Tsuruta, Aomori Prefecture, Tōhoku Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Tsuruta (鶴田町, Tsuruta-machi) is a town located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. The total area of the town is 46.4 square km (17.9 sq mi). The name "Tsuruta" is a combination of the character for crane (鶴) with that for rice field (田).

Geography Tsuruta is located at the base of Tsugaru Peninsula in Kitatsugaru District of Aomori Prefecture. The Iwaki River flows through the town. Tsuruta Town Office, approximately in the centre of town, is 25 km from the Sea of Japan and about 45 km from Aomori City, the capital of Aomori Prefecture.

Neighbouring municipalities Aomori Prefecture • Hirosaki • Goshogawara • Itayanagi • Tsugaru.

History The area around Tsuruta was controlled by the Tsugaru clan of Hirosaki Domain during the Edo period. After the Meiji Restoration, it was formed into a village on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. It was elevated to town status on October 1, 1941. On March 1, 1955, it annexed the neighboring villages of Umezawa, Rokugo, and Mizumoto, and on November 1, 1958 it also annexed a portion of Itayanagi.

Government Tsuruta has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town legislature of 12 members. Kitatsugaru District, less the town of Nakadomari, contributes one member to the Aomori Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Aomori 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy The economy of Tsuruta is heavily dependent on horticulture, especially for apples. Cold-hardy varieties of rice and many varieties of apples are grown in the town. Farmers in the area have developed a strain of apples that does not oxidize (turn brown) when cut.

Education Tsuruta has one public elementary school and one public junior high school operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Aomori prefectural Board of Education.

Tsuruta's school system is part of a new government pilot program in Japan. Schools participating in the program pick an area of focus and develop specialized curricula that expose young kids to the specialty at an early age. Tsuruta's school system focuses on teaching English starting in preschool. To implement this program in elementary schools, Tsuruta employs CIRs, one from the JET Programme and one from Hood River, Oregon. In addition, ALTs are also employed at both the middle school and the high school. The Tsuruta-Hood River sister city relationship is among the most active in Japan, with groups of students and/or adults making a pilgrimage between the two towns several times a year.

Transport: Rail East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Gonō Line • Mutsu-Tsuruda - Tsurudomari

Transport: Road National Route 339