| Higashikurume | |
| Native Name Lang: | ja |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Pushpin Map: | Japan |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | |
| Coordinates: | 35.758°N 139.5299°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Japan |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Kantō |
| Subdivision Type2: | Prefecture |
| Subdivision Name2: | Tokyo |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Ryōma Tomita |
| Area Total Km2: | 12.88 |
| Population Total: | 117020 |
| Population As Of: | April 2021 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone1: | Japan Standard Time |
| Utc Offset1: | +9 |
| Blank Name Sec1: | City symbols |
| Blank Info Sec1: | |
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | • Tree |
| Blank1 Info Sec1: | Ginkgo |
| Blank2 Name Sec1: | • Flower |
| Blank2 Info Sec1: | Azalea |
| Blank3 Name Sec1: | • Bird |
| Blank3 Info Sec1: | Azure-winged magpie |
| Blank Name Sec2: | Phone number |
| Blank Info Sec2: | 042-470-7777 |
| Blank1 Name Sec2: | Address |
| Blank1 Info Sec2: | 3-3-1 Hon-cho, Higashikurume-shi, Tokyo 203-8555 |
is a city located in the western portion of the Tokyo Metropolis, Japan., the city had an estimated population of 117,020, and a population density of 9100 persons per km². The total area of the city was 12.88sqkm.[1]
Higashikurume is in the north-center of Tokyo Metropolis, on the Musashino Terrace, approximately 25 kilometers from downtown Tokyo. The Kurome River flows through the western end of the city, and the Ochiai River flows through the center of the city. The land slopes gently from west to east.
Higashikurume has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Higashikurume is 14.0 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1647 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.7 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.3 °C.[2]
Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Higashikurume increased rapidly in the 1960s and 1970s due to the establishment of many large scale public housing complexes, but has remained relatively constant over the past 40 years. As with Japan as a whole, the city's population has aged rapidly in recent decades.
The area of present-day Higashikurume was part of ancient Musashi Province. In the post-Meiji Restoration cadastral reform of April 1, 1889, Kurume Village were established within Kitatama District of Kanagawa Prefecture. The entire district was transferred to the control of Tokyo Prefecture on April 1, 1893. The area began development after connection to central Tokyo was established by the Musashino Railway from 1915. In 1956, the village of Kurume attained town status. In the 1960s and 1970s, the population rapidly expanded with the construction of large public housing estates. The city was founded on October 1, 1970.
The origin of the name Kurume is unclear, but there are several theories:
At the time of the founding of the city, the name was changed to Higashikurume in order to avoid being confused for Kurume, Fukuoka. Since the new name already had already existed since 1915 as the name of the local train station, the name was already familiar to residents and adopted quickly.[4]
Higashikurume has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 22 members. Higashikurume, collectively with the city of Kiyose, contributes two members to the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Tokyo 20th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
The mayor is Ryōma Tomita, an independent candidate.
The current city council was elected on April 26, 2015, with 21 council seats currently occupied.[5]
| Political party | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | ||
| Komeito | 5 | |
| Japanese Communist Party | 4 | |
| Democratic Party | 3 | |
| Citizen Autonomy Forum | 2 | |
| Others | 1 |
Higashikurume is primary a regional commercial center, and a bedroom community for central Tokyo. According to the 2010 census, the commuting rate to the special wards of Tokyo is 33.2%.Globeride has its headquarters and a factory in the city.[8] Factories of Coca-Cola and Yamazaki Baking are also located in the city. A few attractions exist, such as Chukurin Park.
Higashikurume is the site for Tokyo Gakugei University's International Student Dormitory.
The city has two metropolitan high schools operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education:[9]
Higashikurume has 13 public elementary school, and seven public junior high schools operated by the city government.
Municipal junior high schools:[10]
Municipal elementary schools:[11]
It is the location of two private schools: Christian Academy in Japan (K-12) and (coeducational elementary and separate gender junior and senior high schools).[12]
- Seibu Railway, Seibu Ikebukuro Line