Takarazuka, Hyōgo
Takarazuka (宝塚市, Takarazuka-shi?)[1] is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.
Geography
Takarazuka is nestled between the Rokko Range to the west and Nagao Range to the north with the Muko River running through the center of the city.
A bedroom community for Osaka and Kobe, there are quiet, upscale residential neighborhoods like Nigawa, Sakasegawa, and Hibarigaoka.
Known as the inner parlor of Kansai, Takarazuka is famous for the Takarazuka Revue, hot springs, and the Takarazuka Tourism Fireworks Display held since 1913. It is also famous as a choice residential area along with Ashiya and Nishinomiya.
At one time, the idea was raised of merging Takarazuka with Itami, Kawanishi, and Inagawa, but it is currently on hold.
History
- A.D. 825: Sumiyoshi Shrine built.
- Between 1492 and 1500: Kohama town was established as a temple town for Koushou-ji.
- 17th Century: Kohama Inn was established as a post station on Arima Road.
- 1887: Takarazuka hot springs opened.
- 1897: Hankaku Railroad (current Fukuchiyama Line) completed.
- 1910: Minoh Arima Electric Railway (current Hankyu Takarazuka Main Line completed.
- 1910s-1940s: The age of Hanshinkan Modernism. Takarazuka was a center of the culture.
- April 1, 1914: First performance by Takarazuka Girls' Opera (current Takarazuka Revue).
- March 15, 1951: Kohama Village, Kawabe District incorporated as Town of Takarazuka (宝塚町 Takarazuka-chō).
- April 1, 1954: Town of Takarazuka and Yoshimoto Village, Muko District merge to become City of Takarazuka (宝塚市 Takarazuka-shi).
- March 10, 1955: Nagao Village, Kawabe District annexed.
- March 14, 1955: Nishitani Village, Kawabe District annexed.
- April 1, 1955: Ogino, Aramaki, Kounoike, and Ohno-Nitta ceded to Itami.
- January 17, 1995: Great Hanshin earthquake causes more than 100 casualties.
- April 1, 2003: Designated Special City.
- April 1, 2004: 50th anniversary of establishment as city.
Government
Mayor: Tomoko Nakagawa (中川智子) (current term ends 2013)
Sister Cities/Partner Cities
Domestic
International
Locality
Education
- Elementary Schools
- Ryogen Municipal, Takarazuka Number 1 Municipal, Kohama Municipal, Takarazuka Municipal, Nagao Municipal, Nishitani Municipal, Nigawa Municipal, Nishiyama Municipal, Mefu Municipal, Nagao South Municipal, Suenari Municipal, Akura Municipal, Nakayama-Sakuradai Municipal, Nagaodai Municipal, Sakasedai Municipal, Miza Municipal, Koumyo Municipal, Suehiro Municipal, Nakayama-Satsukidai Municipal, Maruhashi Municipal, Takatsukasa Municipal, Akura North Municipal, Sumiregaoka Municipal, Yamatedai Municipal, Hibarigaoka Academy
- Junior High Schools
- Takarazuka Number 1 Municipal, Takarazuka Municipal, Nagao Municipal, Nishitani Municipal, Houbai Municipal, Takatsukasa Municipal, South Hibarigaoka Municipal, Akura Municipal, Nakayama-Satsukidai Municipal, Gotenyama Municipal, Hikarigaoka Municipal, Yamatedai Municipal, Hibarigaoka Academy, Obayashi Seishin Women's Institute
- Senior High Schools
- Takarazuka Prefectural, Takarazuka West Prefectural, Takarazuka East Prefectural, Takarazuka North Prefectural, Hibarigaoka Academy, Obayashi Seishin Women's Institute
- Miscellaneous Schools
- Takarazuka Music School
- Vocational Colleges
- Municipal Nursing College
- Universities
- Koshien University, Takarazuka University of Art and Design
Neighboring Municipalities
Inagawa, Itami, Kawanishi, Kobe (Kita-ku), Nishinomiya, Sanda.
Specialty Products
- Ornamental trees and flowers (dahlias, irises, etc.)
- Tansan senbei
Famous People from Takarazuka
Facilities
- Takarazuka Grand Theatre (宝塚大劇場, Takarazuka Dai Gekijō?)
- Takarazuka Bow Hall
- Flower Road (花のみち, Hana-no Michi?)
- Hanshin Racecourse (阪神競馬場, Hanshin-keibajō?)
- Takarazuka Hot Spring (宝塚温泉, Takarazuka Onsen?)
- Takarazuka Garden Fields
- Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum (手塚治虫記念館, Tezuka Osamu Kinen-kan?)
- Takarazuka Hotel
- Tessai Art Museum (鉄斎美術館, Tessai Bijutsu-kan?)
- Takedao Hot Spring (武田尾温泉, Takedao Onsen?)
- Shōji Residence (正司邸?): Mixed Western- and Japanese-style mansion build in 1918-1919. (Designed by Masaharu Furuzuka. National Registry of Tangible Cultural Properties. Filming location for NHK drama Twins (ふたりっ子, Futarikko?).)
- Takarazuka City Historical Archives (former Matsumoto Residence): Western-style mansion build in 1937. (National Registry of Tangible Cultural Properties)
- Kohama Inn Resource Center (小浜宿資料館, Kohama-juku Shiryō-kan?)
Siteseeing and Festivals
- Takarazuka Revue
- Flower Road
- Takarazuka Garden Fields
- Takarazuka Tourism Fireworks Display
- Takarazuka Memorial (horse race)
Transportation
Railways
Railways connect the city to other cities in the region including Osaka. Takarazuka Station, serving all railway lines in the city listed below, plays an important role as the city's central station.
Highways
- Chūgoku Turnpike Takarazuka Interchange
- The West Takarazuka Tunnel, which goes through the city, is known as a famous spot for traffic jams.
- National Road 176
Buses
- Hankyu Bus
- Hanshin Dentetsu Bus
- Hankyu Country Bus
- Shinki Bus
External links
Notes
- ^ The kanji 塚 (UTF-8 code FA1016), which is part of Takarazuka's official name (宝塚市), is not available on all systems. (It can be entered in Wikipedia with HTML character
塚.) When not available, the kanji 塚 (UTF-8 code 585A16, HTML character 塚) is used as a substitute, rendering Takarazuka as 宝塚市. ("Shirabetemimashita 'Takarazukashi' no zuka to ZU (Japanese)" (PDF). Kōhō Takarazuka 1026: 8. 2004-6-15. http://www.city.takarazuka.hyogo.jp/le_html/kouhou/k_pdf/160615/8.pdf. Retrieved 2007-03-05. )