Fujioka City Guide Book 2019

Meet smiling people Feel happiness

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NIHONKAI TOHOKU

Yamagata

Living ＋ Fujioka of Niigatahigashi

EXPWY Airport Convenient transport network Niigata BAN-ETSU EXPWY connects people

Fujioka Nagaoka Koriyama Tohoku Tohoku

KAN-ETSU EXPWY TOHOKU Iwaki Jyoetsu EXPWY

Jyoetsu Shinkansen JOBAN EXPWY JOBAN HOKURIKU EXPWY

Kana Profile zawa

Situated in the southwest part of Gunma Prefecture, KITA-KANTO Fujioka City is a place of great natural beauty, blessed with EXPWY

greenery and clear streams. This historical city has many EXPWY HOKURIKU Koshoku JCT Fuji Port of Ibaraki remains of dwellings from the Stone Age and historical JOSHIN-ETSU EXPWY oka Okaya JCT sites from the Kofun Period. In the Muromachi Period, Hirai Castle was built by Norizane Uesugi who held the CHUO EXPWY KEN-O EXPWY position of Kanto Kanrei. The area flourished as a trading Maibara JCT Fujioka City is surrounded by Narita hub for Hino Silk in the Period, and after the Airport

a rich natural environment, CHUO EXPWY Restoration, was developed as a leading region in the silk Approximately 50 minutes Yoko hama including seasonal flowers such farming industry. In 1954, one town and four villages were Fujioka Interchange/Michi-no-Eki Laran Fujioka by train from Tokyo TOMEI EXPWY as Japanese wisteria and winter MEISHIN EXPWY merged and reorganized as a municipality, then in January SHIN-TOMEI EXPWY cherry blossoms, and mountains 2006, the city absorbed Onishi Town to become the present Shin Shizu - Tokaido Shinkansen Port of with abundant greenery and clear Fujioka City. oka streams that enclose the city on Expressway network runs in all TOMEI E three sides. At the same time, directions XPWY approximately 90 km from Tokyo, FUJIOKA Gateway to Gunma the city has an expressway network transport hub, and has also passed Fujioka City, serving as a gateway to Gunma, is located at the point where the Kan-etsu down the historical and cultural Expressway and the Joshin-etsu Expressway intersect. The excellent traffic network allows you traditions cultivated over the GUNMA to reach Tokyo in an hour or so, and also to travel from the Chubu area, Kinki area, and Tohoku Masahiro Arai, years. Making the most of these area rapidly. In addition, Takasaki Station where the Shinkansen stops and the international circumstances and characteristics, convention hall “G Messe Gunma” are about a 15-minute drive. Making the most of this the Mayor of Fujioka City we are proactively working on excellent accessibility, we are working on attracting businesses. attracting businesses and promoting tourism. Sanbogi Industrial Park

Hakui City in Ishikawa Prefecture, Jiangyin in China, and Regina in Canada Expanding exchanges Fujioka City is building ties with both domestic and international cities and cultivating exchanges with them. Sister city/Friendship city The circles of these exchanges are expanding into many different areas including education, culture, sport and industry.

Sister city

Hakui City, Ishikawa Prefecture

In connection with the fact that both cities Starting with the young cherry have a sumo ring which is counted as one of Michi-no-Eki Laran Fujioka blossom trees that Japan Japan’s three major sumo rings, Fujioka City presented to China in 1987, established a sister city relationship with Hakui Michi-no-Eki Laran Fujioka adjoining Fujioka Interchange is a popular spot which is at the top Jiangyin presented wisteria City in 1986. Since then, the two cities have had of the favorite Michi-no-Eki rankings in the Kanto region. It also has a bus terminal with an grafts to Fujioka City in1993, extensive exchanges in many different fields express bus service to Narita Airport and Haneda Airport. Fujioka Interchange West Industrial Park which started our exchanges. including administration, economy, education, Exchanges between residents culture and sport. of both cities have also been more active, resulting in the Exchange city conclusion of a Friendship City Agreement in 2000. Regina, Canada

CANADA We have sent junior high school Friendship city students from the city to Regina, Regina Jiangyin, China and have hosted the junior high school students of Regina since 1991. We are striving to develop internationalized personnel through these mutual exchange programs. Hakui Approximately minutes CHINA Fujioka Approximately minutes Approximately minutes 8 JAPAN 15 15 from the Museum of Modern Art Jiangyin from Takasaki Station from G Messe Gunma (Gunma-no-Mori Park) 2 3 Living ＋ Fujioka Raising your children in your community Safe and comfortable living in Fujioka Childcare Childcare support in the hope of healthy growing children

Develop specific academic In Fujioka City, we are promoting the achievements, healthy creation of a good environment in which Education our residents can have children and raise bodies and rich spirits them with peace of mind, where children can grow up soundly, and we are working on developing a framework for childcare With the slogan of “Developing children who support that the community will conduct in are full of smiles, motivation, and hope,” we an integrated manner. promote school education aimed at molding the children’s personalities so that knowledge, virtue and the body are harmonized. “Educational continuity from elementary through to the junior high levels” shares the same image of children that elementary and junior high schools in the same junior high school district are aiming for, and the same educational goals. Then, through a nine-year Fujioka Chuo Children’s Center continuous educational curriculum, we strive We offer a variety of programs that parents and for continuous learning and continuity of Parents’ classes children can all enjoy, such as reading to children. student guidance, and pursue improvements We are implementing our parents’ class Classrooms with air conditioners installed in academic achievements. “Community program so that moms and dads can Air conditioners are installed in all elementary schools and junior high start raising their children together. School” promotes the making of schools schools in the city. through collaboration between schools, parents/ guardians, local residents, and so forth, such as using the community as a resource for learning A city where people can to improve the quality of education. Medical care live meaningful lives and health care with spiritual riches

In order to extend the healthy life expectancy of residents, we are working on improving the environment so that residents Learning about can raise their awareness of “protecting their own health,” and Takayama-sha Silk strive to maintain their own health. Farming School Silk Farming, a traditional industry in Fujioka City, and the history of the World Cultural Heritage “The Site of Takayama-sha” are handed down to the Lessons that let children know the pleasure of learning students, who learn about We focus on developing lessons that incorporate both proactive and them systematically. cooperative learning for the children.

Ground golf Lifetime sports are flourishing along with ways to promote health such as ground golf.

Fujioka General Hospital (pictured above) National Health Insurance Onishi Hospital (pictured below) Soccer tournament of junior Greeting campaign Gunma University of Health high school students and Welfare Centering on Fujioka General Hospital and National Health Insurance Onishi Hospital Strength training class It’s a part of community school activities. which offer quality medical care services, we strive to collaborate with medical institutions In addition to the soccer tournament, we The city is home to the Fujioka Campus for Gymnastics training class for the purpose of preventing bone fractures due to Local residents and junior high school in the city. also hold tournaments in other sports such students greet the children who come the Faculty of Nursing of Gunma University falls and improving muscular strength. as softball, basketball and soft tennis. to elementary school, saying “Good of Health and Welfare, which was founded morning” and giving them high fives. as the first university in the city. 4 5 Scenic beauty ＋ Fujioka History ＋ Fujioka Nature of Fujioka World Cultural Heritage Site of Takayama-sha In Fujioka City, the mountainous areas, such as Akagunayama in the southwest and Mikaboyama, account “The Site of Takayama-sha” is one of the properties for about 70% of the city area. The city is embraced by that make up the “Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Sites” the mountains of Nishijoshu, where unspoiled nature which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This is remains with a wealth of clear running streams. There are the birthplace of an educational institution where the silk many famous spots for beautiful flowers in the city, with farming method “Seioniku” was taught, established by Japanese wisteria and winter cherry blossoms representing Chogoro Takayama. At Takayama-sha, students came Fujioka. Every year, a lot of people visit “Fuji no Saku from all over the country to fairly and impartially learn Oka” where they can enjoy the wisteria that blooms as if “Seioniku,” with affordable tuition, and these excellent showering down on them, and “Sakurayama Park,” where graduates were then sent all over the country to provide winter cherry blossoms bloom twice a year in winter and instruction as “instructors.” Before long, Seioniku had spring. become the standard method of silk farming in modern Japan.

History ＋ Fujioka Festivals in Fujioka

Fujioka Specialties

Due to its mild climate, fruit cultivation is flourishing in Fujioka City, with “Yayoi Hime” strawberries, “Fujimusume tomatoes,” “Fuyuzakura apples,” and pears. In the area around Sakurayama Onishi Summer Festival Fujioka Festival where the winter cherry blossoms bloom, there are many mikan (mandarin orange) farms where you This historical summer festival began in the late A participatory summer festival, where Miya Mikoshi Togyo (a can experience picking mikan oranges. You can also as a Gion festival. With distinctive musical accompaniment parade of portable shrines) taken over from the historical Gion pick blueberries in the city. In addition, Fujioka City from the districts, five floats go around the town while playing festivals of Suwa Shrine and Fujisengen Shrine, a residents’ parade, is one of Japan’s leading areas of cymbidium (boat flutes or beating drums. The biggest highlights are “Running up a big march with dancing, and portable shrines for children are all orchid) production. We have many other specialties, Nittazaka” where all the floats are pulled up the slope at once, held. Particularly, the march of the Gion floats, where 13 floats are such as Fujioka Tiles and locally brewed sake. and “Yoriai” where the five floats get together to perform random marching along with the playing festival music, and the adult floats pounding on the drums. with their cheering shouts are the most exciting moments of the festival.

6 7 Fujioka according to the data

◆ Location ◆ Industrial population (October 1, 2015) Area 180.29㎢ Primary industry workers 1,440 Longitude/Latitude 139° 4’ 41” E, 36° 15’ 19” N Secondary industry workers 11,696 Above sea level Highest level 1,522.3 m / Lowest level 57.3 m Tertiary industry workers 19,221

◆ Temperature (2017) ◆ Agriculture (February 1, 2015) Temperature Lowest -5°C / Highest 36°C Total number of farming households 1,798 Average humidity 69.6 % Farming population 1,346 Annual precipitation 1,130 mm Area of farmland 1,066.9 ha

◆ Population (April 1, 2018) ◆ Industry (June 1, 2016) Number of households 27,261 Number of factories 244 Population 65,984 Number of employees 9,257 Population density 366 people per square kilometer Value of product shipments 246,576.77 million yen

◆ Increase or decrease of population (March 31, 2018) ◆ Commerce (June 1, 2016) Moving-in population 1,829 Number of shops 580 Moving-out population 1,899 Number of employees 3,693 Number of non-Japanese 696 Annual product sales 885.36 million yen

Major Public Facilities

Main Building of Fujioka City Hall Onishi General Branch Office Fujioka History Museum Mikabo Miraikan Mizutopia Fujioka (cultural complex facility) (public swimming pool)

Integrated Learning Center Onishi Multi-purpose Hall Civic Hall Koshinyama General Park Fujioka General Sports Park

City symbol

City Emblems City Tree City Tree City Tree City Flower City Flower City Flowers Cedar Fragrant olive Camphor tree Wisteria Salvia Winter cherry blossoms

2019 Outline of Fujioka City Administration Issued in March 2019 Planning and Editing Fujioka City Government 〒375-8601 327 Nakakurisu, Fujioka City, Gunma TEL 0274-22-1211 FAX 0274-24-3252 URL https://www.city.fujioka.gunma.jp