Taihaku-ku, Sendai

Taihaku-ku (太白区) is the southernmost ward of the city Sendai, in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. , the ward had a population of 234,391 and a population density of 1028 persons per km2 in 113,068 households. The total area of the ward was 228.39 sqkm. Taihaku-ku is eleventh largest ward in Japan in terms of area, and second-largest in Sendai (behind Aoba-ku). The western portion of the ward is the former town of Akiu, Miyagi.

Geography
Taihaku-ku is located inland, forming the southern portion of Sendai metropolis. The area is mountainous to the west, and the Natori River flows through the ward.

Neighboring municipalities

 * Miyagi Prefecture
 * Aoba-ku, Sendai
 * Wakabayashi-ku, Sendai
 * Natori
 * Murata
 * Kawasaki
 * Yamagata Prefecture
 * Yamagata
 * Higashine

History
The area of present-day Taihaku-ku was part of ancient Mutsu Province, and has been settled since at least the Japanese Paleolithic period. The area was inhabited by the Emishi people, and came under the control of the imperial dynasty during the late Nara period. During the Heian period, it was controlled by the Abe clan, followed by the Northern Fujiwara clan of Hiraizumi. During the Sengoku period, the area was dominated by various samurai clans before coming under the control of the Date clan during the Edo period, who ruled Sendai Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. With the establishment of the post-Meiji restoration municipalities system, the area was organised into Natori District of Miyagi Prefecture. The expanding city of Sendai annexed the town of Nagamachi in 1928, villages of Nishitaga in 1932, Tanaka in 1941, Oide in 1956 and town of Akiu in 1988. On April 1, 1989 when Sendai became a designated city by the national government with increased local autonomy, Taihaku-ku was formed as one of the five wards of the city.

Railway

 * East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Tōhoku Main Line / Jōban Line
 * Minami-Sendai - Taishidō - Nagamachi
 * Sendai Subway - Nanboku Line
 * Nagamachi-Itchome – Nagamachi – Nagamachi-Minami – Tomizawa
 * Sendai Subway - Tōzai Line
 * Yagiyama Zoological Park

Highway

 * – (Sendai-Minami Interchange)
 * – (Yamada and Nagamachi interchanges)

Colleges and universities

 * Tohoku University - Taihaku campus (Graduate School of Science)
 * Miyagi University - Taihaku campus
 * Tohoku Institute of Technology

Primary and secondary schools
Taihaku-ku has 28 public elementary schools and 14 public junior high schools operated by the city government. The ward has four public high schools operated by the Miyagi Prefectural Board of Education. Miyagi Prefecture also operates two special education schools within the ward. In addition, Taihaku-ku is host to the Tohoku Korean Primary and Junior High School, a North Korean international school.

Local attractions

 * Akiu Great Falls
 * Sendai City Tomizawa Site Museum
 * Sendai Yagiyama Zoological Park
 * Sendai City Wild Plants Garden