Hachiōji City Hall

Hachiōji(八王子市, Hachiōji-shi) is a city located in the western portion of the Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. As of 31 March 2021[update], the city has an estimated population of 561,344, and a population density of 3,000 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 186.38 km2 (71.96 sq mi). It is the most populous city in Tokyo outside of the special wards. In 2015, it was designated as a core city for the first time in Tokyo. It was the second city in Tokyo Prefecture (present-day Tokyo) to implement the municipal system after Tokyo City (present-day Tokyo's 23 wards).

Geography

Urban area of Hachiōji

Hachiōji is located in the foothills of the Okutama Mountains of western Tokyo, about 40 kilometers west of the center of the 23 special wards of Tokyo. The city is surrounded on three sides by mountains, forming the Hachioji Basin which opens up toward the east in the direction of Tokyo. The mountain ranges in the southwest include Mount Takao (599 m) and Mount Jinba (857 m), two popular hiking destinations which can be reached by train and bus, respectively.

Surrounding municipalities

Kanagawa Prefecture

Tokyo Metropolis

Climate

Hachiōji has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Hachiōji is 13.9 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1998 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.3 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.4 °C.

Climate data for Hachioji (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °C (°F)19.9 (67.8)24.0 (75.2)26.6 (79.9)32.2 (90.0)37.1 (98.8)36.0 (96.8)39.3 (102.7)39.3 (102.7)39.2 (102.6)32.7 (90.9)26.7 (80.1)26.0 (78.8)39.3 (102.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)9.3 (48.7)10.3 (50.5)13.7 (56.7)19.1 (66.4)23.6 (74.5)26.0 (78.8)30.1 (86.2)31.4 (88.5)27.1 (80.8)21.5 (70.7)16.4 (61.5)11.7 (53.1)20.0 (68.0)
Daily mean °C (°F)3.4 (38.1)4.5 (40.1)8.0 (46.4)13.3 (55.9)18.1 (64.6)21.4 (70.5)25.4 (77.7)26.4 (79.5)22.6 (72.7)16.9 (62.4)11.1 (52.0)5.9 (42.6)14.7 (58.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)−1.8 (28.8)−0.9 (30.4)2.7 (36.9)7.7 (45.9)12.9 (55.2)17.4 (63.3)21.5 (70.7)22.4 (72.3)18.8 (65.8)13.0 (55.4)6.4 (43.5)0.8 (33.4)10.1 (50.2)
Record low °C (°F)−8.7 (16.3)−8.8 (16.2)−8.1 (17.4)−2.0 (28.4)2.6 (36.7)10.0 (50.0)13.3 (55.9)15.4 (59.7)7.9 (46.2)2.4 (36.3)−2.3 (27.9)−7.6 (18.3)−8.8 (16.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches)54.1 (2.13)46.1 (1.81)102.9 (4.05)114.1 (4.49)124.7 (4.91)172.0 (6.77)188.3 (7.41)212.5 (8.37)264.4 (10.41)230.8 (9.09)80.1 (3.15)53.1 (2.09)1,643 (64.69)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)4.54.99.29.210.012.712.510.412.210.57.24.9108.2
Mean monthly sunshine hours201.1179.7174.9179.3176.0119.7145.1177.3128.0132.4157.0184.21,954.5
Source: JMA

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Hachiōji has recently plateaued after nine decades of strong growth.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
192078,705
193095,389+21.2%
1940111,028+16.4%
1950131,470+18.4%
1960164,622+25.2%
1970253,407+53.9%
1980387,178+52.8%
1990466,347+20.4%
2000536,046+14.9%
2010580,053+8.2%
2020579,355−0.1%

History

The area of present-day Hachiōji was part of ancient Musashi Province. It has been an important junction point and post town along the Kōshū Kaidō, the main road that connected the historical Edo (today's Tokyo) with western Japan. Hachiōji Castle was built during the Sengoku period in 1584 by Hōjō Ujiteru, but was destroyed in 1590 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. During the Edo period, the area was tenryō controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate. In the post-Meiji Restoration cadastral reform of July 22, 1878, the area became part of Minamitama District in Kanagawa Prefecture. The town of Hachiōji was created on April 1, 1889, with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. Minaitama District was transferred to the administrative control of Tokyo Metropolis on April 1, 1893. Hachiōji gained city status on September 1, 1917.

During the 1964 Summer Olympics, the city was host to the cycling events. The Hachioji Velodrome was used for the events.

Hachiōji became a Core city on April 1, 2015, with increased local autonomy.

Government

Hachiōji has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 40 members, whose members are elected for a four-year term. Hachiōji contributes five members to the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is divided between the Tokyo 21st district and Tokyo 24th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Mayors of Hachiōji (1917–present)

No.NameTerm of office
No. Name Term of office Took office Left office 1 Eikichi Shibata {柴田榮吉} 14 December 1917 13 December 1921 2 Teihei Hirabayashi {平林定兵衛} 16 February 1922 25 February 1925 3 Bungo Muto {武藤文吾} 26 May 1925 25 May 1929 4 Fumitaro Akiyama {秋山文太郎} 8 July 1929 4 November 1929 5 Kunisaburo Kidokoro {城所國三郎} 11 December 1929 10 December 1933 6 Tatsuyoshi Mokudai {杢代龍喜} 16 January 1934 15 January 1938No. Name Term of office Took office Left office 7-9 Genpei Sekiya {関谷源兵衛} 22 January 1938 31 August 1942 10 Tomohiko Fukazawa {深沢友彦} 1 September 1942 12 September 1945 11-14 Kichinosuke Kobayashi {小林吉之助} 29 September 1945 6 February 1957 15 Gizo Noguchi {野口義造} 25 February 1957 23 December 1961 16-18 Enji Uetake {植竹圓次} 24 February 1961 23 February 1973 19-22 Soichi Goto {後藤聰一} 24 February 1973 26 December 1983No. Name Term of office Took office Left office 22-25 Shigeo Hatano {波多野重雄} 30 January 1984 28 January 2000 26-28 Ryuichi Kurosu {黒須隆一} 29 January 2000 28 January 2012 29-31 Takashi Ishimori {石森孝志} 29 January 2012 28 January 2024 32 Kazuo Shiyake {初宿和夫} 29 January 2024 Incumbent
Took officeLeft office
1Eikichi Shibata {柴田榮吉}14 December 191713 December 1921
2Teihei Hirabayashi {平林定兵衛}16 February 192225 February 1925
3Bungo Muto {武藤文吾}26 May 192525 May 1929
4Fumitaro Akiyama {秋山文太郎}8 July 19294 November 1929
5Kunisaburo Kidokoro {城所國三郎}11 December 192910 December 1933
6Tatsuyoshi Mokudai {杢代龍喜}16 January 193415 January 1938
No.NameTerm of office
Took officeLeft office
7-9Genpei Sekiya {関谷源兵衛}22 January 193831 August 1942
10Tomohiko Fukazawa {深沢友彦}1 September 194212 September 1945
11-14Kichinosuke Kobayashi {小林吉之助}29 September 19456 February 1957
15Gizo Noguchi {野口義造}25 February 195723 December 1961
16-18Enji Uetake {植竹圓次}24 February 196123 February 1973
19-22Soichi Goto {後藤聰一}24 February 197326 December 1983
No.NameTerm of office
Took officeLeft office
22-25Shigeo Hatano {波多野重雄}30 January 198428 January 2000
26-28Ryuichi Kurosu {黒須隆一}29 January 200028 January 2012
29-31Takashi Ishimori {石森孝志}29 January 201228 January 2024
32Kazuo Shiyake {初宿和夫}29 January 2024Incumbent

Economy

During the Meiji period, Hachiōji prospered as an important location for the production of silk and silk textiles. The industry faded away, however, in the 1960s. Today, Hachiōji mainly serves as a commuter town for people working in Tokyo, and as a location for many large colleges and universities.

Education

Colleges and universities

Primary and secondary education

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education operates nine public high schools, and the Hachioji School for the Blind. There are also eleven private high schools.

Metropolitan high schools:

  • Minamitama Secondary Education School[ja] (junior and senior high)
  • Fujimori High School[ja]
  • Hachioji Higashi High School[ja]
  • Hachioji Kita High School[ja]
  • Hachioji Soshi High School[ja]
  • Hachioji Takushin High School[ja]
  • Katakura High School[ja]
  • Matsugaya High School[ja]
  • Shoyo High School[ja]

Hachiōji has 70 public elementary schools and 37 public junior high schools operated by the city government, as well as four public combined elementary/junior high schools.

Combined public elementary and junior high schools:

Municipal junior high schools:

Municipal elementary schools:

Former:

Transportation

Railways

Hachiōji Station

JR East - Chūō Main Line

JR East - Yokohama Line

JR East - Hachikō Line

Keio Corporation - Keiō Line

Keio Corporation - Keiō Takao Line

Keio Corporation - Sagamihara Line

Tokyo Tama Intercity Monorail - Tama Toshi Monorail Line

Highways

Sister cities

Local attractions

Hachioji stretches over a large area, combining such diverse parts as the densely populated city center and its shopping district with the hardly populated rural areas in the west.

  • Mt. Takao
  • Shōwa emperor's grave
  • Taishō emperor's grave
  • Reconstructed bridge of Takiyama Castle
  • Stone wall and gate of Hachiōji Castle

External links

  • (in Japanese)