Nishinomiya, Hyogo

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Nishinomiya (西宮市; Nishinomiya-shi) is a city located in Hyōgo, Japan, between the cities of Ōsaka and Kōbe. On April 1 2005, the city of Nishinomiya celebrated its 80th anniversary. It is best known as the home of Kōshien Stadium, where the Hanshin Tigers baseball team plays home games and where Japan's annual high school baseball championship is held. It is also the location of Kwansei Gakuin University, a private university founded by American missionaries in the nineteenth century. Nishinomiya is an important commercial and shipping city in the Kansai region with the third largest population in Hyōgo Prefecture.

Contents

1 Topography
2 The history of the city
3 Industry
4 Agriculture
5 Universities and Colleges
6 Culture
7 Sister city and Friendship Cities
8 Special products
9 External links

Topography

Nishinomiya City is located in the south-east of Hyōgo Prefecture between the cities of Kobe and Osaka. It is bordered by Osaka Bay to the south, the cities of Amagasaki, Itami and Takarazuka along the Mukogawa and Nigawa rivers to the east and by a part of the Rokko Mountains and Kobe City to the north. The city can be divided into two areas: a mountainous area in the north and a coastal plain in the south. Situated in the middle is Kabutoyama (309 meters), a landmark of the city.

The history of the city

April 1 1924 - Opening of Kōshien Stadium
April 1925 - Nishinomiya Town became a municipal organization.
April 1933 - City merged with Imazu Town, Shiba Village and Taisha Village.
February 1941 - City merged with Koto Village.
May 1942 - City merged with Kawaragi Village.
April 1951 - City merged with Naruo Village, Yamaguchi Village, and Shiose Village.
January 17 1995 - Great Hanshin earthquake disaster. Nishinomiya City received widespread damage.

Industry

Based on the shipping volume, Nishinomiya ranks eighth in Hyōgo Prefecture as of 2001, with food processing industries making up 78.1% of the total. Of this percentage, sake production accounts for 24.3%. In order to promote small and middle-size businesses and to improve the living environment in area where houses stand next to factories, the city conducted a collective relocation program of industrial facilities to Naruo-hama and Nishinomiya-hama reclaimed lands. In general local industries face difficulties due to the damage caused by the Great Hanshin earthquake and the present economic recession. The number of business establishments, employees and the shipping volume of local industry is decreasing.

Kōshien Stadium (in 1992)

Agriculture

Since most of the farmland is located within the urban district. Nishinomiya agriculture is in a difficult situation and it worsens every year. Currently, efforts are being made to improve farming in order to make it profitable by growing such marketable products as soft vegetables for the big markets of Osaka and Kobe. Other efforts include effective land use by growing crops in greenhouses using hydroponic techniques and development of techniques for safe products.

Universities and Colleges

Private Universities and Colleges

Kwansei Gakuin University
Otemae University
Kobe College(Women's university)
Seiwa College and Junior College
Hyogo College Of Medicine
Mukogawa Women's University and Junior College
Shukugawa Gakuin Junior College
Koshien Junior College

Culture

Hyogo Performing Arts Center
Hirota Jinja

Sister city and Friendship Cities

Sister City
*Spokane (U.S.A, Washington)

Friendship Cities
*Londrina (Brazil, Paraná)
*Shaoxing (China, Zhejiang)
*District of Lot-et-Garonne and Agen (France, Aquitaine)
*Naze (Japan, Kagoshima)
*Yusuhara (Japan, Kochi)

Special products

Sake - Japanese Rice Wine
Najio Japanese Paper
Bamboo Crafts
Japanese Candles

External links

Hyogo Prefecture

Cities

Districts

See also: Towns and villages by district

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