Akashi, Hyōgo
Akashi (明石市, Akashi-shi) is a city located in southern Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, on the Seto Inland Sea west of Kobe. As of April 1, 2017, the city has an estimated population of 294,312 and a population density of 6,000 persons per km2. The total area is 49.22 square kilometres (19 sq mi).
Akashi
明石市 | |
|---|---|
 Akashi from Akashi Castle. | |
 Flag  Emblem | |
 Location of Akashi in Hyōgo Prefecture | |
 | |
  Akashi Location in Japan | |
| Coordinates: 34°39′N 135°0′E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Kansai |
| Prefecture | Hyōgo Prefecture |
| First official recorded | 645 AD |
| City Settled | November 1, 1919 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Fusaho Izumi (from May 2011) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 49.22 km2 (19.00 sq mi) |
| Population (April 1, 2017) | |
| • Total | 294,312 |
| • Density | 6,000/km2 (15,000/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
| City hall address | 1-5-1 Nakasaki, Akashi-shi, Hyogo-ken 673-8686 |
| Climate | Cfa |
| Website | www |
| Symbols | |
| Flower | Chrysanthemums |
| Tree | Sweet Osmanthus |
| Akashi | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese name | |||||
| Kanji | 明石市 | ||||
| Hiragana | あかしし | ||||
| Katakana | アカシシ | ||||
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History
Akashi was an important city during Japan's pre-modern period due to the presence of Akashi Castle, headquarters of the Akashi Domain. The city, in its current form, was founded on November 1, 1919.
Akashi city was called Akashi Domain (1617-1871) and flourished as an old castle town since the seventeenth century. After the time of the Meiji restoration, the abolition of the han system (haihan-chiken) was done and replaced to a new system of prefectures in 1871 by Meiji Government.
It was said that Miyamoto Musashi (1584–1645) who was one of the well-known Japanese swordsmen made the old town's lots in the seventeenth century. Kakinomotono Hitomaro who was the great waka poet of the late Asuka period wrote many poems, and one of them was about Akashi. Akashi also appeared in The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu who was a famous female writer in the early years of the 11th century.
Akashi Government renovated its library and other facilities in November, 2017. Then, Akashi station's area was developed. A municipal library and other facilities reestablished in front of Akashi station. Therefore, accessibility in those facilities was exceedingly improved.
On July 21, 2001, 11 people were killed and 247 injured in a pedestrian stampede after a fireworks show. Five city and civil officials were subsequently convicted of negligence for not preventing the disaster.[1]
On April 1, 2018, Akashi became a core city.
Geography
Akashi Municipal Planetarium stands on the meridian of 135 degrees east longitude, that is used to determine Japan Standard Time. Contrary to the name, the terminus of the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge that connects Honshu to Awaji Island (and thereby to Shikoku) is not in Akashi but in Tarumi-ku, Kōbe.
The remains of Akashi Castle are located just north of Akashi Station and are visible from the station platform.
Climate
Akashi has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and cool to cold winters. Precipitation is significantly higher in summer than in winter, though on the whole lower than most parts of Honshū, and there is no significant snowfall. The average annual temperature in Akashi is 15.9 °C (60.6 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,156.6 mm (45.54 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.7 °C (81.9 °F), and lowest in January, at around 5.2 °C (41.4 °F).[2] The highest temperature ever recorded in Akashi was 37.2 °C (99.0 °F) on 13 August 2019; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −4.3 °C (24.3 °F) on 30 Junuary 2003.[3]
| Climate data for Akashi (1992−2020 normals, extremes 1992−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 16.5 (61.7) |
18.1 (64.6) |
22.1 (71.8) |
27.4 (81.3) |
29.4 (84.9) |
33.4 (92.1) |
36.3 (97.3) |
37.2 (99.0) |
34.9 (94.8) |
30.7 (87.3) |
25.2 (77.4) |
22.4 (72.3) |
37.2 (99.0) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 9.1 (48.4) |
9.5 (49.1) |
12.5 (54.5) |
17.4 (63.3) |
22.2 (72.0) |
25.6 (78.1) |
29.4 (84.9) |
31.5 (88.7) |
28.3 (82.9) |
23.0 (73.4) |
17.2 (63.0) |
11.7 (53.1) |
19.8 (67.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 5.2 (41.4) |
5.6 (42.1) |
8.5 (47.3) |
13.3 (55.9) |
18.2 (64.8) |
22.0 (71.6) |
25.9 (78.6) |
27.7 (81.9) |
24.3 (75.7) |
18.7 (65.7) |
12.9 (55.2) |
7.7 (45.9) |
15.8 (60.5) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 1.5 (34.7) |
1.7 (35.1) |
4.4 (39.9) |
9.3 (48.7) |
14.6 (58.3) |
19.0 (66.2) |
23.4 (74.1) |
24.9 (76.8) |
20.8 (69.4) |
14.6 (58.3) |
8.7 (47.7) |
3.7 (38.7) |
12.2 (54.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −4.3 (24.3) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
0.4 (32.7) |
6.5 (43.7) |
12.7 (54.9) |
17.7 (63.9) |
18.8 (65.8) |
11.3 (52.3) |
5.8 (42.4) |
1.5 (34.7) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
−4.3 (24.3) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 35.1 (1.38) |
50.7 (2.00) |
83.6 (3.29) |
89.5 (3.52) |
115.4 (4.54) |
150.5 (5.93) |
152.3 (6.00) |
86.2 (3.39) |
162.6 (6.40) |
118.1 (4.65) |
59.2 (2.33) |
48.7 (1.92) |
1,156.6 (45.54) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 5.0 | 6.5 | 8.8 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 10.7 | 9.7 | 5.9 | 9.2 | 7.6 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 93.1 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 168.0 | 153.9 | 186.3 | 196.9 | 205.1 | 154.2 | 186.0 | 239.7 | 169.3 | 176.5 | 161.8 | 165.4 | 2,160.3 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3][2] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Akashi in 2020 is 303,601 people.[4] Akashi has been conducting censuses since 1920.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 58,087 | — |
| 1925 | 63,665 | +9.6% |
| 1930 | 66,872 | +5.0% |
| 1935 | 72,397 | +8.3% |
| 1940 | 84,835 | +17.2% |
| 1945 | 101,583 | +19.7% |
| 1950 | 112,011 | +10.3% |
| 1955 | 120,200 | +7.3% |
| 1960 | 129,780 | +8.0% |
| 1965 | 159,299 | +22.7% |
| 1970 | 206,532 | +29.7% |
| 1975 | 234,905 | +13.7% |
| 1980 | 254,869 | +8.5% |
| 1985 | 263,363 | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 270,722 | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 287,606 | +6.2% |
| 2000 | 293,117 | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 291,027 | −0.7% |
| 2010 | 290,993 | −0.0% |
| 2015 | 293,409 | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 303,601 | +3.5% |
| Akashi population statistics[4] | ||
Politics and government
Akashi is governed by Mayor Fusaho Izumi, an independent. The city assembly has 31 elected members and is dominated by independents.
Economy
Yamato Scale, a leading global manufacturer of commercial weighing and packaging equipment is headquartered in the city.[5]
Culture
Akashi is well known for Akashiyaki, a kind of takoyaki particular to the region. Small pieces of octopus (tako) are placed inside a ball-shaped mold containing a mixture of flour and eggs and this is then fried. Akashiyaki is often eaten by dipping in a thin soup. People who live in Akashi call it "tamagoyaki."(tamago, 玉子 or 卵, literally "egg") Akashi is the site of the Uonotana (Uo-no-Tana, 魚の棚, literally "fish-shelf") Fish Market where local fishermen display an array of fresh seafood caught in the Akashi Strait.
Education
The city once had a North Korean school, Akashi Korean Elementary School (明石朝鮮初級学校)[6] and Akashi Junior College (明石短期大学). The city also has the National Institute of Technology Akashi College (NITAC)．[7] (国立明石工業高等専門学校)
Sport
Akashi Park Stadium is a track and field stadium that can hold 20,000 spectators.
Principal sights of Akashi
Port of Akashi
Old town area
Uontana
Transportation
JR
The San'yō Main Line (JR Kobe Line) passes through the city with stations at:
Sanyo Railway
The Sanyo Electric Railway Main Line passes through the city with stations at:
Highways
- Japan National Route 2 (Kobe, Okayama, Hiroshima, Shimonoseki)
- Japan National Route 28 (Kobe, Tokushima)
- Japan National Route 175 (Maizuru)
- Japan National Route 250 (Kobe, Okayama)
- Japan National Route 427 (Nishiwaki, Asago)
- Second Shinmei Road (Kobe)
Ferries
- Akashi Awaji Ferry and Awaji Jenova Line to Awaji Island
International relations
References
- Kyodo News, "Ex-cop pleads not guilty in fatal '01 Akashi crush", Japan Times, 20 January 2012, p. 1.
- 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- Akashi population statistics
- "Yamato Scale corporate profile". Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
- ウリハッキョ一覧. Chongryon. November 6, 2005. Archived from the original on November 6, 2005. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
- https://www.akashi.ac.jp/english/
- "Vallejo Sister City". Vallejo Sister City Association. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2013-09-11.
- 明石市. "姉妹都市提携50周年記念事業". 明石市 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-08-11.
- 明石市. "友好都市・無錫市の紹介". 明石市 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-08-11.
External links
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Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Akashi. |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Akashi, Hyogo. |
- Akashi City official website
Geographic data related to Akashi, Hyōgo at OpenStreetMap
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