is a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

located in

Aichi Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,461,111 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the ...

, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 118,259 in 51,846 households, and a population density of 2,494 persons per km². The total area of the city was .

Geography

Handa is located in northeastern

Chita Peninsula The Chita Peninsula (知多半島 ''Chita Hantō'') is a peninsula to the south of Aichi Prefecture, central Honshū, Japan. It runs approximately north-south. To the west is Ise Bay, while to the east it encloses Mikawa Bay. It faces the Atsu ...

in southern Aichi Prefecture, and is bordered by

Mikawa Bay Mikawa Bay (Landsat photo) Mikawa Bay (三河湾 ''Mikawa-wan'') is a bay to the south of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, surrounded by Chita Peninsula The Chita Peninsula (知多半島 ''Chita Hantō'') is a peninsula to the south of Aichi Prefect ...

to the east.

Climate

The city has a climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild winters (

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

''Cfa''). The average annual temperature in Handa is 15.6 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1632 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 40.5 °C, and lowest in January, at around negative 4 °C.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Handa has increased steadily over the past 70 years.

Neighboring municipalities

;

Agui Agui (; ; September 7, 1717 – October 10, 1797) was a Manchu noble general for the Qing dynasty. As the only son of Akdun, he was a scion of a noble family who led a number of important Manchu military operations, including several of the " ...

* Hekinan * Higashiura * Takahama * Taketoyo *

Tokoname is a Cities of Japan, city in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 57,872 in 24,872 households, and a population density of 1,035 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Tokoname is located on ...

History

Early modern period

During the

Edo period The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...

, the area of Handa was part of

Owari Domain The Owari-Han, also known as the Owari Domain, was a significant feudal domain in Tokugawa shogunate, Japan during the Edo period. Situated in the western region of what is now Aichi Prefecture, it covered portions of Owari Province, Owari, Mino ...

Late modern period

In the post-

Meiji restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored Imperial House of Japan, imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Althoug ...

establishment of the modern municipalities system on October 1, 1889, the towns of Handa and Kamezaki were founded, as was the town of Narawa the following year. These three towns merged on October 1, 1937, to form the city of Handa.

Government

Handa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a

unicameral Unicameralism (from ''uni''- "one" + Latin ''camera'' "chamber") is a type of legislature consisting of one house or assembly that legislates and votes as one. Unicameralism has become an increasingly common type of legislature, making up nearly ...

city legislature of 22 members. The city contributes two members to the Aichi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Aichi District 8 of the

lower house A lower house is the lower chamber of a bicameral legislature, where the other chamber is the upper house. Although styled as "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has come to wield more power or otherwise e ...

of the

Diet of Japan , transcription_name = ''Kokkai'' , legislature = 215th Session of the National Diet , coa_pic = Flag of Japan.svg , house_type = Bicameral , houses = , foundation=29 November 1890(), leader1_type ...

Sister cities

* Midland,

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

, United States, since June 5, 1981. *

Port Macquarie Port Macquarie, sometimes shortened to Port Mac and commonly locally nicknamed Port, is a coastal city on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, north of Sydney, and south of Brisbane, on the Tasman Sea coast at the mouth of the ...

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

, Australia, since April 14, 1990. *

Xuzhou Xuzhou ( zh, s=徐州), also known as Pengcheng () in ancient times, is a major city in northwestern Jiangsu province, China. The city, with a recorded population of 9,083,790 at the 2020 Chinese census, 2020 census (3,135,660 of which lived in ...

Jiangsu Jiangsu is a coastal Provinces of the People's Republic of China, province in East China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its capital in Nanjing. Jiangsu is the List of Chinese administra ...

, China, friendship city since May 27, 1993 * Nanto,

Toyama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Toyama Prefecture has a population of 993,848 (1 January 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,247.61 km2 (1,640.01 sq mi). Toyama Prefecture borders Ishikawa Prefecture to the ...

, since April 28, 1997

Economy

Secondary sector of the economy

Brewing

Handa has a strong historical connection with

soy sauce Soy sauce (sometimes called soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of China, Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermentation (food), fermented paste of soybeans, roasted cereal, grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''A ...

, ''

sake Sake, , or saki, also referred to as Japanese rice wine, is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name ''Japanese rice wine'', sake, and indeed any East Asi ...

'' and vinegar brewing, and remains the worldwide headquarters of the

Mizkan is a Japanese company that produces vinegars (including seasoned rice vinegars, balsamic vinegars, and wine vinegars), mustards, salad dressings, authentic East Asian sauces, nattō, and other food products. It is based in Handa, Aichi Pre ...

Vinegar Group.

Manufacturing

During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Nakajima Aircraft Company The was a prominent Japanese aircraft manufacturer and aviation engine manufacturer throughout World War II. It continues as the car and aircraft manufacturer Subaru Corporation, Subaru. History The Nakajima Aircraft company was Japan's first ...

established an aircraft production plant in Handa. In the post-war period, this was redeveloped into a heavy industrial zone, including a production plant by

Dow Chemical The Dow Chemical Company is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, United States. The company was among the three largest chemical producers in the world in 2021. It is the operating subsidiary of Dow Inc., ...

. Handa and

Midland, Michigan Midland is a city in Midland County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The population was 42,547 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Midland metropolitan statistical area, part of the larger Saginaw-Midland-Bay City ...

became

Sister Cities A sister city or a twin town relationship is International relations, a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there ar ...

in 1981, a relationship that continues to this day.

Education

University

Nihon Fukushi University is a private university with its main campus at Mihama, Aichi, and other campuses at Nagoya and Handa, also in Aichi Prefecture, Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of th ...

– Handa campus

Schools

*Handa has thirteen public elementary schools and five public middle schools operated by the city government, and five public high schools operated by the Aichi Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates two special education schools for the handicapped.

Transportation

Railways

Conventional lines

;

Central Japan Railway Company is the main railway company operating in the Chūbu (Nagoya) region of central Japan. It is officially abbreviated in English as JR Central and occasionally as JR Tokai (). The term ''Tōkai'' refers to the southern portion of Central Japan, ...

Taketoyo Line The is a Japanese railway line which connects Ōbu Station in Ōbu, Aichi, Ōbu with Taketoyo Station in Taketoyo, Aichi, Taketoyo, both located in Aichi Prefecture. It is owned and run by the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central). Open ...

: - – – – – ; Meitetsu logomark 2

Meitetsu , publicly trading as , is a private railway company operating around Aichi Prefecture and Gifu Prefecture of Japan. Some of the more famous trains operated by Meitetsu include the '' Panorama Car'' and the '' Panorama Car Super'', both of w ...

* Kōwa Line: - – – – – ; KRR logomark

Kinuura Rinkai Railway * Handa Line: - (freight only)

Roads

Expressways

Chitahantō Road The (lit. Chita Peninsula Road) is a 4-laned toll road in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It is managed by Aichi Prefectural Road Public Corporation. Overview A portion of the road was opened to traffic in 1970 and the entire road was completed in 197 ...

Minamichita Road * JP Expressway E87

Chitaōdan Road The is a 4-laned toll road in Aichi, Japan. It is managed by Aichi Prefectural Road Public Corporation. Overview Officially the road is designated as Aichi Prefectural Route 265 (Handa-Chūō Junction to Tokoname Interchange) and Aichi Prefec ...

Japan National Routes

* * File:Nagoya Railroad - Chita-Handa Station - 01.JPG, Chita Handa Station File:Handa Tollgate.jpg, Handa Interchange File:知多半島横断道路の側道（半田市三ツ池町付近） - panoramio.jpg,

and Chita Cycling Road File:KINUURA OH-HASHI Brigde.jpg, Kinuura Oh-hashi Bridge

Local attractions

*CLACITY HANDA *Handa Red Brick Building *Jōraku-ji *Mizkan Museum *Niimi Nankichi Memorial Museum *Yakachi River File:Mizkan museum2.jpg, Mizkan Museum File:Kunizakari Sake no Bunkakan Museum ac.jpg, Kunizakari Sake no Bunkakan Museum File:Niiminankichikinenkan.JPG, Niimi Nankichi Memorial Museum File:Handa Old Nakano House ac.jpg, Nakanoke Museum File:Yakachigawa1.JPG, Yakachi River File:Clacity Handa ac.jpg, CLACITY HANDA

Culture

Festival

*Okkawamatsuri Festival *Kamesaki Festival File:Kamezakishiohi Festival2.jpg, Kamesaki Festival

Notable people from Handa

Satoru Akahori is a Japanese scriptwriter, novelist and manga author. He is best known for the '' Saber Marionette'', ''Sakura Wars'' and ''Sorcerer Hunters'' series, which comes in anime, novel and manga forms. Works *'' Akahori Gedou Hour Rabuge'': Series C ...

, author * Atsushi Harada, actor * Takaya Ishikawa, professional baseball player * Keiko Lee, jazz singer * Hiromi Makihara, professional baseball player *

Eiji Mitsuoka is a retired Japanese professional mixed martial artist. A professional competitor from 2001 until 2012, Mitsuoka fought for the UFC, DREAM, World Victory Road, PRIDE, Shooto, Cage Force, DEEP and King of the Cage promotions. Mitsuoka's ni ...

, mixed martial artist * Ōikari Montarō, sumo wrestler *

Nankichi Niimi was a Japanese author, sometimes known as the Hans Christian Andersen of Japan. Niimi was born in Yanabe, in the city of Handa, Aichi prefecture, on July 30, 1913. He lost his mother when he was four years old. His literary skill was noticea ...

, author *

Nobuhiro Yamashita is a Japanese film director. Career Born in Aichi Prefecture, Yamashita attended Osaka University of Arts where he worked on Kazuyoshi Kumakiri's '' Kichiku Dai Enkai''. His graduation film ''Hazy Life'', took the Off Theatre Competition Grand ...

, film director

References

External links

* {{Authority control Cities in Aichi Prefecture Port settlements in Japan Populated coastal places in Japan