Ichikawa, Chiba
Ichikawa
市川市 | ||||||||
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Cettia diphone | ||||||||
| Phone number | 047-334-1111 | |||||||
| Address | 1-1-1 Yawata, Ichikawa-shi, Chiba-ken 272-8501 | |||||||
| Website | Official website | |||||||
Ichikawa (市川市, Ichikawa-shi) is a city in western Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 January 2024[update], the city had an estimated population of 492,749 in 256,229 households and a population density of 8577 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the city is 57.45 square kilometres (22.18 sq mi). The city has a concentration of the wide-area traffic network[clarification needed] that connects the center of Tokyo with many areas of Chiba Prefecture. Major rail routes and roads pass through the city.
Geography
Ichikawa is located in the northwestern part of Chiba prefecture, about 20 kilometers from the prefectural capital at
Shimosa Plateau
rising about 20 meters above sea level. The highest point is 30.1 meters in Satomi Park. Parts of the city are on reclaimed land at sea level.
Surrounding municipalities
Chiba Prefecture
- Urayasu
- Funabashi
- Matsudo
- Kamagaya
Tokyo Metropolis
Climate
Ichikawa has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Ichikawa is 15.4 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1404 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.0 °C, and lowest in January, at around 4.9 °C.[2]
Demographics
Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Ichikawa has increased fifteen-fold over the past century.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 31,676 | — |
| 1930 | 52,972 | +67.2% |
| 1940 | 75,257 | +42.1% |
| 1950 | 120,565 | +60.2% |
| 1960 | 157,301 | +30.5% |
| 1970 | 261,055 | +66.0% |
| 1980 | 364,244 | +39.5% |
| 1990 | 436,596 | +19.9% |
| 2000 | 448,642 | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 473,919 | +5.6% |
| 2020 | 496,676 | +4.8% |
History
The area around present-day Ichikawa has been inhabited since the
Taira Masakado. During the Sengoku period, it was the site of a major battles (Battle of Kōnodai) between the Satomi clan and the Later Hōjō clan
.
In more recent history, the area was also the site of some minor battles during the
Houses of Parliament in London along the River Thames
. Ichikawa Town was organized in 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. On November 3, 1934 Ichikawa merged with the neighboring towns of Yawata, Nakayama and village of Kokubun to form the city of Ichikawa. The city expanded by annexing the village of Okashiwa on November 3, 1949, the town of Gyotoku on March 31, 1955 and town of Minami-Gyotoku on October 1, 1956.
Government
Ichikawa has a
Diet of Japan
.
Economy
Ichikawa during the
Motoyawata Station
later developed into a commercial area with many high-rise condominiums, commercial facilities, and companies. The area around Motoyawata Station is also an administrative center where many city facilities such as the city hall are located.
The Gyotoku district in the south is an area which once had
Higashi Kanto Expressway
) is an industrial area as part of the Tokyo-Chiba industrial zone, and is a distribution base where factories and warehouses of various companies are lined up.
Transportation
Railway
JR East – Sōbu Line (Rapid)
Chūō-Sōbu Line
- Motoyawata
JR East – Musashino Line
- Ichikawa-Ōno
JR East – Keiyō Line
- Futamata-Shimmachi
Keisei Electric Railway - Keisei Main Line
Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation - Shinjuku Line
Tōzai Line
Hokusō Railway - Hokusō Line
- Kita-Kokubun - <Akiyama - Higashi-Matsudo - Matsuhidai> - Ōmachi
Highway
Higashi-Kantō Expressway
Keiyō Road
Bayshore Route
National Route 14
National Route 298
National Route 357
National Route 464
Education
Universities
- Chiba University of Commerce
- Wayo Women's University
- Tokyo Medical and Dental University (Ichikawa campus)
- Showagakuin Junior College
- Tokyo Management College
Primary and secondary schools
- Ichikawa has 39 public elementary schools and three private elementary schools. The city has 27 public junior high schools and five private combined middle/high schools, including Ichikawa Gakuen. The city also has seven public high schools and two private high schools.
Twin towns
Gardena, United States (1962)
Issy-les-Moulineaux, France (2012)
Leshan, China (1981)
Medan, Indonesia (1989)
Rosenheim, Germany (2004)
Local attractions
- Nakayama Hokekyō-ji: A Buddhist temple with several national important cultural assets, including a gate and a Hokke-dō Hall from the Sengoku period and a Five-story Pagoda built in 1622.
- Katsushika Hachiman Shrine: A Shinto shrine built in the Heian period.
- Osu Disaster Prevention Park: Usually used as a recreation and relaxation site, this park is designated as a temporary evacuation and rescue site in times of disaster.
- Satomi Park: One of Ichikawa's main parks, Satomi Park stands on the hilly part of Konōdai, with the cherry trees.
- Wild Bird Observatory: This facility is equipped with observation telescopes, and it has an exhibition room which is open to visitors.
- Zoological & Botanical Garden: This garden houses 70 species of animals, mainly small animals such as lesser pandas and orangutans. Nearby is the Natural Museum, Nature Park (Rose Garden), Youth Nature House (Planetarium), and privately managed athletic facilities.
- Teramachi-dori: Formerly called "Narita-michi" ("Narita Road"), this street was once used by pilgrims on their way to Narita-san Temple.
- Guhō-ji and the nearby Mama Well of Takahashi Mushimaro's poem in the Man'yōshū.
- Higashiyama Kaii Memorial Hall: Designed based on Germany, where Higashiyama studied, this two-story building is European in appearance with an octagonal tower.
- Lifelong Learning Center: Nicknamed "Media Park Ichikawa," this center supports learning for everyone from infants to seniors. The center's main attraction is the Central Library, along with the Audio Visual and Children's Hall.
- Clean Spa Ichikawa: Powered by heat from garbage incineration, this facility provides a swimming pool, warm bath, and gymnastic equipment.
Notable people from Ichikawa
- Masa Takanashi, professional wrestler
- Sakaigawa Namiemon, Meiji period sumo wrestler
- Wakashima Gonshirō, Meiji period sumo wrestler
- Kōji Nakano, novelist
- Kuniko Inoguchi, Cabinet minister
- Michio Hoshino, photographer
- Kazuki Kosakai, comedian
- Yūko Andō, newscaster
- Koji Ishikawa, illustrator
- Taiji, musician
- yukihiro (musician), musician
- Kazuo Takahashi, mixed martial artist
- Shigeki Maruyama, professional golfer
- Oginishiki Yasutoshi – sumo wrestler
- Tomo Sakurai, Voice actress
- Tōki Susumu, sumo wrestler
- Ryoji Aikawa, professional baseball player
- Ryoji Aikawa, professional soccer player
- Kazushige Nosawa, professional wrestler
- G.G. Sato, professional baseball player
- Moe Oshikiri, fashion model
- Yuki Abe, professional soccer player
- Atsuko Maeda, singer, actress, former member of AKB48
- Norimitsu Onishi, Journalist
- Tatsuhisa Suzuki, Voice actor
- Peter Takeo Okada, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Tokyo
- Yoko Narahashi, film producer and casting director
- Tao Okamoto, actress and model
- Yoshino Takamori, Voice actress
References
- ^ "Ichikawa city official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
- ^ Ichikawa climate data
- ^ Ichikawa population statistics
- ^ "A Sight-seeing Guide to Ichikawa City's International Exchanges" (PDF). city.ichikawa.lg.jp. Ichikawa. November 2018. Retrieved 2020-04-08.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ichikawa, Chiba.
- Official Website (in Japanese)
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