Numata, Gunma

Numata 沼田市
City
Numata city hall Numata city hall
Flag of Numata Flag Official seal of Numata Seal
Location of Numata in Gunma Prefecture Location of Numata in Gunma Prefecture
Numata
Coordinates:
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Gunma Prefecture
Area
• Total	443.46 km2 (171.22 sq mi)
Population (February 2015)
• Total	48,840
• Density	110/km2 (300/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
- Tree	Sakura
- Flower	Chinese bellflower
Phone number	0278-23-2111
Address	Nishikurauchi-machi 780, Numata-shi, Gunma-ken 378-8501
Website	Official website

Numata (沼田市, Numata-shi) is a city located in northern Gunma Prefecture in the northern Kantō region of Japan. As of February 2015, the city had an estimated population of 48,840 and a population density of 110 persons per km². Its total area was 443.46 km², making it the largest city in terms of area within Gunma Prefecture. (The neighboring town of Minakami is the largest municipality in terms of area within Gunma.)

File:Numata-area-aug12-2014.jpg

View of Numata, 2014

Geography

Numata is located in northern of Gunma Prefecture.

• Mountains: Kesamaruyama (1961m), Mount Akagi (1828m)
• Rivers: Tone River, Katashina River

Surrounding municipalities

• Gunma Prefecture
  • Kiryū
  • Shibukawa
  • Maebashi
  • Midori
  • Minakami
  • Katashina
  • Kawaba
  • Shōwa
  • Takayama
• Tochigi Prefecture
  • Nikkō

History

Numata developed during the Sengoku period as a castle town surrounding Numata Castle, a stronghold in Kōzuke Province contested by the Uesugi, Takeda, Late Hōjō and Sanada clans. During the Edo period, the area of present-day Numata was the center of the Numata Domain, a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate.

Modern Numata Town was created within Tone District, Gunma Prefecture on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the municipalities system after the Meiji Restoration. On March 1, 1954, Numata merged with neighboring Tonami, Ikeda, Usune and Kawada villages, and was raised to city status. On February 13 2005 the villages of Shirasawa and Tone were incorporated into Numata.

Economy

Numata is a regional commercial center and transportation hub, but was traditionally known for lumber production.

Education

Elementary schools

• Numata Elementary School
• Numata Higashi Elementary School
• Numata Kita Elementary School
• Masugata Elementary School
• Tonami Higashi Elementary School
• Ikeda Elementary School
• Usune Elementary School
• Kawada Elementary School
• Shirasawa Elementary School
• Tone Azuma Elementary School
• Hiragawa Elementary School
• Tone Nishi Elementary School
• Tana Elementary School

Middle schools

• Numata Middle School
• Numata Minami Middle School
• Numata Nishi Middle School
• Numata Higashi Middle School
• Ikeda Middle School
• Usune Middle School
• Shirasawa Middle School
• Tone Middle School
• Tana Middle School

High schools

• Numata High School
• Numata Girls' High School
• Tone Jitsu High School
• Oze High School

Transportation

Railway

• JR East – Jōetsu Line
  • Numata - Iwamoto

Highway

• Kan-Etsu Expressway – Numata IC
• Japan National Route 17
• Japan National Route 120
• Japan National Route 145
• Japan National Route 291

Local attractions

• Site of Numata Castle
• Fukiware Falls
• Oigami Onsen
• Tambara Ski Park
• Tamahara Dam

Sister-city relations

• Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan, since May 1966
• Füssen, Bavaria, Germany since September 1995

Noted people from Numata

• Koji Omi – politician
• Tochiakagi Takanori – sumo wrestler

External links

Media related to at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website (Japanese)