Seto, Aichi

Seto 瀬戸市
City
Upper stage：Jōkō-ji temple in Seto Lower stage：Skyline of Seto City
Flag Seal
Location of Seto in Aichi Prefecture
Seto
Coordinates: 35°13′24.9″N 137°05′3.1″E
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu (Tōkai)
Prefecture	Aichi
Government
• Mayor	Yasunori Ito
Area
• Total	111.40 km2 (43.01 sq mi)
Population  (October 1, 2019)
• Total	127,659
• Density	1,100/km2 (3,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Official tree	Ilex rotunda
Official flower	Camellia
Phone number	0561-82-7111
Address	64-1 Oiwake-chō, Seto-shi, Aichi-ken 489-8701
Website	Official website

Seto (瀬戸市, Seto-shi) is a city in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 October 2019, the city had an estimated population of 127,659 in 56,573 households, and a population density of 1,146 persons per km². The total area was 111.40 square kilometres (43.01 sq mi).

Geography

Seto is located in the hilly northern region of Aichi Prefecture, bordering Gifu Prefecture, approximately 35 minutes from Nagoya by way of the Meitetsu Seto Line. In English, the name of "Seto" translates to "the place where the river runs quickly." However, while there is a river in Seto, it is neither significantly large nor quick-moving. The city of Seto is famous for its pottery and ceramics, so much so that the generic word for ceramics in Japanese is setomono (瀬戸物). The main street along the river is lined with dozens of pottery shops. Every third Saturday and Sunday in September, there is a very large pottery festival called Setomono Matsuri(瀬戸物祭り) This festival attracts about 20,000 visitors from around Japan and abroad every year.

Climate

The city has a climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild winters (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Seto is 14.8 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1810 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.3 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.1 °C.

Surrounding municipalities

Aichi Prefecture

• Kasugai
• Nagakute
• Nagoya (Moriyama-ku)
• Owariasahi
• Toyota

Gifu Prefecture

• Tajimi
• Toki

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Seto has been increasing over the past 60 years.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1940	64,793	—
1950	68,415	+5.6%
1960	82,101	+20.0%
1970	92,681	+12.9%
1980	120,774	+30.3%
1990	126,340	+4.6%
2000	131,650	+4.2%
2010	132,240	+0.4%

History

Feudal period

The area had been famous for its ceramics production since at least the Kamakura period.

Early modern period

During the Edo period, the area of modern Seto was controlled by the Owari Tokugawa of Owari Domain.

Late modern period

During the Meiji period, Seto village was organized in 1888 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system, becoming a town in 1892. After annexing the neighboring village of Akatsu in 1925, Seto was raised to city status on October 1, 1929.

Much of the city was destroyed by air raids in 1945 during World War II.

Contemporary history

In the postwar period, the city grew as a bedroom community for Nagoya and as a tourist designation. On March 25, 2005, Expo 2005 opened with its main site being in Nagakute and additional activity in Seto. The expo continued until September 25, 2005.

Government

City hall

Seto has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 26 members. The city contributes two members to the Aichi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Aichi 6th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Sister cities

Sister cities

• Limoges, Haute-Vienne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France, since November 18, 2003
• Nabeul, Nabeul Governorate, Tunisia, since November 8, 2004
• Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, Korea, since April 20, 2006

Friendship cities

• Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, China, since October 1996

Economy

The economy of Seto remains dominated by ceramics, both for traditional works for private consumption, and also modern industrial ceramics for the electronics industry.

Education

Nagoya Gakuin University Seto campus

University

• Nagoya Gakuin University – Seto campus

Schools

• Primary and secondary education

Seto has 20 public elementary schools and eight public junior high schools operated by the city government, and one private junior high school. The city has four public high schools operated by the Aichi Prefectural Board of Education. and two private high schools. The city operates one and the prefecture operates two special education schools for the handicapped.

International school

The Aichi Korean 7th Elementary School (愛知朝鮮第七初級学校) – North Korean school is located in Seto

Transportation

Map of Meitetsu Seto Line

The Kilometre Zero of Seto

Railways

Conventional lines

Aichi Loop Railway

• Aichi Loop Line: - Yamaguchi – Setoguchi – Setoshi – Nakamizuno –

Meitetsu

• Seto Line: - Mizuno -Shin-Seto – Seto-Shiyakusho-mae – Owari Seto

Roads

Expressway

• Tōkai-Kanjō Expressway

Japan National Route

• National Route 155
• National Route 248
• National Route 363

• 
  Owari Seto Station
• 
  Seto-Akazu Interchange
• 
  Japan National Route 363

Local attractions

• Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum
• Jōkō-ji, Buddhist temple and mausoleum of Tokugawa Yoshinao of the Owari Domain.
• Setogura Museum

• 
  Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum
• 
  Setogura Museum
• 
  Setomono Festival
• 
  Unkō-ji
• 
  Jōkō-ji
• 
  Kamagaki no Komichi
• 
  Hongyō kiln

Notable people from Seto

• Sayaka Aoki, comedian
• Sōta Fujii, professional shogi player
• Toru Hasegawa,– professional soccer player
• Hayata Ito, professional baseball player
• Asaka Seto, actress
• Junji Suzuki, politician
• Manpei Takagi, actor

External links

• Seto travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Official website (in Japanese)