# Komatsu, Ishikawa

Komatsu (小松市, Komatsu-shi) is a city located in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 March 2018, the city had an estimated population of 108,509 in 42,664 households, and a population density of 290 persons per km². The total area of the city was 371.05 square kilometres (143.26 sq mi).

## Geography

Komatsu is located in southwestern Ishikawa Prefecture in the Hokuriku region of Japan and is bordered by the Sea of Japan to the east and Fukui Prefecture to the south. It is located about an hour driving distance southwest from Kanazawa (the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture).

### Neighbouring municipalities

* Fukui Prefecture
** Katsuyama
* Ishikawa Prefecture
** Hakusan
** Kaga
** Nomi

### Climate

Komatsu has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Komatsu is 14.3 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2521 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.9 °C.
Climate data for Komatsu (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 19.2 (66.6) | 21.9 (71.4) | 25.8 (78.4) | 30.5 (86.9) | 34.1 (93.4) | 35.2 (95.4) | 37.3 (99.1) | 40.0 (104.0) | 37.8 (100.0) | 33.4 (92.1) | 27.1 (80.8) | 24.5 (76.1) | 40.0 (104.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.2 (45.0) | 7.9 (46.2) | 11.7 (53.1) | 17.3 (63.1) | 22.3 (72.1) | 25.4 (77.7) | 29.5 (85.1) | 31.3 (88.3) | 27.1 (80.8) | 21.6 (70.9) | 16.0 (60.8) | 10.3 (50.5) | 19.0 (66.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.6 (38.5) | 3.9 (39.0) | 6.9 (44.4) | 12.2 (54.0) | 17.3 (63.1) | 21.2 (70.2) | 25.4 (77.7) | 26.7 (80.1) | 22.5 (72.5) | 16.8 (62.2) | 11.2 (52.2) | 6.2 (43.2) | 14.5 (58.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 0.4 (32.7) | 0.2 (32.4) | 2.3 (36.1) | 7.0 (44.6) | 12.4 (54.3) | 17.5 (63.5) | 22.0 (71.6) | 23.0 (73.4) | 18.7 (65.7) | 12.4 (54.3) | 6.8 (44.2) | 2.6 (36.7) | 10.4 (50.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −9.8 (14.4) | −8.8 (16.2) | −5.1 (22.8) | −1.4 (29.5) | 3.4 (38.1) | 9.6 (49.3) | 15.1 (59.2) | 15.0 (59.0) | 8.9 (48.0) | 2.3 (36.1) | −0.4 (31.3) | −5.7 (21.7) | −9.8 (14.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 251.3 (9.89) | 147.7 (5.81) | 144.3 (5.68) | 129.3 (5.09) | 127.3 (5.01) | 151.0 (5.94) | 218.9 (8.62) | 152.0 (5.98) | 214.6 (8.45) | 171.6 (6.76) | 219.4 (8.64) | 282.5 (11.12) | 2,230.2 (87.80) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 23.8 | 18.8 | 15.6 | 12.2 | 11.1 | 10.6 | 12.8 | 9.6 | 12.7 | 12.8 | 17.4 | 22.8 | 180.2 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 62.7 | 87.7 | 146.3 | 187.5 | 206.5 | 155.4 | 166.3 | 217.0 | 157.8 | 152.6 | 112.2 | 68.0 | 1,723.2 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Komatsu peaked around the year 2000 and has declined slightly since.

## History

The area around Komatsu was part of ancient Kaga Province. The area became part Kaga Domain under the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate. Komatsu housed the retirement castle of Maeda Toshitsune. While nearly all of the castle was demolished, its garden still remains as Rojou Park (芦城公園). In the spring, this is one of the prefecture's best spots for cherry blossom viewing. Following the Meiji restoration, the area was organised into Nomi District, Ishikawa. The town of Komatsu was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Komatsu merged with surrounding municipalities to become a city on December 1, 1940.

## Government

Komatsu has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 22 members.

## Economy

Komatsu was traditionally known for the production of Kutani ware ceramics and for silk. Komatsu Limited, the Japanese multinational construction and mining equipment corporation, was founded in Komatsu in 1921.

## Education

Komatsu has 26 public elementary schools and ten middle schools operated by the city government, and five public high schools operated by the Ishikawa Prefectural Board of Education and one by the city government. There is also one private high school. Komatsu College, a private junior college is also located in Komatsu.

## Transportation
### Railway

The Hokuriku Shinkansen took over as the primary railway service in Komatsu on 16 March 2024. The existing conventional line was transferred to the IR Ishikawa Railway effective the same date.
IR Ishikawa Railway
* Awazu - Komatsu - Meihō
West Japan Railway Company - Hokuriku Shinkansen
* Komatsu

### Highway

* Hokuriku Expressway
    National Route 8
    National Route 305
    National Route 360
    National Route 416

### Airport

* Komatsu Airport

## Sister cities

* Angarsk, Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, friendship city, since November 13, 2017
* Changhua, Taiwan, friendship city, since October 10, 2017
* Changnyeong County, South Gyeongsang, South Korea, friendship city
* Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK, since August 2, 1991
* Guilin, Guangxi, China, friendship city
* Jining, Shandong, China, since September 5, 2008
* Suzano, São Paulo, Brazil, since July 11, 1972
* Vilvoorde, Flemish Brabant, Belgium, since May 15, 1974

## Local attractions

* Awazu Onsen, a hot spring resort
* Hoshi Ryokan (claimed to be world's second oldest hotel)
* Site of the Komatsu Castle (小松城)
* Motorcar Museum of Japan, the largest museum dedicated to motor vehicles in Japan with a 12,000 square metre display area
* Nata-dera Buddhist temple complex
* Yunokuni-no-mori traditional handicrafts village