Kuki, Saitama

Kuki 久喜市
City
Kuki City Hall
Flag Seal
Location of Kuki in Saitama Prefecture
Kuki Location of Kuki in Saitama Prefecture
Coordinates: 36°3′43.5″N 139°40′0.5″E / 36.062083°N 139.666806°ECoordinates: 36°3′43.5″N 139°40′0.5″E / 36.062083°N 139.666806°E
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Saitama Prefecture
Area
• Total	82.41 km^2 (31.82 sq mi)
Population (February 2016)
• Total	151,896
• Density	1,840/km^2 (4,800/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
- Tree	Ginkgo biloba
- Flower	Pyrus pyrifolia
Phone number	0480-22-1111
Address	85-3 Shimohayami, Kuki-shi, Saitama-ken 346-8501
Website	Official website

Kuki (久喜市 Kuki-shi) is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, in the central Kantō region of Japan. As of 1 February 2016, the city had an estimated population of 151,896 and a population density of 1840 persons per km². Its total area was 82.41 square kilometres (31.82 sq mi).

Geography

Kuki is located in northeastern Saitama Prefecture, approximately 50 kilometers from downtown Tokyo in the alluvial plains of the Tone River.

Surrounding municipalities

• Saitama Prefecture
  • Kazo
  • Satte
  • Okegawa
  • Kōnosu
  • Hasuda
  • Shiraoka
  • Sugito
  • Miyashiro
• Ibaraki Prefecture
  • Koga
  • Goka

History

The modern town of Kuki was created within Minamisaitama District, Saitama with the establishment of the municipalities system on April 1, 1889. On July 1, 1954, Kuki annexed the neighboring villages of Ota, Ezura and Kiyoku. Kuki was elevated to city status on October 1, 1971. On March 23, 2010, Kuki absorbed the town of Shōbu (Minamisaitama District), and the towns of Kurihashi and Washimiya (both from Kitakatsushika District).^[1]

Economy

Kuki remains primarily an agricultural area, with rice as the predominant crop. The city has three industrial parks.

Education

Kuki has 23 elementary schools, 11 middle schools and five high schools. Tokyo University of Science has a campus at Kuki.

Transportation

Railway

• JR East - Utsunomiya Line (Tōhoku Main Line),
  • Kuki – Higashi-Washinomiya – Kurihashi
• Tobu Railway - Tobu Isesaki Line
  • Kuki – Washinomiya
• Tobu Railway - Tōbu Nikkō Line
  • Kurihashi – Minami-Kurihashi

Highway

• Tōhoku Expressway – Kuki IC
• Ken-Ō Expressway
• Japan National Route 4
• Japan National Route 122
• Japan National Route 125

Sister city relations

• - Roseburg, Oregon, USA ^[2]

Local attractions

In the early 90's, three Irish guys lived there, collectively known as the "Kuki monsters". Their claim to fame was causing a car crash within a few weeks of arrival, as the car driver had not expected to see three foreigners walking home in his town and his surprise at their apparition meant that he stopped watching the road, and crashed.

References

1. Japanese government site
2. "International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Retrieved 21 November 2015.

External links

• Official website (Japanese)
• Kuki Shimin website (Japanese)