Fujioka, Gunma
Geography. Fujioka is located on the southern border of Gunma Prefecture, bordered by Saitama Prefecture to the south. Surrounding municipalities. Gunma Prefecture Saitama Prefecture Climate. Fujioka has a Humid continental climate (Köppen "Cfa") characterized by warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Fujioka is 13.8 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1239 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.1 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.5 °C. Demographics. Per Japanese census data, the population of Fujioka has  remained relatively steadily over the past 40 years. History. Fujioka is located within traditional Kōzuke Province. During the late Sengoku period it developed as a "jōkamachi" around Ashida Castle, the center of a 30,000 "koku" holding by the Ashida clan, retainers of Tokugawa Ieyasu. However, the foundation of the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate, the area "tenryō" territory under the direct control of the shogunate. Fujioka and Onishi towns, and Kanna, Ono, Midori, Mikuri, Hirai, Hino, and Sanbagawa Village were created in Midorino District, Gunma Prefecture and Mihara village in Minamikanra District, Gunma Prefecture on April 1, 1889 with the creation  of the modern municipalities system after the Meiji Restoration. In 1896, Minamikanra District was united with Midorino District and Tago District to create Tano District. On April 1, 1954, Fujioka annexed Kanna, Ono, Midori and Mikuri villages and was elevated to city status. On March 1, 1955 Fujioka annexed neighboring Hirai and Sanbagawa villages. On January 1, 2006 Onishi Village was merged into Fujioka City. Government. Fujioka has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 18 members. Fujioka, together with the town of Kanna, and the village of Ueno contributes  two members to the Gunma Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Gunma 4th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan. Education. Fujioka has 11 public elementary schools and five public middle schools operated by the city government, and three public high schools operated by the Gunma Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates a special education school for the handicapped. Transportation. Railway. JR East – Hachikō Line Highway. Expressways. Two expressways converge at the Fujioka Junction. The Fujioka Matsuri is a two-day summer festival which is typically held on a  weekend in late July. The celebration, which takes place in central Fujioka, features food and entertainment stalls, a flea market, parade, and street dancing. There are many traditional events as well, such as "taiko" performances, "mikoshi" carrying, and the parading of "dashi" floats through the streets. The Fuji Matsuri (Wisteria Festival) is a spring festival which takes place at Koshinyama Park every year in late April/early May, to celebrate the blooming of the wisteria flowers. Numerous vendor stalls sell various local products, food, and flowers. The wisteria flowers are illuminated after sunset.