Minokamo, Gifu

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Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Minokamo has grown substantially over the past 50 years. Notably, the proportion of foreign nationals residing in the city is very high for Japan, at 9.2% as of October 2020. The foreign residents are predominantly from Brazil or the Philippines, with small but growing Chinese and Vietnamese populations.

History

The area around Minokamo was part of traditional Mino Province. In the Edo period, the area was divided between the holdings of Owari Domain and Naegi Domain, and tenryō holdings directly under the Tokugawa shogunate. Ōta-juku flourished as a post station on the Nakasendō highway connecting Edo with Kyoto. In the post-Meiji restoration cadastral reforms, Kamo District in Gifu prefecture was created. The modern city was formed on April 1, 1954 by the merger of the towns of Ota and Furui with the villages of Yamanoue, Hachiya, Kamono, Ibuka, Shimoyoneda and Miwa.

Government

Minokamo has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 16 members.

Economy

The area around Minokamo was formerly known for sericulture. Agriculture, including horticulture remains an important component of the local economy, producing crops such as rice, Asian pears, and persimmons. However, since the 1960s, the area has become increasingly industrialized as part of the Chubu Plateau Industrial Zone. Industries include textiles, semiconductor, electronics, machine tools and automotive components, as well as food products.

Education

Tertiary Education

Shogen Junior College, a traditional Japanese arts and Buddhist scripture university run by the Shogenji Temple.
, a Gifu prefecture-run vocational school that offers associates degrees in industrial technology, and construction, and vocational certificates in residential construction, automobile engineering, and public facilities.

Primary and Secondary Schools

Minokamo has nine public elementary schools, and two public junior high schools operated by the city government, a junior high school operated by an association between Minokamo City and the neighbouring Tomika Town, and a private combined junior/senior high school, . The city has two public high schools operated by the Gifu Prefectural Board of Education, which also operates a special education school.

Minokamo has a Brazilian school, the ("Isaac Newton College Japan"; )

Transportation

Railway

20px - JR Central - Takayama Main Line
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20px - JR Central - Taita Line
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20px Nagaragawa Railway Etsumi-Nan Line
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Bus

Yaotsu Line run by to Yaotsu Town
The Odakyu Bus "Papillon" overnight bus connection to Shibuya (Tokyo)
the Ai Ai Community Bus

Highway

22px Tōkai-Kanjō Expressway

Sister cities

Minokamo is twinned with:

Dubbo, Australia

Local attractions

Gifu-Seiryu Satoyama Park, a prefectural park with outdoor activities
Koyama Kannon Temple
Kobi no Tengusan, the main shrine of the
The Ota-juku area, a post town on the Nakasendo
River Port Park Minokamo, a park with river sports activities
Shōgen-ji, a Buddhist monastery
Yamazaki Mazak Machine Tools Museum