Kashima, Ibaraki

Kashima (鹿嶋市, Kashima-shi) is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 July 2020, the city had an estimated population of 67,197 in 28,873 households and a population density of 634 persons per km². The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 31.5%.[1] The total area of the city is 106.02 square kilometres (40.93 sq mi). Kashima is the home of the J. League's Kashima Antlers. Its home field, Kashima Soccer Stadium, was used as a site during the 2002 FIFA World Cup. The city is also the site of the Kashima Shrine, one of the oldest Shinto shrines in eastern Japan, and considered the birthplace of many influential styles of Japanese swordsmanship (Kenjutsu).

Not to be confused with Kashima, Saga.
Kashima

鹿嶋市
City
Kashima city hall
Flag
Seal
Location of Kashima in Ibaraki Prefecture
Kashima
 
Coordinates: 35°57′56.3″N 140°38′41.4″E
CountryJapan
RegionKantō
PrefectureIbaraki
Area
 • Total106.02 km2 (40.93 sq mi)
Population
 (October 2020)
 • Total67,120
 • Density630/km2 (1,600/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- TreePine
- FlowerRosa rugosa
- BirdGreen pheasant
Phone number0299-82-2911
Address1187-1 Hirai, Kashima-shi, Ibaraki-ken 314-8655
WebsiteOfficial website

Geography

Kashima is located in southeastern Ibaraki Prefecture, bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east and Lake Kitaura (Lake Kasumigaura) to the west, with a width of less than 10 kilometers from east-to-west. It is approximately 110 kilometers to the northeast of Tokyo.

Surrounding municipalities

Ibaraki Prefecture

Climate

Kashima has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kashima is 14.2 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1458 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.5 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.8 °C.[2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Kashima has steadily increased over the past century.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 18,922—    
1930 20,284+7.2%
1940 21,701+7.0%
1950 27,481+26.6%
1960 26,811−2.4%
1970 34,700+29.4%
1980 51,355+48.0%
1990 59,092+15.1%
2000 62,287+5.4%
2010 66,030+6.0%

History

Kashima was developed from the Nara period together with the ichinomiya of Hitachi Province, Kashima Shrine. After the Meiji Restoration, the town of Kashima was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889 within Kashima District. In 1954, Kashima annexed with the neighboring villages of Takamatsu, Toyosu, Toyosato and Namino. Kashima merged with the village of Ono on September 1, 1995 and was elevated to city status.

Government

Kashima has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 20 members. Kashima contributes one member to the Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Ibaraki 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Kashima is the central city of the Kashima Industrial Zone, and it has a large industrial park with about 1500 factories, especially petrochemical and steel plants. The Japanese government created this zone in 1963, and the development was mostly completed in 1973. Agriculture and commercial fishing also play a part in the local economy.

Education

Kashima has 12 public elementary schools and five public middle schools operated by the city government, and one public high school operated by the Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education. There are also one private middle school and two private high schools.

Sports

Kashima Antlers is the local J. League football club.

Transportation

Railway

JR East – Kashima Line

- Kashima Rinkai Railway Ōarai Kashima Line

Highway

Seaport
  • Port of Kashima

Sister city relations

Local attractions

Notable people from Kashima

References
  1. "Ibaraki prefectural official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. Kashima climate data
  3. Kashima population statistics
  4. "Status of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Sister City". Island of World Peace, Jeju. Jeju Self-Governing Province. December 2009. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  5. "Yancheng". Welcome to Jiangsu China. Jiangsu Provincial government official site. 2005. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
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