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37-448: Shimizu-ku was created on April 1, 2005, when Shizuoka became a city designated by government ordinance (a "designated city"). Its area is almost identical to former Shimizu city, which merged with Shizuoka city on April 1, 2003. Shizuoka annexed the town of Kanbara from Ihara District on March 31, 2006, and the town of Yui on November 1, 2008, adding these former municipalities to Shimizu-ku. Since ancient times, Shimizu thrived as

74-640: A designated city ( 指定都市 , shitei toshi ) or government ordinance city ( 政令市 , seirei shi ) , is a Japanese city that has a population greater than 500,000 and has been designated as such by order of the Cabinet of Japan under Article 252, Section 19, of the Local Autonomy Law . Designated cities are delegated many of the functions normally performed by prefectural governments in fields such as public education, social welfare, sanitation, business licensing, and urban planning. The city government

111-635: A landfill between 1957 and 1967 to dispose of the large quantities of garbage from the Tokyo Metropolitan Area. The reclaimed land now hosts Yumenoshima Park with numerous recreational facilities. Hakkei Island (0.24 km (0.093 sq mi)), formerly Landfill Number 14, was constructed in 1985 and is home to Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise . Other artificial islands include Heiwa , Katsushima , Shōwa , Keihin , and Higashiōgi islands. Numerous rivers empty into Tokyo Bay, and all provide water for residential and industrial areas along

148-409: A candidate for designated city status, a city must have a population greater than 500,000. An application for designation is made by a city with the approval of both the city and the prefectural assemblies. The following cities have populations greater than 500,000 but have not yet been nominated. The first form of the designated city system was enacted under Japan local government system in 1878 with

185-771: A harbor town due to its good natural harbor. In addition, five post stations of Tōkaidō were located in Shimizu: ( Kanbara-juku , Okitsu-juku , Ejiri-juku , and Yui-shuku , all of which brought prosperity to the area during the Edo period . After the Meiji Restoration , an Imperial decree in July 1899 established Shimizu as an open port for trading with the United States and the United Kingdom . Shimizu became an international trade port for

222-475: A modal shift of freight trucks from road to sea, thereby contributing to decreasing congestion and pollution on roads. Shimizu is famous as one of the top cities in Japan where football is quite popular. It is well known as the home town of a J.League team, Shimizu S-Pulse . An earlier club, Hagoromo Club (which spun off its parent company Nippon Light Metal) represented Shimizu in the old Japan Soccer League in

259-537: A prefecture in 1943) as special cities ( 特別市 , tokubetsu shi ) . The system was replaced by the designated city system when the Local Autonomy Law was amended, in 1956. During the ensuing Japanese economic growth period, the government required designated cities to be forecast to reach a population of one million within the near future, but the requirement was dropped in 2005 to accommodate several geographically large cities that were formed by mergers, under

296-545: A source of shellfish , and other aquaculture . These industries decreased with the industrialization of the Tokyo Bay region early in the 20th century, and almost completely ceased with the construction of the Keihin and Keiyō industrial zones directly after World War II . A number of Japan's most important ports are located in Tokyo Bay. The Port of Yokohama , the Port of Chiba ,

333-535: Is 16.7 °C (62.1 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,380.6 mm (93.72 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.1 °C (80.8 °F), and lowest in January, at around 6.7 °C (44.1 °F). Shimizu was introduced in a Japanese school textbook of geography as a city with all three industries: agriculture, heavy industry and commerce. Shimizu

370-445: Is about balanced, with over 250,000 TEU (Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit) in each direction, with auto parts and chemicals amongst the main cargo types. Major international container lines provide weekly services on major trade routes, including North America, Europe and Asia, with about 110 calls per months on 28 trade routes. The port of Shimizu also includes a terminal to receive LNG tankers and store imported Liquefied natural gas ; it

407-440: Is generally delegated the various minor administrative functions in each area, and the prefectural government retains authority over major decisions. For instance, pharmaceutical retailers and small clinics can be licensed by designated city governments, but pharmacies and hospitals are licensed by prefectural governments. Designated cities are also required to subdivide themselves into wards ( 区 , ku ) (broadly equivalent to

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444-487: Is known for producing Japanese mandarin oranges, and green tea in the mountainous area and around the Nihondaira . Shimizu Port is a major commercial fishing port. Production of roses used to be the highest in Japan. The waterfront area was formerly an industrial area and there were shipyards, iron works, and numerous canneries. Most of the heavy industry has been replaced by commercial venues. At Shimizu Station ,

481-409: Is operated by Shimizu LNG, a subsidiary of Shizuoka Gas (Japan is the world's largest importer of LNG ). The Port of Shimizu is also connected to other Japan ports. In particular, it is served by a Roll-on/roll-off service serving the port of Ōita , on the north-east coast of the southern island of Kyushu . This service, which sails three times a week and has a transit time of 20 hours, has enabled

518-603: Is rigorously sorted at the household, much of it is turned into ash and further recycled into bay landfill. The Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line bridge-tunnel crosses Tokyo Bay between Kawasaki and Kisarazu; Tokyo-Wan Ferry also crosses the bay toward the Uraga Channel between Kurihama (in Yokosuka) and Kanaya (in Futtsu on the Chiba side). Tokyo Bay was a historical center of the fishing industry,

555-710: Is well located, being in between the two major port areas of Japan, i.e. the Tokyo Bay ports of Tokyo, Kawasaki and Yokohama ( Keihin ports ) and the Osaka Bay ports of Osaka and Kobe ( Hanshin ports . The Port of Shimizu has a water depth of about 12 meters; its attractiveness has been enhanced over the past years by the construction of new road and rail links which contribute to expanding its commercial hinterland. In tonnage, imports (about 6.5 million tons) are close to twice export volumes, but in trade value exports are twice as valuable as imports. The Port of Shimizu container traffic

592-670: The Bōsō Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture to the east and the Miura Peninsula in Kanagawa Prefecture to the west. The shore of Tokyo Bay consists of a diluvial plateau and is subject to rapid marine erosion . Sediments on the shore of the bay make for a smooth, continuous shoreline. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line from Cape Kannon on the west of Miura Peninsula to Cape Futtsu on

629-840: The Port of Tokyo , the Port of Kawasaki, the Port of Yokosuka , the Port of Kisarazu , rank not only as the busiest ports in Japan, but also in the Asia-Pacific Region . Industrial zones on Tokyo Bay were developed as early as the Meiji era (1868–1912). The Keihin Industrial Zone was built on reclaimed land in Kanagawa Prefecture to the west of Tokyo. This was expanded to the Keiyō Industrial Zone in Chiba Prefecture along

666-505: The Uraga Channel covers 1,500 km (580 sq mi). The shoal between Cape Futtsu in Chiba Prefecture and Cape Honmaku in Yokohama is known as Nakanose , and has a depth of 20 m (66 ft). North of this area the bay has a depth of 40 m (130 ft) and an uncomplicated underwater topography . Areas south of Nakanose are significantly deeper moving towards

703-402: The boroughs of London or the boroughs of New York City ), each of which has a ward office conducting various administrative functions for the city government, such as koseki and juminhyo resident registration and tax collection. In some cities, ward offices are responsible for business licensing, construction permits, and other administrative matters. The structure and the authorities of

740-470: The "Shimizu Ekimae Ginza" shopping area used to be the city center of Shimizu. However, there are no longer any department stores . The Seiyu that remained near the station closed in March 2015. Since many large suburban shopping centers have been expanding, the shopping area downtown is not as lively as it used to be. Lately, department stores like Nagasaki-ya , Marui , Seifu and Daiei have closed, one after

777-528: The 1970s. The local elementary schools and junior high schools equip fields with night lighting for soccer and Shimizu has maintained this infrastructure for a long time. Since 1987, the national soccer competition “ Shimizu Cup ” for boys and girls has been held in August. A famous son of the city is Japan youth international and Celtic footballer, Koki Mizuno . City designated by government ordinance A city designated by government ordinance ( 政令指定都市 , seirei shitei toshi ) , also known as

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814-624: The Japanese knew Tokyo Bay as the uchi-umi ( 内海 ) , which means "inner sea" . By the Azuchi–Momoyama period (1568–1600) the area had become known as Edo Bay ( 江戸湾 , Edo-wan ) after the city of Edo . The bay took its present name in modern times, after the Imperial court moved to Edo and renamed the city Tokyo in 1868. Tokyo Bay juts prominently into the Kantō Plain . It is surrounded by

851-573: The Pacific Ocean. The only natural island in Tokyo Bay is Sarushima (0.055 km (0.021 sq mi)) at Yokosuka , Kanagawa Prefecture. Sarushima was one of the locations fortified with coastal artillery during the Bakumatsu period and was subsequently incorporated into the Tokyo Bay Fortress during the Meiji period . The Imperial Japanese Navy maintained a degaussing station on

888-481: The bay. The Tama and Sumida rivers empty into the bay at Tokyo. The Edo River empties into Tokyo Bay between Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture. The Obitsu and Yōrō rivers empty into the bay in Chiba Prefecture. Land reclamation has been carried out along the coast of Tokyo Bay since the Meiji period. Areas along the shore with a depth of less than 5 m (16 ft) are simplest to carry out landfill , and sand from

925-610: The coast of Suruga Bay of the Pacific Ocean and covers a wide area from a coastal plain to the hills. The view of Mount Fuji at Shimizu as seen across the bay from the Miho no Matsubara appears in many pictures and paintings. Shizuoka Prefecture Yamanashi Prefecture The city has a climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild winters ( Köppen climate classification Cfa ). The average annual temperature in Matsuzaki

962-547: The east Bōsō Peninsula. This area covers about 922 km (356 sq mi) in 2012, reclamation projects continue to slowly shrink the bay. In a broader sense, Tokyo Bay includes the Uraga Channel. By this definition the bay opens from an area north of the straight line from Cape Tsurugisaki on the east of Miura Peninsula to Cape Sunosaki on the west of the Boso Peninsula. This area covers about 1,100 km (420 sq mi). The area of Tokyo Bay combined with

999-403: The export of green tea , as well as housing a major fishery and affiliated industries. A Japanese manga , Chibi Maruko-chan put Shimizu on the national map. This manga is written by Momoko Sakura , a native of Shimizu. Shimizu is also noted for its enthusiasm with soccer , with the local J.League professional club Shimizu S-Pulse having a strong support base. Shimizu is located on

1036-472: The floor of Tokyo Bay is used for these projects. The topography of the shoreline of Tokyo Bay differs greatly from that of the pre-modern period due to ongoing land reclamation projects. Tokyo Bay includes about 249 km (96 sq mi) of reclaimed land area in 2012. Aggregate household waste production is enormous in Greater Tokyo , there is little room for traditional garbage disposal sites; waste

1073-418: The government of Junichiro Koizumi . Tokyo Bay Tokyo Bay ( 東京湾 , Tōkyō-wan ) is a bay located in the southern Kantō region of Japan spanning the coasts of Tokyo , Kanagawa Prefecture , and Chiba Prefecture . Tokyo Bay is connected to the Pacific Ocean by the Uraga Channel . The Tokyo Bay region is the most populous and the largest industrialized area in Japan. In ancient times,

1110-469: The introduction of "wards." Under that system, wards existed in every city. Most cities had only one ward, but the largest cities at the time (Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto) were divided into 15, four, and two wards, respectively. The municipal system enacted in 1889 replaced ward assemblies with city assemblies but retained ward assemblies in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, which had no assembly of their own but were governed by

1147-486: The island until the end of World War II . The island is now uninhabited and is a marine park. Many artificial islands were built as naval fortifications in the Meiji and Taishō periods . After World War II these islands were converted to residential or recreational use. Odaiba , also known as Daiba , was one of six artificial islands constructed in 1853 as a fortification to protect the Tokugawa shogunate at Edo , and

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1184-551: The north and east coasts of Tokyo Bay after World War II . The development of the two zones has resulted in the largest industrialized area in Japan. The large-scale industrial zones of the coastal Tokyo region have caused significant air and water pollution. The Port of Yokosuka contains the naval bases of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the United States Forces Japan . Tokyo Bay

1221-506: The other. Moreover, since Shimizu merged with Shizuoka, a plan is being implemented to move fundamental functions to the area around Higashi-Shizuoka Station as the third central area of the city in addition to Shimizu and Shizuoka. Until 1984, the Shimizukō Line ran 8 km into Miho in the heart of the Shimizu peninsula. Local bus services provide many routes throughout Shimizu-ku. It

1258-429: The prefectural assembly. In 1898, the three cities were allowed to form city assemblies. The ward system was adopted by three more cities prior to World War II: Nagoya (1908), Yokohama (1927), and Kobe (1931). Under a 1911 statute, wards were granted a corporate personality and so treated as local entities. Following the war, the 1947 Local Autonomy Law grandfathered in the five subdivided cities (Tokyo having become

1295-585: The wards are determined by municipal ordinances. The 23 special wards of Tokyo are not part of this system, as Tokyo is a prefecture, and its wards are effectively independent cities. Although the two largest wards of Tokyo, Setagaya and Nerima , are populous enough to become designated cities, they are not considered to be "cities" within the meaning of the Local Autonomy Law and so are not designated as such. No city designated by government ordinance has ever lost that status. Cities designated by government ordinance have been established since 1956. To become

1332-552: Was known as the Shinagawa Daiba. After World War II Odaiba was incorporated into Tokyo and redeveloped for commercial and recreational use. Before World War II, Yumenoshima was planned as an airfield (one of the largest in the world at the time), but after the US military expansion of Haneda Airport following World War II, the plan of the airfield fell through. The island briefly opened as a public beach before being repurposed and used as

1369-539: Was the venue for the Perry Expedition , which involved two separate trips from 1853 to 1854 between the United States and Japan by Commodore Matthew Perry (1794–1858). Perry sailed on his four " Black Ships " into Edo Bay on July 8, 1853, and began negotiations with the Tokugawa shogunate that led to a peace and trade treaty between the United States and Japan in 1854. The Japanese Instrument of Surrender at

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