Takamatsu, Kagawa

Takamatsu 高松
—  Core city  —
高松市 · Takamatsu
Aerial view of Takamatsu
Flag
Location of Takamatsu in Kagawa
Takamatsu
Coordinates:
Country	Japan
Region	Shikoku
Prefecture	Kagawa
Area
- Total	375.11 km2 (144.8 sq mi)
Population (January 1, 2010)
- Total	419,361
- Density	1,117.97/km2 (2,895.5/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City symbols
- Tree	Pine
- Flower	Azalea
Phone number	087-839-2011
Address	1-8-15 Banchō, Takamatsu-shi, Kagawa-ken 760-8571
Website	City of Takamatsu

Takamatsu (高松市, Takamatsu-shi^?) is located in central Kagawa Prefecture on the island of Shikoku in Japan, and is the seat of the prefectural government. It is designated a core city by the Japanese Government. It is a port city located on the Seto Inland Sea, and is the closest port to Honshu from Shikoku island. For this reason it flourished under the Daimyo (feudal lords) as a castle town in the fiefdom of Takamatsu, during the Edo Period. Takamatsu is a city with a large concentration of nationwide companies' branch offices, which play a large role in its economy, and it contains most of the national government's branch offices for Shikoku. The castle tower formerly used as the symbol of the city was destroyed during the Meiji Period. In 2004, construction of the Symbol Tower, the new symbol of Takamatsu, was completed. The Symbol Tower is located in the Sunport area of the city.

The Takamatsu metropolitan region has a population of 670,000, making it the largest in Shikoku. Takamatsu Airport is located in Takamatsu.

On September 26, 2005 the town of Shionoe, from Kagawa District, was merged into Takamatsu. Then on January 10, 2006 Takamatsu absrbed the towns of Aji and Mure, both from Kita District, the towns of Kagawa and Kōnan, both from Kagawa District, and the town of Kokubunji, from Ayauta District, to form the new and expanded city of Takamatsu.

Geography and Demographics

As of January 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 419,361 with a population density of 1117 persons per km². The total area is 375.11 km² following the September 26, 2005 and January 10, 2006 expansions, in which the towns of Shionoe, Mure, Aji, Kagawa, Konan, and Kokubunji merged into the city.

History and tourism

The city was officially founded on February 15, 1890. It had been a political and economic center in this area since the Edo period when the Matsudaira clan made Takamatsu the capital of their han.

Since the opening of the Great Seto Bridge, trains service carries passengers between Takamatsu and Uno (Tamano, Okayama).

The city's major tourist attraction is Ritsurin Park, a beautiful garden, created in the Edo period.

Takamatsu Castle's tenshu (keep) is being reconstructed and will be a tourist attraction when completed.^[1][2]

Economy

Shikoku Railway Company has its headquarters in Takamatsu.^[3] Asiana Airlines operates a sales office on the twelfth floor of the Nihon Seimei Ekimae Building in Takamatsu.^[4]

Transportation

Takamatsu is well connected to the rest of Shikoku, and Japan's main island of Honshū.

JR Shikoku Takamatsu Station has trains to Okayama Station on Honshū via the Seto-Ōhashi Bridge, and to destinations around Shikoku. A local tram service operated by Kotoden connects much of Takamatsu. This tram service, as well as local buses operated by Kotoden accept a contactless payment card for travel called an IruCa^[5].

Long distance coach services operate from the city to destinations such as Ōsaka, Kyōto, Tōkyō and Hiroshima.

Sister cities

Takamatsu is twinned with:

• Sister Cities
  • St. Petersburg, Florida, United States^[6]
  • Tours, France^[7]

• Friendship Cities
  • Nanchang, People's Republic of China^[8]

In literature

• Takamatsu is one of the settings in Haruki Murakami's novel Kafka on the Shore.

Weather

The Symbol Tower is part of Sunport Takamatsu, a redevelopment project near Takamatsu Station.

Ritsurin Park has an extensive Japanese garden.

See also

• Prefectures of Japan
• Busshozan

References

1. ↑ 特集 高松城跡天守台石垣修理―四国新聞社
2. ↑ Takamatsu Castle
3. ↑ "Company Information." Shikoku Railway Company. Retrieved on March 27, 2010.
4. ↑ "Worldwide Offices Japan." Asiana Airlines. Retrieved on January 19, 2009.
5. ↑ "Takamatsu Japan, what to do there". http://www.reviewmylife.co.uk/blog/2009/12/21/takamatsu-japan-what-to-do-there/. Retrieved 2010-03-13. 
6. ↑ "St. Petersburg". Takamatsu city. http://www.city.takamatsu.kagawa.jp/english/profile/st-petersburg/. Retrieved 2009-05-26. 
7. ↑ "Tours". Takamatsu city. http://www.city.takamatsu.kagawa.jp/english/profile/tours/. Retrieved 2009-05-26. 
8. ↑ "Nanchang". Takamatsu city. http://www.city.takamatsu.kagawa.jp/english/profile/nanchang/. Retrieved 2009-05-26. 
9. ↑ "気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）". Japan Meteorological Agency. http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=72&prec_ch=%8D%81%90%EC%8C%A7&block_no=47891&block_ch=%8D%82%8F%BC&year=&month=&day=&elm=normal&view=. 

External links

• Official website in Japanese
• Notes From Shikoku in English

Kagawa Prefecture Cities Higashikagawa | Kan'onji | Marugame | Mitoyo | Sakaide | Sanuki | Takamatsu (capital) | Zentsūji Ayauta District Ayagawa | Utazu Kagawa District Naoshima Kita District Miki Nakatado District: Kotohira | Mannō | Tadotsu Shōzu District Shōdoshima | Tonoshō