Kitanagoya
Geography. Kitanagoya is located in the northwest region of Aichi Prefecture. The city lies within a 10 kilometers range of downtown Nagoya and is relatively small. The city is about 6 kilometers from east to west, and about 4 kilometers from north to south. The city is located in the heart of Nōbi Plain, approximately five meters above sea level. There are numerous rivers, including the Gojō River, Shin River, and Aise River, which create a natural biosphere. Climate. The city has a climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild winters (Köppen climate classification "Cfa"). The  average annual temperature in Kitanagoya is 15.7 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1718 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 28.2 °C, and lowest in January, at around 4.3 °C. Demographics. Per Japanese census data, the population of Kitanagoya has increased rapidly over the past 60 years. History. Late modern period. The area of present-day Kitanagoya was part of rural Nishikasugai District, Aichi from 1889. The area began to develop in the Taishō period with the development of the Meitetsu Inuyama train line. Contemporary history . The town of Shikatsu was created on April 1, 1961, followed by Nishiharu on November 1, 1963, as the population increased due to increasing industrialization of the area. The two towns were merged to create the city of Kitanagoya on March 20, 2006. Government. Kitanagoya has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 21 members. The city contributes two members to the Aichi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Aichi District 5 of the lower house of the Diet of Japan. Economy. Due to  its location adjacent to the Nagoya metropolis, which is only ten minutes away by express train, Kitanagoya is largely a commuter town. However, agriculture is also highly developed, using the productive fertile soil and land with an alluvial fan created by Kiso and Shōnai River. Education. University. The Nagoya University of Arts is also located in Kitanagoya. Schools. Kitanagoya has ten public elementary schools and six public junior high schools operated by the city government, and one public high school operated by the Aichi Prefectural Board of Education.