Kashima, Ibaraki Explained

Kashima
Native Name Lang:ja
Settlement Type:City
Pushpin Map:Japan
Pushpin Map Caption: 
Coordinates:35.9656°N 140.6448°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Japan
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Kantō
Subdivision Type2:Prefecture
Subdivision Name2:Ibaraki
Established Title:First official recorded
Established Date:660 BC
Established Title2:Town settled
Established Date2:April 1, 1889
Established Title3:City settled
Established Date3:September 1, 1995
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Shinichi Taguchi (from April 2022)
Area Total Km2:106.02
Population Total:66,098
Population As Of:July 2022
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:Japan Standard Time
Utc Offset1:+9
Blank Name Sec1:Phone number
Blank Info Sec1:0299-82-2911
Blank1 Name Sec1:Address
Blank1 Info Sec1:1187-1 Hirai, Kashima-shi, Ibaraki-ken 314-8655
Blank Name Sec2:Climate
Blank Info Sec2:Cfa
Module:
Embedded:yes

is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan., the city had an estimated population of 67,197 in 28,873 households and a population density of 634 persons per km2. The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 31.5%.[1] The total area of the city is 106.02sqkm. Kashima is the home of the J. League's Kashima Antlers. Its home field, Kashima Soccer Stadium, was used as a site during the 2002 FIFA World Cup. The city is also the site of the Kashima Shrine, one of the oldest Shinto shrines in eastern Japan, and considered the birthplace of many influential styles of Japanese swordsmanship (Kenjutsu).[2] [3]

Geography

Kashima is located in southeastern Ibaraki Prefecture, bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east and Lake Kitaura (Lake Kasumigaura) to the west, with a width of less than 10 kilometers from east-to-west. It is approximately 110 kilometers to the northeast of Tokyo.

Surrounding municipalities

Ibaraki Prefecture

Climate

Kashima has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kashima is . The average annual rainfall is with October as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around, and lowest in January, at around .

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[4] the population of Kashima has recently plateaued after a long period of growth.

History

Kashima was developed from the Nara period together with the ichinomiya of Hitachi Province, Kashima Shrine. After the Meiji Restoration, the town of Kashima was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889 within Kashima District. In 1954, Kashima annexed with the neighboring villages of Takamatsu, Toyosu, Toyosato and Namino. Kashima merged with the village of Ono on September 1, 1995 and was elevated to city status.[5]

Government

Kashima has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 20 members. Kashima contributes one member to the Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Ibaraki 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.[6] [7] [8]

Economy

Kashima is the central city of the Kashima Industrial Zone, and it has a large industrial park with about 1500 factories, especially petrochemical and steel plants. The Japanese government created this zone in 1963, and the development was mostly completed in 1973. Agriculture and commercial fishing also play a part in the local economy.[9] [10]

Education

Kashima has 12 public elementary schools and five public middle schools operated by the city government, and one public high school operated by the Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education. There are also one private middle school and two private high schools.[11]

Sports

Kashima Antlers is the local J. League football club.[12]

Transportation

Railway

JR EastKashima Line

- Kashima Rinkai Railway Ōarai Kashima Line

Seaport

Sister city relations

Local attractions

Notable people

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ibaraki prefectural official statistics. Japan. ja.
  2. Web site: Kashima Shrine: The Spiritual Heart of Ibaraki . 2024-08-05 . Top 10 Japan . en-US.
  3. Web site: Kashima Jingu Grand Shrine Visit IBARAKI GUIDE . 2024-08-05 . visit.ibarakiguide.jp . en-US.
  4. https://www.citypopulation.de/php/japan-ibaraki.php Kashima population statistics
  5. Web site: 2024-06-09 . Kashima Shrine . 2024-08-05 . Historic Site in Japan . ja.
  6. Web site: 市長プロフィール - 市長室 . 2024-08-05 . 鹿嶋市ホームページ . ja.
  7. Web site: 常任委員会名簿 茨城県議会 . 2024-08-05 . www.pref.ibaraki.jp.
  8. Web site: 市長の部屋へようこそ . 2024-08-05 . 鹿嶋市ホームページ . ja.
  9. Web site: Nippon East Japan Works (Kashima) steel plant . 2024-08-05 . Global Energy Monitor . en.
  10. Web site: 2024 . data Investment Opportunities in Japan's Regions - Investing in Japan - Japan External Trade Organization . 2024-08-05 . ジェトロ . en.
  11. Web site: List of Schools by Prefecture . 2024-08-05 . ユネスコスクール加盟校エリア . en.
  12. Web site: KASHIMA ANTLERS OFFICIAL WEBSITE . 2024-08-05 . www.antlers.co.jp.
  13. Web site: Status of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Sister City. December 2009. Island of World Peace, Jeju. Jeju Self-Governing Province. en. 7 December 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160203230905/http://www.peace.jeju.kr/eng/html/sub2/sub2_5.htm. 3 February 2016. dead.
  14. Web site: Yancheng. 2005. Welcome to Jiangsu China. Jiangsu Provincial government official site. en. 7 December 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304082412/http://www.js.gov.cn/JSGOVEN08/08jsgov_sistercity/200806/t20080604_315730.html. 4 March 2016. dead.