Zentsūji, Kagawa
Zentsūji
善通寺市 | |
|---|---|
 Zentsuji Temple | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Zentsūji in Kagawa Prefecture | |
  Zentsūji Location in Japan | |
| Coordinates: 34°13′N 133°47′E / 34.217°N 133.783°ECoordinates: 34°13′N 133°47′E / 34.217°N 133.783°E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Shikoku |
| Prefecture | Kagawa Prefecture |
| First official recorded | 807 AD |
| City Settled | March 31, 1954 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Masanori Hiraoka (since May 2010) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 39.88 km2 (15.40 sq mi) |
| Population (June 1, 2011) | |
| • Total | 34,114 |
| • Density | 855.42/km2 (2,215.5/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
| City hall address | 2-1-1 Bunkyo, Zentsuji-shi, Kagawa-ken 765-8503 |
| Symbols | |
| Flower | Chrysanthemum |
| Tree | Cinnamomum camphora |
Zentsūji (善通寺市, Zentsūji-shi) is a city located in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded March 31, 1954, and named after Zentsū-ji Temple. As of June 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 34,114, with 13,079 households and a population density of 855.42 persons per km². The total area is 39.88 km².
The city is the birthplace of the Buddhist monk Kūkai, also known as Kōbō Daishi. Zentsūji Temple, established 813 on the site of his birth, is the 75th temple on the 88-temple Shikoku Pilgrimage. It is also one of three temples on the circuit that Kūkai visited, the others being and Muroto Misaki, as Kūkai mentioned them by name in his writings.[citation needed]
Zentsūji is also home to Shikoku Gakuin University.
Farmers of the Zentsūji region found a way to grow cubic watermelons, by growing the fruits in glass boxes and letting them naturally assume the shape of the receptacle. The square shape is designed to make the melons easier to stack and store, but the square watermelons are often more than double the price of normal ones. Pyramid shaped watermelons have also been developed.[citation needed]
Famous places[]
During World War II, Zentsuji was the location of a Prisoner of War Camp which held Allied POWs. The camp, no longer in existence, was on the current site of Shiritsu Nishi Junior High School, adjacent to the Shinto shrine and across from the Shikoku Gakuin University.
Five temples of the Shikoku Pilgrimage are within the city boundaries:
The ruins of Amagiri Castle, abandoned in the late 16th century, lie to the northwest of the city.
International relations[]
Twin towns/Sister cities[]
Zentsūji is twinned with:
Hirado, Nagasaki, Japan[1]- Kōya, Wakayama, Japan[2]
El Dorado, Arkansas, USA[2]
References[]
- ^ "Exchange programmes between Hirado and China, Hirado and Holland and other exchange programmes in Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan". City of Hirado, Nagasaki Official Website. Archived from the original on 2012-02-12. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Zentsuji City Sister City / Historical Friendship City". Zentsui City official website (in Japanese). December 4, 2013. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021.
External links[]
Media related to Zentsuji, Kagawa at Wikimedia Commons- Zentsūji City official website (in Japanese)
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- Cities in Kagawa Prefecture