Kōka 甲賀市 | |
|---|---|
 Kōka City Hall | |
 Flag  Emblem | |
 Location of Kōka in Shiga Prefecture | |
  Kōka Location in Japan | |
| Coordinates:34°58′N136°10′E / 34.967°N 136.167°E /34.967; 136.167 | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Kansai |
| Prefecture | Shiga |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Hiroki Iwanaga |
| Area | |
• Total | 481.62 km2 (185.95 sq mi) |
| Population (September 30, 2021) | |
• Total | 89,619 |
| • Density | 186.08/km2 (481.94/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
| City hall address | 6053, Minakuchi, Minakuchichō, Kōka-shi, Shiga-ken 528-8502 |
| Website | Official website |
| Symbols | |
| Bird | Common kingfisher |
| Flower | Sasayuri(Lilium japonicum) |
| Tree | Cryptomeria |
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Kōka (甲賀市,Kōka-shi) is acity in southernShiga Prefecture, Japan. As of 30 September 2021[update], the city had an estimatedpopulation of 89,619 in 36708 households and apopulation density of 190 persons per km².[1] The total area of the city is 481.62 square kilometres (185.95 sq mi).
Kōka occupies the entire southern end of Shiga Prefecture, and is thus long east-to-west. At the eastern end of Kōka, the southern ridge of theSuzuka Mountains with one elevation of 1000 meters runs from northeast to southwest, forming the boundary with Mie Prefecture. The highest altitude point in Kōka is Mount Amagoi in this range.
Kyoto Prefecture
Mie Prefecture
Shiga Prefecture
Kōka has aHumid subtropical climate (KöppenCfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kōka is 13.6 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1673 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.4 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.1 °C.[2]
| Climate data for Shigaraki（elevation 265 m） | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 6.5 (43.7) | 7.1 (44.8) | 11.0 (51.8) | 17.3 (63.1) | 21.8 (71.2) | 25.0 (77.0) | 28.8 (83.8) | 30.0 (86.0) | 26.0 (78.8) | 20.3 (68.5) | 14.9 (58.8) | 9.5 (49.1) | 18.2 (64.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −3.5 (25.7) | −3.4 (25.9) | −1.1 (30.0) | 3.4 (38.1) | 9.1 (48.4) | 14.6 (58.3) | 19.1 (66.4) | 19.6 (67.3) | 15.9 (60.6) | 8.5 (47.3) | 2.4 (36.3) | −1.9 (28.6) | 6.9 (44.4) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 55.2 (2.17) | 70.7 (2.78) | 121.3 (4.78) | 111.5 (4.39) | 152.4 (6.00) | 207.6 (8.17) | 204.4 (8.05) | 143.7 (5.66) | 168.4 (6.63) | 120.1 (4.73) | 75.2 (2.96) | 53.6 (2.11) | 1,484.1 (58.43) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 9.1 | 10.1 | 13.1 | 10.9 | 11.2 | 13.0 | 12.8 | 9.3 | 11.4 | 9.8 | 8.3 | 8.2 | 127.2 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 101.2 | 100.9 | 133.6 | 166.3 | 164.5 | 127.6 | 136.5 | 173.8 | 135.4 | 136.6 | 122.1 | 115.9 | 1,614.4 |
| Source:Japan Meteorological Agency | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Tsuchiyama (elevation 248 m） | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 6.3 (43.3) | 6.8 (44.2) | 10.7 (51.3) | 16.9 (62.4) | 21.2 (70.2) | 24.6 (76.3) | 28.5 (83.3) | 29.8 (85.6) | 25.9 (78.6) | 20.3 (68.5) | 14.8 (58.6) | 9.3 (48.7) | 17.9 (64.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −1.9 (28.6) | −1.8 (28.8) | 0.6 (33.1) | 5.6 (42.1) | 10.9 (51.6) | 15.9 (60.6) | 20.3 (68.5) | 21.3 (70.3) | 17.5 (63.5) | 10.6 (51.1) | 4.5 (40.1) | −0.1 (31.8) | 8.6 (47.5) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 60.0 (2.36) | 74.4 (2.93) | 113.8 (4.48) | 114.9 (4.52) | 159.0 (6.26) | 205.4 (8.09) | 212.1 (8.35) | 193.5 (7.62) | 208.8 (8.22) | 124.4 (4.90) | 80.6 (3.17) | 56.7 (2.23) | 1,603.6 (63.13) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 10.6 | 10.9 | 12.6 | 11.0 | 11.6 | 13.6 | 13.7 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 10.0 | 8.4 | 9.4 | 134 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 90.9 | 98.2 | 137.0 | 167.1 | 165.8 | 128.3 | 139.4 | 177.2 | 132.7 | 140.2 | 125.0 | 108.9 | 1,610.7 |
| Source:Japan Meteorological Agency | |||||||||||||
Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Kōka has recently plateaued after several decades of growth.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 59,455 | — |
| 1930 | 60,876 | +2.4% |
| 1940 | 61,133 | +0.4% |
| 1950 | 75,407 | +23.3% |
| 1960 | 70,755 | −6.2% |
| 1970 | 67,762 | −4.2% |
| 1980 | 75,203 | +11.0% |
| 1990 | 82,668 | +9.9% |
| 2000 | 92,482 | +11.9% |
| 2010 | 92,704 | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 88,358 | −4.7% |
Kōka is part of ancientŌmi Province. During theSengoku period, the area was anikki and effectivelyself-governed by localninja families. In theEdo period it became a center for theKōga-ryū school ofninjutsu, in rivalry withIga-ryū.[4] The area was on the route of theTōkaidō highway connectingKyoto withEdo and the eastern provinces of Japan.Minakuchi-juku was both apost station and also acastle town forMinakuchi Domain, which ruled over parts of the area of Kōka during theEdo period. The village of Minakuchi was established on April 1, 1889 withinKōka District, Shiga with the creation of the modern municipalities system. It was raised to town status on August 18, 1894. On October 1, 2004, Minakuchi merged with the towns ofKōka,Kōnan,Shigaraki andTsuchiyama (all from Kōka District) to form the city of Kōka.
Kōka has amayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and aunicameral city council of 24 members. Kōka contributes three members to the Shiga Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part ofShiga 3rd district of thelower house of theDiet of Japan.[5]
Kōka is traditionally known for its production of ceramics, most notablyShigaraki ware, as well as agriculture and forestry. Light manufacturing is concentrated to pharmaceuticals.
Kōka has 21 public elementary schools and six public middle schools operated by the city government and one middle school operated by the Shiga Prefectural Department of Education. The prefecture also operates four public high schools.
Shigaraki Kōgen Railway - Shigaraki Line
DeWitt, Michigan, United States, renewed 2005Marshall, Michigan, United States, renewed 2005Traverse City, Michigan, United States, since 1969; renewed 2005
Media related toKōka, Shiga at Wikimedia Commons
Koka travel guide from Wikivoyage| Core city |  | |
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