Nakano, Nagano

Nakano, Nagano

Nakano (中野市, Nakano-shi) is a city located in northern Nagano Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on July 1, 1954.

As of April 1, 2008, the city has an estimated population of 46,114 and a population density of 411.51 persons per km². The total area is 112.06 km².

On April 1, 2005, the village of Toyota (from Shimominochi District) was merged into Nakano.

The city of Nakano is supported largely by its vast agricultural industry. Nakano boasts high quality fruits and vegetables, including Fuji apples, Kyohō grapes, peaches, pears, rice, asparagus, and mushrooms. The city is also well known for its roses. The biannual rose festival in Ippongi Park displays thousands of rose plants, and attracts tourists from all over Japan.

Located in the northern region of Nagano prefecture, the weather in Nakano varies greatly over the seasons. Summers are hot and humid with temperatures often over 30 degrees Celsius, while winters are cold and snowy with temperatures around −10 degrees Celsius. In spring, Nakano is full of cherry and grape blossoms.

Nakano City has experienced significant growth since the Nagano 1998 Winter Olympics. Located near many popular ski areas, Nakano's economy is augmented by the ski-tourism industry.

There are two high schools, four junior high schools, and eleven elementary schools in Nakano. The largest junior high school is Nanguu JHS. The largest elementary school is Nakano ES.

In 2007, Nakano became home to the Shinano Grand Serows, a baseball team in the Japanese BC League (Baseball Challenge League).

Nakano is home to Cosina Co., Ltd, a designer and manufacturer of camera and lenses.