Koga, Ibaraki

Coordinates: 36°10′41.7″N 139°45′19.6″E / 36.178250°N 139.755444°E / 36.178250; 139.755444
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Koga
古河市
City
Koga city hall
Koga city hall
Prunus persica
TreeZelkova serrata

Koga (古河市, Koga-shi) is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 January 2024, the city had an estimated population of 137,512 in 58,276 households and a population density of 1113 persons per km². The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 28.98%.[1] The total area of the city is 123.58 square kilometres (47.71 sq mi).

Geography

Koga is located in the extreme southwestern corner of Ibaraki Prefecture. Located almost in the center of the

Kanto Plain, the city is very flat. The Tone River flows eastward in the southern part of the city and the Watarase River
flows through the west and joins the Tone River north of the Tonegawa Bridge.The altitude of the northern part is slightly higher than that of the southern part, and the rivers that flow through the city flow from north to south except for the Tone River.

Surrounding municipalities

Ibaraki Prefecture

Saitama Prefecture

Tochigi Prefecture

Climate

Koga has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Koga is 14.9 °C (58.8 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,229.9 mm (48.42 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.8 °C (80.2 °F), and lowest in January, at around 3.6 °C (38.5 °F).[2]

Climate data for Koga (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 18.8
(65.8) 		23.4
(74.1) 		26.1
(79.0) 		31.4
(88.5) 		35.1
(95.2) 		38.0
(100.4) 		39.5
(103.1) 		39.6
(103.3) 		38.2
(100.8) 		33.1
(91.6) 		24.7
(76.5) 		25.3
(77.5) 		39.6
(103.3)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 9.2
(48.6) 		10.3
(50.5) 		14.0
(57.2) 		19.6
(67.3) 		24.1
(75.4) 		26.6
(79.9) 		30.6
(87.1) 		32.0
(89.6) 		27.8
(82.0) 		21.9
(71.4) 		16.4
(61.5) 		11.4
(52.5) 		20.3
(68.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) 3.6
(38.5) 		4.6
(40.3) 		8.2
(46.8) 		13.5
(56.3) 		18.4
(65.1) 		21.8
(71.2) 		25.6
(78.1) 		26.8
(80.2) 		23.0
(73.4) 		17.2
(63.0) 		11.0
(51.8) 		5.8
(42.4) 		15.0
(58.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −1.3
(29.7) 		−0.5
(31.1) 		2.9
(37.2) 		8.0
(46.4) 		13.6
(56.5) 		18.0
(64.4) 		21.9
(71.4) 		23.0
(73.4) 		19.3
(66.7) 		13.2
(55.8) 		6.3
(43.3) 		0.9
(33.6) 		10.4
(50.8)
Record low °C (°F) −11.9
(10.6) 		−8.3
(17.1) 		−4.8
(23.4) 		−1.4
(29.5) 		2.3
(36.1) 		10.6
(51.1) 		14.5
(58.1) 		15.6
(60.1) 		8.4
(47.1) 		2.1
(35.8) 		−2.4
(27.7) 		−6.3
(20.7) 		−11.9
(10.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 35.2
(1.39) 		35.1
(1.38) 		75.9
(2.99) 		91.3
(3.59) 		120.8
(4.76) 		132.0
(5.20) 		147.3
(5.80) 		135.8
(5.35) 		181.4
(7.14) 		166.1
(6.54) 		61.6
(2.43) 		37.7
(1.48) 		1,229.9
(48.42)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 3.9 4.6 8.6 9.4 11.0 12.1 11.6 8.6 11.0 10.2 6.0 4.2 101.2
Mean monthly sunshine hours 208.7 195.1 197.2 190.6 184.7 128.6 144.7 168.1 133.1 145.1 165.0 188.5 2,049.5
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3][2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[4] the population of Koga peaked around the year 2000 and has declined slightly since.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1950 78,478—    
1960 82,446+5.1%
1970 97,659+18.5%
1980 117,691+20.5%
1990 139,239+18.3%
2000 146,452+5.2%
2010 142,995−2.4%
2020 139,344−2.6%

History

Koga was settled in the

daimyō of Koga Domain under the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate and a station on the Nikkō Kaidō
highway.

The town of Koga was established on April 1, 1889, with the creation of the modern municipalities system. It was raised to city status on August 1, 1950. On September 12, 2005, Koga absorbed the towns of Sanwa and Sōwa (both from Sashima District) to create the new and expanded city of Koga. The new city hall is now located at the former town of Sōwa.

Government

Koga has a

Diet of Japan
.

Economy

Koga was known in the Meiji era through the prewar Shōwa era as a center for sericulture. At present, the economy is highly industrialized, with the number of factories as second within Ibaraki Prefecture, after Hitachi city.

Education

Koga has 23 public elementary schools and nine public middle schools operated by the city government, and five public high schools operated by the Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education. In addition, there is one private high school.

Transportation

bus

JR East – Tōhoku Main Line

Highway

Sister city relations

Local attractions

  • site of Koga Castle
  • site of Koga Kubo residence
  • Suzume-jinja
  • Hase Kannon temple
  • Koga History Museum
  • Sogo Koen Park, near the Watarase River, was formally a summer palace for a local daimyo. It has two restored 17th century farmhouses, like including the Nakayama house and Takami Senseki house/museum.
  • Navel Park in Sowa-machi has outdoor and barbecue facilities for families.
  • Koga west of the station is old and has many old buildings. Many of the streets are cobbled.
  • Tenkoku Art Museum.

Notable people

References

  1. ^ "Ibaraki prefectural official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. ^ a b 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  3. ^ 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  4. ^ Koga population statistics

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Koga, Ibaraki.
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