Ueda, Nagano


Ueda is a city located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan., the city had an estimated population of 157,480 in 67,783 households, and a population density of 290 persons per km2. The total area of the city is, which makes it the fifth largest city in Nagano Prefecture in terms of area.

Geography

Ueda is located in central Nagano Prefecture, some 40 kilometers from the prefectural capital of Nagano City and 190 kilometers from Tokyo. The Chikuma River divides the city into two parts.

Surrounding municipalities

Per Japanese census data, the population of Ueda has been growing slowly over the past 50 years.

Climate

The city has a climate characterized by characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild winters. The average annual temperature in Ueda is 12.3 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1067 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.6 °C, and lowest in January, at around 0 °C.

History

Ueda is located in former Shinano Province and during the Nara period was the provincial capital. The ruins of the Shinano Kokubunji are also located within Ueda. However, the provincial capital was shifted to Matsumoto during the early Heian period. During the Sengoku period, the area was the centre of the powerful Sanada clan. During the Edo period, Ueda was a castle town and headquarters of Ueda Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. During the post-Meiji restoration cadastral reform of April 1, 1889, the modern town of Ueda was established. Ueda was elevated to city status on May 1, 1919. On March 6, 2006, Ueda absorbed the neighbouring towns of Maruko and Sanada, and the village of Takeshi.

Government

Ueda has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 30 members. The city contributes four members to the Nagano Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, Ueda is grouped with Komoro, Chikuma, Saku, Tōmi, Minamisaku District, Nagano, Kitasaku District, Nagano, Chiisagata District, Nagano and Hanishina District, Nagano to form Nagano 3rd District in the lower house of the National Diet.

Economy

Ueda is a regional commercial centre with a mixed agricultural and light industrial economy. The main crops include rice, apples, grapes, cabbage and walnuts. The traditional industry of Ueda was sericulture and cotton-weaving. The city now hosts automobile components and electronics manufacturing.

Education

University and colleges

Ueda has 25 public elementary schools and 12 public middle schools operated by the city government and one public middle school shared with the town of Nagawa. The city has five public high schools operated by the Nagano prefectural Board of Education, and four private high schools.

Railway

Ueda maintains friendship and sister cities relationships with the following cities.

Friendship cities

Ueda has entered into pacts with all the Japanese cities listed above and two more cities listed below for mutual collaboration in case of emergency.