阿波国造墓碑 表面.jpg
Article

36341 / いしいちょう

Tokushima Prefecture 名西郡

Ishii Town

A tomb tablet, handed down as a deity.

Awa Kokuzo tomb tablet, Nakaoji

Photo by Mt.takamichi (CC BY-SA 4.0)

01 / Awa Kokubun-niji Ruins

The provincial temple is in Tokushima,the nunnery temple in Ishii.

Awakokubunnzi03.jpg
Photo by Dokudami (CC BY-SA 4.0)

By imperial edict of Emperor Shomu, provincial temples and nunneries were built, and Awa's nunnery (国分尼寺) stood in what is now Ishii. Excavations in 1970-71 confirmed the main hall and north gate, and the precinct extends about 160 m on each side. It became a national historic site in 1973; Ishii is its administrator.

  • Precinct about 160 m square (town website)
  • Excavated in 1970-71 (same source)
  • National Historic Site: April 14, 1973

02 / Sakurama Pond Site

Lamenting the lost pond, the lord ordereda huge rock hauled from the sea over seven years.

Sakurama shrine, Tokushima.jpg
Photo by 岩佐 栄三 (CC0)

A beautiful pond once praised in the Fubokushu (夫木和歌集) poetry anthology as "a mirror" had become a mere site by the late Edo period. Regretting this, Awa's lord Hachisuka Narimasa ordered a huge rock lifted from the sea off Yuki (由岐浦), and it was raised here as a monument over seven years from 1828.

  • Monument raised over seven years from 1828 (town website)
  • The rock lay in the sea off Yuki, 海部郡 (same source)
  • Prefectural Historic Site: September 9, 1969

03 / Wisteria at Jifukuji

A purple wisteria over 200 years oldis the symbol of Ishii.

Jifuku-ji2.jpeg
Photo by Sorrysorry (Public domain)

Jifukuji temple's grounds have trellises of purple and white wisteria. The trellis of the purple vine, 30 m north to south and 6 m east to west, bears flower clusters up to 1 m long at their best. Wisteria is also the town flower, and a festival is held each year from late April to early May. In 2026 it was announced for April 15 to 30.

  • Purple wisteria over 200 years old (town website)
  • Trellis 30 m north to south, 6 m east to west (same source)
  • Wisteria is the town flower (designated 1982)

Living here

West of Tokushima. City hall is a 10-minute walk from Ishii Station.

  • about 20,000 people
  • Rural district town

A square-shaped town about 6 km east to west and 5.5 km north to south. It is made up of fertile flatland deposited by the Yoshino River and gentle hills and low mountains around 200 m high. In 1955 the old Ishii Town merged with four villages: Urasho, Takahara, Aihata and Takagawara. Town hall is about 600 m north of Ishii Station, a 10-minute walk.

People living here
24,833people
19952020

−3% since 2015

25,436 → 24,833

Area
28.85km²

25.71km² of it habitable

2024

Households
9,624households

2.6 people per household

2020

Rent (average for rentals)
44,592yen

National average 60,630 yen

2023

Healthcare
1 hospital / 22 clinics

9.3 per 10,000 people

2023

Area28.85km²Habitable land25.71km² / 89%
Area and habitable land at the same scalee-Stat B1101 / B1103
Children waiting for childcare
—7 nurseries and similar
Home purchase subsidy
—
Average annual temperature
—

These 3 items are waiting on a nationwide data source. We do not fill them with estimates.

Shape

Borders 5 municipalities.

Ishii Town in Japan34.074°N 134.441°E
TokyoIshii Town
Territory of Ishii Town
Boundaries: National Land Numerical Information (N03)

North to south

6.7km

徳島市, 上板町, 吉野川市, 神山町, 藍住町

Travel times per leg are not published by the municipality, so they are not shown.

Ishii Town isthis kind of town.

  1. 01At Nakaoji Shrine (中王子神社) in Ishii, the Awa Kokuzo tomb tablet (阿波国造墓碑), made of tile-like brick, is handed down as the sacred object. It measures 19.8 cm by 17.4 cm by 10 cm and is thought to have been set before the grave of the Awa Kokuzo (阿波国造粟凡直弟臣), who died in 723 (Yoro 7). It is a prefectural cultural property.
  2. 02The Awa Kokubun-niji Ruins are a national historic site, and the Sakurama Pond Site and its monument are a prefectural historic site. The Tanaka and Takechi residences of indigo merchants are national Important Cultural Properties, the wisteria of Jifukuji is the town's symbol, and Dogakuji temple is said to be where the boy Kobo Daishi studied.
  3. 03A town of 名西郡 just west of Tokushima, with Ishii Station on the JR Tokushima Line. The town's directions to town hall say 600 m north of the station, a 10-minute walk. The land is Yoshino River flatland plus hills, and vegetables such as spinach and broccoli are grown.

See the town as it is now.

Source: Wikidata (P2002, P2003, P2013, P2397)

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.