Iwatsuki, city in central Japan, on Honshu Island, in eastern Saitama Prefecture about 30 km (about 19 mi) north of downtown Tokyo. Iwatsuki is primarily a commuter suburb of Tokyo, Chiba, and other employment centers. It also is an industrial center in its own right, specializing in the production of hina ningyo (a traditional type of doll) and hagoita (a wooden paddle used as a New Year's decoration). Iwatsuki's nickname is Ningyo-no-Machi, meaning “doll town.” Iwatsuki was founded as a castle town in 1458 by Ota Dokan, who was a samurai of the Muromachi period. During the Edo period (1603-1867) it became a post-station town (an officially regulated settlement catering to travelers) on the Nikko Kaido, one of the historic highways connecting Edo (now Tokyo) in present-day Tokyo Prefecture with Nikko in present-day Tochigi Prefecture. Population (1999) 109,582.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Iwatsuki Information info
|
