Takasaki

Takasaki (高崎市, Takasaki-shi; [takasakiɕi]) is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 August 2020, the city had an estimated population of 372,369 in 167,345 households, and a population density of 810 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 459.16 square kilometres (177.28 sq mi). Takasaki is famous as the hometown of the Daruma doll, theoretically representing the Buddhist sage Bodhidharma and in modern practice a symbol of good luck. Takasaki has been the largest city in Gunma Prefecture since 1990 after overtaking Maebashi. Geography Takasaki is located in the southwestern part of Gunma Prefecture in the flat northwestern part of the Kantō Plain. The city is located approximately 90 to 100 kilometers from central Tokyo. Mount Akagi, Mount Haruna and Mount Myogi can be seen from the city, and the southern slopes of Mount Haruna are within the city limits. The Tone River, Karasu River and Usui River flow through the city. Although Takasaki is located over 100 kilometers from the coast, much of the city is low-lying, and the elevation of the city hall and central city area is only 97 meters above sea level. The land rises to the northern and western parts of the city to a maximum elevation of 1690 meters. Surrounding municipalities Gunma Prefecture Annaka Fujioka Higashiagatsuma Kanra Maebashi Naganohara Shibukawa Shintō Tamamura Nagano Prefecture Karuizawa Saitama Prefecture Kamisato Climate Takasaki has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa) characterized by warm summers and cold, windy winters (karakkaze) with occasional snowfall. The average annual temperature in Takasaki is 14.0 °C (57.2 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,354.9 mm (53.34 in), with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.8 °C (78.4 °F), and lowest in January, at around 2.6 °C (36.7 °F). Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Takasaki has recently plateaued after a long period of growth. History During the Edo period, the area of present-day Takasaki was the center of the Takasaki Domain, a feudal domain held by a branch of the Matsudaira clan under the Tokugawa shogunate in Kōzuke Province. The area also prospered from its location on the Nakasendō highway connecting Edo with Kyoto. Post stations located within the borders of modern Takasaki were: Shinmachi-shuku, Kuragano-shuku, and Takasaki-shuku. Following the Meiji Restoration, Takasaki was briefly capital of Gunma Prefecture, before the capital was moved to Maebashi in 1881. Takasaki Town was created within Gunma District, Gunma on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. It was raised to city status on April 1, 1900. On April 1, 1927, Takasaki annexed the neighboring villages of Tsukasawa and Kataoka, followed by Sano on October 1, 1937. The city largely escaped damage in World War II. Following the war, it continued to expand its borders by annexing the village of Rokugo on April 1, 1951, Shintakao and Nakamura as well as Yawata and Toyooka from Ushi District on January 20, 1955. This was followed by Orui village and Sano village from Tano District on September 30, 1956. The city celebrated its 360th anniversary in 1963 and annexed the town of Kuragano on March 31 of the same year. On September 1, 1965 the village of Gunnan was annexed. In September 1987, five-year-old Yoshiaki Ogiwara, the son of a local firefighter, was abducted and subsequently murdered in Takasaki. The murder received heavy media coverage across Japan. On April 1, 2001 Takasaki was proclaimed a Special City (Tokurei-shi), which gave it greater autonomy. On January 23, 2006, the towns of Gunma, Kurabuchi and Misato (all from Gunma District), and the town of Shinmachi (from Tano District) were merged into Takasaki. On October 1, 2006, the town of Haruna (from Gunma District) was merged into the expanded city of Takasaki. Gunma District was dissolved as a result of this merger. On June 1, 2009, the town of Yoshii (from Tano District) was merged into expanded city of Takasaki. Takasaki was elevated to a Core city with even greater autonomy on April 1, 2011. Government Takasaki has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 38 members. Takasaki contributes nine members to the Gunma Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is divided between the Gunma 4th district and Gunma 5th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan. Successive mayors Source:Takasaki City Economy Takasaki is a regional commercial center and transportation hub, and is a major industrial center within Gunma Prefecture. Companies headquartered in Takasaki include CUSCO Japan, an automotive parts manufacturer, and Yamada Denki, a home appliance retailer. 1. Regional Commercial and Business Hub Takasaki serves as the primary commercial center for Gunma Prefecture, largely due to its strategic position at the intersection of major rail and road networks. Transportation Nexus: It is a major stop on the Joetsu and Hokuriku Shinkansen lines and serves as a junction for the Kan-etsu, Kita-Kanto, and Joshin-etsu Expressways. This infrastructure has made Takasaki a "pivotal point" for logistics and business distribution between Tokyo and the Sea of Japan coast. Retail and Finance: The commercial district near Takasaki Station contains multiple large department stores together with Takasaki Shinkin Bank headquarters and other regional financial institutions. The city is also the corporate headquarters for Yamada Denki, one of Japan's largest consumer electronics retailers. 2. Manufacturing and Industry The industrial sector drives most of the local economy in Takasaki because this city functions as a manufacturing center. Key Sectors: The city contains numerous factories which operate in the automotive parts and electrical equipment and food processing and chemical industries sectors. Major Companies: Max Co., Ltd.: The company based its operations in Takasaki where it functions as a leading industrial tool and office equipment manufacturer that conducts research and development and production activities from its main facilities. Gun Ei Chemical Industry: Headquartered in Takasaki, it is a leading producer of phenolic resins and starch-based products. CUSCO Japan: A prominent manufacturer of automotive performance and racing parts is based here. Nihon Matai: Operates large-scale production facilities for packaging materials (kraft paper and corrugated board) in the city. 3. Traditional Industries and Crafts The town of Takasaki maintains its special economic position through its traditional craft industry which generates substantial income from local tourism and specialty manufacturing activities. Daruma Dolls: Takasaki is the largest producer of Daruma (luck-bringing papier-mâché dolls) in Japan, accounting for approximately 80% of the national market. The industry developed from sericulture (silkworm farming) which existed in the city because the doll's circular form looks like a silk cocoon. Textiles and Dyeing: The city maintains its traditional silk-reeling industry and Kusaki-zome natural plant dyeing practice because it used to be a "castle town" that produced silk. 4. Agriculture The outer areas of Takasaki maintain their agricultural value despite their heavy industrial development. Specialties: The region is known for producing wheat (used in Gunma's famous udon and yakisoba culture), konjac root (Gunma produces over 90% of Japan's supply), and various vegetables such as cabbage and onions. Summary Takasaki is a major industrial and commercial hub in the northern Kanto region, leveraging its position as a central transportation nexus for the Shinkansen and several expressways. The city operates through its manufacturing base which produces automotive parts and electronics and chemicals and it serves as the base for Yamada Denki and Daruma doll production for which it the country's leading manufacturer. Education Universities and colleges Gumma Paz College Ikuei Junior College Jobu University Niijima Gakuen Junior College Takasaki City University of Economics Takasaki University of Commerce Takasaki University of Commerce Junior College Takasaki University of Health and Welfare Takasaki University of Health and Welfare Junior College Primary and secondary education Takasaki has over sixty public elementary schools and 25 public middle schools operated by the city government and eight public high schools operated by the Gunma Prefecture Board of Education. In addition, the city operates one public high school and there are five private high schools. The prefecture also operates five special education schools for the handicapped. English education Takasaki developed its own unique English curriculum and implemented it at all of the primary and middle schools in the city. Primary school students in 1st through 4th grades have English lessons (formally called 'foreign language activities') once a week, while 5th and 6th grades have proper English lessons twice a week. This totals 35 hours (only 34 for 1st grade) of English education for 1st through 4th graders and 70 hours for 5th and 6th graders. The main emphasis on primary school English in Takasaki is communication; students are actively encouraged to listen to authentic English and express themselves to their peers. In order to achieve this, Mayor Tomioka pushed to increase the number of Assistant Language Teachers in the city. Commonly referred to as ALTs, they are native English speakers hired from abroad to come and assist Japanese teachers during English class. Takasaki employs many ALTs through The JET Program. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Takasaki had at least 1 ALT assigned to every primary and middle school in the city. The Takasaki Board of Education claims that Takasaki was the first in all of Japan to have English lessons starting in 1st grade, to have English twice a week for older students, and to assign at least 1 ALT to every school. In 2014, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (also abbreviated as MEXT) acknowledged the need to increase students' English ability in order to succeed globally. In 2016, MEXT then designated Takasaki as a pilot city to test out upcoming changes to the nationwide English curriculum; the changes were modeled after the existing Takasaki curriculum. It was decided that the changes would officially begin in stages; primary schools would adapt the new curriculum nationwide in 2020, middle schools in 2021, and secondary schools in 2022. In 2019, MEXT did a survey to see how both primary and middle school students were performing in all subjects at the prefectural level. It was found that students in Gunma Prefecture placed in the top 6 prefectures across all subjects, and for the first time tied with Tokyo for first place in English. Transportation Railway JR East – Hokuriku Shinkansen JR East – Jōetsu Shinkansen Takasaki JR East – Takasaki Line, Shōnan-Shinjuku Line, Ueno-Tokyo Line Shimmachi - Kuragano - Takasaki JR East – Jōetsu Line Takasaki - Takasakitonyamachi - Ino JR East – Shinetsu Main Line Takasaki - Kita-Takasaki - Gumma-Yawata Jōshin Dentetsu Takasaki - Minami-Takasaki - Sanonowatashi - Negoya - Takasaki-Shōka-Daigakumae - Yamana - Nishi-Yamana - Maniwa - Yoshii - Nishi-Yoshii Highway Kan-etsu Expressway – Takasaki-Tamamura Smart Interchange – Takasaki Junction – Takasaki Interchange – Maebashi Interchange Jōshin-etsu Expressway – Yoshii Interchange Kita-Kantō Expressway – Takasaki Junction National Route 17 National Route 18 National Route 254 National Route 354 National Route 406 Local attractions Haruna Shrine Lake Haruna Minowa Castle Mount Haruna The Museum of Modern Art, Gunma Shorinzan Daruma Temple The sound of a suikinkutsu in the Suikintei Garden of former Yoshii town is designated as one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan by the Ministry of the Environment Takasaki Byakue Dai-Kannon, the 10th largest Kannon statue in Japan Takasaki Castle Events Kannonyama Candle Festival Takasaki Festival & Fireworks Takasaki Film Festival Takasaki Marching Festival King of Pasta Gunma is one of the leading producers of wheat in all of Japan. As such, dishes that utilize wheat flour play in important role in local food culture. Takasaki is said to have many pasta shops per capita and in recent years has been called the pasta town. Since 2009, Takasaki has held an annual competition called King of Pasta; citizens can buy mini portions of pasta dishes from participating restaurants and vote for the best one. Sport Arte Takasaki - football (soccer) club Sister cities Takasaki is twinned with: Battle Creek, Michigan, United States, since 1981 Muntinlupa, Metro Manila, Philippines, since 2006 Plzeň, Czech Republic, since 1990 Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil, since 1981 Friendship cities Chengde, Hebei, China, since 1987 Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan, since 2008 Notable people Takeo Fukuda, former Prime Minister of Japan Yasuo Fukuda, former Prime Minister of Japan Yutaka Higuchi, musician (Buck-Tick) Kyosuke Himuro, musician (Boøwy) Tomoyasu Hotei, musician (Boøwy) Fujio Masuoka, inventor of flash memory Kanai Mieko (born in Takasaki 1947), writer Hirofumi Nakasone, politician Yasuhiro Nakasone, former Prime Minister of Japan Kiyoshi Ogawa, Imperial Japanese Navy kamikaze pilot Hakubun Shimomura, politician Bruno Taut, German architect who lived for some time in Takasaki Kenji Tsukagoshi, navigator and aviator Toll Yagami, musician (Buck-Tick) Singaporean actress Jeanette Aw became an official PR ambassador for the city after starring in Ramen Teh, which was set and filmed in Takasaki. References External links Official Website (in Japanese)