Ichinoseki, Iwate

Ichinoseki is located inland in the south of Iwate Prefecture, a little over two hours north of Tokyo by the Tōhoku Shinkansen. A large volume of extremely stable granite rock runs beneath the city, and is the center of the site is being promoted as a suitable location for construction of the International Linear Collider (ILC).[2]

The agricultural makeup of the city outside the centre is mostly composed of farmers, leading to an influx of Chinese and Filipino immigrants due to marriage. As a result, Ichinoseki has a varied ethnic makeup, although the newcomers still remain a small minority.

Per Japanese census data,[4] the population of Ichinoseki peaked in the 1950s, has declined over the past 70 years.

The area of present-day Ichinoseki was part of ancient Mutsu Province, and has been settled since at least the Japanese Paleolithic period. The area was inhabited by the Emishi people, and came under the control of the Yamato dynasty during the early Heian period. During the Heian period, it was controlled by the Abe clan, followed by the Northern Fujiwara clan of Hiraizumi. During the Sengoku period, the area was dominated by various samurai clans before coming under the control of the Date clan during the Edo period, who ruled Sendai Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. A portion of the present city was part of Ichinoseki Domain, a sub-domain of Sendai Domain.

The town of Ichinoseki was established within Nishiiwai District, Iwate on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of the modern municipality system. It was raised to city status on April 1, 1948 by the merger of the towns of Ichinoseki and Yamame with the villages of Mataki and Nakasato.

• January 1, 1955 - Ichinoseki absorbed the villages of Genbi, Hagisho, Maikawa, and Yasakae
• September 1, 1956 - Due to a boundary adjustment, the city absorbed parts of the town of Hiraizumi.
• May 1, 1964 - Due to a boundary adjustment, the city absorbed more of the town of Hiraizumi.
• September 20, 2005 - the towns of Daitō, Higashiyama and Senmaya, the villages of Kawasaki and Murone (all from Higashiiwai District), and the town of Hanaizumi (from Nishiiwai District) were merged with the city of Ichinoseki, which approximately doubled the old city's population and nearly tripled its size.
• September 26, 2011 - the town of Fujisawa (also from Higashiiwai District) was merged into Ichinoseki. Higashiiwai District was dissolved as a result of this merger.

Ichinoseki has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 25 members.[5] Ichinoseki and the town of Hiraizumi collectively contribute five seats to the Iwate Prefectural legislature. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Iwate 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Ichinoseki has 29 public elementary schools and 16 public junior high schools operated by the city government and one junior high school and eight public elementary schools operated by the Iwate Prefectural Board of Education. There is also one private high school and one private junior college. The Prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped.

Geibikei Gorge, Ichinoseki

• Ichinoseki is in close proximity to the historically significant site of Hiraizumi, which lies adjacent to the mid-northern border of the city. Ichinoseki station is a convenient transit hub for excursions to Hiraizumi, with access to Tōhoku Shinkansen and local rail lines.
• Geibikei is a dramatic river gorge which offers rides in traditional flat-bottomed boats, navigated by singing "gondoliers".
• Genbikei is another popular river area with naturally carved cliffs.
• Honederamura Shōen ruins has been designated an Important Cultural Landscape and a National Historic Site.[6] A brochure can be seen here. http://www.ichitabi.jp/guidebook/pdf/guidebook_04_03_en.pdf

• Ayaka Komatsu, model/actress
• Keiko Fuji, singer/actress
• Shota Kimura, baseball player
• Miyagiyama Fukumatsu, sumo wrestler
• Masato Onodera, professional wrestler
• Shota Onodera, basketball player
• Takahira Kogorō, diplomat

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Ichinoseki.

Media related to Ichinoseki, Iwate at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website (in Japanese)
• Ichinoseki tourist information