Koga, Ibaraki Explained

Koga
Native Name Lang:ja
Settlement Type:City
Pushpin Map:Japan
Pushpin Map Caption: 
Coordinates:36.1783°N 139.7554°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Japan
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Kantō
Subdivision Type2:Prefecture
Subdivision Name2:Ibaraki
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Chikara Hariya (since December 2016)
Area Total Km2:123.58
Population Total:137,512
Population As Of:January 2024
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:Japan Standard Time
Utc Offset1:+9
Blank Name Sec1:Phone number
Blank Info Sec1:0280-92-3111
Blank1 Name Sec1:Address
Blank1 Info Sec1:2248 Shimoōno, Koga-shi, Ibaraki-ken 306-0291
Blank Name Sec2:Climate
Blank Info Sec2:Cfa
Module:
Embedded:yes
Tree:Zelkova serrata
Flower:Prunus persica

is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan., 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 123.58sqkm.

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 . The average annual rainfall is with September 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,[2] the population of Koga peaked around the year 2000 and has declined slightly since.

History

Koga was settled in the Jōmon period and already known as a ferry port on the Watarase River in the Nara period and is mentioned in the Man'yōshū. During the Heian period it was the site of an iron smelter and kilns for production of ceramics and roof tiles and was one of the largest centers for iron production in eastern Japan . During the Muromachi period it was the location of the Koga kubō, a secondary government created by the Ashikaga shogunate to rule eastern Japan. In the Sengoku period, it developed into a castle town and during the Edo period became the seat of 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 mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 24 members. Koga contributes three members to the Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Ibaraki 7th district of the lower house of the 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 EastTōhoku Main Line

Highway

Sister city relations

Local attractions

Notable people

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ibaraki prefectural official statistics. Japan. ja.
  2. https://www.citypopulation.de/php/japan-ibaraki.php Koga population statistics