Aioi 4.34

Aioi is a city located between Himeji and Okayama, in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.As of August 31, 2016, the city has an estimated population of 30,250 and a population density of 334.62 persons per km². The total area is 90.43 km².HistoryAioi City was founded on October 1, 1942, and was enlarged to its present size on August 1, 1955. The city's name comes from the name of one of the villages that were merged to create the city. (Curiously, the name of the village was pronounced "Au", but used the same kanji characters as the present-day city.) During the Edo period, these villages were part of the Akō han (fiefdom of feudal lords) of Harima Province.The main industry in Aioi is shipbuilding, which, despite many years of decline, still maintains a strong presence through Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI).Aioi is known for the annual dragon boat races held during the Aioi Peron Festival, which takes place on the last weekend of May each year. In 1655, the dragon boat races were brought from China to Nagasaki. Later in 1922, some Nagasaki IHI workers were transferred to Aioi. They brought the dragon boat races with them.