Hirakata 枚方市 | |
|---|---|
 Hirakata City hall | |
 Flag  Emblem | |
 Location of Hirakata in Osaka Prefecture | |
  Hirakata Location in Japan | |
| Coordinates:34°49′N135°39′E / 34.817°N 135.650°E /34.817; 135.650 | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Kansai |
| Prefecture | Osaka |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Takashi Fushimi[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 65.12 km2 (25.14 sq mi) |
| Population (December 31, 2021) | |
• Total | 397,681 |
| • Density | 6,107/km2 (15,820/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
| City hall address | 2-1-20 Ogaito-chō, Hirakata-shi, Osaka-fu 573-8666 |
| Climate | Cfa |
| Website | Official website |
| Symbols | |
| Bird | Common kingfisher |
| Flower | Chrysanthemum |
| Tree | Willow |
Hirakata (枚方市,Hirakata-shi) is acity in northeasternOsaka Prefecture,Japan.[2] As of 31 December 2021[update], the city had an estimatedpopulation of 397,681 in 183075 households and apopulation density of 6100 persons per km2.[3] The total area of the city is 65.12 square kilometres (25.14 sq mi).[3]
Hirakata is located in the northeast of Osaka Prefecture, almost halfway between the metropolis of Osaka and Kyoto. It is on the left bank of theYodogawa River, and forms a triangle of 12.0 km (7.5 mi) and 8.7 km (5.4 mi) north–south. It is bordered by theIkoma Mountains to the east.
Hirakata has aHumid subtropical climate (KöppenCfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Hirakata is 16.2 °C (61.2 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,389.5 mm (54.70 in) with June as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 28.3 °C (82.9 °F), and lowest in January, at around 4.9 °C (40.8 °F).[4]
| Climate data for Hirakata (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 17.7 (63.9) | 22.7 (72.9) | 26.7 (80.1) | 31.0 (87.8) | 33.3 (91.9) | 36.4 (97.5) | 39.8 (103.6) | 39.6 (103.3) | 37.1 (98.8) | 34.0 (93.2) | 27.3 (81.1) | 25.0 (77.0) | 39.8 (103.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 9.3 (48.7) | 10.2 (50.4) | 14.1 (57.4) | 20.1 (68.2) | 25.2 (77.4) | 28.1 (82.6) | 31.9 (89.4) | 33.7 (92.7) | 29.3 (84.7) | 23.5 (74.3) | 17.5 (63.5) | 11.8 (53.2) | 21.3 (70.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.9 (40.8) | 5.5 (41.9) | 8.9 (48.0) | 14.4 (57.9) | 19.4 (66.9) | 23.1 (73.6) | 27.1 (80.8) | 28.3 (82.9) | 24.3 (75.7) | 18.4 (65.1) | 12.5 (54.5) | 7.2 (45.0) | 16.2 (61.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 1.0 (33.8) | 1.3 (34.3) | 4.2 (39.6) | 9.1 (48.4) | 14.4 (57.9) | 19.1 (66.4) | 23.4 (74.1) | 24.4 (75.9) | 20.4 (68.7) | 14.2 (57.6) | 8.1 (46.6) | 3.2 (37.8) | 12.0 (53.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −6.2 (20.8) | −7.1 (19.2) | −4.4 (24.1) | −1.1 (30.0) | 3.2 (37.8) | 9.0 (48.2) | 15.3 (59.5) | 16.4 (61.5) | 9.4 (48.9) | 3.1 (37.6) | −0.6 (30.9) | −3.9 (25.0) | −7.1 (19.2) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 49.8 (1.96) | 61.6 (2.43) | 106.2 (4.18) | 102.4 (4.03) | 139.1 (5.48) | 194.2 (7.65) | 183.8 (7.24) | 142.5 (5.61) | 158.6 (6.24) | 136.7 (5.38) | 70.5 (2.78) | 53.0 (2.09) | 1,389.5 (54.70) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0mm) | 5.5 | 6.7 | 9.6 | 9.7 | 10.0 | 12.0 | 11.7 | 8.6 | 10.2 | 8.9 | 6.6 | 6.2 | 105.1 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 135.0 | 128.7 | 161.2 | 184.4 | 193.4 | 141.7 | 155.9 | 204.9 | 153.9 | 158.1 | 143.2 | 139.9 | 1,912.2 |
| Source:Japan Meteorological Agency[4][5] | |||||||||||||
Per Japanese census data,[6] the population of Hirakata rose rapidly in the 1960s and 1970s, and less rapidly since.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 23,714 | — |
| 1930 | 27,878 | +17.6% |
| 1940 | 39,306 | +41.0% |
| 1950 | 52,817 | +34.4% |
| 1960 | 80,312 | +52.1% |
| 1970 | 217,369 | +170.7% |
| 1980 | 353,358 | +62.6% |
| 1990 | 390,788 | +10.6% |
| 2000 | 402,563 | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 407,997 | +1.3% |
Eriko Aoki, author of "Korean children, textbooks, and educational practices in Japanese primary schools," stated that the city's location in proximity to bothOsaka City andKyoto contributed to its population growth of ten times its previous size from around 1973 to 2013.[7]
As of 2013 the city has about 2,000ethnic Koreans. Most Hirakata Koreans,[8] including children of school age, use Japanese names.[9] Many Koreans in Hirakata operate their own businesses. Hirakata has the "mother's society" or "Omoni no Kai", a voluntary association of ethnic Korean mothers. It also has branches of theChongryon andMindan, Japan's two major Korean associations. Hirakata has no particular Korean neighborhoods.[8] There were about 3,000 ethnic Koreans in Hirakata in the pre-World War II period. In the 1930s Hirakata Koreans, fearful of keeping their own jobs, had negative attitudes towards Osaka-based Koreans who were looking for employment after having lost their jobs. Military construction was the most common job sector of that era's Korean population.[8] Eriko Aoki stated that in 2013 there was still a sense of difference between the Koreans in Hirakata and the Koreans in Osaka.[8]
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The area of the modern city of Hirakata was within ancientKawachi Province. The place name "Hirakata" is in theKojiki andNihon Shoki. The Buddhist temple ofKudara-dera dates to theAsuka period.
The Hirakata Town was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Hirakata was elevated to city status on August 1, 1947. On April 1, 2001, Hirakata was designated as aspecial city of Japan. On April 1, 2014, Hirakata became a Core city with increased local autonomy.
Hirakata has amayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and aunicameral city council of 32 members. Hirakata, together with neighboring Katano, contributes four members to theOsaka Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Osaka 11th district of thelower house of theDiet of Japan.
Hirakata's modern industry began with the munitions industry supplying to theImperial Japanese Army and numerous civilian textile and clothing manufacturers. In early March 1939, a site associated with the arms industry blew up, killing 500 people.[10]
Hirakata has 45 public elementary schools and 19 public middle schools operated by the city government and six public high schools operated by the Osaka Prefectural Department of Education, and one by Osaka City. There is also one private elementary school, two private middle schools and three private high schools. The prefecture also operates two special education schools for the handicapped.
Prefectural senior high schools
Municipal high schools
Private senior high schools:
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Second Keihan Highway
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Shimanto, Kōchi, Japan, friendship city agreement since 1974 (with formerNakamura city)Betsukai, Hokkaidō, Japan, friendship city agreement since 1987Takamatsu, Kagawa, Japan, friendship city agreement since 1987 (with formerShionoe town)
Changning District, Shanghai, China, sister city agreement since 1987
Logan City, Queensland, Australia, sister city agreement since 1995
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