Eiheiji, Fukui

Eiheiji (永平寺町, Eiheiji-chō) is a town located in Yoshida District, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 March 2018, the town had an estimated population of 18,746 in 6,262 households and the population density of 200 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the town was 94.43 square kilometres (36.46 sq mi). The town is named for the famous temple of Eihei-ji.

Eiheiji
永平寺町
Town
Eiheiji Town Hall
Eiheiji Town Hall
Flag of Eiheiji
Flag
Official seal of Eiheiji
Seal
Location of Eiheiji in Fukui Prefecture
Location of Eiheiji in Fukui Prefecture
Eiheiji is located in Japan
Eiheiji
Eiheiji
 
Coordinates: 36°5′31.9″N 136°17′55.4″E
CountryJapan
RegionChūbu (Hokuriku)
PrefectureFukui
DistrictYoshida
Area
 • Total94.43 km2 (36.46 sq mi)
Population
 (March 2018)
 • Total18,746
 • Density200/km2 (510/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
City symbols 
-TreeTung Oil Tree
-FlowerPrunus mume
Phone number0776-61-1111
AddressMatsuda-kasuga 1-4, Eiheiji-chō, Yoshida-gun, Fukui-ken 910-1192
WebsiteOfficial website

Geography

Eiheiji is located in Yoshida District in northern Fukui Prefecture, in the river valley of the Kuzuryū River.

Neighbouring municipalities

Climate

Eiheiji has a Humid climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm, wet summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Eiheiji is 14.1 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2459 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.7 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.6 °C.[2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Eiheiji has remained relatively steady over the past 50 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1970 20,244—    
1980 19,667−2.9%
1990 19,387−1.4%
2000 21,182+9.3%
2010 20,647−2.5%
2020 18,965−8.1%

History

Eiheiji is part of ancient Echizen Province, and has been populated since the Japanese Paleolithic period. Numerous Kofun period remains have been found in the area, which was part of a large shōen in the Heian period. During the Kamakura period, in 1244, the monk Dōgen established the Sōtō Zen monastery of Eihei-ji, and the present town developed as a monzen-machi town attached to the temple. During the Edo period, the area was part of the holdings of Fukui Domain. Following the Meiji restoration, it was organised into part of Yoshida District in Fukui Prefecture. With the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889, the villages of Shihidani, Shimoshihi and Jōhō-ji were established. These villages were merged to form the village of Shihi on March 1, 1954. On September 1, 1962 Shihi was raised to town status, and was renamed Eiheiji.

On February 13, 2006 the town of Matsuoka and the village of Kamishihi, both from Yoshida District, were merged into the town of Eiheiji.

Economy

Eiheiji's economy is heavily reliant on the flow of tourists and pilgrims to the Eihei-ji temple, which serves as a sizable seminary for the St. Zen faith.

Aoyama Harp, the only harp manufacturer in Japan,[4] is located in Eiheiji.

Education

Eiheiji has seven public elementary schools and three middle schools operated by the town government. The town does not have a high school. Fukui Prefectural University has a campus at Eiheiji, and the medical school of the University of Fukui is also located in the town.

Transportation

Railway

Highway

International relations

Local attractions

References
  1. "Official website of Eiheiji Town" (in Japanese). Japan: Eiheiji Town. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  2. Eiheiji climate data
  3. Eiheiji population statistics
  4. こども記者　国内唯一のメーカー（永平寺町）取材　「世界のハープ」誇り　精巧彫刻、曲線美に感動　手ほどき受け演奏も on 2016-08-28 Fukui Shimbun (in Japanese), retrieved on 2018-03-04
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Eiheiji.
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