:Takasaki

Takasaki is located in the southwestern part of Gunma Prefecture in the flat northwestern part of the Kantō Plain. The city is located approximately 90 to 100 kilometers from central Tokyo. Mount Akagi, Mount Haruna and Mount Myogi can be seen from the city, and the southern slopes of Mount Haruna are within the city limits. The Tone River, Karasu River and Usui River flow through the city. Although Takasaki is located over 100 kilometers from the coast, much of the city is low-lying, and the elevation of the city hall and central city area is only 97 meters above sea level. The land rises to the northern and western parts of the city to a maximum elevation of 1690 meters.

Gunma Prefecture

• Annaka
• Fujioka
• Higashiagatsuma
• Kanra
• Maebashi
• Naganohara
• Shibukawa
• Shintō
• Tamamura

Nagano Prefecture

• Karuizawa

Saitama Prefecture

• Kamisato

Takasaki has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Cwa) characterized by warm summers and cold, windy winters (karakkaze) with occasional snowfall. The average annual temperature in Takasaki is {{cvt|14.0|C}}. The average annual rainfall is {{cvt|1354.9|mm}}, with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around {{cvt|25.8|C}}, and lowest in January, at around {{cvt|2.6|C}}.

{{Weather box

|width=auto

|collapsed = Y

|single line = Y

|metric first = Y

|location = Kamisatomi, Takasaki (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present)

|Jan record high C = 20.1

|Feb record high C = 25.7

|Mar record high C = 27.9

|Apr record high C = 32.0

|May record high C = 35.6

|Jun record high C = 39.0

|Jul record high C = 40.3

|Aug record high C = 38.9

|Sep record high C = 38.8

|Oct record high C = 32.1

|Nov record high C = 26.4

|Dec record high C = 24.0

|Jan record low C = -9.0

|Feb record low C = -9.3

|Mar record low C = -7.1

|Apr record low C = -3.4

|May record low C = 0.9

|Jun record low C = 6.8

|Jul record low C = 13.8

|Aug record low C = 12.9

|Sep record low C = 7.0

|Oct record low C = 1.0

|Nov record low C = -2.9

|Dec record low C = -7.6

|Jan high C = 9.3

|Feb high C = 10.2

|Mar high C = 13.8

|Apr high C = 19.2

|May high C = 24.0

|Jun high C = 26.5

|Jul high C = 30.0

|Aug high C = 31.2

|Sep high C = 27.0

|Oct high C = 21.7

|Nov high C = 16.5

|Dec high C = 11.6

|Jan mean C = 2.6

|Feb mean C = 3.5

|Mar mean C = 7.0

|Apr mean C = 12.6

|May mean C = 17.6

|Jun mean C = 21.2

|Jul mean C = 24.9

|Aug mean C = 25.8

|Sep mean C = 21.8

|Oct mean C = 16.0

|Nov mean C = 10.0

|Dec mean C = 4.9

|Jan low C = -2.8

|Feb low C = -2.2

|Mar low C = 0.9

|Apr low C = 6.3

|May low C = 11.8

|Jun low C = 16.7

|Jul low C = 20.8

|Aug low C = 21.7

|Sep low C = 17.9

|Oct low C = 11.5

|Nov low C = 4.9

|Dec low C = -0.4

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 29.1

|Feb precipitation mm = 26.8

|Mar precipitation mm = 61.0

|Apr precipitation mm = 78.9

|May precipitation mm = 112.2

|Jun precipitation mm = 173.1

|Jul precipitation mm = 221.4

|Aug precipitation mm = 221.6

|Sep precipitation mm = 214.2

|Oct precipitation mm = 147.7

|Nov precipitation mm = 45.4

|Dec precipitation mm = 23.6

|year precipitation mm = 1354.9

|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 3.5

|Feb precipitation days = 4.1

|Mar precipitation days = 8.0

|Apr precipitation days = 8.8

|May precipitation days = 10.4

|Jun precipitation days = 14.2

|Jul precipitation days = 16.0

|Aug precipitation days = 14.4

|Sep precipitation days = 13.2

|Oct precipitation days = 10.1

|Nov precipitation days = 5.8

|Dec precipitation days = 3.9

|Jan sun = 208.1

|Feb sun = 200.3

|Mar sun = 207.6

|Apr sun = 206.4

|May sun = 202.7

|Jun sun = 140.7

|Jul sun = 154.2

|Aug sun = 178.3

|Sep sun = 137.4

|Oct sun = 154.4

|Nov sun = 179.4

|Dec sun = 193.6

|year sun = 2163.1

|source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency{{cite web

| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_a.php?prec_no=42&block_no=0353&year=&month=&day=&view=h0

|script-title=ja:観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）

| publisher = JMA

| access-date = March 26, 2022}}{{cite web

| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=42&block_no=0353&year=&month=&day=&view=h0

|script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）

| publisher = JMA

| access-date = March 26, 2022}}{{cite web |first=Sayaka |last=Mori |date=February 20, 2024 |title=On Tuesday, 90 weather stations in the southern half of Japan experienced the warmest February day on record |url=https://twitter.com/sayakasofiamori/status/1759867743388705179 }}

|source 2 =理科年表}}

Per Japanese census data,[https://www.citypopulation.de/php/japan-gunma.php Takasaki population statistics] the population of Takasaki has recently plateaued after a long period of growth.

{{Historical populations

| 1960 | 244,376

| 1970 | 280,625

| 1980 | 323,403

| 1990 | 346,933

| 2000 | 358,465

| 2010 | 371,302

| 2020 | 372,973

|align = none

| footnote =

}}

During the Edo period, the area of present-day Takasaki was the center of the Takasaki Domain, a feudal domain held by a branch of the Matsudaira clan under the Tokugawa shogunate in Kōzuke Province. The area also prospered from its location on the Nakasendō highway connecting Edo with Kyoto. Post stations located within the borders of modern Takasaki were: Shinmachi-shuku, Kuragano-shuku, and Takasaki-shuku.

Following the Meiji Restoration, Takasaki was briefly capital of Gunma Prefecture, before the capital was moved to Maebashi in 1881.

Takasaki Town was created within Gunma District, Gunma on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. It was raised to city status on April 1, 1900. On April 1, 1927, Takasaki annexed the neighboring villages of Tsukasawa and Kataoka, followed by Sano on October 1, 1937. The city largely escaped damage in World War II. Following the war, it continued to expand its borders by annexing the village of Rokugo on April 1, 1951, Shintakao and Nakamura as well as Yawata and Toyooka from Ushi District on January 20, 1955. This was followed by Orui village and Sano village from Tano District on September 30, 1956. The city celebrated its 360th anniversary in 1963 and annexed the town of Kuragano on March 31 of the same year. On September 1, 1965 the village of Gunnan was annexed.

In September 1987, five-year-old Yoshiaki Ogiwara, the son of a local firefighter, was abducted and subsequently murdered in Takasaki. The murder received heavy media coverage across Japan.Kristof, Nicholas D. "[https://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/20/world/kidnap-murder-of-5-year-old-shakes-japan.html Kidnap-murder of 5-year-old shakes Japan"], The New York Times, 20 September 1987. Retrieved 12 April 2015.

On April 1, 2001 Takasaki was proclaimed a Special City (Tokurei-shi), which gave it greater autonomy.

On January 23, 2006, the towns of Gunma, Kurabuchi and Misato (all from Gunma District), and the town of Shinmachi (from Tano District) were merged into Takasaki. On October 1, 2006, the town of Haruna (from Gunma District) was merged into the expanded city of Takasaki. Gunma District was dissolved as a result of this merger. On June 1, 2009, the town of Yoshii (from Tano District) was merged into expanded city of Takasaki.[http://www.kokudo.or.jp/new/cities/sub/kanto/10.htm Information at kokudo.or.jp] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060821060502/http://www.kokudo.or.jp/new/cities/sub/kanto/10.htm |date=August 21, 2006}}

Takasaki was elevated to a Core city with even greater autonomy on April 1, 2011.

Takasaki has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 38 members. Takasaki contributes nine members to the Gunma Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is divided between the Gunma 4th district and Gunma 5th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Source:Takasaki City{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

{{Expand section|date=April 2015}}

Takasaki is a regional commercial center and transportation hub, and is a major industrial center within Gunma Prefecture. Companies headquartered in Takasaki include CUSCO Japan, an automotive parts manufacturer, and Yamada Denki, a home appliance retailer.

• Gumma Paz College
• Ikuei Junior College
• Jobu University
• Niijima Gakuen Junior College
• Takasaki City University of Economics
• Takasaki University of Commerce
• Takasaki University of Commerce Junior College
• Takasaki University of Health and Welfare
• Takasaki University of Health and Welfare Junior College

Takasaki has over sixty public elementary schools and 25 public middle schools operated by the city government and eight public high schools operated by the Gunma Prefecture Board of Education. In addition, the city operates one public high school and there are five private high schools. The prefecture also operates five special education schools for the handicapped.

Takasaki developed its own unique English curriculum and implemented it at all of the primary and middle schools in the city.{{cite news |title=４月から小学校全校で英語教育 |url=http://www.takasakiweb.jp/news_cat/news/1243/ |access-date=1 June 2022 |publisher=高崎新聞 |date=25 December 2015 |language=ja}} Primary school students in 1st through 4th grades have English lessons (formally called 'foreign language activities') once a week, while 5th and 6th grades have proper English lessons twice a week. This totals 35 hours (only 34 for 1st grade) of English education for 1st through 4th graders and 70 hours for 5th and 6th graders.

The main emphasis on primary school English in Takasaki is communication; students are actively encouraged to listen to authentic English and express themselves to their peers. In order to achieve this, Mayor Tomioka pushed to increase the number of Assistant Language Teachers in the city.{{cite web |title=令和２年度高崎市総合教育会議 会議録 |url=https://www.city.takasaki.gunma.jp/docs/2016052300034/files/2sougoukyouiku.pdf |website=高崎市の公式HP |access-date=1 June 2022}} Commonly referred to as ALTs, they are native English speakers hired from abroad to come and assist Japanese teachers during English class. Takasaki employs many ALTs through The JET Program.{{cite web |title=小学校における英語教育と高崎市の取組 |url=http://www.clair.or.jp/j/forum/forum/pdf_325/09_jetprogram.pdf |website=自治体国際化フォーラム｜ |publisher=自治体国際化 (CLAIR) |access-date=1 June 2022}} Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Takasaki had at least 1 ALT assigned to every primary and middle school in the city. The Takasaki Board of Education claims that Takasaki was the first in all of Japan to have English lessons starting in 1st grade, to have English twice a week for older students, and to assign at least 1 ALT to every school.{{cite web |title=広報高崎 |url=https://www.city.takasaki.gunma.jp/docs/2019101000039/files/11015-2.pdf |website=高崎市の公式HP |access-date=1 June 2022}}

In 2014, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (also abbreviated as MEXT) acknowledged the need to increase students' English ability in order to succeed globally.{{cite news |title=英語教育改革が2020年度からスタート、小中高校で英語の授業はどう変わる？ |url=https://www.kyoiku-press.com/post-204251/ |access-date=1 June 2022 |publisher=日本教育新聞電子版　NIKKYOWEB |date=26 June 2019 |language=ja}} In 2016, MEXT then designated Takasaki as a pilot city to test out upcoming changes to the nationwide English curriculum; the changes were modeled after the existing Takasaki curriculum. It was decided that the changes would officially begin in stages; primary schools would adapt the new curriculum nationwide in 2020, middle schools in 2021, and secondary schools in 2022.{{cite web |title=新学習指導要領 |url=https://www.komei.or.jp/km/komei/files/2019/05/3764e102f98326654898bbe9e62af02a.pdf |website=公明党の公式HP |access-date=1 June 2022}}

In 2019, MEXT did a survey to see how both primary and middle school students were performing in all subjects at the prefectural level. It was found that students in Gunma Prefecture placed in the top 6 prefectures across all subjects, and for the first time tied with Tokyo for first place in English.

20px JR East – Hokuriku Shinkansen

20px JR East – Jōetsu Shinkansen

• {{STN|Takasaki|x}}

20px JR East – Takasaki Line, Shōnan-Shinjuku Line, Ueno-Tokyo Line

• {{STN|Shimmachi|x|Gunma}} - {{STN|Kuragano|x}} - {{STN|Takasaki|x}}

20px JR East – Jōetsu Line

• {{STN|Takasaki|x}} - {{STN|Takasakitonyamachi|x}} - {{STN|Ino|x|Gunma}}

20px JR East – Shinetsu Main Line

• {{STN|Takasaki|x}} - {{STN|Kita-Takasaki|x}} - {{STN|Gumma-Yawata|x}}

20px Jōshin Dentetsu

• {{STN|Takasaki|x}} - {{STN|Minami-Takasaki|x}} - {{STN|Sanonowatashi|x}} - {{STN|Negoya|x}} - {{STN|Takasaki-Shōka-Daigakumae|x}} - {{STN|Yamana|x}} - {{STN|Nishi-Yamana|x}} - {{STN|Maniwa|x}} - {{STN|Yoshii|x|Gunma}} - {{STN|Nishi-Yoshii|x}}

• {{jct|country=JPN|Exp|E17|dab1=K}} – Takasaki-Tamamura Smart Interchange – Takasaki Junction – Takasaki Interchange – Maebashi Interchange
• {{jct|country=JPN|Exp|E18}} – Yoshii Interchange
• {{jct|country=JPN|Exp|E50|dab1=K}} – Takasaki Junction
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|17}}
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|18}}
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|254}}
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|354}}
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|406}}

• Haruna Shrine
• Lake Haruna
• Minowa Castle
• Mount Haruna
• The Museum of Modern Art, Gunma
• Shorinzan Daruma Temple
• The sound of a suikinkutsu in the Suikintei Garden of former Yoshii town is designated as one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan by the Ministry of the Environment{{cite web |url=http://www.env.go.jp/air/life/nihon_no_oto/index.html |title=100 Soundscapes of Japan |publisher=Ministry of the Environment |access-date=8 December 2015}}

• Takasaki Byakue Dai-Kannon, the 10th largest Kannon statue in Japan
• Takasaki Castle

• Kannonyama Candle Festival
• Takasaki Festival & Fireworks
• Takasaki Film Festival
• Takasaki Marching Festival

Gunma is one of the leading producers of wheat in all of Japan.{{cite web |title=パスタのまち高崎 |url=https://www.city.takasaki.gunma.jp/kankou/souvenir/pasta.html |website=高崎市の公式HP |publisher=Takasaki City |access-date=29 June 2022}} As such, dishes that utiliize wheat flour play in important role in local food culture. Takasaki is said to have many pasta shops per capita and in recent years has been called the pasta town.{{cite web |title=高崎市はなぜパスタの街になったのか？｜FunLIfeHack |url=https://funlifehack.com/takasaki-pasta/ |website=FunLIfeHack |access-date=29 June 2022 |language=ja}} Since 2009, Takasaki has held an annual competition called King of Pasta; citizens can buy mini portions of pasta dishes from participating restaurants and vote for the best one.{{cite web |title=King of Pasta |url=https://www.kingofpasta.jp/ |website=Official Website for King of Pasta |publisher=キングオブパスタ実行委員会 |access-date=29 June 2022}}

• Arte Takasaki - football (soccer) club

{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Japan}}

Takasaki is twinned with:{{cite web |title=友好都市|url=https://www.city.takasaki.gunma.jp/docs/2013121000017/|website=city.takasaki.gunma.jp|publisher=Takasaki|language=ja|access-date=2020-04-08}}

• {{flagicon|USA}} Battle Creek, Michigan, United States, since 1981
• {{flagicon|PHL}} Muntinlupa, Metro Manila, Philippines, since 2006
• {{flagicon|CZE}} Plzeň, Czech Republic, since 1990
• {{flagicon|BRA}} Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil, since 1981

• {{flagicon|CHN}} Chengde, Hebei, China, since 1987
• {{flagicon|JPN}} Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan, since 2008

{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2012}}

• Takeo Fukuda, former Prime Minister of Japan
• Yasuo Fukuda, former Prime Minister of Japan
• Yutaka Higuchi, musician (Buck-Tick)
• Kyosuke Himuro, musician (Boøwy)
• Tomoyasu Hotei, musician (Boøwy)
• Fujio Masuoka, inventor of flash memory
• Kanai Mieko (born in Takasaki 1947), writer
• Hirofumi Nakasone, politician
• Yasuhiro Nakasone, former Prime Minister of Japan
• Kiyoshi Ogawa, Imperial Japanese Navy kamikaze pilot
• Hakubun Shimomura, politician
• German architect Bruno Taut lived for some time in Takasaki
• Kenji Tsukagoshi, navigator and aviator
• Toll Yagami, musician (Buck-Tick)

Singaporean actress Jeanette Aw became an official PR ambassador for the city after starring in Ramen Teh, which was set and filmed in Takasaki.

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Takasaki, Gunma}}

• [http://www.city.takasaki.gunma.jp/ Official Website] {{in lang|ja}}

{{Gunma}}

{{Metropolitan cities of Japan}}

{{Most populous cities in Japan}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities in Gunma Prefecture

Category:Takasaki, Gunma