Kaga (加賀市, Kaga-shi) is a city located in southwestern Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 March 2018, the city had an estimated population of 67,793 in 29054 households, and a population density of 290 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the city was 305.87 square kilometres (118.10 sq mi).

Kaga
加賀市
Kaga City Hall
Kaga City Hall
Flag of Kaga
Official logo of Kaga
Location of Kaga in Ishikawa Prefecture
Location of Kaga in Ishikawa Prefecture
Kaga is located in Japan
Kaga
Kaga
 
Coordinates: 36°18′10″N 136°18′54.1″E / 36.30278°N 136.315028°E / 36.30278; 136.315028
CountryJapan
RegionChūbu (Hokuriku)
PrefectureIshikawa Prefecture
Government
 • MayorRiku Miyamoto
Area
 • Total
305.87 km2 (118.10 sq mi)
Population
 (March 1, 2018)
 • Total
67,793
 • Density220/km2 (570/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number0761-72-1111
Address2–41 Minami-chō, Daishōji, Kaga-shi, Ishikawa-ken
922-8622
ClimateCfa
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
BirdDuck
FlowerIris
TreePine

Geography

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Kaga is located in the extreme southwestern corner of Ishikawa Prefecture in the Hokuriku region of Japan and is bordered by the Sea of Japan to the west and Fukui Prefecture to the south. Parts of the coastal areas of the city are within the borders of the Echizen-Kaga Kaigan Quasi-National Park.

Neighbouring municipalities

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Climate

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Kaga has a humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kaga is 14.2 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2499 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.8 °C.[2]

Climate data for Kaga (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 18.2
(64.8)
19.7
(67.5)
25.9
(78.6)
29.8
(85.6)
33.9
(93.0)
34.1
(93.4)
37.4
(99.3)
37.6
(99.7)
35.6
(96.1)
30.4
(86.7)
25.6
(78.1)
23.1
(73.6)
37.4
(99.3)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 5.5
(41.9)
6.4
(43.5)
10.9
(51.6)
17.4
(63.3)
22.5
(72.5)
25.5
(77.9)
29.2
(84.6)
30.8
(87.4)
26.4
(79.5)
20.9
(69.6)
15.0
(59.0)
8.7
(47.7)
18.3
(64.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) 1.9
(35.4)
2.2
(36.0)
5.5
(41.9)
11.3
(52.3)
16.4
(61.5)
20.2
(68.4)
24.3
(75.7)
25.4
(77.7)
21.2
(70.2)
15.4
(59.7)
9.8
(49.6)
4.6
(40.3)
13.2
(55.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −0.7
(30.7)
−1.1
(30.0)
1.0
(33.8)
5.8
(42.4)
10.9
(51.6)
15.9
(60.6)
20.6
(69.1)
21.4
(70.5)
17.4
(63.3)
11.4
(52.5)
5.8
(42.4)
1.4
(34.5)
9.2
(48.4)
Record low °C (°F) −8.0
(17.6)
−7.7
(18.1)
−4.8
(23.4)
−2.3
(27.9)
1.9
(35.4)
7.4
(45.3)
13.3
(55.9)
13.6
(56.5)
7.9
(46.2)
2.0
(35.6)
−1.0
(30.2)
−5.7
(21.7)
−8.0
(17.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 375.3
(14.78)
223.2
(8.79)
221.0
(8.70)
177.9
(7.00)
179.3
(7.06)
202.5
(7.97)
296.3
(11.67)
214.6
(8.45)
275.8
(10.86)
222.2
(8.75)
286.2
(11.27)
411.3
(16.19)
3,085.5
(121.48)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 192
(76)
159
(63)
48
(19)
1
(0.4)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
68
(27)
467
(184)
Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) 24.5 19.7 17.3 12.9 11.8 11.9 13.7 10.6 12.9 13.8 17.6 23.8 190.5
Average snowy days (≥ 3 cm) 17.1 15.7 5.3 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.1 6.8 45.2
Mean monthly sunshine hours 52.4 74.7 125.9 177.5 199.7 139.8 152.2 196.8 133.6 134.1 101.7 58.8 1,547.1
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3][4]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data,[5] the population of Kaga peaked around 1990 and has declined since.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1970 69,664—    
1980 77,335+11.0%
1990 80,714+4.4%
2000 79,653−1.3%
2010 71,887−9.7%
2020 63,220−12.1%

History

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The area around Kaga was part of ancient Kaga Province. The area became part Daishōji Domain under the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate. Following the Meiji restoration, the area was organised into Enuma District, Ishikawa. The town of Daishōji was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. On January 1, 1958, Daishōji merged with the towns of Yamashiro, Katayamazu, Iburihashi, Hashitate and the villages of Miki, Mitani, Nangō and Shioya (all from Enuma District) to form the city of Kaga. the city expanded on October 1, 2005 through a merger with the town of Yamanaka (from Enuma District).

Government

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Kaga has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 18 members.

Economy

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Kaga was traditionally known for its production of Kutani ware ceramics and a type of silk fabric known as Kaga habutae.[6] It is also an important tourist city with a number of temples and hot-springs.

Education

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Kaga has 21 public elementary schools and seven middle schools operated by the city government, and four public high schools operated by the Ishikawa Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates a special education school.

Transportation

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Railway

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The Hokuriku Shinkansen took over as the primary railway service in Kaga effective 16 March 2024.[7][8]

Hokuriku Shinkansen

IR Ishikawa Railway

Highway

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  National Route 8
  National Route 305
  National Route 364
  National Route 365

Local attractions

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Sister cities

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Notable people

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References

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  1. ^ Official statistics page
  2. ^ Kaga climate data
  3. ^ 観測史上1~10位の値(年間を通じての値). JMA. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  4. ^ 気象庁 / 平年値(年・月ごとの値). JMA. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  5. ^ Kaga population statistics
  6. ^ Campbell, Allen; Nobel, David S (1993). Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Kodansha. p. 708. ISBN 406205938X.
  7. ^ "Hokuriku Shinkansen's Kanazawa-Tsuruga extension set to open Saturday". The Japan Times. March 14, 2024. Archived from the original on March 14, 2024. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  8. ^ "JR北陸本線の県内区間は16日から第3セクターに" [JR Hokuriku Main Line sections within Ishikawa Prefecture will move to third-sector operations from the 16th of March.]. NHK NEWS WEB (in Japanese). March 16, 2024. Archived from the original on March 16, 2024. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  9. ^ "Announcement on Embassy of Lithuania Japanese website".
  10. ^ "Official Site of Kids for Kaga – History". Kids for Kaga. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
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  Media related to Kaga, Ishikawa at Wikimedia Commons