open dumpling (gyoza) restaurants around Utsunomiya. After the Utsunomiya city officials started to realize the popularity of gyoza in 1990, the Utsunomiya Gyoza Association was created. The creation of this association only made gyoza's popularity grow in the city. Utsunomiya gyoza is famous country-wide, so it attracts many tourists, as well as brings in a significant amount of revenue into the city.[9]
The city has 30 restaurants that specialize in serving gyoza. Utsunomiya is allegedly the highest consumer city of gyoza in Japan. There is also a 1.5-metre (5 ft) statue in the shape of the gyoza outside of Utsunomiya's JR station.[10]
Utsunomiya's annual Gyoza Dumplings Festival occurs at the Castle Ruins Park. Visitors are able to taste different types of gyozas served by various gyoza-making restaurants. Festival attendees can also watch various bands and comedians near the festival grounds.[11]
Auckland (then Manukau City), New Zealand, sister city since February 24, 1982[12]
Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States, sister city since July 10, 1992[13]
Qiqihar, Heilongjiang, China, Friendship-city since September 30, 1984[14]
Orléans, Centre-Val de Loire, France, Friendship-city since May 7, 1989[15]
Pietrasanta, Tuscany, Italy |
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※ also a prefectural capital; † eligible for core city status but not yet nominated; ☆ to become core cities |
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