Honjō, Saitama
Honjō
本庄市 | |
|---|---|
 Honjō city hall | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Honjō in Saitama Prefecture | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Kantō |
| Prefecture | Saitama Prefecture |
| Area | |
| • Total | 89.69 km2 (34.63 sq mi) |
| Population (February 2016) | |
| • Total | 77,880 |
| • Density | 868/km2 (2,250/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
| - Tree | Osmanthus |
| - Flower | Oenothera tetraptera (Tsukimiso in Japanese) |
| Phone number | 0495-25-1111 |
| Address | 3-5-3 Honjo, Honjo-shi, Saitama-ken 367-8501 |
| Website | Official website |
Honjō (本庄市, Honjō-shi) is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, in the central Kantō region of Japan. As of 1 February 2016[update], the city had an estimated population of 77,880 and a population density of 868 persons per km². Its total area was 89.69 square kilometres (34.63 sq mi).
Geography
Located in northwestern Saitama Prefecture, Honjō is on the upper reaches of the Tone River.
Surrounding municipalities
History
The area of Honjō has been inhabited since prehistoric times and numerous burial mounds from the Kofun period have been found in the area. During the Kamakura period, the area was dominated by the Honjō clan, who continued to rule over a castle town and eventually the short-lived Honjō Domain during the early Tokugawa shogunate of the Edo period. After the suppression of Honjō Domain, the town continued to prosper as Honjō-juku, a post station on the Nakasendo highway. During the late Edo period and early Meiji period, the area was noted for sericulture. The modern town of Honjō was created within Kodama District, Saitama with the establishment of the municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Honjō was elevated to city status on July 1, 1954 by merging with neighboring Fujita, Nitte, Asahi and Kitaizumi villages.
On January 10, 2006, the town of Kodama was merged into Honjō.
Economy
The economy of Honjō is based on light and precision manufacturing and agriculture, and the city is also a regional commercial center.
Education
- Waseda University has a campus at Honjō
- Honjō has 13 elementary schools, four middle schools, two combined middle/high schools and four high schools.
- International schools: Escola Intercultural Unificada Arco Íris - Brazilian school[1] Previously the city hosted another Brazilian school, Centro de Aprendizagem Logos.[2]
Transportation
Railway
Highway
- Kan-Etsu Expressway – Honjō-Kodama IC
- Japan National Route 17
- Japan National Route 254
- Japan National Route 462
Sister city relations
Kazo, Saitama, Japan- Shibukawa, Gunma, Japan
Local attractions
- Honjō Circuit, a small motorsports circuit
- Sagiyama kofun
- Maze Dam
- Honjo City Museum of History and Folklore
Note people from Honjō
- Takekoshi Yosaburō, historian and politician
- Yukiko Kada, politician
- Jaki Numazawa, professional wrestler
References
- ^ "Escolas Brasileiras Homologadas no Japão" (Archive). Embassy of Brazil in Tokyo. Retrieved on October 13, 2015.
- ^ "Escolas Brasileiras Homologadas no Japão" (Archive). Embassy of Brazil in Tokyo. February 7, 2008. Retrieved on October 13, 2015.
External links
Media related to Honjo, Saitama at Wikimedia Commons
