Kosai 湖西市 | |
|---|---|
 Kosai City Hall | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Kosai in Shizuoka Prefecture | |
  Kosai | |
| Coordinates:34°43′6.4″N137°31′53.8″E / 34.718444°N 137.531611°E /34.718444; 137.531611 | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Chūbu (Tōkai) |
| Prefecture | Shizuoka |
| Government | |
| • - Mayor | Hiroyuki Tanai |
| Area | |
• Total | 86.56 km2 (33.42 sq mi) |
| Population (October 2020) | |
• Total | 57,885 |
| • Density | 670/km2 (1,700/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
| - Tree | Japanese black pine |
| - Flower | Common Gardenia |
| Phone number | 053-576-1111 |
| Address | 3268 Kibi, Kosai-shi, Shizuoka-ken 431-0492 |
| Website | Official website |
Kosai (湖西市,Kosai-shi) is acity located in far westernShizuoka Prefecture,Japan. As of 30 June 2019[update], the city had an estimatedpopulation of 57,885 in 24,232 households,[1] and apopulation density of 668.7 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 85.65 square kilometres (33.07 sq mi).
Kosai is located in the far southwest corner of Shizuoka Prefecture, bordered byAichi Prefecture to the west,Lake Hamana to the east. The name of the city means "west of the lake", in reference to its location near Lake Hamana. The city is bordered to the south by the Enshū Gulf ofPacific Ocean. Due to its location, the warmKuroshio Current offshore provides for a temperatemaritime climate with hot, humid summers and mild, cool winters.
Aichi Prefecture
Shizuoka Prefecture
Per Japanese census data,[2] the population of Kosau has been relatively steady over the past 30 years.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 30,843 | — |
| 1950 | 38,884 | +26.1% |
| 1960 | 41,449 | +6.6% |
| 1970 | 46,126 | +11.3% |
| 1980 | 54,252 | +17.6% |
| 1990 | 59,926 | +10.5% |
| 2000 | 60,827 | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 60,043 | −1.3% |
| 2020 | 57,885 | −3.6% |
The city has a climate characterized by characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild winters (Köppen climate classificationCfa). The average annual temperature in Kosai is 16.0 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1942 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.3 °C, and lowest in January, at around 5.5 °C.[3]
The area around Kosai has been noted for the production ofJapanese pottery and porcelain since theKofun period. During theEdo period, Kosai wastenryō territory administered directly by theTokugawa shogunate, and the location of a barrier gate regulating traffic on the oldTōkaidō highway connectingEdo withKyoto. Apost station namedShirasuka-juku developed near the barrier, and this was the forerunner of modern Kosai. During the establishment of the modern municipalities system of the earlyMeiji period in 1889, the area was reorganized into five villages withinHamana District, Shizuoka. Four of these villages (Washizu, Iride, Shirasuka, Chibata) merged to form the city of Kosai on January 1, 1972.
On March 23, 2010, the town ofArai (fromHamana District) was merged into Kosai. Hamana District was dissolved as a result of this merger.[4]
Kosai has amayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and aunicameral city legislature of 18 members. The city contributes one member to the Shizuoka Prefectural Assembly.
The economy of Kosai is dominated by light manufacturing of automobile components and electronics, as well ascommercial fishing. Kosai is home toSuzuki Motor Corporation'sKosai Assembly Plant, Suzuki's main domestic production plant as well as to plants owned byPanasonic andSony.Commercial fishing andaquaculture onLake Hamana is also a component of the city's economy.
Kosai has six public elementary schools and five public middle schools operated by the city government. The city has two public high schools operated by the Shizuoka Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates a special education school for the handicapped.
The ENE - Escola Nova Era, aBrazilian international school[5] is also located in Kosai. During 1971-1992 a Swedish school was located in Chibata.
Geraldton,Western Australia, Australia, since September 1998 with former Arai town[6]
Media related toKosai, Shizuoka at Wikimedia Commons
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