Takamatsu, Kagawa
| Takamatsu 高松市 |
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| Core city | ||
From top left: Central Takamatsu, Chūō dōri street, Takamatsu Castle, Marugame-machi shopping mall, Ritsurin Garden
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 Location of Takamatsu in Kagawa Prefecture |
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 Takamatsu
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| Coordinates: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | ||
| Country | Japan | |
| Region | Shikoku | |
| Prefecture | Kagawa Prefecture | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 375.11 km2 (144.83 sq mi) | |
| Population (October 1, 2010) | ||
| • Total | 419,429 | |
| • Density | 1,118.1/km2 (2,896/sq mi) | |
| Symbols | ||
| • Tree | Pine | |
| • Flower | Azalea | |
| Time zone | Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) | |
| City Hall Address | 1-8-15 Banchō, Takamatsu-shi, Kagawa-ken 760-8571 |
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| Website | www |
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Takamatsu (高松市 Takamatsu-shi?) is a city located in central Kagawa Prefecture on the island of Shikoku in Japan, and is the capital city of the prefectural government. It is designated a core city by the Japanese Government. It is a port city located on the Seto Inland Sea, and is the closest port to Honshu from Shikoku island. For this reason it flourished under the Daimyo (feudal lords) as a castle town in the fiefdom of Takamatsu, during the Edo Period. Takamatsu is a city with a large concentration of nationwide companies' branch offices, which play a large role in its economy, and it contains most of the national government's branch offices for Shikoku. The castle tower formerly used as the symbol of the city was destroyed during the Meiji Period. In 2004, construction of the Symbol Tower, the new symbol of Takamatsu, was completed. The Symbol Tower is located in the Sunport area of the city. The Symbol Tower is the tallest building in Takamatsu, and is right next to another tall building The JR Clement Hotel (formerly the ANA Clement Hotel), which is also part of the Sunport complex.
The Sunport Takamatsu covers the area of the Symbol Tower, the JR Clement Hotel, and a miniature mall called Maritime Plaza. The Takamatsu Bus station is also located right next to Maritime Plaza. Various Buses including the Kotoden Bus run through town, to Ritsurin Park, and to the airport. Sunport Takamatsu is also connected to the ports of Takamatsu.
The Takamatsu metropolitan region has a population of 838,788 (as October 1, 2005), making it the largest in Shikoku.[citation needed] Takamatsu Airport is located in Takamatsu.
On September 26, 2005, the town of Shionoe (from Kagawa District) was merged into Takamatsu.
On January 10, 2006, Takamatsu absorbed the towns of Aji and Mure (both from Kita District), the towns of Kagawa and Kōnan (both from Kagawa District), and the town of Kokubunji (from Ayauta District) to create the new and expanded city of Takamatsu.
Contents
Geography and demographics
As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 419,429 with a population density of 1,118 persons per km².[1] The total area is 375.11 square kilometres (144.83 sq mi) following the September 26, 2005 and January 10, 2006 expansions.
History
The city was officially founded on February 15, 1890. It had been a political and economic center in this area since the Edo period when the Matsudaira clan made Takamatsu the capital of their han.
Takamatsu was selected as a target by the United States' XXI Bomber Command because the city was thought to be an important focal point of Shikoku's rail and road transit systems, and containing some industry vital to supporting the war effort.
On July 3, 1945 towards the end of World War II, at 6:40 PM (JST) 128 B-29 aircraft took off to bomb Takamatsu. Over 800 tons of incendiary bombs were dropped on Takamatsu, destroying 78% of the built up areas of the city.[2]
Main sights
The city's major tourist attraction is Ritsurin Garden, a garden created in the Edo period. Travelers use the port to visit local islands.
Takamatsu Castle's tenshu (keep) is being reconstructed.[3][4] Other sites include Yashima-ji and Shikoku Mura.
Since the opening of the Great Seto Bridge, train service carries passengers between Takamatsu and Okayama City (Okayama, Okayama).
Economy
Companies headquartered in the city include:
Asiana Airlines operates a sales office on the twelfth floor of the Nihon Seimei Ekimae Building in Takamatsu.[7]
Transportation
JR Shikoku Takamatsu Station has trains to Okayama Station on Honshū via the Seto-Ōhashi Bridge, and to destinations around Shikoku. A local tram service operated by Kotoden connects much of Takamatsu. The Kotoden trains leave from Takamatsu Chikko Station, a much smaller station than Takamatsu Station, and Kawaramachi Tenmaya Station, a station located beneath The Tenmaya Department store of Takamatsu. This tram service, as well as local buses operated by Kotoden accept a contactless payment card for travel called an IruCa.[8]
Long distance coach services operate from the city to destinations such as Ōsaka, Kyoto, Tokyo, and Hiroshima.
Crime and safety
The Shinwa-kai yakuza syndicate is based in Takamatsu. The Shinwa-kai is the only designated yakuza group based in the Shikoku region.[9]
Sports teams
- Takamatsu Five Arrows (basketball, bj league)
- Kagawa Olive Guyners (baseball)
- Kamatamare Sanuki (football)
International relations
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Twin towns – Sister cities
Takamatsu is twinned with:
St. Petersburg, United States[10]
Tours, France[11]
Friendship cities
Takamatsu has friendship arrangements with:
In literature
- Takamatsu is the main setting of Haruki Murakami's novel Kafka on the Shore.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. The author was born in Takamatsu City in 1900 and gives an account of his childhood there.
Climate
Takamatsu has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and cool winters. Some rain falls throughout the year, but the months from May to September have the heaviest rain.
| Climate data for Takamatsu, Kagawa (1971-2000) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 18.9 (66) |
24.0 (75.2) |
25.5 (77.9) |
30.9 (87.6) |
32.3 (90.1) |
36.5 (97.7) |
38.2 (100.8) |
37.8 (100) |
37.0 (98.6) |
33.5 (92.3) |
26.6 (79.9) |
21.2 (70.2) |
38.2 (100.8) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 9.3 (48.7) |
9.6 (49.3) |
12.9 (55.2) |
19.0 (66.2) |
23.6 (74.5) |
26.7 (80.1) |
30.7 (87.3) |
31.7 (89.1) |
27.6 (81.7) |
22.2 (72) |
16.8 (62.2) |
11.9 (53.4) |
20.2 (68.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 5.3 (41.5) |
5.4 (41.7) |
8.4 (47.1) |
13.9 (57) |
18.6 (65.5) |
22.5 (72.5) |
26.6 (79.9) |
27.4 (81.3) |
23.5 (74.3) |
17.7 (63.9) |
12.4 (54.3) |
7.5 (45.5) |
15.8 (60.4) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 1.2 (34.2) |
1.2 (34.2) |
3.7 (38.7) |
8.9 (48) |
13.7 (56.7) |
18.8 (65.8) |
23.1 (73.6) |
23.6 (74.5) |
19.8 (67.6) |
13.2 (55.8) |
7.8 (46) |
3.0 (37.4) |
11.5 (52.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −7.7 (18.1) |
−6.0 (21.2) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−2.4 (27.7) |
2.8 (37) |
7.5 (45.5) |
15.3 (59.5) |
15.8 (60.4) |
9.4 (48.9) |
2.0 (35.6) |
−1.8 (28.8) |
−5.6 (21.9) |
−7.7 (18.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 39.3 (1.547) |
47.6 (1.874) |
73.3 (2.886) |
86.4 (3.402) |
100.1 (3.941) |
158.5 (6.24) |
134.6 (5.299) |
92.3 (3.634) |
187.2 (7.37) |
108.2 (4.26) |
62.4 (2.457) |
33.8 (1.331) |
1,123.6 (44.236) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 1 (0.4) |
2 (0.8) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
3 (1.2) |
| Average snowy days | 5.5 | 5.8 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 14.5 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 64 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 68 | 74 | 76 | 74 | 76 | 73 | 70 | 67 | 70 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 143.6 | 142.0 | 171.0 | 191.8 | 210.0 | 165.1 | 205.6 | 225.6 | 155.6 | 169.9 | 145.7 | 150.9 | 2,076.8 |
| Source: [14] | |||||||||||||
See also
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.scribd.com/doc/61702152/21st-Bomber-Command-Tactical-Mission-Report-247-250-Ocr
- ↑ "Feature : Reconstruction of Takamatsu Castle's stone wall", Shikou Shimbun (Japanese)
- ↑ "Takamatsu Castle Profile", Jcastle.info
- ↑ "Company Information." Shikoku Railway Company. Retrieved on March 27, 2010.
- ↑ "Corporate Profile." Tadano Limited. Retrieved on April 15, 2015.
- ↑ "Worldwide Offices Japan." Asiana Airlines. Retrieved on January 19, 2009.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "2010 Police White Paper Chapter 2 : Furtherance of Organized Crime Countermeasures", 2010, National Police Agency (Japanese)
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- Takamatsu City official website (Japanese)
Takamatsu travel guide from Wikivoyage
Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons
