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Tokushima (city)

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Tokushima is a busy capital city in Japan. It sits on Shikoku island inside the Tokushima Prefecture. You can find it right where the Yoshino River meets the sea. Most of the city is built on a flat area called the Tokushima plain. However, a famous mountain named Mt. Bizan rises up in the middle of the city. This mountain is 277 meters tall and makes the view very pretty. To the south, the land changes into hilly areas filled with thick forests.

JR logo (shikoku)
JR logo (shikoku)

The city has a special way it was built long ago. It is a typical Japanese castle town. This means the streets were organized around a central castle. The weather here can be quite warm. Summers are hot and wet with lots of rain. Winters are cool and much drier than the summer months. This kind of weather is called a humid subtropical climate.

JP Expressway E11
JP Expressway E11

History tells us that this area was once called Awa Province. The city grew around Tokushima Castle. This castle was the home of a group called the Hachisuka clan. For a long time, the city became very wealthy from indigo dye. Indigo is a blue color made from plants. People also traded timber to make money. In 1889, the modern city of Tokushima was officially established. At that time, it was the 10th largest city in all of Japan.

JP Expressway E55
JP Expressway E55

Tokushima has seen many changes over the years. During World War II, the city was hit by air raids. In July 1945, many planes dropped bombs on the area. This event destroyed 74% of the buildings in the city. Sadly, over 1,000 people lost their lives during this time. Even so, the people worked hard to rebuild everything. Today, the city is a major center for many industries. These include making paper, food, and even electric power.

JR logo (shikoku)
JR logo (shikoku)

Life in Tokushima is full of interesting things to do. Many people live there, with about 245,264 residents today. Every August, the city celebrates the Awa Odori festival. This is a famous dance called the "Awa Dance." People of all ages wear traditional costumes to dance. They move to the sound of drums, strings, and singing. The city also has many places for learning, like Shikoku University. You can even visit beautiful old temples on the Shikoku Pilgrimage.

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File:JR_logo_(shikoku).svg
JR_logo_(shikoku).svg
File:JP Expressway E11.svg
JP Expressway E11.svg
File:JP Expressway E55.svg
JP Expressway E55.svg
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