Kirishima, Kagoshima

This article is about a current city. For a former town, see Kirishima, Kagoshima (town).

Kirishima 霧島市
—  City  —
From top left: Kirishima shrine, Uenohara site, Mount Kirishima from Maruoka, Producing Black Vinegar at Fukuyama, Ryokukeitouen of Eino-o Onsen, Kagoshima Airport.
Flag
Location of Kirishima in Kagoshima
Kirishima
Coordinates: 31°49′N 130°46′E
Country	Japan
Region	Kyūshū
Prefecture	Kagoshima
Government
• Mayor	Shūji Maeda
Area
• Total	603.68 km2 (233.08 sq mi)
Population (July 1, 2011)
• Total	127,727
• Density	211.58/km2 (548.0/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City symbols
- Tree	Round Leaf Holly and Maple
- Flower	Kyushu Azalea and Winged Tobacco
Phone number	0995-45-5111
Address	3-45-1, Kokubu Chūō, Kirishima-shi, Kagoshima-ken 899-4394
Website	Kirishima City

Inukai waterfall in Kirishima

Kirishima (霧島市, Kirishima-shi) is a city located in Kagoshima, Japan.

Kirishima has the second largest population of the cities in Kagoshima Prefecture. It is a crossroads for commerce between Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures. It is also the home of the Kagoshima Airport, the terminus for the JR Hisatsu line, and is served by two major expressways. The former Kokubu-Hayato area was designated as a "Technopolis" as high tech industries such as Sony and Kyocera opened facilities in the city.

As of July 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 127,727 with 58,159 households. The total area is 603.68 km².

The city was founded on November 7, 2005 from the merger of the city of Kokubu with six towns from Aira District: Fukuyama, Hayato, (the town of) Kirishima, Makizono, Mizobe, and Yokogawa.

History

The city was founded on November 7, 2005, from the merger of the city of Kokubu with six towns from Aira District: Fukuyama, Hayato, (the town of) Kirishima, Makizono, Mizobe, and Yokogawa. The Uenohara site dates from the Jōmon period. Shrines include Kirishima-Jingū.

Topography

• Mountains
  • Mount Kirishima (see List of volcanoes in Japan)[1]
  • Takachiho no-mine
  • Shinmoedake
  • Karakuni dake
  • Eboshi dake
• National park
  • Kirishima-Yaku National Park
• Plain: Kokubu heiya

Neighboring municipalities

• Kagoshima Prefecture
  • Aira
  • Kanoya
  • Satsumasendai
  • Soo
  • Tarumizu
  • Satsuma District
• Miyazaki Prefecture
  • Miyakonojo
  • Kobayashi
  • Ebino
  • Nishimorokata District

Economy

Japan Air Commuter headquarters

Japan Air Commuter has its headquarters in Kirishima.

Transportation

Railways

Both lines are operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu)

• Nippō Main Line
• Hisatsu Line

Highways

• National Highway 10
• National Highway 220
• National Highway 223
• National Highway 504
• Kyushu Expressway
• Higashi Kyushu Expressway

Bus

• Kagoshima Kotsu
• Iwasaki Bus Network
• Nangoku Kotsu

Airport

Kagoshima Airport in City of Kirishima

External links

Media related to Kirishima, Kagoshima at Wikimedia Commons

• Kagoshima Prefectural Visitors Bureau official website (English)
• Official website of Kirishima (Japanese)