Nishinomiya

Nishinomiya (西宮市, Nishinomiya-shi) is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 November 2022, the city had an estimated population of 484,368 in 218,948 households and a population density of 4800 persons per km².[1] The total area of the city is 99.98 square kilometres (38.60 sq mi). Nishinomiya is an important commercial and shipping city in the Kansai region with the third largest population in Hyōgo Prefecture. Nishinomiya is best known as the home of Kōshien Stadium, where the Hanshin Tigers baseball team plays home games and where Japan's annual high school baseball championship is held.

Nishinomiya
西宮市
Core city
Hanshin Koshien Stadium
Nishinomiya ShrineToko-ji
Shukugawa ParkHankyu Nishinomiya Gardens
Flag of Nishinomiya
Flag
Official seal of Nishinomiya
Chapter
Location of Nishinomiya in Hyōgo Prefecture
Nishinomiya is located in Japan
Nishinomiya
Nishinomiya
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 34°44′15.35″N 135°20′29.63″E
CountryJapan
RegionKansai
PrefectureHyōgo
Government
 • MayorIshii Toshiro
Area
 • Total99.96 km2 (38.59 sq mi)
Population
 (May 1, 2021)
 • Total484,368
 • Density4,800/km2 (13,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address10-3 Rokutanji-chō, Nishinomiya-shi, Hyōgo-ken 662-8567
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
FlowerSakura
TreeCamphor Laurel
Nishinomiya City Hall
Aerial view of Nishinomiya city center
Hirota Shrine

Geography

Nishinomiya is located in southeast Hyōgo Prefecture between the cities of Kobe and Osaka. It is bordered by Osaka Bay to the south, the cities of Amagasaki, Itami and Takarazuka along the Mukogawa and Nigawa rivers to the east and by a part of the Rokkō Mountains and Kobe to the north. The city can be divided into two areas: a mountainous area in the north and a coastal plain in the south. Situated in the middle is Mount Kabuto (309 meters), a landmark of the city.

Neighboring municipalities

Hyōgo Prefecture

Climate

Nishinomiya has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Nishinomiya is 14.6 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1578 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in January, at around 26.4 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.3 °C.[2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Nishinomiya grew rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s, and has been increasing at a slower rate since.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 60,311—    
1930 98,777+63.8%
1940 169,770+71.9%
1950 168,319−0.9%
1960 262,608+56.0%
1970 377,043+43.6%
1980 410,329+8.8%
1990 426,909+4.0%
2000 438,105+2.6%
2010 422,790−3.5%

History

The area of Nishinomiya was part of ancient Settsu Province and has been inhabited since ancient times, with the traces of Yayoi period settlements, many kofun burial mounds found within the city limits. From the Asuka period, the Hirota Shrine was built, and the market town which developed around its west gate was the ancestor of "Nishinomiya". From the Muromachi period, Nishinomiya was famed for its production of sake. During the Edo Period, the area was tenryō territory under the direct administration of the Tokugawa shogunate. The town of Nishinomiya was established on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. Nishinomiya was a center of the culture from the 1910s to 1940s in which has been dubbed "Hanshinkan Modernism". This included the opening of the Kōshien Stadium opened on April 1, 1924. Nishinomiya was elevated to city status on April 1, 1925. The city expanded with the annexation of the town of Imazu and villages of Shiba and Taishi in April 1933, the village of Koto in February 1941, the village of Kawaragi in May 1942, and the villages of Naruo, Yamaguchi and Shiose in April 1951. The January 17, 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake caused widespread damage in Nishinomiya.

Government

Nishinomiya has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 41 members. Nishinomiya contributes seven members to the Hyōgo Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is divided between the Hyōgo 2nd district and Hyōgo 7th districts of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

In terms of industry, food and beverages (especially sake, which is a traditional industry) are a major portion of the local economy. The city is also located on a corner of the Hanshin industrial zone.

Agriculture

Since most of the farmland is in the urban district, Nishinomiya agriculture is in a difficult situation; it worsens every year. Efforts are being made to improve farming to make it profitable by growing such marketable products as soft vegetables for the big markets of Osaka and Kobe. Other efforts include effective land use by growing crops in greenhouses using hydroponic techniques and development of techniques for safe products.

Residential districts

Nishinomiya is situated between the major cities of Kobe and Osaka. Luxury neighborhoods are common in this city, especially in areas near Ashiya. Some of the shopping malls in Nishinomiya are the Lalaport Koshien and the Hankyu Nishinomiya Gardens.

Education

Universities and colleges

Primary and secondary schools

Nishinomiya has 40 public elementary schools and 19 public middle schools operated by the city government, and nine public high schools operated by the Hyōgo Prefectural Board of Education. These nine include Hōtoku Gakuen High School, with a prominent baseball team, and Nishinomiya Kita High,[5] the setting for much of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. There are also two private elementary schools, seven private middle schools and seven private high schools. In addition, the city also operates one, and the prefecture operates two, special education schools for the handicapped.

Transportation

Railways

JR West - Kobe Line

JR West - Fukuchiyama Line

Hankyu - Hankyu Kobe Main Line

Hankyu - Hankyu Imazu Line

Hankyu - Hankyu Kōyō Line

Hanshin Electric Railway - Hanshin Main Line

Hanshin Electric Railway - Hanshin Mukogawa Line

Highways

Sister and friendship cities

Local attractions
Kōshien Stadium

Notable people from Nishinomiya
  • Nishinomiya cityscape
    Nishinomiya cityscape

References
  1. "Nishinomiya city official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. Nishinomiya climate data
  3. Nishinomiya population statistics
  4. "Company Outline." Furuno. Retrieved on 2015-03-26.
  5. "兵庫県立西宮北高等学校".
  6. Hirota Shino Shirine. "HIROTA SHINTO SHRINE". Retrieved 2011-01-17.
  7. Ryuusenkaku. "Cherry Blossoms Spots in Nishinomiya / Ashiya". Retrieved 2011-01-17.
  8. Online Ghibli. "Grave of the Fireflies: Review/Synopsis". Retrieved 2011-01-17.
  9. asahi.com (2010-07-08). "Anime's high school fends off fan invasions". Archived from the original on 2011-01-27. Retrieved 2011-01-17.
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