Ena, Gifu

Neighbouring municipalities

Aichi Prefecture
Toyota
Gifu Prefecture
Mizunami
Nakatsugawa
Shirakawa
Yaotsu
Nagano Prefecture
Hiraya
Neba

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Ena has declined over the past 40 years.

History

The area around Ena was part of traditional Mino Province, and the name of "Ena" appears in Nara period records, including the Nihon Shoki. During the Edo period, it was mostly controlled by Iwamura Domain, and Ōi-juku developed as a post town on the Nakasendō highway connecting Edo with Kyoto. During the post-Meiji restoration cadastral reforms, the area was organised into Ena District, Gifu.

The city was founded on April 1, 1954, by the merger of two towns (Oi and Osashima) and six villages (Tōnō, Sango, Takenami, Kasagi, Nakano, and Iiji), all from Ena District. On October 25, 2004, Ena absorbed the towns of Akechi, Iwamura, Kamiyahagi and Yamaoka, and the village of Kushihara (all from Ena District) to create the expanded city of Ena.

Government

Ena has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 18 members.

Subdivisions

Akechi-chō (明智町)
Higashino (東野)
Iiji-chō (飯地町)
Iwamura-chō (岩村町)
Kamiyahagi-chō (上矢作町)
Kasagi-chō (笠置町)
Kushihara (串原)
Misato-chō (三郷町)
Nakanohō-chō (中野方町)
Ōi-chō (大井町)
Osashima-chō (長島町)
Takenami-chō (武並町)
Yamaoka-chō (山岡町)

Economy

Ena was noted for its pulp and paper industry for many years. Production of precision instruments dominates the manufacturing sector.

Education

Ena has 14 public elementary schools and eight public middle schools operated by the city government, and three public high schools operated by the Gifu Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school. Chubu University maintains a subsidiary campus in Ena.

Transportation

Railway

20px JR Central - Chūō Main Line
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18px Akechi Railway - (Akechi Line):
– – < – > – – – – – – - )

Highway

22px Chūō Expressway: Ena Interchange - Enakyō Service Area

Culture

There is a culture of using local hornet larva as food. The dish hebo meshi is made from the hornets. In November of each year, a festival for the hornets is held in Kushihara.

Local attractions

Agigawa Dam
Ena Gorge
Hiroshige Museum of Art, Ena
Iwamura Castle Ruins
Hondōri Iwamura-chō
Mongol Village
Nakasendō Ōi-juku
Nihon Taishō Mura
Sasayuri no Yu
Yahagi Dam