Wikipedia

Kawaguchi, Saitama

Kawaguchi(Xuyên khẩu thị,Kawaguchi-shi)is acitylocated inSaitama Prefecture,Japan.As of 1 January 2021,the city had an estimatedpopulationof 607,373 in 293,582 households and apopulation densityof 9800 persons per km².[1]The total area of the city is 61.95 square kilometres (23.92 sq mi). It is theGreater Tokyo Area's 8th most populated city (after passingHachioji), and second largest in Saitama Prefecture, after eponymousSaitama.

Kawaguchi
Xuyên khẩu thị
Core city
View of downtown Kawaguchi
View of downtown Kawaguchi
Flag of Kawaguchi
Flag
Official seal of Kawaguchi
Seal
Location of Kawaguchi in Saitama Prefecture
Location of Kawaguchi in Saitama Prefecture
Kawaguchi is located in Japan
Kawaguchi
Kawaguchi
Coordinates:35°48′27.7″N139°43′26.8″E/ 35.807694°N 139.724111°E/35.807694; 139.724111
CountryJapan
RegionKantō
PrefectureSaitama
Government
• MayorNobuo Okunoki (since February 2014)
Area
• Total
61.95 km2(23.92 sq mi)
Population
(January 1, 2021)
• Total
607,373
• Density9,800/km2(25,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9(Japan Standard Time)
- TreeCamellia sasanqua
- FlowerLilium longiflorum
Phone number048-258-1110
Address2-1-1 Aoki, Kawaguchi-shi, Saitama-ken 332-0031
WebsiteOfficial website
Lion statue nearKawaguchi Station.
Kawaguchi City Hall.

Geography

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Kawaguchi is located near the center of theKantō Plainin southern Saitama Prefecture, and is bordered by the Tokyo wards ofKita-kuandAdachi-kuto the south. The city area is mostly flat and mainly residential except for the Omiya tableland, which occupies part of the north and east area. TheArakawa Riverruns across the border with Kita-ku to the south.

Surrounding municipalities

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Saitama Prefecture

Tokyo Metropolis

Climate

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Kawaguchi has ahumid subtropical climate(KöppenCfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kawaguchi is 14.8 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1482 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.6 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.2 °C.[2]

Demographics

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As of May 1, 2010, registered population was 516,409, including 20,808 alien residents, continuing a trend of population growth in the city since 1933 when the city was founded. There has been a gradual increase in the number of non-Japanese residents living in the city because of the convenient location to Tokyo and relatively low rent. Now, the number of people from China is the largest, followed by Korea and Philippines.[3]

Kawaguchi is a typical suburb city in theTokyo metropolitan area,where population greatly changes between daytime and nighttime due to commute to big cities, especially to Tokyo. Its population growth rate declined in the mid-1990s, but recent apartment construction boom in the city has helped to increase the population growth rate again. The number of children continues to decrease in accordance with the declining number of births; in 2009 4,735 live births were recorded in the city, a marked decrease from the 1971 peak of 7,932 births. By contrast, the rate of people over the age of 65 is increasing, and stood at approximately 18.5% as of January 1, 2010, although this is still below the national average.[4]

In June 2023, 41,471 people in Kawaguchi were not Japanese citizens; 23,637 people of them held Chinese citizenship.[5][6]

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
193345,573—
194597,709+6.56%
1955130,545+2.94%
1965231,193+5.88%
1975335,864+3.81%
1980373,123+2.13%
1990433,262+1.51%
2000455,886+0.51%
2010500,598+0.94%
2015592,602+3.43%
Source:[4]

History

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Anukiyo-ewoodblock printfrom theOne Hundred Famous Views of Edoseries byUtagawa Hiroshige,depicting the crossing of theArakawa Riverat Zenkō-ji Temple (1857).
Honchō, Kawaguchi

After the lastice age,during early and middleJōmon period,most of the area which is now Kawaguchi was under sea level except for the area which is now Omiya Tableland. Ancient peoples living in this area left severalshell middens,in which shells,Jōmon pottery,andpit houseshave been discovered by archaeologists. ManyKofun periodbarrowswere also found in Kawaguchi, however many have also been destroyed by urban development. From theHeian periodonwards, Kawaguchi was part ofMusashi Province.The name "Kawaguchi" appears in theKamakura periodchronicleGikeiki,but it is not proven that this name designated current area of Kawaguchi.

During theEdo period,Kawaguchi-juku developed as apost stationon theNikkō Onari Kaidō,a highway used by the Tokugawa shōgun and daimyō to visitNikkō Tōshō-gū.Towards theBakumatsu periodand into theMeiji period,the demand for metal products increased. Because of proximity to Tokyo and convenient water transportation usingArakawa River,Kawaguchi became the center ofmetal castingindustry, for which it has remained famous until modern times.

The town of Kawaguchi was established withinKitaadachi District, Saitamaon April 1, 1889 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. Kawaguchi was elevated to city status on April 1, 1933 by the merger of Kawaguchi with the neighboring villages of Aoki, Minami-Hirayanagi and Yokozone. The city expanded by anne xing the town ofHatogayaand villages of Shiba, Kamine and Shingō in 1940. However, Hatogaya separated from Kawaguchi in 1948 in accordance with the results of a referendum.

Kawaguchi has experienced many disasters, including flood, earthquake and war. The Arakawa River has inundated Kawaguchi countless times and ruined agriculture, which resulted in famines. Also, the1923 Great Kantō earthquakedamaged buildings in Kawaguchi, killing 99 people.

Currently, the population of Kawaguchi continues to increase, and many tall apartment buildings are being built around train stations. This is because many casting foundries moved to suburbanindustrial parksand the former sites were turned into residential areas.[7]

On April 1, 2001, Kawaguchi was designated aspecial city,with increased local autonomy.

On October 11, 2011, Kawaguchi re-absorbed the city of Hatogaya.

Arakawa River at Kawaguchi

On August 16, 2018, the city of Kawaguchi and the City ofFindlay, Ohiosigned a "Friendship City Agreement".[8]The city of Findlay houses seven Japanese businesses such asBridgestone,Hitachi Astemo,Nissin Brake,and more.

Government

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Kawaguchi has amayor-councilform of government with a directly elected mayor and aunicameralcity council of 42 members. Kawaguchi contributes seven members to the Saitama Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is divided betweenSaitama 2nd districtandSaitama 15th districtof thelower houseof theDiet of Japan.

Economy

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Education

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Universities and colleges

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High schools

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Saitama Prefectural Board of Education[ja]operates:

The Kawaguchi Municipal Board of Education operates:

Junior high schools

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(all managed by the city)

  • Angyo Junior High School
  • Angyo-higashi Junior High School
  • Aoki Junior High School
  • Haimatsu Junior High School
  • Higashi Junior High School
  • Kamiaoki Junior High School
  • Kamine Junior High School
  • Kishikawa Junior High School
  • Kita Junior High School
  • Koyaba Junior High School
  • Minami Junior High School
  • Motogo Junior High School
  • Nakacho Junior High School
  • Nishi Junior High School
  • Ryoke Junior High School
  • Sachinami Junior High School
  • Shiba Junior High School
  • Shiba-higashi Junior High School
  • Shiba-nishi Junior High School
  • Shibazono Junior High School
  • Shiwasuda Junior High School
  • Tozuka Junior High School
  • Tozuka-nishi Junior High School
  • Zaike Junior High School
  • Hatogaya Junior High School
  • Sato Junior High School
  • Hachimangi Junior High School

Elementary schools

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(all managed by the city)

  • Angyo Elementary School
  • Angyo-higashi Elementary School
  • Aoki-kita Elementary School
  • Aoki-chuo Elementary School
  • Asahi-higashi Elementary School
  • Asahi-nishi Elementary School
  • Funato Elementary School
  • Haramachi Elementary School
  • Higashihongo Elementary School
  • Higashiryoke Elementary School
  • Honcho Elementary School
  • Iinaka Elementary School
  • Iizuka Elementary School
  • Jirin Elementary School
  • Kamiaoki Elementary School
  • Kamiaoki-minami Elementary School
  • Kamine Elementary School
  • Kamine-higashi Elementary School
  • Kizoro Elementary School
  • Nakacho Elementary School
  • Namiki Elementary School
  • Negishi Elementary School
  • Hatogaya Elementary School
  • Sato Elementary School
  • Sakuramachi Elementary School
  • Tuji Elementary School
  • Nakai Elementary School
  • Minamihatogaya Elementary School
  • Ryoke Elementary School
  • Saiwaicho Elementary School
  • Sashima Elementary School
  • Shiba Elementary School
  • Shiba-chuo Elementary School
  • Shiba-fuji Elementary School
  • Shiba-higashi Elementary School
  • Shiba-hinotume Elementary School
  • Shiba-minami Elementary School
  • Shiba-nishi Elementary School
  • Shingo Elementary School
  • Shingo-higashi Elementary School
  • Shingo-minami Elementary School
  • Shiwasuda Elementary School
  • Tozuka Elementary School
  • Tozuka-ayase Elementary School
  • Tozuka-higashi Elementary School
  • Tozuka-kita Elementary School
  • Tozuka-minami Elementary School
  • Yanagisaki Elementary School
  • Zaike Elementary School

Special schools

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Transportation

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Railway

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JR East–Keihin-Tohoku line

JR East–Musashino line

Saitama Rapid Railway Line

Buses

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Kawaguchi has a highly developed bus network, mainly operated by Kokusai Kogyo Bus. The east region of the city is relatively far from train stations, many people use buses to the nearest train stations. Some bus routes have over twenty bus services an hour in the morning.[11]

Bus operators

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  • Kokusai Kogyo Bus
  • Tobu Bus Central

Highway

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Local attractions

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Kawaguchi Jinja

Notable people from Kawaguchi

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References

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  1. ^"Kawaguchi city official statistics"(PDF)(in Japanese). Japan. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2022-03-09.Retrieved2021-02-24.
  2. ^Kawaguchi climate data
  3. ^Ministry of Justice."Press release June 2009".
  4. ^abXuyên khẩu thị thống kê thư bình thành 27 năm bản[The statistics of Kawaguchi (2015)]. Kawaguchi City Office. 2015.
  5. ^"【 ở lưu người nước ngoài thống kê ( cũ đăng lục người nước ngoài thống kê ) bảng thống kê 】 | xuất nhập quốc ở lưu quản lý sảnh".
  6. ^"Ở lưu người nước ngoài thống kê ( cũ đăng lục người nước ngoài thống kê ) ở lưu người nước ngoài thống kê nguyệt thứ 2023 năm 6 nguyệt | ファイル | thống kê データを thăm す".
  7. ^Xuyên khẩu thị sử thu nhỏ lại bản[The short history of Kawaguchi]. Kawaguchi City Office. 1996.
  8. ^https:// findlayohio.gov/community/about-findlay/friendship-city#ad-image-0[bare URL]
  9. ^"トップページ - kỳ ngọc huyện lập xuyên khẩu đặc biệt chi viện trường học".kawaguchi-sh.spec.ed.jp.Retrieved2022-04-13.
  10. ^Home page.Saitama Korean Kindergarten. Retrieved on 14 October 2015. "〒333-0831 kỳ ngọc huyện xuyên khẩu thị mộc tằng Lữ 1392-1"
  11. ^Kokusai Bus
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