Atami

Atami, city (1990 pop. 47,291), Shizuoka prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. It is a major resort, famed for its scenery and its hot springs. Atami was once the site of a geyser which, according to tradition, wrought destruction until moved by Buddhist prayers. After an earthquake in 1923 the geyser stopped erupting. Well-known cites include the Atami Tropical Garden and the Atami Art Museum.

is a city located in Shizuoka, Japan. The name literally means "hot ocean", a reference to the town's famous onsen hot springs. Atami has been a resort since the 8th century, and is now part of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Much of the extensive art collection of eccentric multimillionaire and religious leader Mokichi Okada is now housed in the MOA Museum of Art in Atami.

As of September 2005, the city has an estimated population of 41,816 and the density of 679.38 persons per km². The total area is 61.55 km².

The Tōkaidō Shinkansen and Tōkaidō Main Line stop at Atami Station, providing direct access to the city from central Tokyo and other major cities. This accessibility makes Atami one of the most popular seaside destinations in the Greater Tokyo Area.

History

The epicenter of the Great Kantō earthquake in 1923 was deep beneath Izu Ōshima Island in Sagami Bay. It devastated Tokyo, the port city of Yokohama, surrounding prefectures of Chiba, Kanagawa, and Shizuoka, and caused widespread damage throughout the Kantō region. The tsunami wave height reached 35 feet at Atami, swamping the town and drowning three hundred people.

The modern municipality of Atami was founded on April 10, 1937.

The 24th Congress of the Japanese Communist Party was held at Atami between January 11 and 14, 2006.

Sister cities

Atami is twinned with:

• Beppu, Ōita Prefecture, Japan
• Sanremo, Italy (since November 1976)
• Cascais, Portugal (since July 1990)

Notes

References

• Hammer, Joshua. (2006). Yokohama Burning: The Deadly 1923 Earthquake and Fire that Helped Forge the Path to World War II. New York: Simon & Schuster. 10-ISBN 0-743-26465-7; 13-ISBN 978-0-743-26465-5 (cloth).

External links

• Atami official website in Japanese