Mishima, Shizuoka Prefecture, Chūbu Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Mishima (三島市, Mishima-shi) is a city located in eastern Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 July 2019, the city had an estimated population density of 1,800 persons per square kilometre (4,700 per square mile). The total area of the city is 62.02 square km (23.95 sq mi).

Geography Mishima is located in far eastern Shizuoka Prefecture, at the northern end of Izu Peninsula and in the foothills of Mount Fuji.

Surrounding municipalities Shizuoka Prefecture ◦ Numazu; ◦ Susono; ◦ Kannami; ◦ Shimizu; ◦ Nagaizumi; Kanagawa Prefecture ◦ Hakone.

Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Mishima has remained stable over the past 25 years.

History Mishima is an ancient town, which developed around the important Shinto shrine of Mishima Shrine (三嶋大社, Mishima Taisha). Under the Ritsuryō administration system established in the Nara period, Mishima was made capital of Izu Province. It was also the location of the Kokubun-ji for Izu Province. In the Edo period, Mishima prospered from its location on the Tōkaidō highway connecting Edo with Kyoto, and Mishima-shuku was one of the 53 post stations on that road. The area was tenryō territory ruled by a daikan appointed directly by the Tokugawa shogunate. After the Meiji Restoration, Mishima became part of the short-lived Nirayama Prefecture in 1868. This merged with the equally short-lived Ashigara Prefecture in 1871, and became part of Shizuoka Prefecture from 18 April 1876. With the establishment of the modern municipalities system of 1889, the area was reorganized as Mishima Town within Kimisawa District. In 1892, Prince Komatsu Akihito established a villa in Mishima. Its gardens, the Rakujūen, are a noted visitor attraction in Mishima to this day. In 1896, Kimisawa District became part of Tagata District, Shizuoka. Mishima received its first train connection in 1898 when the predecessor of the Izuhakone Railway established what is now Shimo-Togari Station. The Sunzu Line began operations from 1906. However, Mishima's fortunes revived strongly only after the Tanna Tunnel was completed in 1934, connecting the town to the Tōkaidō Main Line railway between Tokyo and Shizuoka. Mishima developed rapidly afterwards, merging with neighboring Kitakami Village in 1935 and Watada Village in 1941. Mishima Town was elevated in status to a city on 29 April 1941. It became a stop on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen from 1969, leading to an expansion in population, as the line made it possible to commute to Tokyo.

Government Mishima has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 22 members. The city contributes two members to the Shizuoka Prefectural Assembly.

Economy Mishima is a major industrial centre within Shizuoka Prefecture. In addition to a railroad repair facility operated by JR Central, the city hosts factories from: • Toray • DMW Corporation • Toshiba TEC Corporation • Yokohama Rubber Company • CFS Corporation (HAC Drugstores) • Izuhakone Railway Company Ltd.

Education Mishima has 14 public elementary schools, and seven public middle schools operated by the city government and three public high schools operated by the Shizuoka Prefectural Board of Education. There are one private junior high school and two private high schools. In addition, Juntendo University and the Graduate University for Advanced Studies each have a facility at Mishima. The College of International Relations for Nihon University is located in Mishima. A former private junior college, Fujimigaoka Women's Junior College, was operating between 1966 and 2009.

Transport: Rail • Central Japan Railway Company – Tōkaidō Shinkansen; ◦ Mishima • Central Japan Railway Company – Tōkaidō Main Line; ◦ Mishima Station • Izuhakone Railway – Sunzu Line; ◦ Mishima – Mishima-Hirokōji – Mishima-Tamachi – Mishima-Futsukamachi – Daiba.

Transport: Road • Tōmei Expressway • Shin-Tōmei Expressway • Izu-Jūkan Expressway • National Route 1 • National Route 136.

Government facilities Mishima is home to the National Institute of Genetics.

Local attractions • Mishima Taisha • Ryūtaku-ji Rinzai Zen temple • Izu Kokubun-ji ruins, A National Historic Site • Yamanaka Castle ruins, A National Historic Site • Sano Art Museum • Rakuju-en Gardens • The Mishima Summer Festival takes place from 15 to 17 August every year.