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is a city located in
Saitama Prefecture is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Saitama Prefecture has a population of 7,338,536 (1 January 2020) and has a geographic area of 3,797 km2 (1,466 sq mi). Saitama Prefecture borders Tochigi Prefecture a ...
, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 195,277 in 87,827 households and a population density of 1200 persons per km². The total area of the city is .


Geography

Kumagaya is one of the largest cities in northern Saitama Prefecture. About two-thirds of the city area is located between the Tone River and the Arakawa River
alluvial fan An alluvial fan is an accumulation of sediments that fans outwards from a concentrated source of sediments, such as a narrow canyon emerging from an escarpment. They are characteristic of mountainous terrain in arid to semiarid climates, but a ...
, approximately 60 km from central Tokyo and 45 km from the prefectural capital at
Saitama City is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture, Japan. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance. Being in the Greater Tokyo Area and lyin ...
. The highest point in the city is Mikajiri Kannon, which is located on the Kushibiki plateau at an altitude of 83.3 meters. The city is known for its abundant and high quality ground water.


Surrounding municipalities

Saitama Prefecture is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Saitama Prefecture has a population of 7,338,536 (1 January 2020) and has a geographic area of 3,797 km2 (1,466 sq mi). Saitama Prefecture borders Tochigi Prefecture a ...
*
Gyōda is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 80,236 in 40,482 households and a population density of 1200 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Gyōda is located in north-centr ...
*
Kōnosu is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 117,995 in 50,801 households and a population density of 1700 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Located in east-central Saitama ...
*
Higashimatsuyama is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 90,456 in 41,124 households and a population density of 1400 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Higashimatsuyama is located in th ...
* Fukaya * Namegawa * Ranzan * Yoshimi
Gunma Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Gunma Prefecture has a population of 1,937,626 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 6,362 km2 (2,456 sq mi). Gunma Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture and Fukushima P ...
* Ōta * Oizumi * Chiyoda


Climate

Kumagaya has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen climate classification ''Cfa'') characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kumagaya is 14.0 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1532 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.4 °C. Kumagaya is known for being one of the hottest areas in summer in Japan. This is caused by very hot winds from Tokyo and the
Chichibu is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 61,159 in 26,380 households and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Geography Chichibu is in the westernmost part of Saitama. Unl ...
basin in the west of the prefecture. In central Tokyo, the summer monsoon enhanced by
sea breeze A sea breeze or onshore breeze is any wind that blows from a large body of water toward or onto a landmass; it develops due to differences in air pressure created by the differing heat capacities of water and dry land. As such, sea breezes a ...
is heated by the
urban heat island An urban heat island (UHI) is an urban area, urban or metropolitan area that is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas due to human impact on the environment, human activities. The temperature difference is usually larger at nigh ...
. Also, from the Chichibu Mountains, the
Fohn A Foehn or Föhn (, , ), is a type of dry, relatively warm, downslope wind that occurs in the lee (downwind side) of a mountain range. It is a rain shadow wind that results from the subsequent adiabatic warming of air that has dropped most of i ...
blows. The two winds converge above the city at about 2 p.m. On August 16, 2007, the city recorded air temperature of , breaking the 74-year record for the highest temperature recorded in Japan. is a catchphrase of the city. On July 23, 2018, the national record was broken again with a temperature of , surpassing the previous record of recorded in Kōchi Prefecture in August 2013. There was a large
hail Hail is a form of solid precipitation. It is distinct from ice pellets (American English "sleet"), though the two are often confused. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is called a hailstone. Ice pellets generally fal ...
storm on June 29, 1917 at about 5 p.m. The
hailstone Hail is a form of solid precipitation. It is distinct from ice pellets (American English "sleet"), though the two are often confused. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is called a hailstone. Ice pellets generally fal ...
s had a diameter of 29.5 centimetres and weighed 3.4 kilograms. The
Japan Meteorological Agency The , abbreviated JMA, is an agency of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. It is charged with gathering and providing results for the public in Japan that are obtained from data based on daily scientific observation an ...
maintains a local meteorological observatory in Kumagaya.


Demographics

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


History

Kumagaya was part of ancient Musashi Province and was controlled by various samurai clans from the
Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japane ...
. One of these clans, the Kumagaya clan, rose to prominence during the
Kamakura period The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the Genpei War, which saw the struggle betw ...
. During the Edo Period, the area was divided between the holdings of
Oshi Domain was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Musashi Province (modern-day Saitama Prefecture), Japan. It was centered on Oshi Castle in what is now part of the city of Gyōda, Saitama. History Oshi Castle wa ...
and '' tenryō'' territory under direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate.
Kumagai-shuku was the eighth of the sixty-nine stations of the Nakasendō highway connecting Edo with Kyoto during the Edo period. It was located in the present-day city of Kuamagaya, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. History Kumagai-shuku began as a temple-tow ...
developed as a post town on the Nakasendō highway during this period. After the Meiji restoration, the town of Kumagaya was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. * 1923: The village of Koizka (from Osato District) was annexed. * 1927: The village of Narita (from Kita-Saitama District) was annexed. * 1932: The village of Oohata (from Osato District) was annexed. * 1933: Kumagaya was elevated to city status. * 1941: The village of Sayada (from Osato District) was annexed. * 1945:
Bombing of Kumagaya in World War II The on 14 August 1945, was part of the strategic bombing campaign waged by the United States of America against military and civilian targets and population centers during the Japan home islands campaign in the closing stages of World War II. ...
* 1954: The villages of Chujo, Beppu, Nara and Mishiri (all from Osato District) were annexed. * 1955: The villages of Yoshioka, Ooi and Hoshimiya (all from Osato District) were annexed. * 1967: 22nd National Sports Festival was held. * 1973: New City Hall was opened. * 1986: Central Park was opened. * 1988: Saitama Exhibition was held. * 1988: Sports Park was opened. * 1994: Beppu-marsh Park was opened. * 2004: 59th National Sports Festival was held. * 2005: The city of Kumagaya annexed the towns of Ōsato and Menuma (both from Ōsato District) * 2007: The town of Kōnan (from Ōsato District) was annexed.


Government

Kumagaya has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 30 members. Kumagaya contributes three members to the Saitama Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is divided between the Saitama 11th district and
Saitama 12th district Saitama 12th district is a constituency of the House of Representatives of Japan, House of Representatives in the Diet of Japan. List of Representatives Election Results 2021 2017 2014 2012 2009 2005 2003 *Honda was elected in No ...
of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.


Administration

*The city has one city hall and three branch offices. ** ** ** ** File:Kumagaya city hall.jpg, Kumagaya City Hall File:Kumagaya city hall Konan branch 1.JPG, Kumagaya City Hall - Konan branch File:Kumagaya city hall Menuma branch 2.JPG, Kumagaya City Hall - Menuma branch File:Kumagaya city hall Osato branch 1.JPG, Kumagaya City Hall - Osato branch


Mayors

* : April 1933 to May 1939—1st, 2nd * : June 1936 to April 1942—3rd * : April 1942 to November 1945—4th * : January 1946 to March 1947—5th * : April 1947 to April 1958—6th to 8th * : May 1958 to May 1962—9th * : May 1962 to May 1982—10th to 14th * : May 1982 to June 1986—15th, 16th * : August 1986 to August 2002—17th to 20th * : August 3, 2003 to September 30, 2005—21st * : October 1, 2005 to November 5, 2005—Interim mayor * : November 6, 2005 to November 5, 2021 * November 6, 2021 to present


Economy

Kumagaya is a major industrial and commercial center within northern Saitama. Eight
national highway National highway or National Highway may refer to: * National Highways (England) * National Highway (Australia) * List of National Roads in Belgium * Brunei National Roads System * National Highway System (Canada) * Trans ...
s and three railway lines serve the city. While many people commute towards south Tokyo, its daytime population is larger than the night population thanks to commuters from surrounding towns.


Education

* Kumagaya has one private university. There are 30 public elementary schools and 17 public middle schools operated by the city government, and seven public high schools operated by the Saitama Prefectural Board of Education. In addition, there are two public and six private vocational training schools. The prefecture also operates two special education schools for the handicapped.


Universities

*
Rissho University , one of the oldest universities in Japan, was founded in 1580, when a seminary was established as a learning center for young monks of the Nichiren shu. The university's name came from the Rissho Ankoku Ron, a thesis written by Nichiren, a ...
—Kumagaya campus


Senior high schools

* Kumagaya Boys' Senior High School (埼玉県立熊谷高等学校) * Nishi-Kumagaya Senior High School (埼玉県立熊谷西高等学校) * Kumagaya Girls' Senior High School (埼玉県立熊谷女子高等学校) * Menuma Senior High School (埼玉県立妻沼高等学校) * Kumagaya Industrial Senior High School (埼玉県立熊谷工業高等学校) * Kumagaya Agricultural Senior High School (埼玉県立熊谷農業高等学校) * Kumagaya Business Senior High School (埼玉県立熊谷商業高等学校)


Middle schools

* Arakawa Middle School (熊谷市立荒川中学校) * Ōaso Middle School (熊谷市立大麻生中学校) * Ōsato Middle School (熊谷市立大里中学校) * Ōhata Middle School (熊谷市立大幡中学校) * Ōhara Middle School (熊谷市立大原中学校) * Higashi-Kumagaya Junior High School (熊谷市立熊谷東中学校) * Kounan Middle School (熊谷市立江南中学校) * Kojima Middle School (熊谷市立小島中学校) * Tamai Middle School (熊谷市立玉井中学校) * Chūjō Middle School (熊谷市立中条中学校) * Nara Middle School (熊谷市立奈良中学校) * Fujimi Middle School (熊谷市立富士見中学校) * Beppu Middle School (熊谷市立別府中学校) * Mishiri Middle School (熊谷市立三尻中学校) * Nishi-Menuma Middle School (熊谷市立妻沼西中学校) * Higashi-Menuma Middle School (熊谷市立妻沼東中学校) * Yoshioka Middle School (熊谷市立吉岡中学校)


Elementary schools

* Ishiwara Elementary School(熊谷市立石原小学校) * Ōaso Elementary School (熊谷市立大麻生小学校) * Ōta Elementary School (熊谷市立太田小学校) * Ōhata Elementary School (熊谷市立大幡小学校) * Onuma Elementary School (熊谷市立男沼小学校) * Ichida Elementary School (熊谷市立市田小学校) * Kagohara Elementary School (熊谷市立籠原小学校) * Kuge Elementary School (熊谷市立久下小学校) * Nishi-Kumagaya Elementary School (熊谷市立熊谷西小学校) * Higashi-Kumagaya Elementary School (熊谷市立熊谷東小学校) * Minami-Kumagaya Elementary School (熊谷市立熊谷南小学校) * Kita-Kōnan Elementary School (熊谷市立江南北小学校) * Minami-Kōnan Elementary School (熊谷市立江南南小学校) * Kojima Elementary School (熊谷市立小島小学校) * Sakuragi Elementary School (熊谷市立桜木小学校) * Sayada Elementary School (熊谷市立佐谷田小学校) * Tamai Elementary School (熊谷市立玉井小学校) * Chūjō Elementary School (熊谷市立中条小学校) * Nara Elementary School (熊谷市立奈良小学校) * Nagai Elementary School (熊谷市立長井小学校) * Narita Elementary School (熊谷市立成田小学校) * Niibori Elementary School (熊谷市立新堀小学校) * Hata Elementary School (熊谷市立秦小学校) * Beppu Elementary School (熊谷市立別府小学校) * Hoshimiya Elementary School (熊谷市立星宮小学校) * Mishiri Elementary School (熊谷市立三尻小学校) * Menuma Elementary School (熊谷市立妻沼小学校) * Minami-Menuma Elementary School (熊谷市立妻沼南小学校) * Yoshioka Elementary School (熊谷市立吉岡小学校) * Yoshimi Elementary School (熊谷市立吉見小学校)


Transportation


Railway

JR East The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and is the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are ...
Joetsu Shinkansen *
JR East The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and is the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are ...
JR East The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and is the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are ...
-
Takasaki Line The Takasaki Line ( ja, 高崎線, ) is a Japanese railway line which connects Ōmiya Station in Saitama, Saitama Prefecture and Takasaki Station in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture. It is owned and operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR Ea ...
* - 18px
Chichibu Railway The is a small-sector private railway company operating a railway line in northern Saitama Prefecture, Japan. In addition to its railway operations, the company deals in the real estate and tourism industries. It managed the Mitsumine Ropeway (� ...
-
Chichibu Main Line The is a railway line in Japan, owned by the private railway operator Chichibu Railway, linking and , both in Saitama Prefecture. Stations ;Legend * ● - All trains stop * ○ - Some trains stop * ▲ - Some trains pass * ▼ - Trains ...
* - - - -


Highway

* * * *


Twin towns and sister cities

Kumagaya is twinned with: *
Invercargill Invercargill ( , mi, Waihōpai is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. The city lies in the heart of the wide expanse ...
, New Zealand


Local attractions

* Kangi-in temple with architecture designated as a National Treasure


Noted people from Kumagaya

*
Kensei Hasegawa is a Japanese politician of the People's New Party, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Kumagaya, Saitama and graduate of the University of Tokyo , abbreviated as or UTokyo, is a public researc ...
, Politician


References


External links


Official Website
{{Authority control Cities in Saitama Prefecture