Kawachi, Osaka
Geography
Higashiōsaka is located in the eastern part of the Osaka Plain, bordered by the Osaka metropolis to the west. Most of the city area is flat lowlands laced with rivers and has been subject to periodic flooding. The main rivers include the Nagase River, Onji River, Tamagushi River, and Daini Neya River. The eastern part of the city rises to the Ikoma Mountains, forming the border with Nara Prefecture. The city measures approximately 11.2 kilometers from east-to-west by 7.9 kilometers from north-to-south.
Surrounding municipalities
Climate
Higashiōsaka has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Higashiōsaka is 15.6 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1475 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.7 °C, and lowest in January, at around 4.2 °C.
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Higashiōsaka increased rapidly from the 1950s through 1970s, and has leveled off since.
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1950 | 228,923 | — |
1960 | 318,001 | +38.9% |
1970 | 500,173 | +57.3% |
1980 | 521,558 | +4.3% |
1990 | 518,319 | −0.6% |
2000 | 515,094 | −0.6% |
2010 | 509,632 | −1.1% |
History
The location of Higashiōsaka corresponds to the central part of Kawachi Province. In ancient times, this area was an extension of Osaka Bay called Kawachi Bay, which gradually became separated from the sea and became a lake. The lake gradually became land due to the accumulation of sediment by the Yamato River. During the Kofun and Asuka periods, this was the homeland of the Mononobe clan, and was on the main road between the Yamato Basin and the port at Naniwa, with sea connections to the Asian continent. During the Heian period, the area was largely controlled by Hiraoka Shrine. From the Muromachi period, it was the base of the Hatakeyama clan to control Kawachi Province, but due to internal conflicts it can under the control of the Miyoshi clan. Later it was the site of battles during the 1615 Siege of Osaka. In the Edo Period, flood control projects on the Yamato River created a large amount of reclaimed land, which was developed by wealthy Osaka merchants for rice and cotton production.
The modern city was founded on February 1, 1967, by a merger of three cities, Fuse (布施), Kawachi (河内) and Hiraoka (枚岡). On April 1, 2005, Higashiōsaka became a Core city with increased local autonomy.
Government
Higashiōsaka has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 38 members. Higashiōsaka contributes five members to the Osaka Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Osaka 13th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Elections
- 2007 Higashiōsaka city assembly election
- 2006 Higashiōsaka mayoral election
- 2006 Higashiosaka by-election
Economy
Higashiōsaka is one of the most densely populated areas of small and medium-sized enterprises in Japan, and many small factories with high technology occupy a global share. The ratio of factories to the area is the highest in Japan. The number of factories is also the highest except for government-designated cities such as Osaka City and Yokohama City. However, industry has been decreasing in recent years, and there are cases where factory sites have been converted to residential areas for commuters to the Osaka metropolis.
Yamamoto Kogaku, an eyewear manufacturer, known for its brand Swans, is headquartered in the city. The city is also home of RAYS, a high-end wheel manufacturer for both motorsport and street use.
Education
Colleges and universities
- Kindai University
- Osaka University of Commerce
- Osaka Shoin Women's University
- Higashiosaka College
- Higashiosaka Junior College
High schools
Prefectural senior high schools:
- Fuse Kita High School (大阪府立布施北高等学校)
- Fuse Technology High School (大阪府立布施工科高等学校)
- Joto Technology High School (大阪府立城東工科高等学校)
- Kawachino High School (大阪府立かわち野高等学校)
- Midori Seiho Senior High School (大阪府立みどり清朋高等学校)
- Osaka Prefectural Fuse High School (大阪府立布施高等学校)
- Osaka Prefectural Hanazono Senior High School (大阪府立花園高等学校)
- Osaka Prefectural Hiraoka Shofu High School (大阪府立枚岡樟風高等学校)
Municipal senior high schools:
Other senior high schools:
North Korea-aligned Korean international schools:
- Higashi Osaka Korean Elementary School (東大阪朝鮮初級学校)
- Osaka Korean High School
Transportation
Railway
JR West – Katamachi Line (Gakkentoshi Line)
- Fuse - Kawachi-Eiwa - Kawachi-Kosaka - Yaenosato - Wakae-Iwata - Kawachi-Hanazono - Higashi-Hanazono - Hyōtan-yama - Hiraoka - Nukata - Ishikiri
- Fuse - Shuntokumichi - Nagase - Mito
Kintetsu Railway - Keihanna Line
- Nagata - Aramoto - Yoshita - Shin-Ishikiri
Osaka Metro - Chūō Line Takaida - Nagata
Highways
- Expressways
- Kinki Expressway Higashiosaka-kita Interchange - Higashiosaka Parking Area - Higashiosaka-minami Interchange
- Daini Hanna Road
- Hanshin Expressway Higashi-Osaka Route
- Shigi Ikoma Skyline
- National Route 170
- National Route 308
Sports
In association football, the city of Higashiōsaka is represented by FC Osaka.
Sister cities
- Borough of Mitte, Berlin, Germany, since 1959
- Glendale, California, United States
Local attractions
References
- ^ "Higashiōsaka city official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
- ^ Higashiōsaka climate data
- ^ Higashiōsaka population statistics
- ^ "Company Profile." Yamamoto Kogaku. Retrieved on March 25, 2016.
- ^ "Company Profile." RAYS Co., Ltd. Retrieved on March 7, 2019.
- ^ "Shigi Ikoma Skyline". Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "Interactive City Directory". Sister Cities International. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
External links
Media related to Higashiōsaka, Osaka at Wikimedia Commons
- Higashiōsaka City official website (in Japanese)
- International Information Plaza Archived 2012-02-04 at the Wayback Machine (in English)