Arida

Arida is a city in the north-central part of Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, facing the Kii Channel. It occupies an alluvial plain along the Arida River, with the steep Nagamine Mountains lining its northern and southern portions. The city was formed on May 1, 1956, when the town of Minoshima merged with the neighboring villages of Yasuda, Miahara and Itoga. Its largest industry is a large oil refinery operated by Eneos, while the traditional economy was horticulture, and Arida is one of the largest producers of mikan, the Japanese mandarin, in Wakayama Prefecture. The city is served by the JR West Kisei Main Line and National Routes 42 and 480, and its best known landmark is the Buddhist temple Jomyo-ji, founded in the early Heian period, whose main hall and pagoda are National Important Cultural Properties.