Aikawa (愛川町, Aikawa-machi) is a town located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 April 2021[update], the town had an estimated population of 39,763 and a population density of 1200 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the town is 34.29 square kilometres (13.24 sq mi).
Aikawa
愛川町 | |
|---|---|
 View of Aikawa Town | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Aikawa in Kanagawa Prefecture | |
  Aikawa | |
| Coordinates: 35°31′44″N 139°19′18″E / 35.52889°N 139.32167°E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Kantō |
| Prefecture | Kanagawa |
| District | Aikō |
| Area | |
• Total | 34.29 km2 (13.24 sq mi) |
| Population (April 1, 2021) | |
• Total | 39,763 |
| • Density | 1,200/km2 (3,000/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
| Town symbols | |
| • Tree | Maple |
| • Flower | Azalea |
| • Bird | Common kingfisher |
| Phone number | 046-285-2111 |
| Address | 251-1 Kakuda, Aikawa-machi, Aikō-gun, Kanagawa-ken 243-0392 |
| Website | Official website |
Geography
editAikawa is located in the foothills of northern Kanagawa Prefecture. The Nakatsu River, a tributary of the Sagami River, flows through. A portion of the Tanzawa Mountains can be found in the western part of the town. Miyagase Dam, a major source of hydroelectric power, is situated on the Nakatsu River. The highest mountain in Aikawa is Mount Takatori.
Neighboring municipalities
editKanagawa Prefecture
Climate
editAikawa has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Aikawa is 13.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1906 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.5 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.3 °C.[2]
Demographics
editPer Japanese census data,[3] the population of Aikawa grew rapidly during the late 20th century and has plateaued in the 21st.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 10,238 | — |
| 1930 | 11,031 | +7.7% |
| 1940 | 12,908 | +17.0% |
| 1950 | 14,767 | +14.4% |
| 1960 | 13,721 | −7.1% |
| 1970 | 18,436 | +34.4% |
| 1980 | 29,873 | +62.0% |
| 1990 | 40,424 | +35.3% |
| 2000 | 42,760 | +5.8% |
| 2010 | 42,089 | −1.6% |
| 2020 | 39,869 | −5.3% |
History
editDuring the Sengoku period, the Battle of Mimasetoge between the forces of Takeda Shingen and the later Hōjō clan occurred on what is now Aikawa Town. During the Edo period, the area was tenryō territory under direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate. After the Meiji Restoration, Aikawa village was founded on April 4, 1889 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. It was elevated to town status on April 1, 1940. The Imperial Japanese Army established the Sagami Airfield in Aikawa, which was also adjacent to military factories in Sagamihara, an officer's training school in Zama, and numerous Army and Imperial Japanese Navy facilities in Atsugi and Yokohama. On January 15, 1955, Aikawa merged with neighboring Takamine Village and on September 30, 1956, with neighboring Nakatsu Village. In 1966, an industrial park was built on the site of the former airfield and military facilities.
Government
editAikawa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 16 members. Aikawa, together with neighboring Kiyokawa, contributes one member to the Kanagawa Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Kanagawa 16th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy
editAikawa has a mixed economy, supported by agriculture and light/precision industries. Makino Milling Machines has a factory in Aikawa, as does Asahi Glass Co., NHK Spring Company, Merck Pharmaceuticals and Mitsubishi Motors. The town also serves as a bedroom community for neighboring Sagamihara and Atsugi.
Education
editAikawa has six public elementary schools and three public middle schools operated by the town government. The town does not have a high school.
Internationalization
editRatio of Japanese/Foreign Nationals in Aikawa Town(2023.4.1)[4]
Percentage of foreigners living in Aikawa Town by country/region (2023)[5]
Aikawa town has a population of just under 40,000, which is relatively small for a municipality in Kanagawa Prefecture, but the percentage of foreign residents is high.[6][7] The percentage of foreign residents, approximately 7.5% of the total population, is the highest in Kanagawa Prefecture, ahead of other international cities such as Yokohama.[8] In addition to South America and Asia, people from 48 countries and regions, including European and African countries, have settled in Aikawa.[8]
One reason for the large number of foreign residents in Aikawa is thought to be the demand for labor in the Aikawa Inland Industrial Park, one of the largest industrial parks in Kanagawa Prefecture, which was completed in 1966. In addition, the Planning and Policy Division of Aikawa Town cites the 1990 amendment to the Immigration Control Act as a turning point in the increase of foreign residents.[8] Despite the Lehman Shock in 2008, the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, and the spread of the new coronavirus in 2020, the number of foreign residents in Aikawa has continued to increase.[8]
A large Vietnamese Buddhist temple, Chua Vietnam (Japan), is located in Aikawa Town. In addition to Chua Vietnam, there is also "the Cambodian Cultural Center in Japan,[9] which was planned as a Theravada Buddhist temple and cultural center for Cambodians living in Japan;[10] "the Lao Cultural Center in Japan[11][12]", which is considered the only Lao Buddhist temple in Japan for Laotians living in Japan;[13] and "Wat Rakhang Japan[14][15]", a branch temple of Wat Rakhang, known as the Bell Temple in Thailand for Thai residents in Japan.[16]
Transportation
editRailway
editAikawa does not have any passenger railway service.
Highway
edit
Noted people from Aikawa
edit- Takanori Gomi, martial artist
- Hiroya, professional kick-boxer
- Murray Sayle, journalist
- Daisuke Watanabe, actor
References
edit- ^ "Aikawa town official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
- ^ Aikawa climate data
- ^ Aikawa population statistics
- ^ "愛川町の人口と世帯(令和5年4月1日現在)". 愛川町. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ^ "市(区)町村別主要国・地域別外国人数（２０２３（令和５）年１月１日現在）" (PDF). 神奈川県. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ^ FUKUSHIMA Tomoko and FUJISHIRO Masahito (2005). "神奈川県愛川町における「多文化共生」への予備的考察 (<特集> 茨城県大洗町のインドネシア人労働者コミュニティ)/A Preliminary Study of Internationalization at the Local Level: The Case of Aikawa Town in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan". 異文化コミュニケーション研究. 17. Kanda University of International Studies Institute for Global Communication: 145.
- ^ "6 gatsu 24 nichi: Aikawa-machi" ６月２４日：愛川町 [June 24th: Aikawa Town]. Television Kanagawa. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
- ^ a b c d "Korona-ka demo migikata agari no gaikokuseki chōmin. Yaku 50-ka-koku kara hito ga atsumaru Kanagawa-ken ōbu no 'ikoku' Aikawa-machi" コロナ禍でも右肩上がりの外国籍町民。約50カ国から人が集まる神奈川県央部の「異国」愛川町/ [Foreign residents of the town are on the right track even with the Corona disaster. Aikawa Town, a "foreign country" in central Kanagawa Prefecture where people from about 50 countries gather]. Yahoo! news. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
- ^ "猫のひたいほどワイド #1192 リポート大賞・牧田習「煩悩からの脱却！牧田の瞑想ツアー」（愛川町）" (in Japanese). テレビ神奈川. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
- ^ Murata, Ayana (19 July 2013). "在日カンボジア系住民の現在 : 神奈川県上座仏教寺院兼文化センター建設計画をめぐって". 紀尾井論叢 (1). cinii: 1–11. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ^ "在日本ラオス協会（在日ラオス文化センター）". 公益財団法人 かながわ国際交流財団. 18 March 2013. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
- ^ "第23回 ラオス料理は幸福のおすそ分け/vol.23. Laotian Cuisine is a Way to Share Happiness". Nikkei National Geographic. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
- ^ "Interｖiews & Report". 株式会社佛教タイムス社. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
- ^ "ワットラカン ジャパン/Wat Rakang Japan". Wat Rakang Japan. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
- ^ "【動画】ワットラカン ジャパン/[Video] Watrakang Japan". WAIWAITHAILAND INC. 20 January 2022. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
- ^ "buraziru 、 pakisutan 、 raosu … kakkoku no mise ya ziin ga tudo u kanagawaken aikawamati de gaikoku ryokou" ブラジル、パキスタン、ラオス…各国の店や寺院が集う神奈川県愛川町で外国旅行 [Brazil, Pakistan, Laos... Foreign travel in Aikawa Town, Kanagawa Prefecture, where stores and temples from various countries gather.]. dailyportalZ. 22 February 2021. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
External links
edit
- Official Website (in Japanese)