Hitachinaka, Ibaraki

Hitachinaka ひたちなか市
City
Hitachiōnaka city hall
Flag Seal
Location of Hitachinaka in Ibaraki Prefecture
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Ibaraki Prefecture
Area
• Total	99.83 km2 (38.54 sq mi)
Population  (September 2015)
• Total	156,619
• Density	1,570/km2 (4,100/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- Tree	Ginkgo biloba
- Flower	Hamagiku (Chrysanthemum nipponicum)
- Bird	Japanese bush warbler
Phone number	029-273-0111
Address	2-10-1 Higashiishikawa, Hitachinaka-shi, Ibaraki-ken 312-8501
Website	Official website

Hitachinaka (ひたちなか市, Hitachinaka-shi) is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, in the northern Kantō region of Japan. As of September 2015, the city had an estimated population of 156,619 and a population density of 1570 persons per km². Its total area was 99.83 square kilometres (38.54 sq mi). It is a “hiragana city”, the place name is written with the hiragana syllabary, and not the traditional kanji.

Geography

Hitachinaka is located in central Ibaraki Prefecture, bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east.

Surrounding municipalities

• Ibaraki Prefecture
  • Tōkai
  • Naka
  • Mito
  • Ōarai

History

The towns of Hiraiso and Minato, as well as the village of Katsuta were created within Naka District with the establishment of the municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Minato was renamed Nakaminato in 1938. Katsuta was elevated to town status in 1940. During World War II, the area was subject to air raids, and to shelling by Allied warships due to its numerous factories producing war-related materials. On March 31, 1954 the towns of Nakaminato and Hiraiso merged, forming the city of Nakaminato. Katsuta was raised to city status on November 1 of the same year. The two cities merged on November 1, 1994 to form the city of Hitachinaka.

Economy

Hitachinaka developed primarily as a company town for Hitachi group factories, and Hitachi remains the primary employer. Secondary industries include commercial fishing, agriculture and seasonal tourism.

Education

Hitachinaka has 20 elementary schools, nine middle schools, and five high schools. There is also one technical institute and one special education school.

Transportation

Railway

• JR East – Jōban Line
  • Katsuta - Sawa
• Hitachinaka Seaside Railway – Minato Line
  • Hitachi-Aoyagi - Tsuda
• JR East – Suigun Line
  • Katsuta - Nikkōmae - Kaneage - Nakane - Takadano-tekkyō - Nakaminato - Tonoyama - Hiraiso - Isozaki - Ajigaura

Highway

• Japan National Route 6
• Japan National Route 245
• Hitachinaka Road
• Higashi-Mito Road

Local attractions

• Hitachi Seaside Park
• Hitachinaka City Stadium
• Hitachinaka Baseball Stadium
• Ajigaura Swimming Beach
• Hiraiso Swimming Beach
• Torazuka kofun

Annual events

• Rock in Japan Festival

Sister city relations

Hitachinaka is twinned with:

• Nasushiobara, Tochigi, Japan (1990)
• Ishinomaki, Miyagi, Japan (1996)

Notable people from Hitachinaka

• Natsuo Yamaguchi – politician
• Kentaro Shiga – professional wrestler
• Ōuchiyama Heikichi – sumo wrestler

External links

Media related to Hitachinaka, Ibaraki at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website Template:Jp icon