Okegawa, Saitama

Okegawa 桶川市
City
Okegawa city hall
Flag Seal
Location of Okegawa in Saitama Prefecture
Okegawa Location of Okegawa in Saitama Prefecture
Coordinates: 36°0′20.6″N 139°32′33.7″E / 36.005722°N 139.542694°ECoordinates: 36°0′20.6″N 139°32′33.7″E / 36.005722°N 139.542694°E
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Saitama Prefecture
Area
• Total	25.35 km^2 (9.79 sq mi)
Population (February 2016)
• Total	74,000
• Density	2,920/km^2 (7,600/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
- Tree	Zelkova serrata
Phone number	048-786-3211
Website	Official website

Okegawa (桶川市 Okegawa-shi) is a city located in southern Saitama Prefecture, in the central Kantō region of Japan. As of 1 February 2016, the city had an estimated population of 74,000 and a population density of 2920 persons per km². Its total area was 25.35 km².

Geography

Okegawa is located in east-central Saitama Prefecture. The Arakawa River flows through the city.

Surrounding municipalities

• Saitama Prefecture
  • Ageo
  • Kitamoto
  • Kōnosu
  • Hasuda
  • Kuki
  • Ina
  • Kawajima

History

During the Edo period, Okegawa-shuku was the sixth of the sixty-nine stations of the Nakasendō.

The modern town of Okegawa was established within Iruma District with the establishment of the municipalities system on April 1, 1889. On January 1, 1955, Okegawa annexed the neighboring village of Kano, followed by the village of Kawataya on March 10, 1955. Okegawa was elevated to city status on November 3, 1970.

Economy

Okegawa was traditionally known as a center for safflower production. The city now has a mixed economy, with a signification portion of its population commuting to Tokyo or Saitama city for work.

Education

• Okegawa has seven elementary schools, four middle schools and three high schools and three special education schools.

Transportation

Railway

• JR East - Takasaki Line
  • Okegawa

Highway

• Ken-Ō Expressway – Okegawa-Kita IC, Okegawa-Kano IC
• Japan National Route 17

Local attractions

• Okegawa-shuku
• Honda Airport
• Kawataya Kofun cluster
• Okegawa Gion Festival

Noted people from Okegawa

• Masahiro Motoki, actor
• Michiyo Tsujimura, agricultural chemist

External links

Media related to Okegawa, Saitama at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website (Japanese)