Outline of Mishima

Mishima is located in the east of Shizuoka prefecture, at the entrance of Izu-Haokone National Park. Mishima is 11.1 kilometers (6.9 miles) east to west and 13.2 kilometers (8.2miles) north to south. The total area is 62.13 square kilometers (38.4 square miles). Two-thirds of the area is mountainous and hilly districts. The base of Ashitaka mountain is to the west and the Hakone mountain ranges to the east. To the north of the city we have a fine view of Mt. Fuji (3,766meters above the sea) and the thawing water from Mt. Fuji gushes out into many ponds and streams around Mishima. Mishima is doing its best to establish a "City filled with fresh green, pure water and cultural fragrance", and is favored with a beautiful natural environment and a mild climate.

Mishima is one of the oldest historic places in Japan where culture flourished from early times. Then during the Nara and Heian Period (8~12c), Mishima was selected as animportant local government center and a Kokubunji temple and a Kokubunniji temple were established at the same time. People know Mishima was a center of politics, culture, and transport. Mishima is famous all over Japan, for the fact that Minamoto-no-Yorimoto, originator of the Japanese shogunate visited the Grand Shrine of Mishima topray for good luck and the god's protection at the battle field. In the Muromachi Period (14c~16c), the ruling Hojo family which lived in Odawara City, near Mishima, built the Fort Yamanaka half way up Hakone mountain. However, they were defeated by their enemy Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the future shogun of Japan and Fort Yamanaka was destroyed. During the Edo Period (1603~1867), Mishima was governed from Edo and a magistrate from the capital was placed here. The post town of Mishima enjoyed prosperity as one of the five biggest towns among the 53 Tokaido Highway towns. On April 29,1941,Mishima was incorporated into a city (by combining the town of Mishima with the village of Nakazato). The Mishima Railway Station on the new trunk line (Shinkansen) was opened in 1969 and we were able to travel to the capital Tokyo in about one hour by super-express train. Mishima's population today is 114,000.

Mishima became a Sister City of Pasadena, California, U.S.A on July 24, 1957. It was the fourth sister city affiliation at that time in Japan. Since becoming sister cities, both cities have had active personnel exchange programs. Mishima formed an affiliation with New Plymouth, New Zealand in commemoration of Mishima's 50th Anniversary Celebration on April 29, 1991. Then, Mishima started a friendly affiliation with Lisui, China, on May 12, 1997. Mishima enjoys mutual dispatch of delegations, both youth exchanges and cultural exchanges with these sister cities.