Matsuyama: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 33°50′N 132°46′E / 33.833°N 132.767°E / 33.833; 132.767
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
mNo edit summary
 
(25 intermediate revisions by 23 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{other uses}}
{{Other uses}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2018}}
{{Expand Japanese|松山市|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox settlement
{{Infobox settlement
| name = {{raise|0.2em|Matsuyama}}
| name = Matsuyama
| native_name = {{nobold|松山市}}
| official_name =
| native_name_lang = ja
| native_name = {{lower|0.1em|{{nobold|松山市}}}}
| settlement_type = [[Core cities of Japan|Core city]]
| native_name_lang = ja
| other_name = <!-- images, nickname, motto -->
| settlement_type = [[Core cities of Japan|Core city]]
| image_skyline = Matsuyama montage.jpg
| other_name =
| imagesize =
<!-- images, nickname, motto -->
| image_caption = From top left:Dōgo Onsen Honkan, Stone monument of Shiki Masaoka, Matsuyama Castle, Botchan train, The gate of Ishite-ji, Iyotetsu Matsuyama-shi Station, Gintengai Street
| image_skyline = Matsuyama montage.jpg
| image_flag = Flag of Matsuyama, Ehime.svg
| imagesize =
| image_seal = Emblem of Matsuyama, Ehime.svg
| image_caption = From top left:Dōgo Onsen Honkan, Stone monument of Shiki Masaoka, Matsuyama Castle, Botchan train, The gate of Ishite-ji, Iyotetsu Matsuyama-shi Station, Gintengai Street
| seal_type = Emblem
| image_flag = Flag of Matsuyama, Ehime.svg
| image_seal = Emblem of Matsuyama, Ehime.svg
| seal_type = Emblem
<!-- maps and coordinates -->
<!-- maps and coordinates -->
| image_map = {{maplink|frame-align=center|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-width=265|type=shape|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#000000|zoom=8}}
| image_map = Ehime-matsuyama-city.svg
| image_map1 = Ehime-matsuyama-city.svg
| map_alt =
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Location of Matsuyama in [[Ehime Prefecture]]
| map_caption = Location of Matsuyama in Ehime Prefecture
| pushpin_map = Japan
| pushpin_map = Japan
| pushpin_relief =
| pushpin_relief =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Japan
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Japan
| coordinates = {{coord|33|50|N|132|46|E|region:JP-38|display=it}}
| coordinates = {{coord|33|50|N|132|46|E|region:JP-38|display=it}}
| coordinates_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| coordinates_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
<!-- location -->
| subdivision_type = Country
<!-- location -->| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = Japan
| subdivision_name = Japan
| subdivision_type1 = [[List of regions of Japan|Region]]
| subdivision_type1 = [[List of regions of Japan|Region]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Shikoku]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Shikoku]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[Prefectures of Japan|Prefecture]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[Prefectures of Japan|Prefecture]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Ehime Prefecture]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Ehime Prefecture|Ehime]]
| subdivision_type3 = [[Districts of Japan|District]]
| subdivision_type3 = [[Districts of Japan|District]]
| subdivision_name3 =
| subdivision_name3 = <!-- established -->
| established_title =
<!-- established -->
| established_date =
| established_title = First official recorded
| established_title2 =
| established_date = 1 AD
| established_date2 =
| established_title2 = City Settled
| extinct_title = Now part of
| established_date2 = December 15, 1889
| extinct_date =
| extinct_title = Now part of
| founder =
| extinct_date =
| named_for = <!-- seat, smaller parts -->
| founder =
| seat_type = <!-- defaults to: Seat -->
| named_for =
| seat = <!-- government type, leaders -->
<!-- seat, smaller parts -->
| seat_type = <!-- defaults to: Seat -->
| government_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| leader_party =
| seat =
| leader_title = Mayor
<!-- government type, leaders -->
| leader_name = [[Katsuhito Noshi]] (since December 2010)
| government_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| leader_title1 = Vice Mayor
| leader_party =
| leader_name1 = <!-- display settings -->
| leader_title = Mayor
| total_type = <!-- to set a non-standard label for total area and population rows -->
| leader_name = [[Katsuhito Noshi]] (since December 2010)
| unit_pref = Metric
| leader_title1 = Vice Mayor
<!-- area -->| area_magnitude = <!-- use only to set a special wikilink -->
| leader_name1 =
| area_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
<!-- display settings -->
| area_total_km2 = 429.35
| total_type = <!-- to set a non-standard label for total area and population rows -->
| area_land_km2 =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_water_km2 =
<!-- area -->
| area_water_percent =
| area_magnitude = <!-- use only to set a special wikilink -->
| area_note = <!-- elevation -->
| area_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| elevation_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| area_total_km2 = 429.40
| elevation_m = <!-- population -->
| area_land_km2 =
| population_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| area_water_km2 =
| population_total = 505948
| area_water_percent =
| population_as_of = October 1, 2022
| area_note =
| population_density_km2 = auto
<!-- elevation -->
| population_est =
| elevation_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| pop_est_as_of = <!-- time zone(s) -->
| elevation_m =
| timezone1 = [[Japan Standard Time|JST]]
<!-- population -->
| utc_offset1 = +09:00
| population_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
<!-- postal codes, area code -->| postal_code_type =
| population_total = 509835
| postal_code =
| population_as_of = June 1, 2019
| area_code_type = <!-- defaults to: Area code(s) -->
| population_density_km2 = auto
| area_code = <!-- blank fields (section 1) -->
| population_est =
| blank_name_sec1 = City hall address
| pop_est_as_of =
| blank_info_sec1 = 4-7-2 Nibanchō, Matsuyama-shi, Ehime-ken 790-8571
<!-- time zone(s) -->
<!-- website, footnotes -->| website = {{Official website|1=www.city.matsuyama.ehime.jp/lang/en}}
| timezone1 = [[Japan Standard Time|JST]]
| footnotes =
| utc_offset1 = +09:00
| module = {{Infobox place symbols| embedded=yes
<!-- postal codes, area code -->
| postal_code_type =
| postal_code =
| area_code_type = <!-- defaults to: Area code(s) -->
| area_code =
<!-- blank fields (section 1) -->
| blank_name_sec1 = City hall address
| blank_info_sec1 = 4-7-2 Nibanchō, Matsuyama-shi, Ehime-ken<br />790-8571
<!-- website, footnotes -->
| website = {{URL|www.city.matsuyama.ehime.jp/lang/en}}
| footnotes =
| module = {{Infobox place symbols| embedded=yes
| tree =
| tree =
| flower = [[Camellia]]
| flower = [[Camellia]]
Line 98: Line 83:
}}
}}
}}
}}
[[file:Matsuyama city office Ehime prefecture Japan.jpg|right|thumb|270px|Matsuyama City Hall]]
{{nihongo|'''Matsuyama'''|松山市|Matsuyama-shi|extra={{IPA-ja|matsɯꜜjama|lang}}}} is the capital [[Cities of Japan|city]] of [[Ehime Prefecture]] on the island of [[Shikoku]] in Japan and also Shikoku's largest city, with a population of 509,835 as of June 1, 2019.<ref name="citypopulation.de">{{cite web|url=http://www.citypopulation.de/php/japan-admin.php?adm2id=38201 |title=Matsuyama (City (-shi), Ehime) - Population Statistics and Locations in Maps and Charts |work=citypopulation.de |date=January 3, 2015 |access-date=October 25, 2015}}</ref> It is located on the northeastern portion of the Dōgo Plain. Its name means "pine mountain". The city was founded on December 15, 1889.
[[file:Ehimekencho-20040417.JPG|right|thumb|270px|Ehime Prefectural Capital Building]]
[[File:2007-07-01 Matsuyama Panorama.jpg|thumb|right|270px|A panoramic view of the city from [[Matsuyama Castle (Iyo)|Matsuyama Castle]]]]
{{nihongo|'''Matsuyama'''|松山市|Matsuyama-shi|extra={{IPA-ja|matsɯꜜjama|lang}}}} is the capital [[cities of Japan|city]] of [[Ehime Prefecture]], on the island of [[Shikoku]], in [[Japan]] and is also Shikoku's largest city. {{As of|2022|10|01}}, the city had an estimated [[population]] of 505,948 in 243,541 households and a [[population density]] of 1200 persons per km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name="Matsuyama-hp">{{cite web |url=https://www.city.matsuyama.ehime.jp/shisei/tokei/toukei2.html|title= Matsuyama city official statistics|location= Japan|language= ja}}</ref> The total area of the city is {{convert|429.35|sqkm|sqmi}}.


==Geography==
The city is known for its [[hot springs]] ([[onsen]]), among the oldest in Japan, and is home to the [[Dōgo Onsen|Dōgo Onsen Honkan]], a Meiji Period wooden public bathhouse dating from 1894.<ref>http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5502.html</ref> A second favorite tourist spot is [[Matsuyama Castle (Iyo)|Matsuyama Castle]]. Eight of the eighty-eight temples in the [[Shikoku Pilgrimage]] are in Matsuyama.
Matsuyama is located in central Ehime Prefecture, facing the [[Seto Inland Sea]] to the north, the mountains of the Takanawa Peninsula to the north and east, and the Saragamine Mountain Range, an extension of the [[Shikoku Mountains]], to the south. It is located on the northeastern portion of the Dōgo Plain. The city also includes the Kutsuna Islands, an archipelago of 29 islands in the Seto Inland Sea.


=== Neighbouring municipalities ===
==History and culture==
Ehime Prefecture
Matsuyama was in medieval times part of the [[Iyo-Matsuyama Domain]], a fiefdom of [[Iyo Province]] consisting mainly of a castle town, supporting [[Matsuyama Castle (Iyo)|Matsuyama Castle]]. There was a nearby village at [[Dōgo Onsen]] to the east and a port somewhat farther to the west at [[Mitsuhama]] providing a link to the Japanese mainland ([[Honshū]]) and [[Kyūshū]].
*[[Tōon, Ehime|Tōon]]

*[[Imabari, Ehime|Imabari]]
[[Dōgo Onsen]] was already famous in the [[Asuka period]], as [[Shōtoku Taishi]] visited the spa in the year 596. It is also mentioned in passing in ''[[The Tale of Genji]]''. The site of the former [[Yuzuki Castle]] is nearby.
*[[Tobe, Ehime|Tobe]]

*[[Masaki, Ehime|Masaki]]
Famous Buddhist temples in Matsuyama include [[Ishite-ji]] (石手寺), [[Taisan-ji (Matsuyama)|Taisan-ji]] (太山寺), and [[Jōdo-ji (Matsuyama)|Jōdo-ji]] (浄土寺), all dating back to the 8th century, although the oldest surviving buildings are from the early 14th century, as well as [[Hōgon-ji (Matsuyama)|Hōgon-ji]] (宝厳寺), [[Taihō-ji (Matsuyama)|Taihō-ji]] (大宝寺) and [[Enmyō-ji (Matsuyama)|Enmyō-ji]] (円明寺). Famous shrines of the city include [[Isaniwa Jinja]] (伊佐爾波神社), built in 1667.
*[[Kumakōgen, Ehime|Kumakōgen]]

The [[haiku]] poet [[Masaoka Shiki]] lived in Matsuyama. His house, now known as the [[Shiki-do]], and a museum, the [[Shiki Memorial Museum]], are popular attractions, and the centerpieces of the city's claim as a center of the international haiku movement. Other famous haiku poets associated with Matsuyama include [[Kurita Chodō]], whose [[Kōshin-an]] was visited by [[Kobayashi Issa]], Shiki's followers, [[Takahama Kyoshi]] and [[Kawahigashi Hekigoto]], and [[Taneda Santōka]]. Santoka's house, known as Isso-an, is also a tourist attraction and is periodically open to the public. The Matsuyama Declaration of 1999 proposed the formation of International Haiku Research Center, and the first [[Masaoka Shiki International Haiku Awards]] were given in 2000. Recipients have included [[Yves Bonnefoy]] (2000), [[Cor van den Heuvel]] (2002) and [[Gary Snyder]] (2004).

The famed novel ''[[Botchan]]'' by [[Natsume Sōseki]] is set in Matsuyama. As a result, there are numerous sites and locales named after the main character, including [[Botchan Stadium]], the [[Botchan Ressha]] (an antique train that runs on the city's tramway), and Botchan [[dango]].

Matsuyama also figures in several works by [[Shiba Ryōtarō]], notably his popular novel, ''[[Saka no Ue no Kumo]]'' [Clouds Above the Hill] (1969). In anticipation of the upcoming [[NHK]] [[Taiga drama]] [[Saka no Ue no Kumo (TV series)|adaptation of ''Saka no Ue no Kumo'']], a [[Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum]] was established in 2007.

Matsuyama was also the setting of a 1907 novel about the [[Russo-Japanese War]], ''As the Hague Ordains'', by American writer [[Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore]]. Matsuyama figures in the novel because the city housed a camp for Russian prisoners during the war. A Russian cemetery commemorates this important episode in Matsuyama history. The [[Russo-Japanese War]] is also remembered in Matsuyama because of the contributions of two Japanese military leaders, the Akiyama brothers, [[Akiyama Saneyuki]] and [[Akiyama Yoshifuru]], who were born in the city.

==The city today==
[[File:2007-07-01 Matsuyama Panorama.jpg|thumb|left|A panoramic view of the city from [[Matsuyama Castle (Iyo)|Matsuyama Castle]]]]

In the twentieth century, various [[Onsen District, Ehime|mergers]] joined the castle town with neighboring [[Dōgo Onsen|Dōgo]], [[Mitsuhama]], and other townships, aided by [[urban sprawl]], creating a seamless modern city that now ranks as the largest in [[Shikoku]].

As of the most recent merger, on October 1, 2018, absorbing the city of [[Hōjō, Ehime|Hōjō]], and town of [[Nakajima, Ehime|Nakajima]] (from the former [[Onsen District, Ehime|Onsen District]]), the city had an estimated [[population]] of 510,963 and a [[population density]] of 1,196 persons per km². The total (merged) area is 429.40&nbsp;km².

[[File:Dogo Hot Spring5(Matsuyama City).JPG|thumb|right|Dōgo Onsen Honkan]]
[[File:Dogo-station2004-7-3.jpg|thumb|right|Botchan Ressha at Dogo Station, Matsuyama]]
[[File:Matsuyama Airport（MYJ）2.JPG|thumb|right|Matsuyama Airport（MYJ）]]

Matsuyama is home to several universities including [[Ehime University]] (part of the [[Japanese national university]] system) and several private colleges, including [[Matsuyama University]] and [[Matsuyama Shinonome College]].

Matsuyama has several important museums. [[The Museum of Art, Ehime]] is the city's main art museum, its collections emphasizing the works of regional artists. The [[Shiki Memorial Museum]] is a museum that focuses on the life and work of [[Masaoka Shiki]], with special attention to his contribution to [[haiku]]. The [[Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum]] features exhibits connected with the famous novel and television series. There is a [[Juzo Itami]] museum dedicated to the famous film director.

Famous products ([[meibutsu]]) of Matsuyama include [[tart]]s and Botchan [[dango]]. In the 17th century, the lord of Matsuyama castle Sadayuki Matsudaira (松平定行) introduced the process of tart-making, originally brought to Japan by the Portuguese, to Matsuyama. At first it was a [[Castella]] with jam. According to legend Sadayuki made some changes, such as adding [[red bean paste]]. Now there are many kinds and makers of tarts in Matsuyama; some add [[yuzu]] paste or [[chestnut]] to the red bean paste. In addition to tarts, [[Botchan dango]] is also a famous product of Matsuyama. Botchan dango was named after the famous novel ''[[Botchan]]'' by [[Natsume Sōseki]]. It consists of three bean paste beads of three flavors, [[matcha]], egg, and red bean paste. Within the paste is contained [[Mochi (food)|mochi]].

Matsuyama is the site of a number of festivals, including the Dogo Festival, held in the spring, the Matsuyama Festival, held in August, and the Fall Festival, held in October, which features battling [[mikoshi]].

The city is represented in the [[J. League]] of [[football (soccer)|football]] with its local club, [[Ehime FC]]. The [[Ehime Mandarin Pirates]] also represent the city in the [[baseball]] [[Shikoku Island League Plus]].


==Climate==
==Climate==
Matsuyama has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cfa''; [[Trewartha climate classification]] ''Cf'') with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, and is heavier from April to July as well as in September.
Matsuyama has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cfa''; [[Trewartha climate classification]] ''Cf'') with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, and is heavier from April to July as well as in September.<ref>[https://en.climate-data.org/asia/japan/ehime-prefecture/matsuyama-2015/ Matsuyama climate data]</ref>


{{Weather box
{{Weather box
|location = Matsuyama (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1890−present)
|width = auto
|width = auto
|collapsed = Y
|location = Matsuyama (1981-2010, elevation {{convert|32.2|m|ft|abbr=on}})
|metric first = yes
|single line = Y
|single line = yes
|metric first = Y
|Jan record high C = 24.4
|Jan record high C = 24.4
|Feb record high C = 24.5
|Feb record high C = 24.5
|Mar record high C = 27.5
|Mar record high C = 27.5
|Apr record high C = 31.1
|Apr record high C = 31.1
|May record high C = 31.2
|May record high C = 32.3
|Jun record high C = 35.6
|Jun record high C = 35.6
|Jul record high C = 37.0
|Jul record high C = 37.0
|Aug record high C = 37.2
|Aug record high C = 37.4
|Sep record high C = 36.0
|Sep record high C = 36.7
|Oct record high C = 33.3
|Oct record high C = 33.3
|Nov record high C = 28.0
|Nov record high C = 28.0
|Dec record high C = 22.5
|Dec record high C = 25.2
|year record high C = 37.0
|Jan high C = 9.8
|Feb high C = 10.6
|Mar high C = 13.9
|Apr high C = 19.0
|May high C = 23.6
|Jun high C = 26.8
|Jul high C = 30.9
|Aug high C = 32.1
|Sep high C = 28.6
|Oct high C = 23.3
|Nov high C = 17.8
|Dec high C = 12.6
|year high C = 20.8
|Jan mean C = 6.0
|Feb mean C = 6.5
|Mar mean C = 9.5
|Apr mean C = 14.6
|May mean C = 19.0
|Jun mean C = 22.7
|Jul mean C = 26.9
|Aug mean C = 27.8
|Sep mean C = 24.3
|Oct mean C = 18.7
|Nov mean C = 13.3
|Dec mean C = 8.4
|year mean C = 16.5
|Jan low C = 2.3
|Feb low C = 2.5
|Mar low C = 5.2
|Apr low C = 10.0
|May low C = 14.7
|Jun low C = 19.1
|Jul low C = 23.5
|Aug low C = 24.2
|Sep low C = 20.8
|Oct low C = 14.5
|Nov low C = 9.2
|Dec low C = 4.5
|year low C = 12.5
|Jan record low C = -7.0
|Jan record low C = -7.0
|Feb record low C = -8.3
|Feb record low C = -8.3
Line 207: Line 129:
|Aug record low C = 15.6
|Aug record low C = 15.6
|Sep record low C = 9.1
|Sep record low C = 9.1
|Oct record low C = -2.2
|Oct record low C = 2.2
|Nov record low C = -1.2
|Nov record low C = -1.2
|Dec record low C = -5.8
|Dec record low C = -5.8
|year record low C = -8.3
|precipitation colour = green
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 51.9
|Jan precipitation mm = 50.9
|Feb precipitation mm = 65.6
|Feb precipitation mm = 65.7
|Mar precipitation mm = 102.3
|Mar precipitation mm = 105.1
|Apr precipitation mm = 107.8
|Apr precipitation mm = 107.3
|May precipitation mm = 141.5
|May precipitation mm = 129.5
|Jun precipitation mm = 223.6
|Jun precipitation mm = 228.7
|Jul precipitation mm = 191.6
|Jul precipitation mm = 223.5
|Aug precipitation mm = 89.6
|Aug precipitation mm = 99.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 130.3
|Sep precipitation mm = 148.9
|Oct precipitation mm = 96.7
|Oct precipitation mm = 113.0
|Nov precipitation mm = 68.0
|Nov precipitation mm = 71.3
|Dec precipitation mm = 46.0
|Dec precipitation mm = 61.8
|year precipitation mm = 1314.9
|year precipitation mm = 1404.6
|Jan snow cm = 1
|Jan mean C = 6.2
|Feb snow cm = 1
|Feb mean C = 6.8
|Mar mean C = 9.9
|Apr mean C = 14.8
|May mean C = 19.4
|Jun mean C = 22.9
|Jul mean C = 27.1
|Aug mean C = 28.1
|Sep mean C = 24.6
|Oct mean C = 19.1
|Nov mean C = 13.6
|Dec mean C = 8.5
|year mean C = 16.8
|Jan high C = 10.2
|Feb high C = 11.0
|Mar high C = 14.4
|Apr high C = 19.6
|May high C = 24.2
|Jun high C = 27.0
|Jul high C = 31.2
|Aug high C = 32.6
|Sep high C = 29.1
|Oct high C = 23.8
|Nov high C = 18.1
|Dec high C = 12.6
|year high C = 21.1
|Jan low C = 2.6
|Feb low C = 2.8
|Mar low C = 5.6
|Apr low C = 10.3
|May low C = 15.0
|Jun low C = 19.4
|Jul low C = 23.8
|Aug low C = 24.6
|Sep low C = 21.0
|Oct low C = 15.1
|Nov low C = 9.6
|Dec low C = 4.8
|year low C = 12.9
|Jan humidity = 63
|Feb humidity = 63
|Mar humidity = 63
|Apr humidity = 62
|May humidity = 64
|Jun humidity = 73
|Jul humidity = 72
|Aug humidity = 70
|Sep humidity = 70
|Oct humidity = 68
|Nov humidity = 67
|Dec humidity = 65
|year humidity = 67
|Jan sun = 129.2
|Feb sun = 142.2
|Mar sun = 175.1
|Apr sun = 190.8
|May sun = 205.9
|Jun sun = 151.1
|Jul sun = 189.0
|Aug sun = 218.1
|Sep sun = 164.3
|Oct sun = 174.1
|Nov sun = 144.9
|Dec sun = 129.8
|year sun = 2014.5
|Jan snow cm = 0
|Feb snow cm = 0
|Mar snow cm = 0
|Mar snow cm = 0
|Apr snow cm = 0
|Apr snow cm = 0
Line 237: Line 223:
|Nov snow cm = 0
|Nov snow cm = 0
|Dec snow cm = 0
|Dec snow cm = 0
|year snow cm = 2
|year snow cm = 1
|unit precipitation days = 0.5 mm
|Jan sun = 125.8
|Jan precipitation days = 8.2
|Feb sun = 138.9
|Feb precipitation days = 8.5
|Mar sun = 166.7
|Mar precipitation days = 11.2
|Apr sun = 189.0
|May sun = 198.5
|Apr precipitation days = 10.5
|May precipitation days = 9.5
|Jun sun = 160.2
|Jun precipitation days = 13.1
|Jul sun = 192.9
|Aug sun = 221.9
|Jul precipitation days = 10.9
|Aug precipitation days = 8.2
|Sep sun = 165.0
|Sep precipitation days = 9.8
|Oct sun = 177.3
|Oct precipitation days = 8.2
|Nov sun = 144.4
|Nov precipitation days = 8.2
|Dec sun = 136.5
|Dec precipitation days = 8.9
|year sun = 2017.1
|year precipitation days = 115.1
|source 1 = [[Japan Meteorological Agency]]<ref>{{cite web
|source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=73&prec_ch=%88%A4%95Q%8C%A7&block_no=47887&block_ch=%8F%BC%8ER&year=&month=&day=&elm=normal&view=
| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/index.php?prec_no=73&block_no=47887&year=&month=12&day=&view=h0
|script-title=ja:松山 1981-2010年
|script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）
|access-date = 2018-05-15
|publisher = Japan Meteorological Agency}}</ref>
| publisher = [[Japan Meteorological Agency]]
| access-date = May 19, 2021}}</ref>
|source 2 = Japan Meteorological Agency (1981 - 2010)<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_s.php?prec_no=73&block_no=47887&year=&month=&day=&view=
|script-title=ja:松山 観測史上1～10位の値 | access-date = 2018-05-15 |language=ja| publisher = Japan Meteorological Agency}}</ref>
|date = May 2018
}}
}}


==Transport==
==Demographics==
Per Japanese census data,<ref>[https://www.citypopulation.de/php/japan-ehime.php Matsuyama population statistics]</ref> the population of Matsuyama has been increasing steadily since the 1940s.
Matsuyama has a well-developed transport network. It is connected to the [[Japan Railways Group|Japanese national railway network]] by [[Matsuyama Station (Ehime)|Matsuyama Station]] on the [[Yosan Line]]. It also has a network of suburban railways run by the [[Iyo Railway Co., Ltd.|Iyo Railway]], which is centred on [[Matsuyama City Station]]. Iyo Railway also operates a system of trams and busses, which serve as the city's main modes of public transportation. Matsuyama is one of the few Japanese cities that did not do away with its original [[tram]] system, which has continually operated from 1887. [[Matsuyama Airport]] offers flights to [[Tokyo]], [[Seoul]], [[Shanghai]], and various other cities. There is regular ferry service to [[Hiroshima]] and regular night ferries to [[Kobe]], [[Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyūshū]], and several other destinations. Also, a [[hydrofoil]] service exists between [[Hiroshima]] and a few other destinations.

{{Historical populations
| 1920 | 181496
| 1930 | 208446
| 1940 | 205939
| 1950 | 265678
| 1960 | 307372
| 1970 | 362998
| 1980 | 442147
| 1990 | 480854
| 2000 | 508266
| 2010 | 517088
| 2020 | 511192
|align = none
| footnote =
}}

== History ==
The area of Uwajima was part of ancient [[Iyo Province]]. [[Dōgo Onsen]] was already famous in the [[Asuka period]], and [[Shōtoku Taishi]] visited the spa in the year 596. It is also mentioned in passing in ''[[The Tale of Genji]]''. At the end of the [[Heian period]], Kōno Michinobu supported [[Minamoto no Yoritomo]] against the [[Heike clan]] during the [[Genpei War]] and was awarded with a position as ''[[shugo]]'' of Iyo Province. In the [[Muromachi period]], the clan made their stronghold at [[Yuzuki Castle]], near Dōgo Onsen, and developed the port of [[Mitsuhama]] to the west to link the area to [[Honshū]] and [[Kyūshū]]. The clan was conquered by [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] during his invasion of Shikoku, and later the area became part of [[Iyo-Matsuyama Domain]] under the [[Tokugawa shogunate]]. A ''[[jōkamachi]]'' developed around [[Matsuyama Castle (Iyo)|Matsuyama Castle]], and this is the core of the modern city. The city was established with the creation of the modern municipality system on December 15, 1889. The city was bombed on July 26, 1945, in the final stages of [[World War II]], with 251 civilians killed and over 55% of the city area destroyed.

In the twentieth century, various [[Onsen District, Ehime|mergers]] joined Matsuyama with neighboring towns of [[Dōgo Onsen|Dōgo]], [[Mitsuhama]], and other townships, aided by [[urban sprawl]], creating a seamless modern city that now ranks as the largest in Shikoku. On October 1, 2018, Matsuyama absorbed the city of [[Hōjō, Ehime|Hōjō]], and town of [[Nakajima, Ehime|Nakajima]] (from the former [[Onsen District, Ehime|Onsen District]]).

==Government==
Matsuyama has a [[mayor-council]] form of government with a directly elected mayor and a [[unicameral]] city council of 42 members. Matsuyama, together with Kumakōgen, contributes 16 members to the Ehime Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is split between Ehime 1st district And Ehime 2nd district of the [[House of Representatives of Japan|lower house]] of the [[Diet of Japan]].


==Economy==
==Economy==
Miura ([[boiler]] manufacturer), [[Iseki]] ([[tractor]] and engine equipment),<ref>"[http://www.iseki.co.jp/english/company/profile/ Company Outline]." [[Iseki]]. Retrieved on March 31, 2018.</ref> Hatada Ichiroku (Japanese style [[confectionery]]), Poem, a food processing division of Pom (Ehime Drink Company), and the [[Retailer|retailing]] companies Fuji and Daiki all have their headquarters in Matsuyama.
Matsuyama is a major regional commercial center. Key industries include agriculture represented by [[mandarin orange]]s, tourism centered around Dōgo Onsen and Matsuyama Castle, and manufacturing centered on chemical fibers. Industrial areas spread along the coast near airports and harbors, including the Teijin Group's largest production base, and factories of Miura ([[boiler]] manufacturer), [[Iseki]] ([[tractor]] and engine equipment),<ref>"[http://www.iseki.co.jp/english/company/profile/ Company Outline]." [[Iseki]]. Retrieved on March 31, 2018.</ref> Hatada Ichiroku (Japanese style [[confectionery]]), Poem, a food processing division of Pom (Ehime Drink Company), and the [[Retailer|retailing]] companies Fuji and Daiki all have their headquarters in Matsuyama.


==Education==
==Education==
{{expand section|date=October 2015}}


===Universities and colleges===
===Universities and colleges===
====National====
*[[Ehime University]]
*[[Ehime University]]
*[[Matsuyama Junior College]]

====Private====
*[[Matsuyama University]]
*[[Matsuyama University]]
*[[Matsuyama Shinonome College]]
*[[Matsuyama Shinonome College]]
*[[St. Catherine University (Japan)|St. Catherine University]]
*[[St. Catherine University (Japan)|St. Catherine University]]


===Senior high schools===
===Primary and secondary education===
Matsuyama has 62 public elementary schools and 31 public middle schools operated by the city government. The city has seven public high schools operated by the Ehime Prefectural Board of Education, including the [[Ehime Prefectural Matsuyama Central Senior High School]] and the [[Ehime Prefectural Matsuyama Higashi High School]] and two national high schools operated by Ehime University. There are two private combined middle/high schools and 11 private high schools. The prefecture also operates two special education schools for the handicapped.
====Public (Ehime Prefectural)====
*[[Ehime Prefectural Matsuyama Central Senior High School]]
*[[Ehime Prefectural Matsuyama Higashi High School]]


===Miscellaneous school===
===International schools===
Matsuyama has one Korean school (Chōsen gakkō), the {{Nihongo|Shikoku Korean Elementary and Junior High School|[[:ja:四国朝鮮初中級学校|四国朝鮮初中級学校]]}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chongryon.com/j/cr/link3.html |script-title=ja:ウリハッキョ一覧 |publisher=[[Chongryon]] |access-date=October 14, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150726160235/http://www.chongryon.com/j/cr/link3.html |archive-date=July 26, 2015 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}().</ref>
====[[Chōsen gakkō|North Korean school]] (Chōsen gakkō)====
*{{Nihongo|Shikoku Korean Elementary and Junior High School|[[:ja:四国朝鮮初中級学校|四国朝鮮初中級学校]]}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chongryon.com/j/cr/link3.html |script-title=ja:ウリハッキョ一覧 |publisher=[[Chongryon]] |access-date=October 14, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150726160235/http://www.chongryon.com/j/cr/link3.html |archive-date=July 26, 2015 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}().</ref>


== Transportation ==
==Notable people==
===Airports===
[[File:Matsuyama Airport（MYJ）2.JPG|thumb|right|Matsuyama Airport（MYJ）]]
*[[Matsuyama Airport]], with flights to [[Tokyo]], [[Seoul]], [[Shanghai]], and various other cities.

=== Railways ===
[[File:JR_logo_(shikoku).svg|22 px]] [[Shikoku Railway Company]] - [[Yosan Line]]
* {{STN|Asanami}} - {{STN|Ōura}} - {{STN|Iyo-Hōjō}} - {{STN|Yanagihara|Ehime}} - {{STN|Awai}} - {{STN|Kōyōdai}} - {{STN|Horie}} - {{STN|Iyo-Wake}} - {{STN|Mitsuhama}} - {{STN|Matsuyama|Ehime}} - {{STN|Ichitsubo}}
[[File:IYOTETSU logo.svg|50px]] [[Iyotetsu]] - [[Takahama Line]]
* {{STN|Takahama|Ehime}} - {{STN|Baishinji}} - {{STN|Minatoyama}} - {{STN|Mitsu}} - {{STN|Yamanishi}} - {{STN|Nishi-Kinuyama}} - {{STN|Kinuyama}} - {{STN|Komachi}} - {{STN|Ōtemachi|Ehime}} - {{STN|Matsuyama City}}
[[File:IYOTETSU logo.svg|50px]] [[Iyotetsu]] - [[Yokogawara Line]]
* {{STN|Matsuyama City}} - {{STN|Ishitegawa Park}} - {{STN|Iyo-Tachibana}} - {{STN|Fukuonji}} - {{STN|Kita-Kume}} - {{STN|Kume}} - {{STN|Takanoko}} - {{STN|Hirai|Ehime}} - {{STN|Umenomoto}}
[[File:IYOTETSU logo.svg|50px]] [[Iyotetsu]] - [[Gunchū Line]]
* {{STN|Matsuyama City}} - {{STN|Dobashi|Ehime}} - {{STN|Doida}} - {{STN|Yōgo}} - {{STN|Kamata|Ehime}}

===Trams===
Iyo Railway also operates a system of trams and buses that serve as the city's main modes of public transportation. Matsuyama is one of the few Japanese cities that did not do away with its original [[tram]] system, which has been continually operated since 1887.
* [[Jōhoku Line (Iyotetsu)|Jōhoku Line]]: Komachi &mdash; Heiwadōri 1
* [[Jōnan Line]]: Dōgo Onsen &mdash; Nishi-Horibata, Kamiichiman &mdash; Heiwadōri 1
* [[Honmachi Line]]: Nishi-Horibata &mdash; Hommachi 6
* [[Ōtemachi Line]]: Nishi-Horibata &mdash; JR Matsuyama Station &mdash; Komachi
* [[Hanazono Line]]: Matsuyama City Station &mdash; Minami-Horibata

=== Highways ===
* [[File:JP Expressway E56.svg|25px|link=|alt=]] [[Matsuyama Expressway]]
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|11}}
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|33}}
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|56}}
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|196}}
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|317}}
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|379}}
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|437}}
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|196}}

===Ports===
*[[Port of Matsuyama]], with regular ferry service to [[Hiroshima]] and regular night ferries to [[Kobe]], [[Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyūshū]], and several other destinations. Also, a [[hydrofoil]] service exists between [[Hiroshima]] and a few other destinations.

==Sister cities==
Matsuyama has three [[town twinning|sister cities]], as designated by [[Sister Cities International]]:
* {{flagdeco|United States}} [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]], [[California]], United States
* {{flagdeco|Germany}} [[Freiburg]], [[Baden-Württemberg]], Germany
* {{flagdeco|South Korea}} [[Pyeongtaek]], [[Gyeonggi]], South Korea
* {{flagdeco|Taiwan}} [[Taipei]], [[Taiwan]], friendship city since 2016

==Local attractions==
[[File:Dogo Hot Spring5(Matsuyama City).JPG|thumb|right|Dōgo Onsen Honkan]]
[[File:Dogo-station2004-7-3.jpg|thumb|right|Botchan Ressha at Dogo Station, Matsuyama]]

The city is known for its [[hot springs]] ([[onsen]]), among the oldest in Japan, and is home to the [[Dōgo Onsen|Dōgo Onsen Honkan]], a Meiji Period wooden public bathhouse dating from 1894.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5502.html|title=Dogo Onsen}}</ref> A second favorite tourist spot is [[Matsuyama Castle (Iyo)|Matsuyama Castle]]. Eight of the eighty-eight temples in the [[Shikoku Pilgrimage]] are in Matsuyama.

Buddhist temples in Matsuyama include [[Ishite-ji]] (石手寺), [[Taisan-ji (Matsuyama)|Taisan-ji]] (太山寺), and [[Jōdo-ji (Matsuyama)|Jōdo-ji]] (浄土寺), all dating back to the 8th century, although the oldest surviving buildings are from the early 14th century, as well as [[Hōgon-ji (Matsuyama)|Hōgon-ji]] (宝厳寺), [[Taihō-ji (Matsuyama)|Taihō-ji]] (大宝寺) and [[Enmyō-ji (Matsuyama)|Enmyō-ji]] (円明寺). Shrines of the city include [[Isaniwa Jinja]] (伊佐爾波神社), built in 1667.

The [[haiku]] poet [[Masaoka Shiki]] lived in Matsuyama. His house, now known as the [[Shiki-do]], and a museum, the [[Shiki Memorial Museum]], are popular attractions, and the centerpieces of the city's claim as a center of the international haiku movement. Other haiku poets associated with Matsuyama include [[Kurita Chodō]], whose [[Kōshin-an]] was visited by [[Kobayashi Issa]], Shiki's followers, [[Takahama Kyoshi]] and [[Kawahigashi Hekigoto]], and [[Taneda Santōka]]. Santoka's house, known as Isso-an, is also a tourist attraction and is periodically open to the public. The Matsuyama Declaration of 1999 proposed the formation of the International Haiku Research Center, and the first [[Masaoka Shiki International Haiku Awards]] were given in 2000. Recipients have included [[Yves Bonnefoy]] (2000), [[Cor van den Heuvel]] (2002) and [[Gary Snyder]] (2004).

The famed novel ''[[Botchan]]'' by [[Natsume Sōseki]] is set in Matsuyama. As a result, there are numerous sites and locales named after the main character, including [[Botchan Stadium]], the [[Botchan Ressha]] (an antique train that runs on the city's tramway), and Botchan [[dango]].

Matsuyama also figures in several works by [[Shiba Ryōtarō]], notably his popular novel, ''[[Saka no Ue no Kumo]]'' [Clouds Above the Hill] (1969). In anticipation of the upcoming [[NHK]] [[Taiga drama]] [[Saka no Ue no Kumo (TV series)|adaptation of ''Saka no Ue no Kumo'']], a [[Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum]] was established in 2007.

Matsuyama was also the setting of a 1907 novel about the [[Russo-Japanese War]], ''As the Hague Ordains'', by American writer [[Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore]]. Matsuyama figures in the novel because the city housed a camp for Russian prisoners during the war. A Russian cemetery commemorates this important episode in Matsuyama history. The [[Russo-Japanese War]] is also remembered in Matsuyama because of the contributions of two Japanese military leaders, the Akiyama brothers, [[Akiyama Saneyuki]] and [[Akiyama Yoshifuru]], who were born in the city.

Matsuyama has several important museums. [[The Museum of Art, Ehime]] is the city's main art museum, its collections emphasizing the works of regional artists. The [[Shiki Memorial Museum]] is a museum that focuses on the life and work of [[Masaoka Shiki]], with special attention to his contribution to [[haiku]]. The [[Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum]] features exhibits connected with the novel and television series. There is a [[Juzo Itami]] museum dedicated to the film director.

Products ([[meibutsu]]) of Matsuyama include [[tart]]s and Botchan [[dango]]. In the 17th century, the lord of Matsuyama castle Sadayuki Matsudaira (松平定行) introduced the process of tart-making, originally brought to Japan by the Portuguese, to Matsuyama. At first it was a [[Castella]] with jam. According to legend Sadayuki made some changes, such as adding [[red bean paste]]. Now there are many kinds and makers of tarts in Matsuyama; some add [[yuzu]] paste or [[chestnut]] to the red bean paste. In addition to tarts, [[Botchan dango]] is also a product of Matsuyama. Botchan dango was named after the novel ''[[Botchan]]'' by [[Natsume Sōseki]]. It consists of three bean paste beads of three flavors, [[matcha]], egg, and red bean paste. Within the paste is contained [[Mochi (food)|mochi]].

Matsuyama is the site of a number of festivals, including the Dogo Festival, held in the spring, the Matsuyama Festival, held in August, and the Fall Festival, held in October, which features battling [[mikoshi]].

==Sports==
The city is represented in the [[J. League]] of [[football (soccer)|football]] with its local club, [[Ehime FC]]. The [[Ehime Mandarin Pirates]] also represent the city in the [[baseball]] [[Shikoku Island League Plus]].

==Notable people from Matsuyama==
{{Unreferenced section|date=July 2012}}
{{Unreferenced section|date=July 2012}}
{{see also|Category:People from Matsuyama, Ehime}}
{{see also|Category:People from Matsuyama, Ehime}}
Line 308: Line 378:
*[[Chiaki Kusuhara]], beach volleyball player
*[[Chiaki Kusuhara]], beach volleyball player
*[[Loveli]], fashion model and television personality
*[[Loveli]], fashion model and television personality
*[[Kanako Murata]], Professional mixed martial artist
*[[Alan Shirahama]], performer, actor, and DJ
*[[Alan Shirahama]], performer, actor, and DJ
*[[Masaoka Shiki]], poet
*[[Masaoka Shiki]], poet
Line 326: Line 397:
*[[Reiko Tosa]], athlete
*[[Reiko Tosa]], athlete
*[[Tetsu Yano]], writer
*[[Tetsu Yano]], writer

==Sister cities==
Matsuyama has three [[town twinning|sister cities]], as designated by [[Sister Cities International]]:
* {{flagdeco|United States}} [[Sacramento, California]], United States
* {{flagdeco|Germany}} [[Freiburg]], [[Baden-Württemberg]], Germany
* {{flagdeco|South Korea}} [[Pyeongtaek]], [[Gyeonggi]], South Korea


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Matsuyama tengu|Matsuyama tengu (Noh play)]]
*[[Rakuzan ware (Ehime)]]
*[[Rakuzan ware (Ehime)]]
*[[Songshan District, Taipei]], named after Matsuyama
*[[Songshan District, Taipei]], named after Matsuyama


== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{Commons category}}
{{wikivoyage|Matsuyama}}
{{Wikivoyage|Matsuyama}}
* [http://www.city.matsuyama.ehime.jp/ Matsuyama City official website] {{in lang|ja}}
* [http://www.city.matsuyama.ehime.jp/ Matsuyama City official website] {{in lang|ja}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080918121655/http://www.city.matsuyama.ehime.jp/lang/en/ Matsuyama City official website] {{in lang|en}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080918121655/http://www.city.matsuyama.ehime.jp/lang/en/ Matsuyama City official website] {{in lang|en}}

Latest revision as of 22:25, 28 September 2023

For other uses, see Matsuyama (disambiguation).
Matsuyama
松山市
Core city
From top left:Dōgo Onsen Honkan, Stone monument of Shiki Masaoka, Matsuyama Castle, Botchan train, The gate of Ishite-ji, Iyotetsu Matsuyama-shi Station, Gintengai Street
From top left:Dōgo Onsen Honkan, Stone monument of Shiki Masaoka, Matsuyama Castle, Botchan train, The gate of Ishite-ji, Iyotetsu Matsuyama-shi Station, Gintengai Street
Flag of Matsuyama
Flag
Official seal of Matsuyama
Emblem
Map
Location of Matsuyama in Ehime Prefecture
Location of Matsuyama
Matsuyama is located in Japan
Matsuyama
Matsuyama
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 33°50′N 132°46′E / 33.833°N 132.767°E / 33.833; 132.767
CountryJapan
RegionShikoku
PrefectureEhime
Government
 • MayorKatsuhito Noshi (since December 2010)
Area
 • Total429.35 km2 (165.77 sq mi)
Population
 (October 1, 2022)
 • Total505,948
 • Density1,200/km2 (3,100/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address4-7-2 Nibanchō, Matsuyama-shi, Ehime-ken 790-8571
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
FlowerCamellia
Matsuyama City Hall
Ehime Prefectural Capital Building
A panoramic view of the city from Matsuyama Castle

Matsuyama (松山市, Matsuyama-shi, Japanese: [matsɯꜜjama]) is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture, on the island of Shikoku, in Japan and is also Shikoku's largest city. As of 1 October 2022, the city had an estimated population of 505,948 in 243,541 households and a population density of 1200 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the city is 429.35 square kilometres (165.77 sq mi).

Geography[edit]

Matsuyama is located in central Ehime Prefecture, facing the Seto Inland Sea to the north, the mountains of the Takanawa Peninsula to the north and east, and the Saragamine Mountain Range, an extension of the Shikoku Mountains, to the south. It is located on the northeastern portion of the Dōgo Plain. The city also includes the Kutsuna Islands, an archipelago of 29 islands in the Seto Inland Sea.

Neighbouring municipalities[edit]

Ehime Prefecture

Climate[edit]

Matsuyama has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa; Trewartha climate classification Cf) with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, and is heavier from April to July as well as in September.[2]

Climate data for Matsuyama (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1890−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 24.4
(75.9) 		24.5
(76.1) 		27.5
(81.5) 		31.1
(88.0) 		32.3
(90.1) 		35.6
(96.1) 		37.0
(98.6) 		37.4
(99.3) 		36.7
(98.1) 		33.3
(91.9) 		28.0
(82.4) 		25.2
(77.4) 		37.4
(99.3)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 10.2
(50.4) 		11.0
(51.8) 		14.4
(57.9) 		19.6
(67.3) 		24.2
(75.6) 		27.0
(80.6) 		31.2
(88.2) 		32.6
(90.7) 		29.1
(84.4) 		23.8
(74.8) 		18.1
(64.6) 		12.6
(54.7) 		21.1
(70.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) 6.2
(43.2) 		6.8
(44.2) 		9.9
(49.8) 		14.8
(58.6) 		19.4
(66.9) 		22.9
(73.2) 		27.1
(80.8) 		28.1
(82.6) 		24.6
(76.3) 		19.1
(66.4) 		13.6
(56.5) 		8.5
(47.3) 		16.8
(62.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 2.6
(36.7) 		2.8
(37.0) 		5.6
(42.1) 		10.3
(50.5) 		15.0
(59.0) 		19.4
(66.9) 		23.8
(74.8) 		24.6
(76.3) 		21.0
(69.8) 		15.1
(59.2) 		9.6
(49.3) 		4.8
(40.6) 		12.9
(55.2)
Record low °C (°F) −7.0
(19.4) 		−8.3
(17.1) 		−6.3
(20.7) 		−2.6
(27.3) 		1.4
(34.5) 		5.7
(42.3) 		14.3
(57.7) 		15.6
(60.1) 		9.1
(48.4) 		2.2
(36.0) 		−1.2
(29.8) 		−5.8
(21.6) 		−8.3
(17.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 50.9
(2.00) 		65.7
(2.59) 		105.1
(4.14) 		107.3
(4.22) 		129.5
(5.10) 		228.7
(9.00) 		223.5
(8.80) 		99.0
(3.90) 		148.9
(5.86) 		113.0
(4.45) 		71.3
(2.81) 		61.8
(2.43) 		1,404.6
(55.30)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		1
(0.4)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.5 mm) 8.2 8.5 11.2 10.5 9.5 13.1 10.9 8.2 9.8 8.2 8.2 8.9 115.1
Average relative humidity (%) 63 63 63 62 64 73 72 70 70 68 67 65 67
Mean monthly sunshine hours 129.2 142.2 175.1 190.8 205.9 151.1 189.0 218.1 164.3 174.1 144.9 129.8 2,014.5
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3]

Demographics[edit]

Per Japanese census data,[4] the population of Matsuyama has been increasing steadily since the 1940s.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 181,496—    
1930 208,446+14.8%
1940 205,939−1.2%
1950 265,678+29.0%
1960 307,372+15.7%
1970 362,998+18.1%
1980 442,147+21.8%
1990 480,854+8.8%
2000 508,266+5.7%
2010 517,088+1.7%
2020 511,192−1.1%

History[edit]

The area of Uwajima was part of ancient Iyo Province. Dōgo Onsen was already famous in the Asuka period, and Shōtoku Taishi visited the spa in the year 596. It is also mentioned in passing in The Tale of Genji. At the end of the Heian period, Kōno Michinobu supported Minamoto no Yoritomo against the Heike clan during the Genpei War and was awarded with a position as shugo of Iyo Province. In the Muromachi period, the clan made their stronghold at Yuzuki Castle, near Dōgo Onsen, and developed the port of Mitsuhama to the west to link the area to Honshū and Kyūshū. The clan was conquered by Toyotomi Hideyoshi during his invasion of Shikoku, and later the area became part of Iyo-Matsuyama Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. A jōkamachi developed around Matsuyama Castle, and this is the core of the modern city. The city was established with the creation of the modern municipality system on December 15, 1889. The city was bombed on July 26, 1945, in the final stages of World War II, with 251 civilians killed and over 55% of the city area destroyed.

In the twentieth century, various mergers joined Matsuyama with neighboring towns of Dōgo, Mitsuhama, and other townships, aided by urban sprawl, creating a seamless modern city that now ranks as the largest in Shikoku. On October 1, 2018, Matsuyama absorbed the city of Hōjō, and town of Nakajima (from the former Onsen District).

Government[edit]

Matsuyama has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 42 members. Matsuyama, together with Kumakōgen, contributes 16 members to the Ehime Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is split between Ehime 1st district And Ehime 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy[edit]

Matsuyama is a major regional commercial center. Key industries include agriculture represented by mandarin oranges, tourism centered around Dōgo Onsen and Matsuyama Castle, and manufacturing centered on chemical fibers. Industrial areas spread along the coast near airports and harbors, including the Teijin Group's largest production base, and factories of Miura (boiler manufacturer), Iseki (tractor and engine equipment),[5] Hatada Ichiroku (Japanese style confectionery), Poem, a food processing division of Pom (Ehime Drink Company), and the retailing companies Fuji and Daiki all have their headquarters in Matsuyama.

Education[edit]

Universities and colleges[edit]

Primary and secondary education[edit]

Matsuyama has 62 public elementary schools and 31 public middle schools operated by the city government. The city has seven public high schools operated by the Ehime Prefectural Board of Education, including the Ehime Prefectural Matsuyama Central Senior High School and the Ehime Prefectural Matsuyama Higashi High School and two national high schools operated by Ehime University. There are two private combined middle/high schools and 11 private high schools. The prefecture also operates two special education schools for the handicapped.

International schools[edit]

Matsuyama has one Korean school (Chōsen gakkō), the Shikoku Korean Elementary and Junior High School (四国朝鮮初中級学校)[6]

Transportation[edit]

Airports[edit]

Matsuyama Airport（MYJ）

Railways[edit]

Shikoku Railway Company - Yosan Line

Iyotetsu - Takahama Line

Iyotetsu - Yokogawara Line

Iyotetsu - Gunchū Line

Trams[edit]

Iyo Railway also operates a system of trams and buses that serve as the city's main modes of public transportation. Matsuyama is one of the few Japanese cities that did not do away with its original tram system, which has been continually operated since 1887.

Highways[edit]

Ports[edit]

Sister cities[edit]

Matsuyama has three sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:

Local attractions[edit]

Dōgo Onsen Honkan
Botchan Ressha at Dogo Station, Matsuyama

The city is known for its hot springs (onsen), among the oldest in Japan, and is home to the Dōgo Onsen Honkan, a Meiji Period wooden public bathhouse dating from 1894.[7] A second favorite tourist spot is Matsuyama Castle. Eight of the eighty-eight temples in the Shikoku Pilgrimage are in Matsuyama.

Buddhist temples in Matsuyama include Ishite-ji (石手寺), Taisan-ji (太山寺), and Jōdo-ji (浄土寺), all dating back to the 8th century, although the oldest surviving buildings are from the early 14th century, as well as Hōgon-ji (宝厳寺), Taihō-ji (大宝寺) and Enmyō-ji (円明寺). Shrines of the city include Isaniwa Jinja (伊佐爾波神社), built in 1667.

The haiku poet Masaoka Shiki lived in Matsuyama. His house, now known as the Shiki-do, and a museum, the Shiki Memorial Museum, are popular attractions, and the centerpieces of the city's claim as a center of the international haiku movement. Other haiku poets associated with Matsuyama include Kurita Chodō, whose Kōshin-an was visited by Kobayashi Issa, Shiki's followers, Takahama Kyoshi and Kawahigashi Hekigoto, and Taneda Santōka. Santoka's house, known as Isso-an, is also a tourist attraction and is periodically open to the public. The Matsuyama Declaration of 1999 proposed the formation of the International Haiku Research Center, and the first Masaoka Shiki International Haiku Awards were given in 2000. Recipients have included Yves Bonnefoy (2000), Cor van den Heuvel (2002) and Gary Snyder (2004).

The famed novel Botchan by Natsume Sōseki is set in Matsuyama. As a result, there are numerous sites and locales named after the main character, including Botchan Stadium, the Botchan Ressha (an antique train that runs on the city's tramway), and Botchan dango.

Matsuyama also figures in several works by Shiba Ryōtarō, notably his popular novel, Saka no Ue no Kumo [Clouds Above the Hill] (1969). In anticipation of the upcoming NHK Taiga drama adaptation of Saka no Ue no Kumo, a Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum was established in 2007.

Matsuyama was also the setting of a 1907 novel about the Russo-Japanese War, As the Hague Ordains, by American writer Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore. Matsuyama figures in the novel because the city housed a camp for Russian prisoners during the war. A Russian cemetery commemorates this important episode in Matsuyama history. The Russo-Japanese War is also remembered in Matsuyama because of the contributions of two Japanese military leaders, the Akiyama brothers, Akiyama Saneyuki and Akiyama Yoshifuru, who were born in the city.

Matsuyama has several important museums. The Museum of Art, Ehime is the city's main art museum, its collections emphasizing the works of regional artists. The Shiki Memorial Museum is a museum that focuses on the life and work of Masaoka Shiki, with special attention to his contribution to haiku. The Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum features exhibits connected with the novel and television series. There is a Juzo Itami museum dedicated to the film director.

Products (meibutsu) of Matsuyama include tarts and Botchan dango. In the 17th century, the lord of Matsuyama castle Sadayuki Matsudaira (松平定行) introduced the process of tart-making, originally brought to Japan by the Portuguese, to Matsuyama. At first it was a Castella with jam. According to legend Sadayuki made some changes, such as adding red bean paste. Now there are many kinds and makers of tarts in Matsuyama; some add yuzu paste or chestnut to the red bean paste. In addition to tarts, Botchan dango is also a product of Matsuyama. Botchan dango was named after the novel Botchan by Natsume Sōseki. It consists of three bean paste beads of three flavors, matcha, egg, and red bean paste. Within the paste is contained mochi.

Matsuyama is the site of a number of festivals, including the Dogo Festival, held in the spring, the Matsuyama Festival, held in August, and the Fall Festival, held in October, which features battling mikoshi.

Sports[edit]

The city is represented in the J. League of football with its local club, Ehime FC. The Ehime Mandarin Pirates also represent the city in the baseball Shikoku Island League Plus.

Notable people from Matsuyama[edit]

See also: Category:People from Matsuyama, Ehime

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Matsuyama city official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. ^ Matsuyama climate data
  3. ^ 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  4. ^ Matsuyama population statistics
  5. ^ "Company Outline." Iseki. Retrieved on March 31, 2018.
  6. ^ ウリハッキョ一覧. Chongryon. Archived from the original on July 26, 2015. Retrieved October 14, 2015.().
  7. ^ "Dogo Onsen".

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Matsuyama, Ehime.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Matsuyama.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Matsuyama&oldid=1177682117"