Unzen (雲仙市 Unzen-shi?) is one of three cities on the Shimabara peninsula. Amalgamated on October 11, 2005, Unzen city was formed from the towns of Minamikushiyama (南串山 Minamikushiyama?), Obama (小浜 Obama?), Chijiwa (千々石 Chijiwa?), Aino (愛野 Aino?), Azuma (吾妻 Azuma?), Mizuho (瑞穂 Mizuho?), and Kunimi (国見 Kunimi?). Unzen comprises the northwestern third of the peninsula, bounded roughly by Tachibana Bay to the west, Ariake Bay to the North, and Unzen-dake (雲仙岳 Unzen-dake?), the volcanic cluster from which it takes its name, to the east. Due to its terrain, composition, and relative newness, Unzen City has no distinct urban center. Instead it is characterized by small townships intermingled with farmland and rugged, often forested, hills. Neighboring cities are Shimabara, Minami-Shimabara, and I