Kōfu

For the town in Tottori Prefecture, see Kōfu, Tottori.
Kōfu
甲府市
Special city

View from Sakaorimiya
Kai-Zenko-ji, Kakueno in autumn
Moats of Kofu Castle, Takeda Shingen festival
Night view of Kofu, Kofu motsu-ni stew
Kose Sports Stadium

Flag
Seal

Location of Kōfu in Yamanashi Prefecture
Kōfu

Location of Kōfu in Yamanashi Prefecture

Coordinates: 35°39′43.7″N 138°34′5.6″E / 35.662139°N 138.568222°E / 35.662139; 138.568222Coordinates: 35°39′43.7″N 138°34′5.6″E / 35.662139°N 138.568222°E / 35.662139; 138.568222
Country Japan
Region Chūbu (Tōkai)
Prefecture Yamanashi Prefecture
Government
 • -Mayor Yūichi Higuchi (since February 2015)
Area
 • Total 212.47 km2 (82.04 sq mi)
Population (November 2015)
 • Total 193,127
 • Density 909/km2 (2,350/sq mi)
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
- Tree Quercus
- Bird Common kingfisher
Phone number 　 055-237-1161
Website www.city.kofu.yamanashi.jp

Kōfu (甲府市 Kōfu-shi) is the capital city of Yamanashi Prefecture in Japan.

As of November 1, 2015, the city had an estimated population of 193,127 and a population density of 909 persons per km2. The total area was 212.41 square kilometres (82.01 sq mi). Kōfu's name means "capital of Kai Province". During the Sengoku period, it was famous as the stronghold of Takeda Shingen.

Geography

Kōfu is located in north-central Yamanashi Prefecture, extending from the northern border of the prefecture with Nagano Prefecture, south until it almost reaches the southern border of the prefecture. It is narrow along its east-west axis. The city bisects the Kofu Basin, and is at an elevation of between 250 and 300 meters, surrounded by mountains on all sides. Much of the northern portion of the city is within the borders of the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park

Surrounding municipalities

History

1907 Kofu Flood
Kōfu
Kōfu City Hall

Archaeologists have discovered evidence of human settlement in the Kōfu area dating to the Japanese Paleolithic period, with continuous settlement through the Jomon, Yayoi and Kofun periods. During the Nara period, the provincial temple of Kai Province was established in what is now Kōfu, indicating that the Nara period provincial capital was located nearby, as the name of the city implies. During the Heian period, a branch of the Minamoto clan, the “Kai-Genji” ruled over vast shōen estates, and developed a military force noted for its use of cavalry. By the Muromachi period, a branch of the Kai-Genji, the Takeda clan came to dominate the area, and built a castle in what is now part of Kōfu. Under the rule of Takeda Nobutora, Kōfu was rebuilt as a castle town starting in 1519, and remained the capital of the Takeda clan under Takeda Shingen and his son Takeda Katsuyori. During the Edo period, Kai Province was tenryō territory ruled directly to by the Tokugawa shogunate, and Kōfu Castle remained its administrative center. Following the Meiji restoration, with the establishment of the municipalities system, the town of Kōfu was proclaimed on July 1, 1889. During World War II, much of the city was destroyed by United States Army Air Forces B-29 Superfortress bombers during a major air raid during the night of 6 July 1945.[1]

Kōfu is designated as one of the special cities of Japan. On March 1, 2006, Kōfu, with a population of 193,795, absorbed the town of Nakamichi (from Higashiyatsushiro District), and the northern part of the village of Kamikuishiki (from Nishiyatsushiro District) increasing the population to 201,184.

Climate

Kōfu has the typical Honshū humid subtropical climate, though it is less wet than either the south or Sea of Japan coast due to its location in a shielded mountain valley. Temperature ranges are noticeably greater than in coastal regions: in 2004 Kōfu reached a temperature of 40 °C (104 °F) previously almost unknown in Japan, and it has fallen below 0 °C (32 °F) as early as 26 October,[2] which is about a month before the earliest freezing temperatures in such coastal cities as Kanazawa or Tokyo.

Climate data for Kōfu, Yamanashi (1981～2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 20.2
(68.4)		 25.4
(77.7)		 28.8
(83.8)		 33.1
(91.6)		 34.3
(93.7)		 38.1
(100.6)		 40.4
(104.7)		 39.8
(103.6)		 38.0
(100.4)		 33.8
(92.8)		 29.6
(85.3)		 24.9
(76.8)		 40.4
(104.7)
Average high °C (°F) 8.8
(47.8)		 10.3
(50.5)		 14.2
(57.6)		 20.4
(68.7)		 24.6
(76.3)		 27.3
(81.1)		 30.9
(87.6)		 32.5
(90.5)		 28.0
(82.4)		 21.9
(71.4)		 16.4
(61.5)		 11.2
(52.2)		 20.5
(68.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) 2.8
(37)		 4.3
(39.7)		 8.0
(46.4)		 13.8
(56.8)		 18.3
(64.9)		 21.9
(71.4)		 25.5
(77.9)		 26.6
(79.9)		 22.8
(73)		 16.5
(61.7)		 10.4
(50.7)		 5.0
(41)		 14.7
(58.5)
Average low °C (°F) −2.4
(27.7)		 −1
(30)		 2.7
(36.9)		 8.3
(46.9)		 13.3
(55.9)		 17.9
(64.2)		 21.8
(71.2)		 22.8
(73)		 19.1
(66.4)		 12.3
(54.1)		 5.5
(41.9)		 −0.2
(31.6)		 10.0
(50)
Record low °C (°F) −19.5
(−3.1)		 −17.2
(1)		 −11.4
(11.5)		 −4.6
(23.7)		 −0.6
(30.9)		 5.4
(41.7)		 12.6
(54.7)		 13.2
(55.8)		 6.0
(42.8)		 −1.8
(28.8)		 −6
(21)		 −11.7
(10.9)		 −19.5
(−3.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 40.2
(1.583)		 46.1
(1.815)		 87.9
(3.461)		 77.7
(3.059)		 86.3
(3.398)		 122.5
(4.823)		 132.6
(5.22)		 149.5
(5.886)		 180.3
(7.098)		 125.2
(4.929)		 54.9
(2.161)		 32.1
(1.264)		 1,135.3
(44.697)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 13
(5.1)		 10
(3.9)		 4
(1.6)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 1
(0.4)		 28
(11)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.5 mm) 4.9 5.7 9.8 8.9 9.7 12.1 12.5 10.1 11.2 9.4 6.3 4.2 104.8
Average snowy days 4.5 3.1 0.9 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 9.2
Average relative humidity (%) 57 54 56 58 64 71 73 71 72 71 68 61 64.7
Mean monthly sunshine hours 204.8 189.9 198.7 202.0 196.3 148.9 164.1 197.3 142.2 160.9 176.6 201.3 2,183
Source #1: Japan Meteorological Agency[3]
Source #2: Japan Meteorological Agency (records)[4]

Education

Colleges and universities

Primary and secondary education

Transportation

Railway

Highway

Media

Local attractions

Notable people from Kofu

Sport

Sister cities

References

  1. ↑ Ijiri, Toshiyuki (1991). Paul Rusch. Cincinnati, Ohio: Forward Movement Publications. p. 167.
  2. ↑ http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_s.php?prec_no=19&prec_ch=%8B%FA%98H%8Ex%92%A1&block_no=47638&block_ch=%8B%FA%98H&year=&month=10&day=&view= 観測史上1～10位の値（10月としての値）
  3. ↑ "平年値（年・月ごとの値）". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2011-11-26.
  4. ↑ "観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2011-11-26.
  5. ↑ "US-Japan Sister Cities by State". Asia Matters for America. Honolulu, HI: East-West Center. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 "International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  7. ↑ "Consolidation of Local Governments in Japan and Effects on Sister City Relationships," Consulate General of Japan, San Francisco
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Kofu.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kofu, Yamanashi.
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