Gosen, Niigata

Gosen 五泉市
City
Gosen City Hall
Flag Seal
Location of Gosen in Niigata
Gosen
Coordinates: 37°44′40″N 139°10′57.4″E / 37.74444°N 139.182611°ECoordinates: 37°44′40″N 139°10′57.4″E / 37.74444°N 139.182611°E
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu (Kōshin'etsu) (Hokuriku)
Prefecture	NIigata
Government
• - Mayor	Katsumi Itoh (since February 2010)
Area
• Total	351.91 km^2 (135.87 sq mi)
Population (June 2016)
• Total	50,870
• Density	145/km^2 (380/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
Symbols
• Tree	Sakura
• Flower	Paeonia suffruticosa
Phone number	0250-43-3911
Address	1094-1 Ota, Gosen-shi, Niigata-ken 959-1692
Website	www.city.gosen.niigata.jp

Gosen (五泉市 Gosen-shi) is a city located in north-central Niigata Prefecture, in the Hokuriku region of Japan. As of 1 June 2016, the city had an estimated population of 50,870 and a population density of 145 persons per km². Its total area was 351.91 square kilometres (135.87 sq mi).

Geography

Gosen is located in an inland region of north-central Niigata Prefecture. The Agano River flows through the city.

Surrounding municipalities

• Niigata Prefecture
  • Niigata
  • Agano
  • Sanjō
  • Kamo
  • Aga
  • Tagami

History

The area of present-day Gosen was part of ancient Echigo Province. Under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, parts of what is now Kashiwazaki were under the control of Muramatsu Domain, a minor fudai feudal domain ruled by a junior branch of the Hori clan.^[1] The town of Gosen was created with the establishment of the municipalities system on April 1, 1889. The modern city of Gosen was established on November 3, 1954, from the merger of the town of Gosen with the village of Sumoto, Kawahigashi and Hashida (all from Kitakanbara District). On January 1, 2006, the town of Muramatsu (from Nakakanbara District) was merged into Gosen.

Economy

The economy of Gosen is primarily agricultural; however, due to its proximity to Niigata, it is increasingly becoming a bedroom community with over 20% of the working population commuting to Niigata daily.

Education

Gosen has eleven public elementary schools and five public middle schools. There are two public high schools, and also one special education school. Niigata University's Department of Agriculture has a field test farm in Gosen

Transportation

Railway

• JR East – Ban'etsu West Line
  • Sakihana - Maoroshi - Saruwada - Gosen - Kita-Gosen

Highway

• Ban-etsu Expressway – Gosen PA
• Japan National Route 290

Local attractions

• Sakihana onsen

Notable people from Gosen

• Yoshifumi Kondō (anime director, character designer)
• Kazuya Tsurumaki (anime director)
• Kimio Yanagisawa (manga artist)

References

1. Domains of Japan (Japanese)

External links

• Gosen City official website (Japanese)