Higashikagawa, Kagawa

{{Short description|City in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Higashikagawa | native_name = {{nobold|{{nobold|{{lang|ja|東かがわ市}}}}}} | native_name_lang = ja | settlement_type = City | image_skyline = HigasiKagawa city hall.JPG | image_caption = Higashikagawa City Hall | image_flag = Flag of Higashikagawa, Kagawa.svg | image_seal = Emblem of Higashikagawa, Kagawa.svg | seal_type = Emblem | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 8 | mapframe-point = none | map_caption = Location of Higashikagawa in Kagawa Prefecture | pushpin_map = Japan | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Japan | coordinates = {{coord|34|15|N|134|22|E|region:JP|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_footnotes =  | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Japan | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = Shikoku | subdivision_type2 = Prefecture | subdivision_name2 = Kagawa | subdivision_type3 = District | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Ichiro Uemura | leader_title1 = Vice Mayor | unit_pref = Metric | area_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web|date=January 1, 2021|title=Areas of Prefectures, Cities, etc. (in Japanese)|url=https://www.gsi.go.jp/KOKUJYOHO/MENCHO-title.htm|access-date=30 March 2021|website=Geospatial Information Authority of Japan|page=64}}</ref> | area_total_km2 = 152.83 | population_total = 28,627 | population_as_of = 2022 | population_density_km2 = auto | timezone1 = JST | utc_offset1 = +09:00 | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code_type =  | blank_name_sec1 = City hall address | blank_info_sec1 = 1847-1 Minato, Higashikagawa-shi, Kagawa-ken 769-2792 | blank_name_sec2 = Climate | blank_info_sec2 = Cfa | website = {{Official website|1=http://www.higashikagawa.jp/}} }} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2026}} thumb|right|270px|Toramaru Park thumb|right|270px|Aerial view of Higashikagawa city center {{nihongo|'''Higashikagawa'''|東かがわ市|Higashikagawa-shi|}} is a city located in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. {{As of|2022|09|30}}, the city had an estimated population of 28,627 in 13,689 households and a population density of 970 persons per km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name="Higashikagawa-hp">{{cite web |url=https://www.higashikagawa.jp|title= Higashikagawa city official statistics|location= Japan|language= ja}}</ref> The total area of the city is {{convert|152.83|sqkm|sqmi}}.

==Geography== Higashikagawa is located in far eastern Kagawa Prefecture, on the island of Shikoku, facing the Seto Inland Sea to the north. The south borders Tokushima Prefecture through the Sanuki Mountains, which stretch from east to west. The city is located roughly halfway between Takamatsu City and Tokushima City.

=== Neighbouring municipalities ===

==== Kagawa Prefecture ==== *Sanuki

==== Tokushima Prefecture ==== *Awa * Itano * Kamiita *Naruto

===Climate=== Higashikagawa has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification ''Cfa'') with hot, humid summers, and cool winters. Some rain falls throughout the year, but the months from May to September have the heaviest rain. The average annual temperature in Higashikagawa is {{convert|15.9|C}}. The average annual rainfall is {{cvt|1343.6|mm}} with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around {{convert|27.2|C}}, and lowest in January, at around {{convert|5.5|C}}.<ref name=normals/> The highest temperature ever recorded in Higashikagawa was {{cvt|37.0|C}} on 13 August 1984; the coldest temperature ever recorded was {{cvt|-6.7|C}} on 7 February 2018.<ref name=extremes/>

{{Weather box |width = auto |single line = Y |metric first = Y |location = Hiketa, Higashikagawa (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present) |Jan record high C = 18.4 |Feb record high C = 24.2 |Mar record high C = 26.6 |Apr record high C = 30.9 |May record high C = 31.3 |Jun record high C = 36.9 |Jul record high C = 37.1 |Aug record high C = 37.0 |Sep record high C = 36.8 |Oct record high C = 31.5 |Nov record high C = 27.0 |Dec record high C = 23.0 |Jan record low C = -5.3 |Feb record low C = -6.7 |Mar record low C = -4.5 |Apr record low C = -0.8 |May record low C = 4.4 |Jun record low C = 10.1 |Jul record low C = 16.6 |Aug record low C = 17.2 |Sep record low C = 10.6 |Oct record low C = 4.3 |Nov record low C = 1.6 |Dec record low C = -3.0 |Jan high C = 9.2 |Feb high C = 9.8 |Mar high C = 13.1 |Apr high C = 18.8 |May high C = 23.7 |Jun high C = 26.4 |Jul high C = 30.4 |Aug high C = 31.7 |Sep high C = 27.8 |Oct high C = 22.4 |Nov high C = 17.0 |Dec high C = 11.8 |Jan mean C = 5.5 |Feb mean C = 5.7 |Mar mean C = 8.6 |Apr mean C = 13.7 |May mean C = 18.6 |Jun mean C = 22.2 |Jul mean C = 26.1 |Aug mean C = 27.2 |Sep mean C = 23.8 |Oct mean C = 18.5 |Nov mean C = 13.1 |Dec mean C = 7.9 |Jan low C = 1.8 |Feb low C = 1.8 |Mar low C = 4.2 |Apr low C = 8.9 |May low C = 14.1 |Jun low C = 18.7 |Jul low C = 22.9 |Aug low C = 23.8 |Sep low C = 20.6 |Oct low C = 15.1 |Nov low C = 9.3 |Dec low C = 4.3 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 36.3 |Feb precipitation mm = 44.1 |Mar precipitation mm = 72.9 |Apr precipitation mm = 78.6 |May precipitation mm = 111.3 |Jun precipitation mm = 159.3 |Jul precipitation mm = 159.4 |Aug precipitation mm = 168.6 |Sep precipitation mm = 244.0 |Oct precipitation mm = 149.0 |Nov precipitation mm = 62.0 |Dec precipitation mm = 46.2 |year precipitation mm = 1343.6 |unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm |Jan precipitation days = 6.6 |Feb precipitation days = 6.8 |Mar precipitation days = 9.8 |Apr precipitation days = 9.6 |May precipitation days = 8.8 |Jun precipitation days = 11.3 |Jul precipitation days = 10.1 |Aug precipitation days = 8.6 |Sep precipitation days = 10.5 |Oct precipitation days = 8.9 |Nov precipitation days = 6.9 |Dec precipitation days = 6.6 |Jan sun = 147.6 |Feb sun = 140.3 |Mar sun = 176.7 |Apr sun = 202.5 |May sun = 207.3 |Jun sun = 154.2 |Jul sun = 194.6 |Aug sun = 227.1 |Sep sun = 156.6 |Oct sun = 154.3 |Nov sun = 137.5 |Dec sun = 137.6 |year sun = 2039.1 |source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency<ref name=extremes>{{cite web | url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_a.php?prec_no=72&block_no=0730&year=&month=&day=&view=h0 |script-title=ja:観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値） | publisher = JMA | access-date = April 24, 2022}}</ref><ref name=normals>{{cite web | url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=72&block_no=0730&year=&month=&day=&view=h0 |script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値） | publisher = JMA | access-date = April 24, 2022}}</ref>}}

==Demographics== Per Japanese census data, the population of Higashikagawa in 2020 is 28,279 people.<ref name=zensus/> Higashikagawa has been conducting censuses since 1920. {{Historical populations | 1920 | 32,161 | 1925 | 32,137 | 1930 | 33,909 | 1935 | 34,830 | 1940 | 34,326 | 1945 | 46,248 | 1950 | 45,831 | 1955 | 44,662 | 1960 | 44,428 | 1965 | 44,577 | 1970 | 42,572 | 1975 | 43,049 | 1980 | 43,110 | 1985 | 42,446 | 1990 | 40,875 | 1995 | 39,226 | 2000 | 37,760 | 2005 | 35,929 | 2010 | 33,646 | 2015 | 31,031 | 2020 | 28,279 |align = none |cols = 1 |footnote = Higashikagawa population statistics<ref name=zensus>[https://www.citypopulation.de/en/japan/kagawa/ Higashikagawa population statistics]</ref> }}

== History == The area of Higashikagawa was part of ancient Sanuki Province. From the Heian period the Hiketa port prospered as a good natural harbor and a gateway to Shikoku from the Kinai region. From the Sengoku period, Hiketa Castle was a stronghold of the Ikoma clan and a castle town developed around the fortifications. Even today, many of the intricate alleyways and old buildings from the Edo and Meiji periods still exist, preserving the atmosphere of a pre-modern fishing town. During the Edo Period, this area was part of the holdings of Takamatsu Domain. Following the Meiji restoration, the area was organized into villages within Ōchi District, Kagawa with the creation of the modern municipalities system on 15 February 1890. Hiketa was elevated to town status on 1 October 1909. The city of Higashikagawa was the result of a merger on 1 April 2003 between Hiketa and the towns of Ōchi and Shirotori, both from Ōkawa District (which was dissolved as a result of the merger).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Overview of Higashikagawa City (in Japanese)|url=https://www.higashikagawa.jp/itwinfo/i658/|access-date=30 March 2021|website=Higashikagawa City}}</ref>

==Government== Higashikagawa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 18 members. Higashikagawa contributes two members to the Kagawa Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is within the Kagawa 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

==Economy== Higashikagawa has a mixed economy centered on light manufacturing, commercial fishing and agriculture.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018|title=導入促進基本計画 [Basic Plan for Industry Promotion] (in Japanese)|url=https://www.higashikagawa.jp/itwinfo/i6354/|access-date=30 March 2021|website=Higashikagawa City}}</ref> Traditionally, the city was noted for its production of gloves, claiming a 90% market share;<ref>{{Cite web|title=Gloves (in Japanese)|url=https://www.kensanpin.org/product/craft/1013/|access-date=March 30, 2021|website=Love Sanuki|publisher=Kagawa Prefectural Products Promotion Organization}}</ref> however, due to labor costs, much of the market has been lost to China and southeast Asia. Another prominent industry is the manufacturing of bearings. JTEKT (formerly Koyo Seiko), one of the major companies of the Toyota Group, produces 25% of the global market share of tapered roller bearings. The former town of Hiketa is a center for producing ''wasanbon'', a fine-grained sugar traditional to the region.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wasanbon|url=https://www.kensanpin.org/en/product/processing/1384/|website=Love Sanuki|publisher=Kagawa Prefectural Products Promotion Organization}}</ref> In terms of fishing, Yellowtail was first successfully farmed here.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2020|title=Basic Information on Higashikagawa (in Japanese)|url=https://www.higashikagawa.jp/itwinfo/i658/file/2020gaiyou.pdf|access-date=March 30, 2021|website=Higashikagawa City}}</ref>

==Education== Higashikagawa has two public elementary schools and two public middle schools operated by the city government, and one public high schools operated by the Kagawa Prefectural Board of Education.

== Transportation == === Railways === 20px JR Shikoku - Kōtoku Line * {{STN|Sanuki-Aioi|x}} - {{STN|Hiketa|x}} - {{STN|Sanuki-Shirotori|x}} - {{STN|Sambommatsu|x|Kagawa}} - {{STN|Nibu|x}}

=== Highways === * 25px|link=|alt= Takamatsu Expressway * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|11}} * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|318}} * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|377}}

==Local attractions== *Hiketa Castle, where the Battle of Hiketa was fought in 1583, are in the eastern part of the city.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018|title=Hiketa Castle (in Japanese)|url=https://www.higashikagawa.jp/itwinfo/i9360/file/%E5%BC%95%E7%94%B0%E5%9F%8E%E8%B7%A1%E3%82%AC%E3%82%A4%E3%83%89%E3%83%9E%E3%83%83%E3%83%97(2019).pdf|access-date=2 April 2021|website=Higashikagawa City|publisher=Board of Education, Higashikagawa City}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Site of Hiketa Castle (in Japanese)|url=https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/401/00004100|website=Cultural Properties Database|publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs}}</ref> *Toramaru Puppet Land, a puppet theater, operates near Ōchi.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Toramaru Puppet Land (in Japanese)|url=http://www.toramaru.jp/|access-date=30 March 2021}}</ref> *Shirotori Zoo is the only zoo in Kagawa Prefecture.<ref name=":0" />

==Noted people from Higashikagawa == *Shōzō Fujii, Olympic gold medalist judoka *Shizuko Kasagi, singer and actress *Kono Yasui, biologist, first woman Phd in Japan *Yukiharu Yoshitaka, Olympic gold medalist judoka *Miyoshi Etsuo, businessman and Esperantist

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{commons category-inline}} * [http://www.higashikagawa.jp/ Higashikagawa City official website] {{in lang|ja}}

Category:Cities in Kagawa Prefecture Category:Higashikagawa, Kagawa Category:Port settlements in Japan Category:Populated coastal places in Japan