Kumagaya

Kumagaya is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan., the city had an estimated population of 195,277 in 87,827 households and a population density of 1200 persons per km². The total area of the city is.

Geography

Kumagaya is one of the largest cities in northern Saitama Prefecture. About two-thirds of the city area is located between the Tone River and the Arakawa River alluvial fan, approximately 60 km from central Tokyo and 45 km from the prefectural capital at Saitama City. The highest point in the city is Mikajiri Kannon, which is located on the Kushibiki plateau at an altitude of 83.3 meters. The city is known for its abundant and high quality ground water.

Surrounding municipalities

Saitama Prefecture

Climate

Kumagaya has a humid subtropical climate characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kumagaya is 14.0 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1532 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.4 °C.
Kumagaya is known for being one of the hottest areas in summer in Japan. This is caused by very hot winds from Tokyo and the Chichibu basin in the west of the prefecture. In central Tokyo, the summer monsoon enhanced by sea breeze is heated by the urban heat island. Also, from the Chichibu Mountains, the Föhn blows. The two winds converge above the city at about 2 p.m.
On August 16, 2007, the city recorded air temperature of, breaking the 74-year record for the highest temperature recorded in Japan. "Very Hot! Kumagaya" is a catchphrase of the city. On July 23, 2018, the national record was broken again with a temperature of, surpassing the previous record of recorded in Kōchi Prefecture in August 2013.
There was a large hailstorm on June 29, 1917 at about 5 p.m. The hailstones had a diameter of 29.5 centimetres and weighed 3.4 kilograms.
The Japan Meteorological Agency maintains a local meteorological observatory in Kumagaya.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Kumagaya peaked around the year 2000 and has declined since.

History

Kumagaya was part of ancient Musashi Province and was controlled by various samurai clans from the Heian period. One of these clans, the Kumagaya clan, rose to prominence during the Kamakura period. During the Edo Period, the area was divided between the holdings of Oshi Domain and tenryō territory under direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate. Kumagai-shuku developed as a post town on the Nakasendō highway during this period. After the Meiji restoration, the town of Kumagaya was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889.

1923: The village of Koizka was annexed.
1927: The village of Narita was annexed.
1932: The village of Oohata was annexed.
1933: Kumagaya was elevated to city status.
1941: The village of Sayada was annexed.
1945: Bombing of Kumagaya in World War II
1954: The villages of Chujo, Beppu, Nara and Mishiri were annexed.
1955: The villages of Yoshioka, Ooi and Hoshimiya were annexed.
1967: 22nd National Sports Festival was held.
1973: New City Hall was opened.
1986: Central Park was opened.
1988: Saitama Exhibition was held.
1988: Sports Park was opened.
1994: Beppu-marsh Park was opened.
2004: 59th National Sports Festival was held.
2005: The city of Kumagaya annexed the towns of Ōsato and Menuma
2007: The town of Kōnan was annexed.

Government

Kumagaya has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 30 members. Kumagaya contributes three members to the Saitama Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is divided between the Saitama 11th district and Saitama 12th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Administration

The city has one city hall and three branch offices.
*Kumagaya City Hall
*Menuma Branch Office
*Ōsato Branch Office
*Kōnan Branch Office

Mayors

Ryosaku Arai: April 1933 to May 1939—1st, 2nd
Moya Saitou: June 1936 to April 1942—3rd
Takeo Yajima: April 1942 to November 1945—4th
Tadashi Negishi: January 1946 to March 1947—5th
Souichi Kamode: April 1947 to April 1958—6th to 8th
Seiichi Kurihara: May 1958 to May 1962—9th
Uminosuke Kuroda: May 1962 to May 1982—10th to 14th
Toshio Masuda: May 1982 to June 1986—15th, 16th
Kazuo Kobayashi: August 1986 to August 2002—17th to 20th
Kiyoshi Tomioka: August 3, 2003 to September 30, 2005—21st
Fumio Yoshihara: October 1, 2005 to November 5, 2005—Interim mayor
Kiyoshi Tomioka: November 6, 2005 to November 5, 2021
Tetsuya Kobayashi

November 6, 2021 to present

Economy

Kumagaya is a major industrial and commercial center within northern Saitama. Eight national highways and three railway lines serve the city. While many people commute towards south Tokyo, its daytime population is larger than the night population thanks to commuters from surrounding towns.

Education

Kumagaya has one private university. There are 30 public elementary schools and 17 public middle schools operated by the city government, and seven public high schools operated by the Saitama Prefectural Board of Education. In addition, there are two public and six private vocational training schools. The prefecture also operates two special education schools for the handicapped.