Ryūgasaki, Ibaraki
Template:For Template:Infobox settlement
Template:Nihongo is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. Template:As of, the city had an estimated population of 75,212 in 33,421 households and a population density of 958 persons per km2. The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 31.1% in July 2020.<ref name="Ibaraki-hp">Template:Cite web</ref> The total area of the city is Template:Convert.
Geography
Ryūgasaki is located in southern Ibaraki Prefecture, in the low-lying flatlands south of Lake Kasumigaura. The Kokai River runs through the western part of the city, and the basin is dotted with tributaries and lakes. Lake Ushiku, despite its name, is entirely within the city of Ryūgasaki.
Surrounding municipalities
Ibaraki Prefecture
Climate
Ryūgasaki has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Ryūgasaki is Template:Cvt. The average annual rainfall is Template:Cvt with October as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around Template:Cvt, and lowest in January, at around Template:Cvt.<ref name=normals/> Template:Weather box
Demographics
Per Japanese census data,<ref>Ryūgasaki population statistics</ref> the population of Ryūgasaki has recently plateaued after several decades of growth.
Template:Historical populations
History
The name "Ryūgasaki" can be traced back to 1182 when the samurai clan ruling the territory adopted "Ryūgasaki" as their family name. The northern half of the city was an exclave of Sendai Domain during the Edo period, the region joined Template:Interlanguage link multi in 1869 before merging with Ibaraki Prefecture in 1875. The southern portion of the city was part of Kitasōma District in Shimōsa Province, as the boundary between Shimōsa and Hitachi Province had been established in the Nara period as the Tone River. However, by the Meiji period, the course of the river had shifted, leaving the area of present-day southern Ryūgasaki on the northern bank of the river. This area was transferred to Ibaraki Prefecture in 1875
The town of Ryūgasaki was created with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889.
The city was formed on March 20, 1954, when the aforementioned town merged with: Template:Interlanguage link multi, Template:Interlanguage link multi, Template:Interlanguage link multi, Template:Interlanguage link multi, Template:Interlanguage link multi and Template:Interlanguage link multi. In February 1955, the city grew to its present size when a proportion of Template:Interlanguage link multi merged with the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1974, the city adopted the Swan, the Pinus, and Platycodon grandiflorus as its city symbols for bird, tree and flower respectively.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Government
Ryūgasaki has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 22 members. Ryūgasaki, together with neighboring Tone, contributes two members to the Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Ibaraki 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
The 20th and current mayor is Template:Nihongo Isamu Hagiwara, who assumed the position on January 18, 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Issei Nakayama Template:Nihongo was the seventeenth to nineteenth mayor, beginning in January 2010.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Economy
Template:Expand section New Central Airlines, a commuter airline, is headquartered in the city, on the grounds of Ryūgasaki Airfield, although no commercial flights are scheduled from the city.<ref>"The Kawada Group." Kawada Industries. Retrieved on February 21, 2010.</ref><ref>"路線外運行." New Central Airlines. Retrieved on February 21, 2010. "お問い合わせは 〒301－0806 茨城県竜ヶ崎市半田町3177 竜ヶ崎飛行場内"</ref>
Education
- Ryutsu Keizai University
- Ryūgasaki has 11 public elementary schools and six public middle schools operated by the city government. There are one public middle school and three public high schools operated by the Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education as well as one private high school.
Transportation
Railway
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Kantō Railway - Ryūgasaki Line
Highway
Airport
- Ryūgasaki Airfield – however, no scheduled commercial services
Local attractions
Noted people from Ryūgasaki
- Yuta Nakayama, professional football player
- Akiyo Noguchi, retired professional rock climber, olympic bronze medalist, seven-time IFSC Climbing World Cup champion
- Isao Okano, judoka, Olympic gold medalist
- Nana Suzuki, model
- Kisenosato Yutaka, the 72nd yokozuna in sumo wrestling