Uchinada, Ishikawa

Uchinada (内灘町, Uchinada-machi) is a town located in Kahoku District, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 28 February 2018, the town had an estimated population of 26,811 in 10783 households, and a population density of 1300 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the town was 20.33 square kilometres (7.85 sq mi).

Uchinada

内灘町
Town
Uchinada Town Hall
Flag
Seal
Location of Uchinada in Ishikawa Prefecture
Uchinada
Location of Uchinada in Ishikawa Prefecture
Coordinates: 36°39′12.7″N 136°38′43.6″E
CountryJapan
RegionChūbu
Hokuriku
PrefectureIshikawa Prefecture
DistrictKahoku
Government
 • MayorKatsunori Kawaguchi
Area
 • Total20.33 km2 (7.85 sq mi)
Elevation
20 m (70 ft)
Population
 (February 28, 2018)
 • Total26,811
 • Density1,300/km2 (3,400/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Town symbols 
• TreeJapanese black pine
• FlowerJapanese rose
• BirdEastern marsh harrier
Phone number076-286-1111
Address1-2-1 Daigaku, Uchinada-machi, Kahoku-gun, Ishikawa-ken 920-0292 =
WebsiteOfficial website
Uchinada Dunes

Geography

Uchinada is located near the middle of Ishikawa Prefecture, bordered by the Sea of Japan to the west, the city of Kanazawa to the south and the city of Kahoku to the north. Uchinada sits in a typical seaside sand-dune environment, lacking any major mountains or rivers, with an average elevation of 20 meters. The highest point of elevation reaches 58.51 meters, with a dynamic landscape formed by the constant forming and reforming of sand dunes, both new and old. It is a suburb of Kanazawa, the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture. The town has a humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Uchinada is 14.3 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2534 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.9 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.2 °C.[2]

Neighbouring municipalities

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Uchinada has grown rapidly over the past 40 years. Tsubata's total population increase and population growth rate were the highest in the prefecture per the year 2000 census.

Census Year Population
1970 10,890
1980 20,814
1990 24,688
2000 26,560
2010 26,927

History

Remains of earthenware pots found in the sand dunes of Uchinada reveal the existence of humans living in the area since the Jōmon period. The area around Uchinada was mostly part of ancient Kaga Province. The area became part of Kaga Domain under the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate. Following the Meiji restoration, the area was organised into Kahoku District, Ishikawa. The village of Uchinada was founded on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. It was rated to town status on January 1, 1952.

Uchinada became the center of the first large-scale protest movement against one of the US military bases that remained in Japan even after the end of the US Military Occupation of Japan.[4] The movement arose in protest against the construction of an artillery range to train United States Army units during the Korean War.[5] Nationwide sympathy was aroused by the perceived danger to the natural ecosystem of the Uchinada sand dunes.[6] Activists from around Japan joined the protests, and the "Uchinada Incident" helped launch a nationwide anti-base movement.[6][5] Ultimately, the protest movement, which lasted from 1952 to 1953, failed to stop the opening of the range.[4][5] The artillery range opened in March 1953, and was turned over to the Japanese government in 1957.[5]

Economy

Commercial fishing was formerly a mainstay of the local economy, followed by the industrial fiber industry, and agriculture. The town is increasingly a bedroom community for Kanazawa.

Education

Uchinada has six public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government as of April 2018.[7] The town has one public high school operated by the Ishikawa Prefectural Board of Education. Kanazawa Medical University is also located in Uchinada.

Transportation

Railway

Hokuriku Railroad - Ishikawa Line

Highway

Sister city relations
Haboro, Hokkaido
Wujiang District, Suzhou, China

Local attractions
  • Uchinada Multipurpose Park

Events
  • World Kite Festival: Uchinada is internationally known for its World Kite Festival which occurs annually on May 3 and 4. People from around Japan and the world gather on the shores of Uchinada's beaches every year to fly kites during this festival.
  • Acacia Romantic Festival: This festival occurs every year in mid-May when the blossoms from the false acacia trees shielding the town from sand and wind are in full bloom. It consists of a flea market on the 2.1 km Forest Promenade in the morning and a series of performances by various associations in the town at the nearby Hamanasu Dinosaur Park starting at noon.

References
  1. Official statistics home page
  2. Uchinada climate data
  3. Uchinada population statistics
  4. Kapur, Nick (2018). Japan at the Crossroads: Conflict and Compromise after Anpo. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 14. ISBN 9780674988484.
  5. Campbell, Allen; Nobel, David S (1993). Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Kodansha. p. 1640. ISBN 406205938X.
  6. Kapur, Nick (2018). Japan at the Crossroads: Conflict and Compromise after Anpo. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. pp. 14–15. ISBN 9780674988484.
  7. "役場・施設 - 内灘町公式ウェブサイト". Uchinada town official website. 2018-04-12. Retrieved 2018-04-20.
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