Itō, Shizuoka

Coordinates: 34°57′56.6″N 139°06′6.7″E / 34.965722°N 139.101861°E / 34.965722; 139.101861
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Itō
伊東市
Aerial View of Itō
Aerial View of Itō
Blue Rock-thrush
Phone number0557-36-0111
Address2-1-1 Ōhara, Ito-shi, Shizuoka-ken 414-8555
WebsiteOfficial website
View of Itō, 2022
Itō City Hall
onsen(Toukaikan)

Itō (伊東市, Itō-shi) is a city located on the eastern shore of the Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 August 2023, the city had an estimated population of 63,343 [1] and a population density of 510 persons per km². The total area was 124.13 square kilometres (47.93 sq mi).

Geography

Cherry trees street at Izu-kogen

Itō is located in eastern Shizuoka Prefecture, on the northeast corner of Izu Peninsula, facing Sagami Bay on the Pacific Ocean. The landscape is hilly, and the heavily indented coastline is scenic. Much of the coastal area of the city is within the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, and due to this, the city is noted for its onsen hot springs with many hotels and resorts. It is located within the Izu-Tobu volcanic zone. Due to its proximity to the Tokyo metropolis and ease of transportation, it has been noted as the most visited national park in all Japan.

Surrounding municipalities

Shizuoka Prefecture

  • Atami
  • Izu
  • Izunokuni
  • Higashiizu

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[2] the population of Itō peaked in around the year 2000.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1940 33,884—    
1950 48,533+43.2%
1960 54,564+12.4%
1970 63,003+15.5%
1980 69,638+10.5%
1990 71,223+2.3%
2000 71,720+0.7%
2023 63,343−11.7%

Climate

The city has a climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild winters (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Itō is 14.8 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2200 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.1 °C, and lowest in January, at around 5.3 °C.[3]

History

During the

Meiji period in 1889, and was transferred to Tagata District
in 1896.

On January 1, 1906 the village of Itō was elevated to town status. The

1923 Great Kanto earthquake caused damage in Itō with a 5 meter high tsunami. Train services started in 1938. It annexed neighboring Komuro Village on August 10, 1947 and became the city of Itō. In 1950 Itō was proclaimed an "International Tourism and Cultural City" by the central government. It further expanded through annexation of neighboring Tsushima and Usami villages on April 1, 1955. Izu-Kōgen Station
Opened on December 10, 1961 which helped promote the local resort area.

Government

Itō has a

unicameral
city legislature of 20 members. The city contributes one member to the Shizuoka Prefectural Assembly.

Economy

Itō is one of the well known hot spring resort towns near the greater Tokyo metropolis, one of the best three in all of Japan, thus tourism is the mainstay of the economy. Commercial fishing and the production of stockfish form a secondary economy. Itō has a fishing commercial harbour as well as the popular Michi no Eki Itō Marine Town rest area with a yacht harbour, along the coast along Road 135.

Education

Itō has ten public elementary schools and five public middle schools operated by the city government and two public high schools operated by the Shizuoka Prefectural Board of Education. In addition, the prefecture also operates one special education school for the disabled.

Transportation

Railway

Highways

Sister city relations

Local attractions

  • Itō Onsen
  • Usami Onsen
  • Akazawa Onsen
  • Jōgasaki Coast
  • Mount Ōmuro

Notable people from Itō

Itō in media

References

  1. ^ Itō City official statistics (in Japanese)
  2. ^ Itō population statistics
  3. ^ Itō climate data
  4. ^ a b "International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Archived from the original on 13 January 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2015.

External links

Media related to Itō, Shizuoka at Wikimedia Commons