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Kakogawa, Hyōgo

Coordinates: 34°45′N 134°50′E / 34.750°N 134.833°E / 34.750; 134.833
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Kakogawa
加古川市
Kakurin-ji Sosayakujin-Hachiman Hiokayama Park Hiokiyama Jinja Yamato Yashiki department store
Kakurin-ji
Sosayakujin-HachimanHiokayama Park
Hiokiyama Jinja
Yamato Yashiki department store
Flag of Kakogawa
Official seal of Kakogawa
Map
Location of Kakogawa in Hyōgo Prefecture
Kakogawa is located in Japan
Kakogawa
Kakogawa
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 34°45′N 134°50′E / 34.750°N 134.833°E / 34.750; 134.833
CountryJapan
RegionKansai
PrefectureHyōgo
Government
 • MayorYasuhiro Okada
Area
 • Total138.48 km2 (53.47 sq mi)
Population
 (June 1, 2024)
 • Total255,523
 • Density1,800/km2 (4,800/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address2000 Kakogawachō Kitazaike, Kakogawa-shi Hyōgo-ken 675-8501
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
FlowerAzalea
TreeJapanese Black Pine
Kakogawa City Hall
Kobe Steel Kakogawa Works

Kakogawa (加古川市, Kakogawa-shi) is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 June 2024, the city had an estimated population of 255,523 in 110,380 households and a population density of 1,800 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the city is 138.48 square kilometres (53.47 sq mi).

Geography

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Kakogawa located in southern Hyōgo prefecture, in the eastern part of the Harima Plain with central city area spreading over the east bank of the Kako River estuary. A large portion of city is reclaimed land from the Seto Inland Sea and is mostly devoted to heavy industry. There is a completely different landscape between the southern part of the city, which has industrial areas and large-scale mass retailers, and the northern part, which is mostly rural.

Neighbouring municipalities

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Hyōgo Prefecture

Climate

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Kakogawa has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kakogawa is 15.4 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1527 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.5 °C, and lowest in January, at around 4.9 °C.[2]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Kakogawa rose rapidly in the 1970s and 1980s and has now leveled.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1970 140,344—    
1975 183,280+30.6%
1980 212,233+15.8%
1985 227,311+7.1%
1990 239,803+5.5%
1995 260,567+8.7%
2000 266,170+2.2%
2005 267,100+0.3%
2010 266,889−0.1%
2015 267,435+0.2%
2020 260,878−2.5%

History

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The area of Kakogawa is part of ancient Harima Province and is the location of numerous Kofun period burial mounds. During the Sengoku period it developed as a castle town and in the Edo Period as a post station on the San'yōdō highway connecting the Kinai region with western Japan. The town of Kakogawa was established on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. It was raised to city status on June 15, 1950. Kakogawa became a Special city on April 1, 2002 with increased local autonomy.

Government

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Kakogawa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 31 members. Kakogawa contributes four members to the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Hyōgo 10th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan. Akashi is governed by Mayor Fusaho Izumi, an independent.

Economy

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Kakogawa is located within the Hanshin Industrial Area and Harima Seaside Industrial Area and is a center for heavy industry, including steel mills, refineries and chemical processing. Kobe Steel's Kakogawa Steel Works is a major employer. Due to its transportation connections and location, with easy access to Himeji (about 10 minutes), Kobe (about 30 minutes) and Osaka (about 50 minutes) by train, numerous bedroom communities have developed for commuters to Kobe and Osaka.

Education

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Kakogawa has 26 public elementary schools and 11 public middle schools and one public compulsory education middle school operated by the city government and six public high schools operated by the Hyōgo Prefectural Department of Education. Hyogo University is located in Kakogawa. The city also operates one special education school for the handicapped. The nursing school of University of Hyogo is located in Akashi.

Transportation

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Railway

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JR WestSan'yō Main Line (JR Kobe Line)

JR WestKakogawa Line

Sanyo Electric Railway - Main Line

Highways

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Local attractions

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Special dishes

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Katsumeshi is a specialty of Kakogawa. The dish is essentially a beef cutlet served on top of plate of rice with demi-glace sauce.

Notable people from Kakogawa

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Kakogawa city official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. ^ Kakogawa climate data
  3. ^ Kakogawa population statistics
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