Takaoka 高岡市 | |
|---|---|
 From top: Tateyama Mountains viewed from Amaharashi Coast, Great Buddha of Takaoka, andZuiryū-ji Temple | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Takaoka in Toyama Prefecture | |
  Takaoka | |
| Coordinates:36°45′14.6″N137°1′32.4″E / 36.754056°N 137.025667°E /36.754056; 137.025667 | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Chūbu (Hokuriku) |
| Prefecture | Toyama |
| First official recorded | 701 AD |
| City settled | April 1, 1889 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Yuki Kakuda (from July 2021) |
| Area | |
• Total | 209.57 km2 (80.92 sq mi) |
| Population (March 10, 2018) | |
• Total | 173,086 |
| • Density | 830/km2 (2,100/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
| Symbols | |
| • Tree | Japanese bay tree (Tsumama) |
| • Flower | Japanese fawn lily (Katakago) |
| • Flowering tree | Cherry blossom (Sakura) |
| Phone number | 0766-20-1111 |
| Address | 7-50 Hirokōji, Takaoka-shi, Toyama-ken 933-8601 |
| Climate | Cfa |
| Website | www |
Takaoka (高岡市,Takaoka-shi) is a city in the northwestern portion ofToyama Prefecture, Japan. Takaoka has the second largest population afterToyama City, and the city is a center of western Toyama Prefecture (Gosei[a]).
As of 2018[update], the city had an estimated population of 173,086 in 68,350 households and a population density of 819 persons per km2. Its total area was 209.57 square kilometres (80.92 sq mi).[1]
Takaoka covers an area which equates to roughly 5% of the surface area of Toyama Prefecture. The surface area of the city comprises 36.96 km2 of real estate, 61.02 km2 of agricultural land, 22.69 km2 of mountains and forests, 80.43 km2 of public property (parks etc.), 6.10 km2 of wasteland, and 2.18 km2 of moorland.[2]
Takaoka borders four cities in Toyama Prefecture (Himi,Oyabe,Tonami, andImizu) and two towns in Ishikawa Prefecture (Tsubata andHōdatsushimizu).
From its border with Himi down to the southwest area of the city, a range of mountains stretch for roughly 150 m to 300 m with a particularly high stretch of mountains centering on Mt. Futagami near Himi. Shogawa River and the Oyabegawa River run through Takaoka, and tributaries weave their way through the city center. Including small rivers, a total of 10 rivers flow through the city. The Amaharashi coast lies to the north of the region. Just off the coast lies the uninhabited offshore rock of Otokoiwa. Another uninhabited rock, Onnaiwa, lies nearby, and the view of this island against the backdrop of theTateyama range of peaks is famous and features in promotional media for the region.[3] A section of the Imizu plains runs from the central district of the city to the eastern district, and the Tonami plains which stretch from the west to the south are dotted withdispersed settlements in certain areas.
The climate of Takaoka is ahumid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classificationCfa), similar to that of much of theSea of Japan coast. All of the regions in Toyama Prefecture can experience large quantities of snow in winter. Depending on the year, the city can experience extraordinarily heavy snowfall, like, for example in 2006 when snow 1.4m high, and in 2011 1.27m was recorded. According to weather records, the average temperature in 2010 was 14.5 °C (58.1 °F), the average level of humidity was 79%, the yearly rainfall was roughly 2,665.5mm and there were 1,634 hours of sunlight.[4]
| Climate data forFushiki, Takaoka, Toyama (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1887−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 20.3 (68.5) | 23.3 (73.9) | 25.6 (78.1) | 32.0 (89.6) | 32.5 (90.5) | 37.3 (99.1) | 38.3 (100.9) | 39.7 (103.5) | 38.5 (101.3) | 34.1 (93.4) | 28.9 (84.0) | 23.5 (74.3) | 39.7 (103.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 6.0 (42.8) | 7.0 (44.6) | 11.3 (52.3) | 16.7 (62.1) | 21.6 (70.9) | 24.7 (76.5) | 29.1 (84.4) | 30.9 (87.6) | 26.6 (79.9) | 21.2 (70.2) | 15.3 (59.5) | 9.3 (48.7) | 18.3 (65.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 2.9 (37.2) | 3.3 (37.9) | 6.6 (43.9) | 11.7 (53.1) | 16.8 (62.2) | 20.8 (69.4) | 25.1 (77.2) | 26.7 (80.1) | 22.7 (72.9) | 17.0 (62.6) | 11.1 (52.0) | 5.7 (42.3) | 14.2 (57.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 0.2 (32.4) | 0.1 (32.2) | 2.5 (36.5) | 7.3 (45.1) | 12.7 (54.9) | 17.8 (64.0) | 22.3 (72.1) | 23.5 (74.3) | 19.4 (66.9) | 13.3 (55.9) | 7.4 (45.3) | 2.6 (36.7) | 10.8 (51.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −12.1 (10.2) | −11.3 (11.7) | −8.7 (16.3) | −2.6 (27.3) | 1.8 (35.2) | 8.5 (47.3) | 12.7 (54.9) | 14.0 (57.2) | 8.4 (47.1) | 1.8 (35.2) | −0.9 (30.4) | −8.7 (16.3) | −12.1 (10.2) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 272.7 (10.74) | 161.6 (6.36) | 150.6 (5.93) | 121.9 (4.80) | 115.4 (4.54) | 159.4 (6.28) | 223.8 (8.81) | 194.2 (7.65) | 205.0 (8.07) | 161.2 (6.35) | 221.3 (8.71) | 294.0 (11.57) | 2,281 (89.80) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 107 (42) | 71 (28) | 15 (5.9) | 1 (0.4) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 46 (18) | 238 (94) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.5 mm) | 24.4 | 19.8 | 17.8 | 13.6 | 11.8 | 11.0 | 13.7 | 10.9 | 14.1 | 13.9 | 18.4 | 23.3 | 192.7 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 1 cm) | 12.7 | 10.2 | 2.9 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 | 5.5 | 31.6 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 81 | 77 | 71 | 69 | 72 | 79 | 80 | 77 | 77 | 75 | 76 | 80 | 76 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 61.1 | 85.7 | 137.6 | 176.4 | 204.6 | 158.8 | 160.3 | 205.5 | 147.3 | 146.3 | 104.6 | 66.8 | 1,650.1 |
| Source:Japan Meteorological Agency[5][6] | |||||||||||||
Per Japanese census data,[7] the population of Takaoka has declined over the past 40 years.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 170,841 | — |
| 1980 | 186,900 | +9.4% |
| 1990 | 187,869 | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 185,682 | −1.2% |
| 2010 | 176,061 | −5.2% |
| 2020 | 166,393 | −5.5% |
As of 2011[update], the Brazilian population of Takaoka was approximately 1,430 residents, the Chinese population was approximately 700, and the Philippine population was approximately 360.[8]
The area of present-day Takaoka was part of ancientEtchū Province, and theprovincial capital was located in what are now the outskirts of the modern city.Ōtomo no Yakamochi took office as a government official in this area in the 8th century. During his five-year stay, he wrote manywaka poems.[9] This is the reason for Takaoka being nicknamedManyō City.
Originally, the Takaoka region was calledSekino, but whenMaeda Toshinaga ofKaga Domain took control of the city in 1609, he named it after a verse from the religious poemShihen which includes the wordTakaoka. In addition to this, the fact thatTakaoka Castle was built on a slightly elevated shoreline is thought to be another possible origin for the name Takaoka, sinceTaka means "high" andOka means "hill or elevated land".
Despite the loss of its castle due to orders from theTokugawa shogunate in 1615, theMaeda clan pursued policies regulating the relocation of Takaoka citizens and promoting the development of Takaoka as an industrial city. This resulted in the start of Takaoka's role as a city of commerce and industry. Takaoka copperware and lacquerware also took off at this time.
Following theMeiji restoration, with the establishment of the municipalities system on April 1, 1889, Takaoka was registered as one of Japan's first 30 cities.[10] The area around Fushiki Port was declared an open port for foreign trade by Imperial decree in July 1899.[11]
On November 1, 2005, the town ofFukuoka (fromNishitonami District) was merged into Takaoka. Nishitonami District was dissolved as a result of this merger.[12]
Takaoka has amayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor, and aunicameral city legislature of 27 members. The city contributes seven members to the Toyama Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Toyama Third Electoral District for thelower house of theDiet of Japan.
Takaoka has 26 public elementary schools and 12 public junior high schools operated by the town government, and eight public high schools operated by the Toyama Prefectural Board of Education. There are also three private high schools. The city also operates one special education school,[13] and an additional four special education schools are operated by the Toyama Prefectural government.
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West Japan Railway Company (JR West) -Hokuriku ShinkansenWest Japan Railway Company (JR West) -Himi LineWest Japan Railway Company (JR West) -Jōhana Line
Ainokaze Toyama Railway
Mirandópolis,São Paulo, Brazil, sister city since 1974[14]
Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States, sister city since 1977[15]
Jinzhou,Liaoning, China, friendship city since 1985[14]
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