Tacoma - Tacoma (English spelling)

Washington is a city on the Puget Sound in the western part of Washington State, USA. It has a population of 193,556 (2000). It is the third most populous city in the state, surrounded by the sea and greenery. It is known as one of the major seaport cities in the United States, and is also a base for deep-sea fishing. There are many large grain warehouses in the port, and it is always bustling with large ships arriving from all over the world. It is also the industrial center of the northwestern part of the state, and is particularly blessed with abundant forestry. Woodworking, lumbering, papermaking, and pulp have long been the mainstay of the economy, and the city continues to play a wide range of roles in the fields of metallurgy and electrochemistry. Agriculture is also not to be missed. The town was founded in 1868, and saw rapid development with the opening of the transcontinental railroad in 1887. It is also the base for many scenic spots, including Mount Rainier, nicknamed "Tacoma Fuji" among Japanese Americans, and the Puget Sound and its large and small islands are popular recreational areas for locals, offering fishing, yachting, camping, hiking, and more. It is also known as a city with a large Japanese resident population.

[Kazuyo Sakuno]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

アメリカ合衆国、ワシントン州西部、ピュージェット海峡に臨む都市。人口19万3556（2000）。同州第3位の人口規模を誇る、海と緑の都市である。合衆国でも有数の海港都市として知られ、遠洋漁業基地でもあり、港には大規模な穀物倉庫がいくつも並び、世界各国から入港する大型船舶でつねに活気をみせている。また、州北西部域の工業の中心地であり、とくに豊富な林材に恵まれて、古くから木工業、製材、製紙、パルプなどが経済の主軸をなし、冶金(やきん)、電気化学の分野でも幅広い活躍を続けている。また、農業も見逃せない。1868年町が建設され、87年の大陸横断鉄道の開通により急速な発展をみた。日系人の間では「タコマ富士」の異名をとるレーニア火山をはじめ、数多くの景勝地への拠点ともなり、ピュージェット海峡やその中の大小の島々は、釣り、ヨット、キャンプ、ハイキングと市民の格好の行楽地である。日系住民の多い都市としても知られる。

［作野和世］

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