Puneet Varma (Editor)

Hirakata, Osaka

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Country
  
Japan

Prefecture
  
Osaka Prefecture

Population
  
407,978 (2010)

Region
  
Kansai

Website
  
Official website

Local time
  
Sunday 11:30 AM

Hirakata, Osaka wwwyukibacomuplserveruploads1285086660hirak

Time zone
  
Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)

City hall address
  
2-1-20 Ogaito-chō, Hirakata-shi, Osaka-fu 573-8666

Weather
  
10°C, Wind S at 6 km/h, 56% Humidity

Colleges and Universities
  
Kansai Gaidai University, Kansai Medical University, Osaka International University, Osaka Dental University, Kansai Gaidai College

Hirakata (枚方市, Hirakata-shi) is a city in northeastern Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It is known for Hirakata Park, an amusement park which includes roller coasters made of wood.

Contents

Map of Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture, Japan

As of January 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 411,777, and a population density of 6,327.24 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 65.07 km2.

Eriko Aoki, author of "Korean children, textbooks, and educational practices in Japanese primary schools," stated that the city's location in proximity to both Osaka City and Kyoto contributed to its population growth of ten times its previous size from around 1973 to 2013.

History

The modern city was founded on August 1, 1947. On April 1, 2001, Hirakata was designated as a special city of Japan.

Mayors

  • Sōichirō Terashima (in office 1947 - 1955, 1959 - 1967) former mayor of Hirakata-chō
  • Harufumi Hatakeyama (1955 - 1959)
  • Tomizō Yamamura (1967 - 1975)
  • Kazuo Kitamaki (1975 - 1991)
  • Kazuo Ōshio (1991 - 1995)
  • Hiroshi Nakatsuka (1995 - 2007)
  • Osamu Takeuchi (2007 - 2015)
  • Takashi Fushimi (2015 - Present)
  • Ethnic Koreans

    As of 2013 the city has about 2,000 ethnic Koreans, including permanent residents of Japan, South Korean citizens, and those aligned to North Korea. Most Hirakata Koreans, including children of school age, use Japanese names. Most ethnic Korean children in Hirakata attend Japanese public schools, while some attend Chongryon schools located in Osaka City. Many Koreans in Hirakata operate their own businesses. Hirakata has the "mother's society" or "Omoni no Kai", a voluntary association of ethnic Korean mothers. It also has branches of the Congryon and Mindan, Japan's two major Korean associations. Hirakata has no particular Korean neighborhoods.

    There were about 3,000 ethnic Koreans in Hirakata in the pre-World War II period. In the 1930s Hirakata Koreans, fearful of keeping their own jobs, had negative attitudes towards Osaka-based Koreans who were looking for employment after having lost their jobs. Military construction was the most common job sector of that era's Korean population.

    Eriko Aoki stated that in 2013 there was still a sense of difference between the Koreans in Hirakata and the Koreans in Osaka.

    Burakumin

    Eriko Aoki stated that there is no area obviously identified as a Burakumin area in Hirakata.

    Education

    Colleges and universities

  • Kansai Gaidai University
  • Osaka Dental University
  • Kansai Medical University
  • Setsunan University
  • Osaka International University
  • Osaka Institute of Technology
  • National Tax College
  • Prefectural senior high schools

  • Osaka Prefectural Hirakata High School (大阪府立枚方高等学校)
  • Osaka Prefectural Nagao High School (大阪府立長尾高等学校)
  • Osaka Prefectural Makino High School (大阪府立牧野高等学校)
  • Korigaoka High School (大阪府立香里丘高等学校)
  • Hirakatsuda High School (大阪府立枚方津田高等学校)
  • Hirakata Nagisa High School (大阪府立枚方なぎさ高等学校)
  • Municipal high schools

  • Osaka City Senior High School (大阪市立高等学校) - In Hirakata
  • Private senior high schools:

  • Josho Keiko Gakuen Junior and Senior High School (常翔啓光学園高等学校)
  • Tokai University Gyosei Junior and Senior High School (東海大学付属仰星高等学校)
  • Toyo Gakuen Nagaodani High School (長尾谷高等学校)
  • Rail

  • Keihan Electric Railway
  • Keihan Main Line Kozenji Station - Hirakata-koen Station - Hirakata-shi Station - Goten-yama Station - Makino Station - Kuzuha Station
  • Katano Line Hirakata-shi Station - Miyanosaka Station - Hoshigaoka Station - Murano Station
  • West Japan Railway Company
  • Katamachi Line (Gakkentoshi Line) Tsuda Station - Fujisaka Station - Nagao Station
  • Roads

  • National Route 1 Daini Keihan Road (toll road)
  • National Route 168
  • National Route 170
  • National Route 307
  • Companies with offices in Hirakata

  • Komatsu Osaka plant
  • Sanyo Electric Co R&D
  • Sister and friendship cities

  • Shimanto, Kōchi, Japan - Friendship city agreement concluded in 1974 (with former Nakamura city)
  • Betsukai, Hokkaidō, Japan - Friendship city agreement concluded in 1987
  • Takamatsu, Kagawa, Japan - Friendship city agreement concluded in 1987 (with former Shionoe town)
  • Chang Ning District, Shanghai, China - Sister city agreement concluded in 1987
  • Logan City, Queensland, Australia - Sister city agreement concluded in 1995
  • References

    Hirakata, Osaka Wikipedia