Ushiku (牛久市, Ushiku-shi) is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 January 2024[update], the city had an estimated population of 83,826 in 36,380 households and a population density of 1423 persons per km2. The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 29.5%.[1] The total area of the city is 58.92 square kilometres (22.75 sq mi).
Ushiku
牛久市 | |
|---|---|
 Ushiku city hall | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Ushiku in Ibaraki Prefecture | |
  Ushiku | |
| Coordinates: 35°58′45.7″N 140°8′58.4″E / 35.979361°N 140.149556°E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Kantō |
| Prefecture | Ibaraki |
| Village Settled | April 1, 1889 |
| Town Settled | January 1, 1954 |
| City Settled | June 1, 1986 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Kazutoshi Numata (from September 2023) |
| Area | |
• Total | 58.92 km2 (22.75 sq mi) |
| Population (January 2024) | |
• Total | 83,826 |
| • Density | 1,400/km2 (3,700/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
| - Tree | Osmanthus fragrans |
| - Flower | Chrysanthemum |
| - Bird | Japanese bush warbler |
| Phone number | 029-873-2111 |
| Address | 3-15-1 Chuo, Ushiku-shi, Ibaraki-ken 300-1292 |
| Website | Official website |
Geography
editUshiku is located in southern Ibaraki Prefecture, in the low-lying marshy flatlands south of Lake Kasumigaura. It is about 50 kilometers from central Tokyo.
Surrounding municipalities
editClimate
editUshiku has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Ushiku is 14.0 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1304 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.9 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.0 °C.[2]
Demographics
editPer Japanese census data,[3] the population of Ushiku has grown nearly ninefold over the past 100 years, with especially rapid growth taking place in the late 20th century.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 9,589 | — |
| 1930 | 10,108 | +5.4% |
| 1940 | 10,994 | +8.8% |
| 1950 | 15,176 | +38.0% |
| 1960 | 16,131 | +6.3% |
| 1970 | 19,372 | +20.1% |
| 1980 | 40,164 | +107.3% |
| 1990 | 60,693 | +51.1% |
| 2000 | 73,258 | +20.7% |
| 2010 | 81,684 | +11.5% |
| 2020 | 84,651 | +3.6% |
History
editThe area of Ushiku developed as a castle town around Ushiku Domain, a feudal holding under the Tokugawa shogunate in the Edo period. The village of Ushiku was created after the Meiji restoration with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. On January 1, 1954 it was elevated to town status and to city status on June 1, 1986.
On January 31, 2020, a magnitude 5.3 earthquake hit 6 kilometres west of the town. The official time of the earthquake was 17:07:47 (UTC).[4]
Government
editUshiku has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 22 members. Ushiku contributes two members to the Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Ibaraki 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy
editUshiku is a local commercial center and has a small industrial park. It is also a commuter town for the Tokyo Metropolis. However, the local economy remains based on agriculture, primarily rice cultivation.
Education
editUshiku has eight public elementary schools and six public middle schools operated by the city government, and two public high schools operated by the Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education. The city also has one private combined middle/high school.
Transportation
editRailway
editHighway
editSister cities
editHitachiōta, Ibaraki, Japan, since 1986
Greve in Chianti, Italy, since 2013[5]
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, since 1985[6]
Orange, New South Wales, Australia, since 1990[7]
Local attractions
edit- Chateau Kamiya, a wine chateau started in 1901
- Higashi Nihon Immigration Center, Japan's largest detention center for the incarceration of immigrants.[8]
- Ushiku Daibutsu, one of the world's tallest statues
- Ushikunuma, a scenic lake that is said to be the birthplace of the mythical kappa beast.
Notable people
edit- Hiroshi Kamiya, voice actor (born in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture)
- Kisenosato, sumo wrestler
- Takumi Kobe, professional baseball player
- Kiyomi Niwata, Olympic triathlete
- Mineko Nomachi, essayist (born in Hokkaido)
- Shigeki Osawa, mixed martial artist
References
edit- ^ "Ibaraki prefectural official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
- ^ Ushiku climate data
- ^ Ushiku population statistics
- ^ "M 5.3 - 6km W of Ushiku, Japan". Earthquake.gov. National Earthquake Center. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- ^ "International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Retrieved 21 November 2015.
- ^ "Sister City Exchange Program - Ushiku, Japan". Whitehorse, The Wilderness City. Whitehorse, Yukon official home page. 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
- ^ "Sister Cities". Orange City Council, Australia's Colour City. Orange City official home page. 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
- ^ "Detainees' families fighting for dignity — and hugs | The Japan Times". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2016-02-06.
External links
edit- Official Website (in Japanese)