Kawanishi, Hyōgo

Kawanishi 川西市
City
Flag
Location of Kawanishi in Hyōgo Prefecture
Kawanishi Location in Japan
Coordinates: 34°50′N 135°25′E / 34.833°N 135.417°ECoordinates: 34°50′N 135°25′E / 34.833°N 135.417°E
Country	Japan
Region	Kansai
Prefecture	Hyōgo Prefecture
Government
• Mayor	Tamio Oshio
Area
• Total	53.44 km^2 (20.63 sq mi)
Population (August 1, 2011)
• Total	156,008
• Density	2,920/km^2 (7,600/sq mi)
Symbols
• Tree	Sakura
• Flower	Gentian
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City Hall Address	12-1 Chūō-chō, Kawanishi-shi, Hyōgo-ken 666-8501
Website	www.city.kawanishi.hyogo.jp

Kawanishi (川西市 Kawanishi-shi) is a city in Hyōgo Prefecture (兵庫県) in the northwestern part of the Kansai region of Japan, about 5 km north of Osaka Itami Airport. It is bordered on the west by the Inagawa river.

As of August 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 156,008 and a population density of 2,920 persons per km². The total area is 53.44 km².

History

In the 6th century, the Shofukuji tomb (勝福寺古墳) was built.

In the 10th century, Minamoto no Mitsunaka (源満仲), samurai court official, and grandson of Emperor Seiwa (清和天皇) retired to Tada (多田) village, now part of Kawanishi. This area became the base of his descendants, Seiwa Genji (清和源氏), which established the Kamakura shogunate. A statue of him can be seen next to Kawanishi-Ikeda Station.

In the 11th century, the Tada silver-and-copper mine started. And in the 17th century it was at its peak.

In 1884, Mitsuya Cider was first made.

In 1913, Kawanishi-Noseguchi Station was opened.

Kawanishi was incorporated on August 1, 1954 out of the former Kawanishi Town (川西町), Tada Village (多田村) and Higashitani Village (東谷村).

Administration

Mayors

• Shinzaburo Ogasawara (小笠原新三郎) (1954-1966)
• Ryutaro Ito (伊藤龍太郎) (1966-1990)
• Masao Tsuji (辻正男) (Aug 1990-Oct 1990)
• Susumu Shibao (柴生進) (Oct 1990-2006)
• Tamio Ohshio (大塩民生) (2006- )

Police

Kawanishi Police Station

Neighboring cities

• Itami, Hyōgo
• Takarazuka, Hyōgo
• Inagawa, Hyōgo
• Ikeda, Osaka
• Mino, Osaka
• Toyono, Osaka
• Nose, Osaka

Economy

Kawanishi is home to many commuters who work in Kobe and Osaka, with express trains running from Osaka to Kawanishi to accommodate these travelers. Though primarily suburban, Kawanishi does have a significant agricultural sector, especially in the northern portions of the city. Major crops include peaches, chestnuts, figs, and charcoal.

Sights

Kyodokan Museum
(Folk Museum of Kawanishi)

• Tada Shrine (多田神社)
• Manganji Temple (満願寺)
• Kuzu Shrine (九頭神社)
• Inagawa Keikoku Prefectural Natural Park
• Hitokura Dam and Lake Chimyo
• Kyodokan Museum (Folk Museum of Kawanishi)
• Yamashita Castle (山下城)
• Shinden Castle (新田城)
• Shofukuji Tomb

Transportation

Railways

Kawanishi is serviced by the JR Takarazuka Line and the Hankyu Takarazuka Line. Hankyu's Kawanishi-Noseguchi Station is a transfer station to the Nose Railway, which runs primarily within Kawanishi.

• JR Takarazuka Line
  • Kawanishi-Ikeda Station - Kita-Itami Station
• Hankyu Takarazuka Line
  • Kawanishi-Noseguchi Station - Hibarigaoka-Hanayashiki Station
• Nose Railway
  • Myoken Line
    • Kawanishi-Noseguchi Station - Kinunobebashi Station - Takiyama Station - Uguisunomori Station - Tsuzumigataki Station - Tada Station (Hyōgo) - Hirano Station (Hyōgo) - Ichinotorii Station - Uneno Station - Yamashita Station (Hyōgo) - Sasabe Station
  • Nissei Line
    • Yamashita Station (Hyōgo)

Roads

Expressway access is facilitated by the Chūgoku Expressway and the Hanshin Expressway.

Expressways

• • Chugoku Expressway (In this city there is no interchange. The nearest is Takarazuka Interchange or Chugoku-Toyonaka Interchange.)
  • Hanshin Expressway Ikeda Line
  • In 2016 Shinmeishin Expressway (Kawanishi Interchange) will be built
• National routes
  • National Route 173
  • National Route 176
  • National Route 477
• Main prefectural roads
  • Prefectural Road 12
  • Prefectural Road 13
  • Prefectural Road 68

Buses

• Hankyu Bus
• Itami City Bus

People from Kawanishi

• Miyavi
• Masafumi Kawaguchi
• Atsuya Furuta
• Kaoru Yumi
• Haruna Hosoya
• Hideo Kojima
• Kana Uemura
• Wakakirin Shinichi

Sister cities

• Bowling Green, Kentucky, United States - 1992
• Sawara, Chiba, Japan - 1990

Related items

• Mitsuya Cider - First bottled in Kawanishi.
• Tada Shrine - Tada shrine is by the Inagawa river in Kawanishi.

External links

• Media related to Kawanishi, Hyōgo at Wikimedia Commons
• Kawanishi City official website (Japanese)
• Kawanishi City official website (English)