Iga, Mie

Iga (伊賀市, Iga-shi) is a city located in central Kii Peninsula, in the mountainous western Mie Prefecture, Japan. As of September 2012, the city has an estimated population of 95,137.

Iga

伊賀市
City
Iga-Ueno Castle
Flag
Seal
Location of Iga in Mie Prefecture
Iga
 
Coordinates: 34°46′N 136°8′E
CountryJapan
RegionKansai
PrefectureMie
Government
 • MayorSakae Okamoto
Area
 • Total558.17 km2 (215.51 sq mi)
Population
 (November 2012)
 • Total95,137
 • Density170/km2 (400/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
City symbols 
• TreeJapanese red pine
• FlowerSasayuri (Lilium japonicum)
• BirdGreen pheasant
Address116 Ueno Marunouchi, Iga-shi, Mie-ken 518-8501
Websitewww.city.iga.lg.jp
Iga City Hall

Neighboring municipalities

Climate

Iga has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and cold winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is heaviest from June to September.

Climate data for Ueno/Iga, Mie (1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 17.8
(64.0)		 22.1
(71.8)		 25.7
(78.3)		 30.2
(86.4)		 33.5
(92.3)		 35.7
(96.3)		 38.0
(100.4)		 38.8
(101.8)		 36.1
(97.0)		 31.4
(88.5)		 26.3
(79.3)		 20.2
(68.4)		 38.8
(101.8)
Average high °C (°F) 8.1
(46.6)		 8.6
(47.5)		 12.7
(54.9)		 18.9
(66.0)		 23.4
(74.1)		 26.6
(79.9)		 30.5
(86.9)		 31.9
(89.4)		 27.7
(81.9)		 21.7
(71.1)		 16.2
(61.2)		 10.9
(51.6)		 19.8
(67.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) 3.2
(37.8)		 3.6
(38.5)		 6.8
(44.2)		 12.5
(54.5)		 17.4
(63.3)		 21.4
(70.5)		 25.3
(77.5)		 26.2
(79.2)		 22.4
(72.3)		 16.1
(61.0)		 10.2
(50.4)		 5.3
(41.5)		 14.2
(57.6)
Average low °C (°F) −1.0
(30.2)		 −0.9
(30.4)		 1.6
(34.9)		 6.5
(43.7)		 11.9
(53.4)		 17.1
(62.8)		 21.3
(70.3)		 22.0
(71.6)		 18.3
(64.9)		 11.3
(52.3)		 5.2
(41.4)		 0.6
(33.1)		 9.5
(49.1)
Record low °C (°F) −9.6
(14.7)		 −9.6
(14.7)		 −7.8
(18.0)		 −4.8
(23.4)		 −0.8
(30.6)		 5.6
(42.1)		 11.3
(52.3)		 11.1
(52.0)		 5.1
(41.2)		 −1.0
(30.2)		 −5.0
(23.0)		 −9.5
(14.9)		 −9.6
(14.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 46.6
(1.83)		 59.2
(2.33)		 100.8
(3.97)		 99.9
(3.93)		 143.8
(5.66)		 195.4
(7.69)		 190.5
(7.50)		 127.7
(5.03)		 170.9
(6.73)		 114.6
(4.51)		 71.9
(2.83)		 42.6
(1.68)		 1,363.9
(53.69)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 6.5 7.3 10.7 9.2 10.1 12.1 11.9 8.5 10.2 8.8 6.9 6.3 108.5
Mean monthly sunshine hours 123.5 117.2 143.9 171.0 175.6 135.1 152.7 188.8 136.7 143.9 132.6 135.9 1,756.9
Source 1: Japan Meteorological Agency [1]
Source 2: Japan Meteorological Agency[2]

History

The area around the modern city of Iga corresponds to a portion of ancient Iga Province. The area was noted in the Sengoku period as one of the centers for ninjutsu. The town developed in the Edo period under the Tokugawa Shogunate as a castle town under Iga Ueno Castle. Iga is known as the birthplace of the haiku poet Matsuo Bashō and the home of the ninja Hattori Hanzō.

Iga is also known as a center for Kumihimo, a traditional braiding art, with several artisans still in activity.

The city of Ueno was founded on September 10, 1941. It was renamed Iga on November 1, 2004 following a merger with the towns of Iga (former) and Ayama, the villages of Shimagahara and Ōyamada (all from Ayama District); and the town of Aoyama (from Naga District).

Transportation

Railway

Highway

Education

International schools:

Local attractions

Two of Iga's main tourist attractions are the Iga Ueno Castle and the Iga-ryū Ninja Museum (the area around the city being the historical home of the famous Iga Ninja). There is also an annual Iga Ueno Ninja Festa ninja festival (April 1 to May 6).

Other not so well known attractions include:

  • Otogitoge Pass is one pass that Tokugawa Ieyasu passed over as he hurriedly crossed Iga to return to Okazaki, helped along by the people of Iga and Koka, during the Honnoji War.
  • Momochi Fortress is the fortress of Momochi Tanbanomikami, who is said to be one of the three great ninja, and nearby is Seiunzenji, where his grave is located.
  • Sainenji Temple is a Jodoshu (Pure Land) temple and is the burial place of Fujibayashi Samujiyasutake, the author of one of the great books of ninjutsu, "Bansenshukai".
  • Fujiwara no Chikata Kutsu is the castle of Fujiwara no Chikata who appears in the Taiheiki, or Records of Great Peace.
  • A statue of Sonic the Hedgehog which was erected in the 1990s for a Sega World location in Kadoma. The statue's owner passed away, but is now owned by their children. It was deteriorating until 2020, when the owners finally restored it.

International relations

Notable people from Iga

See also

References
  1. 平年値（年・月ごとの値） (in Japanese). Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
  2. 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値） (in Japanese). (1981–2010). Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  3. "Escolas Brasileiras Homologadas no Japão" (Archive). Embassy of Brazil in Tokyo. Retrieved on October 13, 2015.
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