Itakura, Gunma

Itakura 板倉町
Town
Itakura town hall
Flag Seal
Location of Itakura in Gunma Prefecture
Itakura
Coordinates: 36°13′22.6″N 139°36′37.1″E / 36.222944°N 139.610306°ECoordinates: 36°13′22.6″N 139°36′37.1″E / 36.222944°N 139.610306°E
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Gunma Prefecture
District	Ōra
Area
• Total	41.86 km^2 (16.16 sq mi)
Population (February 2015)
• Total	15,082
• Density	360/km^2 (900/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
- Tree	Osmanthus
- Flower	Sakura
- Bird	Skylark
Phone number	0276-82-1111
Address	2067 Ōaza Itakura, Itakura-machi, Gunma-ken 374-0132
Website	Official website

Itakura Cosmos Festival

Itakura (板倉町 Itakura-machi) is a town located in Ōra District, Gunma Prefecture, in the northern Kantō region of Japan. As of February 2015, the town had an estimated population of 11,024 and a population density of 561 persons per km². Its total area was 19.64 km². Itakura's animal mascot is the catfish. It is represented in a bronze statue at Raiden Shrine, as a mikoshi in Itakura's summer festival, and also is emblazoned on the town's manhole covers. Itakura is one of the few places in Japan where catfish is eaten, and it boasts two restaurants specializing in catfish dishes.

Geography

Itakura is located in the northern Kantō Plains in the extreme southern corner Gunma prefecture, bordered by Saitama Prefecture to the south and Tochigi Prefecture to the north. The Tone River flows through the town, and the Watarase River forms its northern border.

Surrounding municipalities

• Gunma Prefecture
  • Tatebayashi
  • Meiwa
• Saitama Prefecture
  • Hanyu
  • Kazo
• Tochigi Prefecture
  • Sano
  • Tochigi
• Ibaraki Prefecture
  • Koga is only separated by meters from the Itakura border.

History

The villages of Nishiyada, Ebise, Ōgano and Inara were created within Ōra District, Gunma Prefecture on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the municipalities system after the Meiji Restoration. On February 1, 1955, the four villages merged to form the town of Itakura. Meiwa was raised to town status on October 1, 1998.

Economy

Itakura is largely a bedroom community for Tokyo and nearly Tatebayashi. About 55% of the town’s area is farmland, and Itakura's main agricultural products include rice and cucumbers, though many other crops are grown locally.

Education

• Primary Schools
  • Itakura Kita Elementary School
  • Itakura Minami Elementary School
  • Itakura Higashi Elementary School
  • Itakura Nishi Elementary School
• Middle Schools
  • Itakura Middle School
• High Schools
  • Itakura High School
• Universities
  • Tōyō University Itakura Campus

Transportation

Railway

• Tobu Railway - Tōbu Nikkō Line
  • Itakura Tōyōdai-mae

Highway

• Japan National Route 122

Local attractions

• Raiden Jinja
• Watarase Nature Museum
• Takatori Tenmangū
• Itakura Golf Course
• Gunma's Waterways

External links

Media related to Itakura, Gunma at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website (Japanese)