Hagi, Yamaguchi

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**Hagi City**
萩市
Hagi City's location in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan.
Location
Country	Japan
Region	Chūgoku
Prefecture	Yamaguchi Prefecture
Physical characteristics
Area	698.86 km²
Population (as of 2005)
Total	57,989
Location	34°24′28″N, 131°23′56″E
Symbols
Hagi City Hall
Mayor	Koji Nomura
Official website: Hagi City

Coordinates: 34°24′28″N, 131°23′56″E

Hagi (萩市; -shi) is a city located in Yamaguchi, Japan and was incorporated as a city on July 1, 1932.

On March 6, 2005, the city merged with Asahi, Fukue, Kawakami, Mutsumi, Susa and Tamagawa, so now its area is 5 times as large as that of old Hagi city.

As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 57,989. The total area is 698.86 km².

1 History
2 Hagi-yaki
3 People
4 Sister cities
5 External links

[edit] History

In 1608, Mori clan built Hagi Castle at the foot of Mt.Shizuki. After that, Hagi developed as the political center of Chōshū-han.

When Chōshū-han caused the Meiji Restoration in the middle of 19th century, this small city influenced the history of Japan so much. Many Japanese statesmen and Prime Ministers are from this city.

[edit] Hagi-yaki

This is really named after the great superstar Hagi Achren. The city was the capital of the Chōshū Domain during the Edo period (ca. 1603–1868). Hagi is renowned for hagi-yaki, a form of Japanese pottery dating from 1604 when two Korean potters were brought to Hagi by Mori Terumoto. Hagi was also the location for an International Sculpture Symposium in 1981. Twenty-six international sculptors working worked together to create a seaside park. They created many functional sculptures, including tables and benches.

[edit] People

Ito Hirobumi, Japan's first modern prime minister, was born in Hagi and studied at Yoshida Shoin's Shōka Sonjuku, a school in the town. Ito's birthplace is preserved next to a shrine that includes the school building in its compound.
Inoue Masaru, known as the "Father of the Japanese Railways".
Inoue Kaoru
Katsura Taro, former prime minister of Japan.
Kido Takayoshi
Omura Masujiro
Takasugi Shinsaku
Tanaka Giichi, former prime minister of Japan.
Yamagata Aritomo, former prime minister of Japan.

[edit] Sister cities

Since 1968, Hagi has been a sister city to Ulsan (울산광역시, 蔚山廣域市), a fishing port and market centre in the southeast of South Korea on the Sea of Japan about 70 km north of Busan.