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Takarazuka, Hyōgo

Takarazuka (宝塚市, Takarazuka-shi)[1] is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 February 2024, the city had an estimated population of 221,846 in 96,729 households and a population density of 2,200 persons per km².[2] The total area of the city is 101.80 square kilometres (39.31 sq mi). Known as the "inner parlor" of Kansai, Takarazuka is famous for the Takarazuka Revue, hot springs, and the Takarazuka Tourism Fireworks Display held since 1913. It is also famous as a choice residential area along with Ashiya and Nishinomiya.

Takarazuka
宝塚市
Special city
View of the City in Muko River
View of the City in Muko River
Flag of Takarazuka
Flag
Official seal of Takarazuka
Seal
Location of Takarazuka in Hyōgo Prefecture
Location of Takarazuka in Hyōgo Prefecture
Takarazuka is located in Japan
Takarazuka
Takarazuka
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 34°48′41″N 135°20′26″E / 34.81139°N 135.34056°E / 34.81139; 135.34056
CountryJapan
RegionKansai
Prefecture Hyōgo
Government
 • MayorHarue Yamasaki
Area
 • Total
101.80 km2 (39.31 sq mi)
Population
 (1 February 2024)
 • Total
221,846
 • Density2,200/km2 (5,600/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address1-1 Tōyō-chō, Takarazuka-shi, Hyōgo-ken 665-8665
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
BirdCettia diphone, Motacilla grandis
FlowerViola mandshurica (Japanese violet/sumire)
TreeCamellia sasanqua, Cornus kousa
Takarazuka City Hall
Aerial view of Takarazuka city center
Takarazuka from the Muko River

Geography

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Takarazuka is located in the northern part of the Hanshin area, surrounded by the Rokko Range to the west and the Nagao mountain range to the north, with the Muko River flowing through the center.

Neighboring municipalities

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Hyōgo Prefecture

Climate

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Takarazuka has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Takarazuka is 14.0 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1578 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in July, at around 25.7 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.6 °C.[3]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data,[4] the population of Takarazuka has been increasing steadily since the 1950s.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1950 48,405—    
1960 66,491+37.4%
1970 127,179+91.3%
1980 183,628+44.4%
1990 201,862+9.9%
2000 213,037+5.5%
2010 225,587+5.9%

History

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The area of Takarazuka was part of ancient Settsu Province and has been inhabited since ancient times, with many kofun burial mounds found within the city limits. The Mefu Jinja dates from the Nara period. From the Heian period, numerous landed estates shōen controlled by the Fujiwara family were developed in the area. Takarazuka onsen is mentioned in Kamakura period records. In the Muromachi period, Kohama town developed as a temple town for Kōshō-ji, and subsequently Kohama Inn was established as a post station on Arima Road. The area was mostly tenryō territory under direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate in the Edo Period.

The village of Kohama (小浜村) was established on April 1, 1889 within Kawabe District, Hyōgo, with the creation of the modern municipalities system. In 1897, Hankaku Railroad (current Fukuchiyama Line) completed. In 1910, the Minoh Arima Electric Railway (current Hankyu Takarazuka Main Line completed). Takarazuka was a center of the culture from the 1910s to 1940s in what has been dubbed the age of Hanshinkan Modernism. This included the opening of the Takarazuka Girls' Opera (current Takarazuka Revue) on April 1, 1914.

Kohama was elevated to town status on March 15, 1951, changing its name to Takarazuka. On April 1 1954 it merged with the village of Yoshimoto (吉本村) in Muko District to become the city of Takarazuka. The city continued to expand by annexing Nagao Village on March 10, 1955, and Nishitani Village on March 14, 1955, but losing some areas in a border adjustment with the city of Itami on April 1, 1955. On January 17, 1995 the Great Hanshin earthquake caused more than 100 casualties. Takarazuka was designated as a Special City on April 1, 2003 with increased autonomy.

At one time, the idea was raised of merging Takarazuka with Itami, Kawanishi, and Inagawa, but it is currently on hold.

Government

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Takarazuka has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 26 members. Takarazuka contributes three members to the Hyōgo Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is divided between the Hyōgo 6th districts of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

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Takarazuka has a mixed economy of commerce, manufacturing and market gardening. It is increasingly becoming a bedroom community for Osaka and Kobe, with quiet, upscale residential neighborhoods like Nigawa, Obayashi, Sakasegawa, and Hibarigaoka.

Companies headquartered in Takarazuka

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  • HI-LEX Corporation, a manufacturer of remote-controlling cables and accessories for multiple applications is headquartered in the city.[5]
  • ShinMaywa Industries, a manufacturer of military aircraft (especially seaplanes) and heavy duty trucks is headquartered in the city.[6]

Education

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Universities and colleges
Primary and secondary schools

Takazuka has 23 public elementary schools and 12 public middle schools operated by the city government, and five public high schools operated by the Hyōgo Prefectural Board of Education. There are three private elementary schools, two private middle schools and two private high schools. In addition, the prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped.[citation needed]

Transportation

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Railways

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Kawanishi is serviced by the JR Takarazuka Line and the Hankyu Takarazuka Line. Hankyu's Kawanishi-Noseguchi Station is a transfer station to the Nose Railway, which runs primarily within Kawanishi.

  JR West - Fukuchiyama Line

  Hankyu - Takarazuka Main Line

  Hankyu - Imazu Line

Highways

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Buses

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Sister cities

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See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Japan

Takarazuka is twinned with:[7]

Local attractions

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Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum

Specialty products

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Places

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Religious institutions

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Sightseeing and festivals

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Takarazuka Grand Theater and Bow Hall

Notable people from Takarazuka

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Takarazuka Hotel

References

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  1. ^ The kanji 塚 (UTF-8 code FA1016), which is part of Takarazuka's official name (宝塚市), is not available on all systems. (It can be entered in Wikipedia with HTML character 塚.) When not available, the kanji 塚 (UTF-8 code 585A16, HTML character 塚) is used as a substitute, rendering Takarazuka as 宝塚市. ("Shirabetemimashita 'Takarazukashi' no zuka to ZU" (PDF). Kōhō Takarazuka (in Japanese). 1026: 8. 2004-06-15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-03-05.)
  2. ^ "Takarazuka city official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  3. ^ Takarazuka climate data
  4. ^ Takarazuka population statistics
  5. ^ "HI-LEX". Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  6. ^ "Shin Maywa". Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  7. ^ "国際交流のページ". city.takarazuka.hyogo.jp (in Japanese). Takarazuka. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
  8. ^ Cardillo, Antonino (March 1, 2010). "The Inexact Quality". www.antoninocardillo.com. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
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Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Takarazuka.
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