Kofu is the capital
of Yamanashi Ken (prefecture), Japan, lying in the fertile Kofu
Basin, at an elevation of 261 meters and with an area of 171.11
square kilometers. It is in the temperate climate zone with an average
annual temperature of 13.6 Celsius degrees and average annual rainfall
of 1129mm.
Kofu has a long history. Since the middle of the Jyomeng Period£¬people
began to live in this area. During the Warring States Period,
Takeda Nobutora built houses and castles there in 1519 A.C. After
decades of administration by his descendants Takeda Shingen and
Takeda Sengoku, the area gradually became the city of Kofu State.
Among all historic figures, Takeda Shingen is the most famous.
A renowned strategist and statesman in the Warring States Period,
he exerted himself to make the territory prosper, expanded the
frontier of Kofu and almost united Japan. To extol his merits
and virtues, a statue of him in war robe is erected in front of
the railway station of Kofu, which has become the symbol of the
city. April 12th is the anniversary of his death. On the weekend
ahead of the day, activities are held to commemorate him. In particular,
the ceremony of "the Kofu army going out to battle"
vividly reflects the spectacle of the Kofu army in Warring States
Period. Since t he first year of Meiji (1868 A C), Kofu has been
called Qingbu Fu, Kofe Fu and Kofu Ken. It was renamed as Yamanashi
Ken in August of the fourth year of Meiji. In July of the 22nd
year of Meiji (1889), the Kofu City took shape by merging the
villages nearby.
The main agricultural products include fruits and vegetables,
and Kofu is reputed as "the first city of grapes in Japan"
for its abundant grape production.
Its traditional industry, crystal processing, enjoys a long
history and perfect craftsmanship. The crystal products enjoy
great fame in Japan and even around the world. A large number
of crystal products are exported to other countries as the world-class
industrial artwares.
Kofu is not only one of the very few producing areas of gemstones
and precious metals, but the gemstones distributing center of
the world. The industrial enterprises of Kofu are grouped in the
Kofu Industrial Area, where there are factories set up by 22 companies,
production LSI computer and computer fittings. A forest of high-rises
of stores, marketplaces and supermarkets and office blocks of
the financial circles stand in the city.
There are 14 high school, 26 middle schools in the downtown
area in the city. The famous Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art,
the Civil Cultural Center of the County and universities including
the famous Yamanashi Ken University are also stationed in the
city. The most important collection in the gallery is the oil
painting - ¡°The Sower¡± created by Millet.
The architectural design and music of the gallery produced favorable
comments from in or abroad.
The Kofu people like sports activities such as tennis, volleyball
and football. The main meeting-place of the 41st National Sports
Meeting was in Kofu.
Yamanashi Ken is the site of some of Japan's most spectacular
scenery including Shosenkyo Ravine , known as the First ravine
of Japan, the ruins of the Takeda Family and the ¡°Kofu
City¡± built by Tokugawa Ieyasu, after the perdition
of the Takeda Family. There is a large area of graperies in the
slopes of the mountain area in the north. Kofu has being long
enjoyed a good reputation for its quality hot springs.
In 1983, Kofu and Chengdu were concluded as sister cities.
