Inaopira
| Inaopira ꡝꡞꡡꡌꡞꡘꡛꡞ Inaopira-si | |
|---|---|
| Designated City | |
 Clockwise from top left:
| |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Inaopira in Kitay Province, Saramosir | |
| Country | Saramosir |
| Province | Kitay Province |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Annen |
| Population (2019) | |
| • Urban | 3,521,000 |
| • Metro | 5,042,499 |
Inaopira (ꡝꡞꡡꡌꡞꡘꡛꡞ Inaopira-si) is a major city and port in Saramosir, Chisei. It is the capital and largest settlement of Kitay Province. As of 2019, the city has an estimated population of 3.52 million people, making it the second largest city in Saramosir after Apasiri.
Founded in 1306, during the Arawa-aca period, Inaopira was for a time the center of a powerful regional thalassocracy that controlled much of the western Jade Sea trade, and maintained a large network of tributary states and vassals across Awaji. Its economic and political power would begin to decline by the 15th century however, as a growth in piracy from nearby Shirakawa combined with the rise of Saramosir and it's colonial empire led to a relative decline of the northern sea route. It was conquered in 1627 by Kamushain the Great, who eagerly made use of the city state's still considerable naval might to further consolidate and expand Saramosir's holdings.
The city once again became highly prominent in the mid-18th century, as Chisei (now united) moved to expand it's chain of Red Seal ports along the Jade Sea Coast and into northern Amphia. The Moyukmori fortress would be constructed to fortify the city against attack in 1771. The fortress would indeed come under siege multiple times during the Taihei revolution and subsequent civil war, but it would ultimately remain a bastion of loyalist holdouts throughout the period. Following the revolution, Inaopira quickly transformed into a major Chiseian industrial hub, particularly known for its shipbuilding and steelworks. The city's strategic position, existing fortifications, and critical industry made Inaopira Base, on the offshore island of Haposir, one of the largest hubs of the Chiseian Royal Navy after Wanshu throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. The crippling of the navy with the loss of Wanshu in the First Escar-Varunan War consequently greatly increased the strategic importance of Inaopira, and following an extensive campaign of expansion it was the fifth largest seaport in Escar by 1937.
Following the Second Escar-Varunan War the city would continue to expand in size, fuelled by large scale migration from across the Chiseian empire as well as from elsewhere in Chisei. Inaopira, already know for being a cosmopolitan port city, was also one of the few major cities in Chisei left relatively unscathed by the conflict, and was thus an appealing destination for immigrants.
Today, the city is the fourth largest port in Chisei, and the largest in Saramosir. Inaopira Base is the largest domestic military port in the country, and one of the largest in Escar, with some 90,000 soldiers and civilians working at the base. The city is the headquarters of numerous major corporations, notably the Satsu Group, Chiotanne Global Logistics and Karus Media. Inaopira joined the OLCO Network of Creative Cities in 2019, as a design city. The Inaopira Academy of Design is the third highest ranked art & design school in Chisei.
History
Government
Subdivisions
The City is divided into 8 maci (towns/wards), which are as follows:
- Pirabira - South side of the city, in the shadow of Mount Inaopira. Primarily residential, though Kitay-hur is a major retail street running through the northern section of the ward down towards the port.
- Moi - The central district including the majority of the port, Moyukmori and the commercial center of the city. It is bisected by the Inaopira canal.
- Tomari - Office district, north of Moi, where the city government and private company headquarters are concentrated. Also hosts Inaopira Tomari Stadium, homeground of Inaopira Atuy-un-kuguru.
- Haposir - Covers the island to the city's north. 90% of the population are military or civilian personnel working at Inaopira Base and the Inaopira Haposir shipyard operated by Nakanishi Aikotan. Most of the urban area is dedicated to housing and services for military and naval construction workers.
- Acasir - Historically home to a fishing community, most of the southern island's land area is today dominated by Inaopira International Airport, and what remains of Acasir town is now largely tourist-focused.
- Arutoro - Northernmost residential district. The Inaopira tower is located in the south of the ward.
- Cuppok - Inner city residential area. Home to the greatest proportion of the immigrant population.
- Tarani - Western residential district. Historically mainly populated by Ashiwase and considered to be a rough neighborhood, though it has been significantly gentrified in the last 20 years. Home ward of Inaopira Tunakay, based in the Satsu Tarani Stadium.
Geography and environment
Inaopira city is located in the center of Kitay Province, at the southern tip of the Kitay peninsula. The city's designated borders encompass the main low-lying urban area at the peninsula's narrowest point, as well as two outlying islands - Haposir to the north and Acasir to the south, which are connected to the mainland via two long suspension bridges. Mount Inaopira looks over the city from the south, while to the north Hurecape hill seperates the city from nearby Kunasuma. The wider General Urban Circuit, which exists primarily for statistical purposes includes most of Notsam and Moruran provinces.
The city is located in a Warm-summer Meditteranean climate. It experiences warm, dry summers and mild winters. Inaopira is one of the warmest areas in Saramosir, with summer highs of 26°C and winter lows of -3°C. Snow is relatively uncommon.
Demographics
The 2018 census estimated the population of the designated City of Inaopira (Inaopira-si) to be 1,521,000, though the wider General Urban Circuit, which includes nearby towns and cities such as Kunasuma, Notsam and Moruran is estimated to have a population of as many as 3,042,499 people.
Inaopira is heavily diverse, and is majority non-Kannaguru, though Kannaguru people do form the plurality of the population. According to the 2018 census, 48% of the population was Kannaguru, 12% was Chiseian Osovan, 9% was Yashiman (7.6% Shirakawan, 1.4% other), 8.4% was South Escaric (6.1% Sahilese, 1.3% Masukan, and 1% other), 7.6% was Ashiwase, 7% was Kuijuan, 3% was Uraani, 2% was Urita, 1% was Ordan, and the remaining 2% were people with a variety of other heritages. 23% of the population was foreign-born or second-generation immigrants. These statistics apply to the City, and do not include the wider GUA.
Kannaguru is spoken by 81% of the population as a first language, and by 15% as a second language. The second, third and fourth most common first languages are Shirakawan Yashiman, Libimilasi and Sahilese.
Economy
Transport
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Public transport in the city is primarily provided by the Inaopira Municipal Transport Company, a public company jointly owned by Saramosir Rail and the city government.
Inaopira Airport provides both regional international flights as well as domestic flights to almost every other major Chiseian aiport.
The Kitay Bridge and Kitay Tunnel are only direct road and rail links between the Chiseian mainland and Cupmosir. The Inaopira-Kapap Line and the Awaji Shinkanesen both make use of the tunnel and have major terminals in the city.
Numerous ferry services operate between Inaopira and nearby Notenaymosir, as an alternative to the bridge and tunnel.
Culture
The Inaopira Academy of Design and the Inaopira School of Art are the two largest cultural institutions in the city, both enjoying strong international and domestic repuations. They are ranked third and fourth in Chisei for art & design studies overall. The School of Art is elder of the two, established in 1756, and being notably influential upon numerous traditional art movements throughout the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The Academy was a breakaway of this school, founded in 1929, which espoused a more modernist outlook, focused in particular on industrial design. The Inaopira style was a popular minimalist style of product design which stemmed from the Academy. Today, the Academy offers courses in a range of design specialties, including in fields such as computer games and animation.
Literary figures associated with Inaopira include the 19th century novelists Ikitam and Ihiriki, as well as the poet Oyawakka, widely seen as one of Chisei's greatest modernist poets. Award-winning Shiro-Osovan author Arajima Natanetsu (Yashime of Yashima, Welcome to the OHO) grew up in the city.
The city is home to many successful sports clubs. Of particular note are the city's two football clubs, Inaopira Atuy-un-kuguru which plays in the Apa Riga, and Inaopira Tunakay which plays in the top-level Poro Riga and has seen previous international success in the OUFA Champion's Cup and the Jade Cup. Inaopira was one of the candidate cities to host the 2020 Jade Cup final, though it ultimately lost to New Horizon.
The National Raranoka Society is headquartered in the city, and many popular authors of raranoka and manga are based there. Azure Warrior Karakan, a highly popular Chiseian dōga since the 1980s, was intiially based on a short raranoka produced by Inaopira native Ikitare. The model kits of the series are still produced primarily in the Satsu's 'Karakan factory' in Kunasuma, and a 15-meter tall statue of the titular robot stands in Moi district. Inaopira Animation and Piran Studio are two notable animation studios located in the city.