Shiojiri, Nagano Prefecture, Chūbu Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Shiojiri (塩尻市, Shiojiri-shi) is a city located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 March 2019, the city had an estimated population density of 230 persons per km². The total area of the city is 289.98 square km (111.96 sq mi).

Geography Shiojiri is located in central Nagano Prefecture, in the southern end of the Matsumoto Basin.

Surrounding municipalities Nagano Prefecture ◦ Matsumoto; ◦ Okaya; ◦ Ina; ◦ Tatsuno; ◦ Minamiminowa; ◦ Kiso Town; ◦ Kiso Village; ◦ Asahi.

History Shiojiri is located in former Shinano Province. The name derives from the fact that salt sellers would travel from the shores, where salt was made from seawater, inland where salt couldn't be produced, and Shiojiri being equidistant to the ocean to the east and west, was where the sellers from both directions would end their trips. Hence the name, that means "salt end/butt". During the Edo period, Narai-juku, Shiojiri-shuku and Seba-juku developed as post stations on the Nakasendō highway connecting Edo with Kyoto. The village of Shiojiri was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. It was elevated to town status on April 1, 1927. Shiojiri annexed the villages of Kataoka, Hirooka, Souga and Chikumazi on April 1, 1959 and was elevated to city status. Shiojiri lost Kitauchida hamlet and Gakenoyu hamlet (both in Kataoka ward) in 1960 and 1961 to Matsumoto city due to border adjustments. On June 28, 1961, Shiojiri absorbed the village of Seba and the village of Narakawa on April 1, 2005.

Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Shiojiri has recently plateaued after several decades of growth.

Government Shiojiri has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 18 members. Toshiyuki Oguchi is serving as the current mayor of Shiojiri. His first win in the mayor election was in 2002.

Economy The economy of Shiojiri is largely agricultural, with grapes, apples, pears, and wine production as major components. The manufacturing sector includes precision instrumentation. Epson has major production and R&D facilities of inkjet printheads and the Seiko wristwatches in Shiojiri. Companies that have manufacturing operations in Shiojiri include Nidec Copal, Sanko, Keio Juuki Seibi, Kissei Pharmaceutical, and Resonac Ceramics.

Education Shiojiri has nine public elementary schools and five public middle schools operated by the city government, and one public elementary school and one public middle school shared with neighbouring Tatsuno. The city also has two public high schools operated by the Nagano Prefectural Board of Education, and one private high school. The Matsumoto Dental University is also located in Shiojiri.

Transport: Rail • East Japan Railway Company - Chūō Main Line; ◦ Midoriko - Shiojiri • East Japan Railway Company - Shinonoi Line; ◦ Shiojiri - Hirooka • JR Tōkai - Chūō Main Line; ◦ Seba - Hideshio - Niekawa - Kiso-Hirasawa - Narai.

Transport: Road • Nagano Expressway • National Route 19 • National Route 20 • National Route 153 • National Route 361.

Transport: Air • Matsumoto Airport - The southern portion of its runway and the western half of the apron are located in Shiojiri.

Local attractions Shiojiri is the location of the Hiraide ruins, one of the three largest ancient ruins in Japan. Artifacts from the Jōmon period through the Heian period have been discovered there, as well as the remains of 47 ancient dwellings.