Outline　|　Topography / Climate　|　Agriculture　|　 Forestry　 |　Fisheries　 　　Commerce　|　 Sightseeing　|　Industry　|　japanese

Outline
    The five towns and villages; namely, Susaki Town, Onogo Village, Uranouchi Village, Aso Village and Kamibun Village have been merged into Susaki City on October 1, 1954. Susaki City is located at the almost center of Kochi Prefecture where is about 30 km to the west of Kochi City. Shinjo River that flows through the west side of this city is famous for clear stream. In 1974, it was confirmed that Japanese otter lived in Shinjo River. No one has seen an otter in Japan since an otter was seen in Shinjo River in 1979.
    “Yokonami Kuroshio Line” was completed at the scenic Yokonami Peninsula in 1974. The view is excellent. We can enjoy seeing Tosa Bay, the Pacific Ocean and Uranouchi Bay.
    As to the change of population, there were about 35,000 people in the mid-1950’s, but low birthrate and longevity advance and the situation that a brake does not start reduction in population continues.
    The chief industry of Susaki City is the fishing industry. Deep-sea fishing and aquaculture such as amberjack, sea bream, young yellowtail are prospering. As to agriculture, the principal crops are hothouse Japanese ginger, hothouse cucumber, hothouse green pepper, hothouse small sweet pepper, hothouse flowering plant, and so on. Sales of hothouse Japanese ginger are at the top in Japan.
    The port of Susaki has been designated as an important harbor in 1966. The main cargoes are cement and wood. There is a port of limestone shipment at the entrance of the port. The exclusive belt conveyor from Torigata Mountain to this port of shipment carries limestone, and then it is taken out in all parts of Japan.
    With “Yosakoi Kochi National Athletic Meet” in 2002, the superhighway “Kochi Highway” was extended from Ino Interchange to Susaki-Higashi Interchange. Consequently, the stream of people and physical distribution became speedy.

Topography / Climate
    Susaki City is located at almost the center of Kochi Prefecture where is about 30 km to the west of Kochi City. This city is 25 km east and west, and 13 km north and south. This city is close to Tosa City on the east side, and Tsuno Town on the west side, and Sakawa Town on the north side, and Nakatosa Town on the south side. This city looks out on Tosa Bay. There are a lot of mountainous and hilly areas on the whole, but fertile land suitable for farming spread in various river basins.
    Susaki City has a city area around Susaki Bay. The outside of the bay is dotted with islets; Hesima, Kojima and Nakanoshima. The islets surround Nomi Bay. There is a scenic inlet on the east side of Nomi Bay, and the southern coast is a saw-tooth coastline. A north wind is blocked by the Shikoku Mountains and this city faces the Pacific Ocean, so it’s very warm. The harmony of the four seasons is kept well.
    In winter, northwesterly seasonal wind is strong, but there is extremely little snowfall. The rainfall belongs to the highest area in Japan. It is the high temperatures and humidity, so it is suitable for cultivation.


Agriculture
　　We have many kinds of agriculture in this city including hothouse cultivation as well as vegetables and citrus fruits that make good use of the warm temperature. Most farmers combine them with a crop of rice. Most of the destinations of these agricultural products are agricultural cooperatives, particularly the Japanese ginger called Myoga, of which Susaki is the No.1 producer in the country and they are well received both in and outside Kochi.


Forestry
　　The forest area of this city is about 10,000 hectare and it includes fine quality artificial forest. However, forestry production is decreasing as it is becoming more difficult to profit from forestry. According to this reason, we are now doing our best to protect our forest more than before through various methods such as thinning and tending to it.


Fisheries
　　We have 8 fisherman’s cooperative associations; Fukaura in Uranouchi bay, Otani and Nomi in Nomi bay, Kinpo, Susaki-tsuri and Susaki-cho in Susaki bay and Ikenoura and Kutsu facing the Pacific Ocean. Marine environmental aggravation is caused by the culture and the drainage from households over many years. In order to target a low cost high quality fish production by improving food etc., the fishery is supervised by a cable TV system.

 Moreover, people begin to be concerned about the safety of farmed fish, and so fishery companies have started tackling the traceability of fish in order to respond to the consumers’ needs.

 Fishing is performed by various methods, such as fixed nets, gill nets, and diving fishing in Susaki bay and the Pacific Ocean region. In addition, we are also undertaking stocking flounder, sea bream, shrimp, etc.


Commerce
　　According to the commerce census, the ratio of gross income per employee/store is less than the prefecture average. In recent years, many large shops have opened along the national highway and the scope of businesses has expanded. The conventional city area shopping center is working to revitalize the city area by holding fairs on Thursdays and Sundays every week and it is becoming a place of relaxation for people in and outside the city.

 Now, following the construction of the Kochi Expressway, we are working on making the shopping centers attractive in order to further a plan to have the whole Suzuki city area used as a service area.


Sightseeing
　　One of the tourist attractions of this city is Kinpo bay which is a natural harbor and typical of a raised coastline. There is a beautiful drive course designated to be a prefectual nature park. We can also enjoy whale watching from July to September of the coast.

Bandagamori Mountain with an altitude of 769m commands a wide view of the Pacific Ocean. In addition, the dragon canoe races were established as an event representing the city. Attentions have also gathered for educational classes, such as canoeing and baking bonito over straw.

 There are several historical treasures, such as the Otonashi shrine which is an important national cultural property having been built in 1251. It is a large camphor tree that is a natural treasure of Japan and has a presumed age of 2000 years. Also the site of a battery built at the end of Edo period that is the important cultural property of Japan. In recent years, Susaki’s noted for its pan noodles, and many tourists are visiting from the outside of Susaki during the weekend.


Industry
　　The industry of this city has developed by focusing on the lime industry, the lumber industry, traditional cutlery, and woodworking that utilizes natural resources. By the favor of rich resources and a good harbor, the major company, Sumitomo Osaka Cement, Inc., Nittetsu Mining Co., Ltd., and Matsushita-Kotobuki Electronics Industries, Ltd., were invited and fast development occurred. However, with the jump in energy prices that began from the first oil shortage, a large negative influence on the industry of Susaki that were based on the raw material industries occurred.

 In recent years, Matsushita-Kotobuki Electronics Industries, Ltd. closed down with the dampening of information technology-related industries in March 2002 by the prolonged depression. Then, M.SETEC Co., Ltd, a manufacturing company of silicon wafers for solar panels was invited and the operation started in 2004.


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