Maebashi, Gunma
Encyclopedia
is the capital city
Cities of Japan
||A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of...

 of Gunma Prefecture
Gunma Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island. Its capital is Maebashi.- History :The remains of a Paleolithic man were found at Iwajuku, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.Japan was without horses until...

, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

.

The city was founded on April 1, 1892, by the samurai Makuba Kawai.

On December 5, 2004 the town of Ōgo
Ogo, Gunma
was a town located in Seta District, Gunma, Japan.On December 5, 2004 Ōgo, along with the villages of Kasukawa and Miyagi, all from Seta District, was merged into the city of Maebashi and no longer exists as an independent municipality....

, and the villages of Kasukawa
Kasukawa, Gunma
Kasukawa was a village located in Seta District, Gunma, Japan.On December 5, 2004 Kasukawa, along with the town of Ōgo, and the village of Miyagi, all from Seta District, was merged into the city of Maebashi and no longer exists as an independent municipality.As of 2003, the village had an...

 and Miyagi
Miyagi, Gunma
Miyagi was a village located in Seta District, Gunma, Japan.On December 5, 2004 Miyagi, along with the town of Ōgo, and the village of Kasukawa, all from Seta District, was merged into the city of Maebashi and no longer exists as an independent municipality.As of 2003, the village had an estimated...

, all from Seta District, were merged into Maebashi.

As of October, 2010, population data, the city has an estimated population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...

 of 344,871 and a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 of 1,106.63 persons per km². The total area is 311.64 km². It was traditionally the most populous city in Gunma until Takasaki merged with nearby towns.

Maebashi hosted the 1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships
1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 7th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics were held in the Green Dome Maebashi stadium in Maebashi, Japan from March 5 to March 7, 1999. It was the first time the Championships were staged outside Europe or North America. Primo Nebiolo, president of the IAAF, characterized the...

.

Geography

Maebashi is located at the foot of Mt. Akagi in the northeast corner of the Kantō Plain
Kanto Plain
The ' is the largest plain in Japan located in the Kanto Region of central Honshū. The total area 17,000 sq km covers more than half of the Region extending over Tokyo, Saitama Prefecture, Kanagawa Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture, Gunma Prefecture, and Tochigi Prefecture.The northern limit borders on...

. The Tone River
Tone River
The is a river in the Kantō region of Japan. It is in length and has a drainage area of...

, Japan's second-longest, runs through the western part of the city. Also, Maebashi is farthest from the sea (about 120 km) among all Japanese prefectural capitals.

Climate

In the winter, the Karakaze, or "dry wind" blows through Maebashi from the north. This is due to the snow clouds coming from the Sea of Japan being blocked by the Echigo Mountain Range between Gunma
Gunma Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island. Its capital is Maebashi.- History :The remains of a Paleolithic man were found at Iwajuku, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.Japan was without horses until...

 and Niigata
Niigata Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Honshū on the coast of the Sea of Japan. The capital is the city of Niigata. The name "Niigata" literally means "new lagoon".- History :...

. Because of this, the city has a dry winter and is probably the sunniest place in Japan at over 2,210 hours of sunshine per year. In the summer, it is hot since the location is inland. On July 24, 2001, Maebashi hit 40 °C (104 °F), the fifth hottest temperature ever in Japan.

Surrounding municipalities

  • Gunma Prefecture
    Gunma Prefecture
    is a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island. Its capital is Maebashi.- History :The remains of a Paleolithic man were found at Iwajuku, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.Japan was without horses until...

    • Isesaki
      Isesaki, Gunma
      is a city located in Gunma, Japan. The current population is 211,021, with 80,638 households. A small city located near the geographic center of Japan's main island of Honshū, Isesaki is the fourth largest city in Gunma Prefecture and it is one of the growing cities within Gunma Prefecture...

    • Kiryū
      Kiryu, Gunma
      is a city in Gunma, Japan, near the cities of Ōta and Ashikaga. Incorporated on March 1, 1921, Kiryū is considered both a city and part of the Greater Tokyo Metropolitan Area, although it is still widely thought of as a rural area...

    • Numata
      Numata, Gunma
      is a city in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. It is in northern Gunma, bordered by Mt. Akagi and Mt. Hotaka. The kanji for Numata approximately mean "boggy field."...

    • Shibukawa
      Shibukawa, Gunma
      is a city located in the extreme northwest of the Kantō Plain, in the center of landlocked Gunma, Japan. Encompassing the juncture of the Tone River and Agatsuma River, it is about 120km from Tokyo...

    • Takasaki
      Takasaki, Gunma
      is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on April 1, 1900.Takasaki is a regional transportation hub because its train station is the junction of several rail lines as well as a Shinkansen stop....

    • Shintō
      Shinto, Gunma
      is a village located in Kitagunma District, Japan.As of September 1, 2007, the village has an estimated population of 14,302 and a density of 511.88 persons per km²...

    • Tamamura
      Tamamura, Gunma
      is a town located in Sawa District, Gunma, Japan.As of September 1, 2007, the town has an estimated population of 38,015 and a density of 1,470.03 persons per km²...

    • Yoshioka
      Yoshioka, Gunma
      is a town located in Kitagunma District, Gunma, Japan.As of July 1, 2009, the town has an estimated population of 19,161 people and a density of 934.68 persons per km².There are 6,409 households in Yoshioka within a total area of 20.50 km².-Geography:Located in central Gunma, it sits on the...


History

  • 1892 - Maebashi was founded
  • 1901 - A portion of Kamikawabuchi village is merged into Maebashi
  • 1951 - A portion of Kaigaya village is merged into Maebashi
  • 1954 - Kamikawabuchi village, Shimokawabuchi village, Azuma village, Minamitachibana village, Kaigaya village, Haga village, Motosōja village, and Sōja village are merged into Maebashi
  • 1957 - A portion of Jōnan village is merged into Maebashi
  • 1960 - A portion of Tamamura town and another portion of Jōnan village is merged into Maebashi
  • 1967 - Jōnan village is merged into Maebashi
  • 2004 - Mayor Masao Takagi is elected
  • 2004 - Ōgo town, Miyagi village, and Kasukawa village are merged into Maebashi
  • A planned merger of municipalities
    Merger and dissolution of municipalities of Japan
    Municipal mergers and dissolutions carried out in Japan can take place within one municipality or between multiple municipalities and are required to be based upon consensus.- Merger policy:...

     was implemented on May 5, 2009; the village of Fujimi
    Fujimi, Gunma
    was a village located in Seta District, Gunma, Japan.As of September 1, 2007, the village had an estimated population of 22,267 and a density of 316.20 persons per km². The total area was 70.42 km².-History:...

    , from Seta District, was merged into Maebashi. Seta District ceased to exist as a result.

Bicycle rental

The Maechari bicycle rental scheme, begun in May 2010, offers bicycles for low-price rental, from a stand in front of JR East Maebashi Station.

Sports

Thespa Kusatsu
Thespa Kusatsu
is a professional football club based in Gunma Prefecture in Japan. The club plays in J. League Division 2. J. League Division 2 is the second professional football league in Japan....

 at Shikishima Stadium was originally formed in Kusatsu
Kusatsu, Gunma
is a small town in Agatsuma District in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. Kusatsu is situated about 1,200 meters above sea level. The active volcano Kusatsu-Shirane and the inactive Mount Tengu and Mount Motoshirane are located west of Kusatsu.-Climate:Due to the altitude Kusatsu's annual average...

, but plays in Maebashi due to J. League
J. League
The or is the top division of and is the top professional association football league in Japan. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football and the only league given top class 'A' ranking by the AFC. Currently, J. League Division 1 is the first level of the Japanese...

stadium requirements.

External links

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