Ichikawa, Hyōgo

Ichikawa

市川町
Ichikawa 市川町
Town
	Ichikawa Town Hall
	Flag Emblem
	Location of Ichikawa in Hyōgo Prefecture
	Ichikawa Location in Japan
	Coordinates: 34°59′N 134°46′E / 34.983°N 134.767°E
Country	Japan
Region	Kansai
Prefecture	Hyōgo
District	Kanzaki
Area
• Total	82.67 km2 (31.92 sq mi)
Population (April 30, 2022)
• Total	11,275
• Density	140/km2 (350/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
Website	Official website
Symbols
Flower	Sunflower
Tree	Castanopsis

Ichikawa (市川町, Ichikawa-chō) is a town located in Kanzaki District, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. As of 30 April 2022^[update], the town had an estimated population of 11,275 in 4917 households and a population density of 53 persons per km².^[1] The total area of the town is 82.67 square kilometres (31.92 sq mi).

Geography

Ichikawa is located in the center of Hyōgo Prefecture, with the Ichikawa River flowing through the center of town. Mt. Kasagata (elevation 939m), which rises in the northeastern part of the town, is also called "Harima Fuji" for its silhouette.

Neighbouring municipalities

Hyōgo Prefecture

Climate

Ichikawa has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Ichikawa is 13.9 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1606 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.6 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.6 °C.^[2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,^[3] the population of Ichikawa has declined steadily over the last 30 years.

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1920	12,281	—
1930	12,411	+1.1%
1940	12,050	−2.9%
1950	15,941	+32.3%
1960	15,543	−2.5%
1970	14,686	−5.5%
1980	15,230	+3.7%
1990	15,105	−0.8%
2000	14,814	−1.9%
2010	13,300	−10.2%

History

The area of the modern town of Ichikawa was within ancient Harima Province. In the Edo Period, it was divided between Himeji Domain and tenryō territory under direct administration of the Tokugawa shogunate. Following the Meiji restoration, the villages of Amaji, Kawanabe, Seka and Tsurui were created within Kanzaki District, Hyōgo. The four villages merged on March 31, 1955 forming the town of Ichikawa.

Government

Ichikawa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 12 members. Ichikawa, together with the other municipalities of Kanzaki District, contributes one member to the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Hyōgo 12th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

The manufacturing of golf clubs in Japan began in Ichikawa in 1945. Currently there are about 20 different companies in Ichikawa contributing to the Japanese golf equipment industry. Products from the town are exported overseas. There is also a large golf course in the center of the town, called Forest Ichikawa Golf Club.

In addition to golf equipment manufacturing, Ichikawa is home to Tazumi no Tamago, or Tazumi's Eggs, a chicken farm that produces organic eggs.^[4] The eggs are sold in various restaurants and markets in Ichikawa.

Education

Ichikawa has four public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the Ichikawa Board of Education. There is one public high school operated by the Hyōgo Prefectural Department of Education.^[5]