Kōriyama

Kōriyama (郡山市, Kōriyama-shi) is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 January 2020, the city has an estimated population of 322,996 people in 141760 households,[2] and a population density of 430 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 757.20 square kilometers (292.36 sq mi). Kōriyama is designated as a core city and functions as a commercial center for Fukushima Prefecture. Kōriyama is the third largest conurbation in the Tōhoku region.

Kōriyama

郡山市
Core city
View of central Koriyama
Flag
Seal
Location of Kōriyama in Fukushima Prefecture
Kōriyama
 
Coordinates: 37°24′1.6″N 140°21′35″E
CountryJapan
RegionTōhoku
PrefectureFukushima
First official recorded400 AD
City SettledSeptember 1, 1924
Government
 • MayorMasato Shinagawa
Area
 • Total757.20 km2 (292.36 sq mi)
Population
 (January 2020)
 • Total322,996
 • Density430/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- TreePrunus serrulata (Japanese hill cherry)
- FlowerJapanese iris
- BirdCommon cuckoo
Phone number024-924-2491
Address1-23-7 Asahi, Koriyama, Fukushima 963-8024[1]
WebsiteOfficial website
Kōriyama city hall

Geography and climate

Kōriyama is located in the center of the Nakadōri region of Fukushima Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. The Adatara Mountains are to the north, Lake Inawashiro is to the west, and the Abukuma Highlands are to the east. The Abukuma River flows through downtown Kōriyama. The downtown area extends to the west of Kōriyama Station.

Neighboring municipalities

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Kōriyama has increased over the past 60 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1960 213,771—    
1970 241,726+13.1%
1980 286,451+18.5%
1990 314,642+9.8%
2000 334,824+6.4%
2010 338,712+1.2%

Climate

Kōriyama has a humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by hot wet summers and cool, quite dry winters. The average annual temperature in Kōriyama is 11.9 °C (53.4 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,216 millimeters (47.9 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.0 °C (77.0 °F), and lowest in January, at around 0.1 °C (32.2 °F).[4]

Climate data for Koriyama （1981 - 2010）
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 4.4
(39.9)		 5.1
(41.2)		 8.8
(47.8)		 16.0
(60.8)		 21.1
(70.0)		 24.3
(75.7)		 27.5
(81.5)		 29.4
(84.9)		 24.7
(76.5)		 19.0
(66.2)		 13.1
(55.6)		 7.6
(45.7)		 16.8
(62.2)
Average low °C (°F) −2.7
(27.1)		 −2.4
(27.7)		 −0.1
(31.8)		 4.9
(40.8)		 10.5
(50.9)		 15.3
(59.5)		 19.3
(66.7)		 20.6
(69.1)		 16.3
(61.3)		 9.7
(49.5)		 3.7
(38.7)		 −0.4
(31.3)		 7.9
(46.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 37.4
(1.47)		 37.5
(1.48)		 70.3
(2.77)		 82.8
(3.26)		 99.8
(3.93)		 127.2
(5.01)		 185.0
(7.28)		 152.1
(5.99)		 165.1
(6.50)		 111.1
(4.37)		 62.5
(2.46)		 32.6
(1.28)		 1,163.2
(45.80)
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[5]

History

Kōriyama originated as a regional governmental center in the Nara period, when the area was on the frontier of Yamato settlement of the Tōhoku region. The surrounding area developed into shōen controlled by various samurai clans in the Heian and Kamakura periods. Nearby centers, such as Nihonmatsu developed into castle towns, Kōriyama remained as a commercial center and thrived as a post town because of its importance as a traffic focal point into the Edo period and was part of the territory of Nihonmatsu Domain.

With the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889, the town of Kōriyama was established within Asaka District. In the early Meiji period, many dispossessed samurai were assigned undeveloped lands in the area to reclaim and as a result, the population grew and region developed into an agricultural center. The relative abundance of hydroelectric power also helped with the development of local industry.

Kōriyama was raised from town to city status on September 1, 1924 with the annexation of neighboring Odawara Village. Kuwano Village was likewise annexed on June 1, 1925. During the 1930s, Kōriyama was noted a center for military equipment production. It was thus a target for American bombers during World War II, and the city was subject to three large-scale air raids during the war.

From 1954 to 1955, Kōriyama expanded by annexing the town of Otsuki and portions of the villages of Tomita and Iwae, and in 1965 annexed the villages of Nishida and Nakata. In 1997, the city received core city designation, giving it increased autonomy from national and prefectural governments.

On March 11, 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake caused damage, but Kōriyama is located outside of the mandatory evacuation zone set by the Japanese government after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Many people from the evacuation zone relocated to Kōriyama. On 30 July 2020, a shabu-shabu restaurant exploded, damaging an area spanning several hundred meters.[6]

Government

Kōriyama has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 38 members. The city contributes nine members to the Fukushima Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, Kōriyama is part of the Fukushima 2nd Electoral District, which includes neighbouring Nihonmatsu, Motomiya and Adachi District.

Mayors

Sources:[7]

Economy

Kōriyama city is called the "commercial capital in Fukushima" and the economic bloc is the biggest in Fukushima Prefecture.

Principal companies headquartered in Koriyama
  • XEBIO; sporting goods
  • Kourakuen; ramen noodle shop chain
  • York Benimaru; large supermarket retailer with networks in south Tōhoku, Nigata, and North Kanto
Banks headquartered in Koriyama

Transportation

Kōriyama is an important transportation hub, as it is located in the center of Fukushima Prefecture and is the nexus of several railway lines and expressways. Kōriyama Station is the central station for the city. However, Kōriyama does not have an airport.

Railway
JR Koriyama Station

JR East - Tōhoku Shinkansen

JR East - Tōhoku Main Line

JR East - East Ban'etsu Line

JR East - West Ban'etsu Line

JR East - Suigun Line

Highway
Koriyama Junction

Media

Television

CATY

  • Information Network Kōriyama

Radio
  • FM Fukushima (JFN)

Newspaper

Education

Universities and colleges

Senior high schools

Kōriyama has ten public high schools operated by the Fukushima Prefectural Board of Education and six private high schools

Public (prefectural)
  • Asaka High School
  • Asaka Mitate Branch High School
  • Asaka Reimei High School
  • Kōriyama High School
  • Kōriyama Higashi High School
  • Kōriyama Shōgyō High School
  • Kōriyama Kita Kōgyō High School
  • Asaka Kaisei High School
  • Konan High School
  • Kōriyama Hōsei High School
Private
  • Tohoku High School of Nihon University
  • Shōshi Gakuen Shōshi High School
  • Teikyō Asaka High School
  • High School affiliated with Kōriyama Women's Colleges

Junior high schools

Multi-level schools

Noted people from Koriyama

Twinnings

Japanese sister cities

International relations

Local attractions

Festivals
  • Kōriyama Uneme Festival
  • Koriyama Summer Festival - an Oktoberfest-style festival.
  • Koriyama Autumn Festival - includes children's activities, taiko and mikoshi parades.

National Historic Sites

References
  1. "A page for Koriyama city foreigners [City Hall & Branch Offices]". Koriyama City. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
  2. "Estimated population April 1, 2018" (in Japanese). Official Koriyama city website. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  3. Kōriyama population statistics
  4. Kōriyama climate data
  5. "Koriyama 19801-2010". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2011-10-18.
  6. "福島 郡山 飲食店の建物で爆発 現場監督の男性死亡 18人けが" [Kōriyama, Fukushima explosion at a restaurant building killed one man and injured 18] (in Japanese). NHK. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  7. 歴代の郡山市長の一覧 [List of previous mayors of Kōriyama] (in Japanese). Retrieved 28 November 2009.
  8. Home. Fukushima Korean School. August 5, 2002. Retrieved on October 13, 2015.
  9. "Masashi Ohuchi Passes On". International Weightlifting Federation. 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2011-06-19.
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