Tsu, Administrative capital of Mie Prefecture, Japan
Tsu is an administrative capital on the eastern coast of the Kii Peninsula in Mie Prefecture, positioned between Ise Bay and mountainous inland terrain. The city spreads across flat coastal zones, river mouths and gentle hills rising toward the interior.
A tsunami in 1498 destroyed much of the port town known then as Anotsu and prompted its reorganization as a castle town under the rule of the Tōdō family. During the Edo period, this place developed into a regional trading hub with access to sea routes and overland paths.
The name Tsu comes from the old port town of Anotsu and was later shortened to a single character, making it the shortest city name in Japan. Visitors notice the role of this place as a regional administrative center where prefectural offices blend with shopping streets and residential neighborhoods.
Multiple railway lines connect the city to Nagoya in the east and Osaka in the west, with journeys taking roughly an hour. The area around the train stations offers pedestrian streets and shops, while the waterfront and gardens lie farther from the center.
The Kitabatake Gardens from the 14th century show traditional samurai landscaping with stone arrangements and water features across multiple levels. This garden site lies away from main roads in a quiet forested area near the city.
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