Editing Fukushima (city) (section)

==History==
===Early history===
In [[ancient Japan]], the area now known as Fukushima City was called {{Nihongo|'''Minekoshi'''|岑越}}. The mountain in the middle of the city, present-day [[Mt. Shinobu]], was also formerly called {{Nihongo|Mt. Minekoshi|岑越山}}.

During the [[Jōmon period]], for around 2,000 years there was a large settlement on the eastern bank of the [[Abukuma River]]. This area has since been excavated and named the [[Miyahata Site]].

In the 5th century AD, {{Nihongo|Kumano Atai|久麻直}} was appointed by the {{Nihongo|[[Yamato period|Yamato court]]|大和朝廷}} to be the {{Nihongo|Shinobu [[Kuni no miyatsuko]]|信夫国造}}, giving him control over the Fukushima Basin.

Under the [[Nara period]]'s [[Ritsuryō]] system, stations were established along the [[Gokishichidō#Seven Circuits|Seven Circuits]] so that officials could change horses. One of the stations, the [[Tōsandō]], passed through the area of present-day Fukushima, and Minekoshi Station was established on the route. Minekoshi Station was located south of the [[Surikami River]] and north of the [[Matsukawa River]], which at the time flowed to the south of Mt. Minekoshi. The area south of the Matsukawa River was then, as it still is now, known as {{nihongo|Suginome|杉妻}}. Thus it is believed that the station was located north of the area around the present-day prefectural office, in the {{nihongo|Kita-gorōuchi area|北五老内地域}}.

The implementation of the Ritsuryō system also resulted in administrative changes, with the area of present-day Fukushima and [[Date, Fukushima|Date]] being combined to form the district of Shinobu. This was the northernmost point of the [[Mutsu Province]] and held responsibility for preventing the southern expansion of the [[Emishi]], a people who lived in northern [[Honshū]].

After 718, and the widening influence of the Yamato Imperial Court, Mutsu Province was expanded northwards into present-day [[Miyagi Prefecture]]. Along with this redrawing of boundaries, present-day Fukushima Prefecture was separated from the new Mutsu Province (approximately present-day Miyagi) and split between the newly formed provinces of [[Iwaki Province (718)|Iwaki]] in the east and [[Iwase Province|Iwase]] in the west. However, by 724 Mutsu Province was unable to deal on its own with the economic costs of holding back the Emishi, so Iwaki and Iwase provinces were merged back into Mutsu.

In the first half of the 10th century, the Date district was separated from the Shinobu district. As a reform to the {{Nihongo|''[[sōyōchō]]''|租庸調}} tax on rice, labor, and textiles, there was a nationwide effort from the Imperial Court to split up [[Districts of Japan|districts]] so they each had approximately the same population. This was accomplished both through administrative changes and forced population relocations. With Mutsu Province viewed as reclaimed land by the Imperial Court, the area saw a significant amount of reorganization.

In the late [[Heian period]], almost the entirety of the [[Tōhoku region]] was ruled by the [[Northern Fujiwara|Northern Fujiwara clan]]. Relatives of the Northern Fujiwara clan, the {{Nihongo|Shinobu Satō clan|信夫佐藤氏}} was given domain over nearly the entirety of present-day Fukushima Prefecture's centrally-located [[Nakadōri]] area and eventually expanded their control to include [[Aizu]] to the west as well. It is said that the Shinobu Satō clan is one of the reasons for the [[Japanese surname|Satō]] surname spreading throughout and eventually becoming the most common surname in Japan.

=== Kamakura to Edo period ===
In 1180, [[Minamoto no Yoshitsune]], was accompanied by Shinobu district residents {{Nihongo|[[Satō Tsugunobu]]|佐藤継信}} and {{Nihongo|Satō Tadanobu|佐藤忠信}} on his way south to [[Kantō region|Kantō]] to fight the [[Taira clan]] in the [[Genpei War]].

[[File:Fukushima Prefectural Government (02.19.2009).jpg|thumb|right|Site of Daibutsu Castle, also known as Suginome Castle and later [[Fukushima Castle]]. It is now home to the Fukushima Prefectural Offices.]]

In 1413, {{Nihongo|[[Date Mochimune]]|伊達持宗}} shut himself inside {{Nihongo|Daibutsu Castle|大仏城}} in defiance of the [[Kamakura kubō]]. This is the first known historical mention of Daibutsu Castle, which was near the confluence of the Abukuma and [[Arakawa River (Fukushima)|Arakawa]] rivers at the present-day location of the Fukushima Prefectural Offices. It is said that the castle was named after the {{Nihongo|"Suginome Great Buddha"|杉妻大仏|Suginome [[Daibutsu]]}}, a [[Vairocana Buddha]] statue kept within the castle. The castle was also known as {{Nihongo|Suginome Castle|杉妻城}}.<ref name=fukushimaayumi1>{{cite book |publisher=福島市教育委員会 (Fukushima City Board of Education) |script-title=ja:福島のあゆみ |trans-title=The Progression of Fukushima |editor=『福島のあゆみ』編集委員会 ("The Progression of Fukushima" Editing Association) |orig-year=1967 |date=31 March 1969 |language=ja |pages=24–30}}</ref> It is believed that in this time period the area's name was changed from Minekoshi to {{Nihongo|'''Suginome'''|杉妻}} to reflect the concentration of political power in the area.

During the [[Azuchi–Momoyama period]], in 1591 [[Gamō Ujisato]] gained control of the Shinobu and Date districts, and under him {{Nihongo|[[Kimura Yoshikiyo]]|木村吉清}} took control of {{nihongo|Ōmori Castle|大森城}}, which was in the southwest of present-day Fukushima. The following year he moved from Ōmori Castle to Suginome Castle. It is said that, inspired by the recent renaming of {{nihongo3|"Black River Castle"|黒川城|Kurogawa-jō}} to the more joyous-sounding {{nihongo3|"Young Pine Castle"|若松城|[[Wakamatsu Castle|Wakamatsu-jō]]}}, he changed the name of his new residence to {{nihongo3|"Lucky Island Castle"|福島城|Fukushima-jō}}.<ref name=fukushimaayumi1 /> This castle, like many others in Japan, was later demolished at the beginning of the Meiji period.

In 1600, [[Date Masamune]] and [[Honjō Shigenaga]], who was under the [[Uesugi clan]] and head of [[Fukushima Castle]] at the time, fought the {{Nihongo|Battle of Matsukawa|松川の戦い}}. At the time, the Matsukawa River flowed in a different riverbed than it does now, as the current Matsukawa River is north of Mt. Shinobu, while the Matsukawa River at the time of the battle flowed south of Mt. Shinobu. It is said that the Battle of Matsukawa's battlefield extended from the southern base of Mt. Shinobu and extended into the center of modern-day Fukushima. In 1664 the Uesugi clan lost control of the Shinobu district, and the area became directly ruled by the [[Tokugawa shogunate]].

In 1702, the [[Fukushima Domain]] was established and governed from Fukushima Castle, and in 1787, the {{Nihongo|[[Shimomura Domain]]|下村藩}} was established in the present-day Sakurashimo area in the western part of Fukushima. This domain was later abolished in 1823.

===19th century===
On November 17, 1868, {{Nihongo|Itakura Katsumi|板倉勝己}}, the head of the Fukushima Domain, surrendered to the [[Satchō Alliance]] and handed over control of Fukushima Castle to {{nihongo|[[Watanabe Kiyoshi]]|渡辺清}}. The Fukushima Domain was abolished the following year. In line with the [[Abolition of the han system|abolition of domains and introduction of the prefecture system]], the first iteration of Fukushima Prefecture came into being on August 29, 1871. The prefecture at the time consisted of the Shinobu, Date, and [[Adachi District, Fukushima|Adachi]] districts.

With permission from the [[Ministry of the Treasury]], on September 10, 1871, the village of {{Nihongo|Fukushima|福島村|Fukushima-mura}} changed its name to the town of {{Nihongo|'''Fukushima'''|福島町|Fukushima-machi}}. Fukushima Prefecture was absorbed into Nihonmatsu Prefecture on November 2, making Nihonmatsu Prefecture consist of approximately the entirety of the Nakadōri area. On November 14, Nihonmatsu Prefecture's name was changed to Fukushima Prefecture. Fukushima City was named the prefecture's capital.

Nearly five years later, on August 21, 1876, Fukushima Prefecture merged with {{Nihongo|[[Iwasaki Prefecture]]|磐前県}} (consisting of the coastal [[Hamadōri]] area) and {{Nihongo|[[Wakamatsu Prefecture]]|若松県}} (consisting of Aizu in the west), thus creating present-day Fukushima Prefecture. Fukushima continued to serve as the prefecture's capital. In 1879, the Shinobu district's government offices were moved to Fukushima.

On November 3, 1881, {{Nihongo|National Route 13|國道13號|Kokudō Jūsan-gō}}, which generally followed a portion of the old [[Ushū Kaidō]], was opened and linked Fukushima to [[Yonezawa, Yamagata|Yonezawa]], approximately 45&nbsp;km to the northwest. On December 15, 1887, the section of the [[Tōhoku Main Line]] running through Fukushima, connecting [[Kōriyama Station (Fukushima)|Kōriyama Station]] in the south to [[Iwakiri Station]] in the north, was opened. In Fukushima, this saw the opening of [[Fukushima Station (Fukushima)|Fukushima Station]] and [[Matsukawa Station]].

In 1888, there was a large-scale merger of municipalities. In the Date district, the village of {{Nihongo|Yuno|湯野村}} absorbed the village of {{Nihongo|Higashiyuno|東湯野村}}, the villages of {{Nihongo|Kamioguni|上小国村}} and {{Nihongo|Shimooguni|下小国村}} merged to form the village of {{Nihongo|Oguni|小国村}}, the villages of {{Nihongo|Tatsukoyama|立小山}} and {{Nihongo|Aoki|青木村}} merged to form the village of {{Nihongo|Tatsuki|立木村}}. In the Adachi district, the village of {{Nihongo|Shimokawasaki|下川崎村}} absorbed the village of {{Nihongo|Numabukuro|沼袋村}}. In the Shinobu district, the village of {{Nihongo|Kamiiizaka|上飯坂村}} became the town of {{Nihongo|Iizaka|飯坂町}}. The Shinobu district reduced one [[Towns of Japan|town]] and 70 [[Villages of Japan|villages]] down to two towns and 26 villages.

1890 saw the opening of the {{Nihongo|Tri-District Joint Association Hospital|三郡共立組合病院}}, which was the predecessor of [[Fukushima Medical University]]. On March 19, 1893, Mt. Azuma's Mt. Issaikyō peak erupted, and on May 15, 1899, Fukushima was linked to Yonezawa by rail via the opening of the {{Nihongo|Ōu South Line|奥羽南線}}, part of the present-day [[Ōu Main Line]]. The opening of [[Niwasaka Station]] corresponded with the opening of the line. Also in 1899, a  [[Bank of Japan]] branch was established in Fukushima, the bank's first branch in the Tōhoku region.

===Modern history===
On April 1, 1907, the town of Fukushima officially became the [[Cities of Japan|city]] of {{Nihongo|'''Fukushima'''|福島市|Fukushima-shi}}. It was the second municipality in the prefecture and 59th in the nation to become a city. At the time, Fukushima had a population of 30,000.

On April 14, 1908, the {{Nihongo|Shintatsu Tramway Company|信達軌道会社}} opened a [[light rail]] system that connected {{Nihongo|Fukushima Rail Stop|福島停車場}} to {{Nihongo|Yuno|湯野}} via {{Nihongo|Nagaoka|長岡}}. Also in 1908, the {{Nihongo|Fukushima City Library|福島市立図書館}} opened.

On June 28, 1918, the [[Fukushima Race Course]] held its first horse race. On August 30 of the same year, rice riots occurred in the city.

On April 13, 1924, the Fukushima Iizaka Electric Tramway, precursor to the present-day [[Fukushima Kōtsū Iizaka Line|Iizaka Line]], began service linking [[Fukushima Station (Fukushima)|Fukushima Station]] to Iizaka Station (present-day [[Hanamizuzaka Station]]). Three years later, in 1927, the line was extended further north to its present-day terminus of [[Iizaka Onsen Station]]. 1927 also saw the opening of {{Nihongo|Fukushima Building|福島ビル}} and with it the prefecture's first elevator. In 1929 the Fukushima City Library closed and the {{Nihongo|Fukushima Prefectural Library|県立図書館}} opened in its place, taking over the Fukushima City Library's collections and facilities. 1929 also saw the beginning of bus service within the city.

In 1937, a section of the village of {{Nihongo|Noda|野田村}} was absorbed into Fukushima, and in 1939 {{Nihongo|Yumoto Credit Financing Association|湯元信用無尽株式会社}} took over {{Nihongo|Fukushima Finance Association|福島無尽株式会社}}, changed its name to {{Nihongo|Fukushima Finance Provider|株式会社福島無尽金庫}}, and moved its head office to Fukushima. This was the precursor to the present-day {{Nihongo|[[Fukushima Bank]]|株式会社福島銀行}}.

In 1941, [[NHK]] opened its first broadcast station in the city.
Near the end of [[World War II]], in which Japan had initiated wars with a number of Pacific powers to create the [[Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere]], on July 20, 1945, a [[United States Army Air Forces]] [[Boeing B-29 Superfortress]] bombed the Watari area.

==== Post-Second World War ====
In 1946, [[Toho Bank]] moved its head office to Fukushima, on June 18, 1947 {{Nihongo|Fukushima Prefecture Girl's Medical School|福島県立女子医学専門学校}} became Fukushima Medical University, and on March 7, 1948, the Fukushima Prefecture Police Department was dismantled and the Fukushima City Police formed.

[[File:Matsukawa Incident.JPG|thumb|right|Scene of the Matsukawa incident, in which the Tōhoku Main Line tracks between Kanayagawa and Matsukawa stations were sabotaged, resulting in three deaths. This was highly reminiscent of the prior year's Niwasaka incident and the prior month's [[Mitaka incident]].]]

On April 27, 1948, at 12:04 am, a train on the [[Ōu Main Line]] bound for [[Ueno Station|Ueno]] derailed upon exiting a tunnel between [[Akaiwa Station|Akaiwa]] and [[Niwasaka Station|Niwasaka]] stations, killing three crew members. Upon inspection of the crash scene it was determined that someone had removed from the track two connecting plates, six [[Rail fastening system|spikes]], and four bolts. The perpetrator was never found. This became known as the [[Niwasaka incident]].

On August 17, 1949, at 3:09 am the [[Matsukawa incident]] occurred. In a scene highly reminiscent of the scene from the previous year's Niwasaka incident, a train bound for [[Ueno Station|Ueno]] derailed, killing three crew members. Inspection of the tracks revealed that connecting plates and spikes had been removed. Furthermore, a {{convert|25|m|abbr=on}} {{convert|925|kg|abbr=on}} section of rail had been moved {{convert|13|m|abbr=on}} from the track. No one was ever convicted of the crime. 1949 also saw the opening of [[Fukushima University]].

In 1952, a new city hall was opened in the {{Nihongo|Gorōuchi|五老内町}} neighborhood. The Seventh [[National Sports Festival of Japan]] was also held in the city, and in 1954 the present-day Fukushima Prefectural Office's main wing was completed and the Fukushima City Police were integrated into the Fukushima Prefecture Police. In March 1959 NHK began television broadcasts. Later that year, on May 11, the [[Bandai-Azuma Skyline]] tourist roadway opened.

In January 1966, the Kitamachi [[Japan National Route 4|Route 4]] bypass was completed, and on May 29 the {{convert|2376|m}} {{Nihongo|Kuriko Tunnel|栗子トンネル}} on [[Japan National Route 13|Route 13]] was opened.

The very first {{Nihongo|Waraji Festival|わらじ祭り}} was held on August 1, 1970. In the festival participants parade a large ''[[waraji]]'' straw sandal through the streets of Fukushima. Two months later, on November 1, Route13's {{Nihongo|Mt. Shinobu Tunnel|信夫山トンネル}}. The [[Iizaka East Line]] was shut down on April 12, 1971, leaving the Iizaka Line the only remaining railway operated by [[Fukushima Transportation]]. The same year Fukushima Prefectural Office's west wing was completed, making it, at the time, the tallest building in the prefecture. The section of the [[Tōhoku Expressway]] linking [[Kōriyama, Fukushima|Kōriyama]] in the south to [[Shiroishi, Miyagi|Shiroishi]] in the north, via Fukushima, opened on April 1, 1975. The [[Tōhoku Shinkansen]] opened on June 23, 1982, and connected [[Ōmiya Station (Saitama)|Ōmiya]] in the south to [[Morioka Station|Morioka]] in the north, via Fukushima.

[[File:AbukumaKyukoSen2005-4.jpg|thumb|left|The Abukuma Express Line opened on September 13, 1986, and linked Fukushima to Miyagi Prefecture in the north.]]

The Route 4 South Bypass opened on November 11, 1983, and the [[Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art]] and Prefectural Library were completed on July 22, 1983. Fukushima hosted the first [[Ekiden#East Japan Women.27s Ekiden|East Japan Women's Ekiden]] road relay race on November 24, 1985.

On August 4 and 5 of 1986 the Abukuma River and its tributaries flooded due to Nakdōri receiving from {{convert|200|to|300|mm|abbr=on}} of rain from a [[typhoon]]. Cities and towns along the Abukuma River and its tributaries, Fukushima included, suffered 11 people killed or injured, and damage to 14,000 buildings.

Later that year, on September 13, the [[Fukushima Azuma Stadium]] was completed. The [[Abukuma Express Line]], a {{convert|54.9|km|abbr=on}} railway line linking Fukushima to [[Marumori Station|Marumori]] in the north, began operations on July 1, 1988, and on November 12, the [[Yūji Koseki]] Memorial Museum was opened.

[[File:Surigamigawa-536-r1.jpg|thumb|right|The Surikamigawa Dam was officially completed on September 25, 2005.]]

The Fukushima Mutual Bank changed its name to Fukushima Bank in February 1989, and on September 27 [[National Route 115|Route 115]]'s {{convert|3360|m|abbr=on}} {{Nihongo|Tsuchiyu Tunnel|土湯トンネル}} was opened. On July 1, 1992, the [[Yamagata Shinkansen]] opened, connecting Fukushima to [[Yamagata Station|Yamagata]]. In 1995, the 50th [[National Sports Festival of Japan]] was held, primarily at Azuma Sports Park in the west of the city.

==== Since 2000 ====
The dam completion ceremony for the [[Surikamigawa Dam]] in the Moniwa area was held on September 25, 2005.

April 1, 2007, was the 100th anniversary of Fukushima becoming a city, and to celebrate, a {{nihongo||[[:ja:山車|山車]]|''dashi''|a type of parade float}} festival was held on June 30. ''Dashi'' representing the former towns and villages that make up modern-day Fukushima paraded and gathered in front of Fukushima Station.

During the [[Municipal mergers and dissolutions in Japan#Past mergers|Great Heisei Merger]], Fukushima and the towns of [[Kawamata, Fukushima|Kawamata]] and [[Iino, Fukushima|Iino]] held merger talks, however on December 1, 2006, Kawamata withdrew from the talks. Negotiations between Fukushima and Iino continued, and on July 1, 2008, the town of Iino was incorporated into Fukushima.[[File:Fukushima city hall.jpg|thumb|Fukushima's new city hall opened on January 4, 2011.]]

On January 4, 2011, Fukushima officially opened a new city hall to replace the previous one built in 1952. The new city hall, as was the previous one, is located in Gorōuchi-machi, next to [[Japan National Route 4|National Route 4]] in the center of the city.

On March 11, 2011, the [[2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami]] occurred, with the earthquake causing ruptures in multiple water mains originating from the Surikamigawa Dam, which supplies much of the city's water. This resulted in the majority of the city losing access to running water.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.minpo.jp/pub/topics/jishin2011/2011/03/post_550.html |script-title=ja:摺上川ダム送水を停止 県内各地で断水 |publisher=Fukushima Minpo |date=12 March 2011 |access-date=23 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326082043/http://www.minpo.jp/pub/topics/jishin2011/2011/03/post_550.html |archive-date=26 March 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Train services were also stopped due to damage caused to railway infrastructure. The Iizaka Line reopened two days later on March 13,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sankei.jp.msn.com/affairs/news/110313/dst11031312070042-n1.htm|script-title=ja:福島の飯坂電車、運転再開へ|publisher=MSN 産経ニュース|language=ja|access-date=15 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406133553/http://sankei.jp.msn.com/affairs/news/110313/dst11031312070042-n1.htm|archive-date=6 April 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> and on March 31 the [[Yamagata Shinkansen]] resumed limited service and the [[Ōu Main Line]] resumed full service.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://yamagata-np.jp/feature/shinsai/kj_2011033101168.php |script-title=ja:少しずつ「復旧」実感 山形新幹線が一部運転再開 |trans-title=Feeling Restoration Happen Little By Little: A Section of the Yamagata Shinkansen Reopens |work=Yamagata News Online |date=31 March 2011 |access-date=4 June 2012 |archive-date=13 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180913081413/http://yamagata-np.jp/feature/shinsai/kj_2011033101168.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> By April 7 the [[Tōhoku Main Line]] was reopened in both directions, however it was closed again following a [[April 2011 Miyagi earthquake|strong earthquake later that night]]. The Tōhoku Main Line was again reopened in both directions from Fukushima on April 17.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.mynavi.jp/news/2011/04/11/047/index.html |script-title=ja:山形新幹線は12日に全線再開、福島 - 仙台間に「新幹線リレー号」運転 |trans-title=Yamagata Shinkansen Fully Open On the 12th, "Shinkansen Relay" Open Between Fukushima and Sendai |date=11 April 2011 |publisher=マイナビニュース |access-date=4 June 2012}}</ref> The [[Tōhoku Shinkansen]] reopened with limited service on April 23,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.asahi.com/travel/rail/news/TKY201109230547.html |script-title=ja:仙台―東京「はやぶさ」８分短縮 半年ぶりダイヤ復旧 |work=Asahi Shimbun |location=Japan |date=23 September 2011 |access-date=4 June 2012}}</ref> and the [[Abukuma Express Line]] resumed limited service from Fukushima on April 28.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://railf.jp/news/2011/04/28/213000.html |script-title=ja:阿武隈急行線 福島ー瀬上間が運転を再開 |trans-title=Abukuma Express Line Reopens Fukushima to Senoue Section |publisher=鉄道ファン |date=28 April 2011 |access-date=4 June 2012 |language=ja}}</ref>

On April 1, 2018, Fukushima City became a [[Core cities of Japan|core city]].