Yonago, Tottori
|
|
Yonago (米子市; -shi) is a city located in the northwest of Tottori, Japan, facing the Sea of Japan, and adjacent to Shimane. It is the prefecture's second largest city after Tottori and therefore a commercial center of the western part of this prefecture.
As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 140,220 and a density of 1,317.73 persons per km². The total area is 106.41 km². The current city was administratively founded on April 1, 1927.
The name 'Yonago' means 'Rice Child', though since the city has begun to develop into a trade center of note, it has acquired the nickname Osaka in San-in.
The Amago family, the daimyo in the Sengoku period, constructed a castle in the area. In the Edo period, the castle was kept by a castellan who served the Ikeda of Tottori.
Yonago has always been an important crossing point of several routes in the area. Currently, it is the crosspoint of three railway lines and has a seaport to the Oki Islands. 'Yonago Airport', located in a neighboring city, Sakaiminato, serves the area.
External links
- Official website (http://www.yonago-city.jp/) in Japanese