Hatsukaichi

Hatsukaichi is located in far southwestern Hiroshima Prefecture. In the north, the spine of the Chūgoku Mountains borders Shimane and Yamaguchi prefectures, and in the south is the coastline of the Seto Inland Sea (Hiroshima Bay). While the coastal areas are becoming more urbanized, the inland rural areas are undergoing marked depopulation.

Hiroshima Prefecture

• Akiōta
• Etajima
• Ōtake
• Saeki-ku, Hiroshima

Shimane Prefecture

• Masuda

Yamaguchi Prefecture

• Iwakuni

Per Japanese census data, the population of Hatsukaichi has more than doubled since 1960.

{{Historical populations

| 1950 | 48201

| 1960 | 49417

| 1970 | 57218

| 1980 | 76592

| 1990 | 101630

| 2000 | 114981

| 2010 | 114062

|align = none

| footnote = Hatsukaichi population statistics[https://www.citypopulation.de/en/japan/hiroshima/ Hatsukaichi population statistics]

}}

{{Weather box

|collapsed = Y

|single line = Y

|metric first = Y

|location = Hatsukaichi (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present)

|Jan high C = 6.7

|Feb high C = 8.1

|Mar high C = 12.2

|Apr high C = 18.1

|May high C = 23.1

|Jun high C = 25.8

|Jul high C = 29.3

|Aug high C = 30.7

|Sep high C = 26.9

|Oct high C = 21.3

|Nov high C = 15.3

|Dec high C = 9.2

|Jan mean C = 1.5

|Feb mean C = 2.4

|Mar mean C = 5.9

|Apr mean C = 11.4

|May mean C = 16.5

|Jun mean C = 20.3

|Jul mean C = 24.2

|Aug mean C = 25.0

|Sep mean C = 21.0

|Oct mean C = 14.8

|Nov mean C = 8.8

|Dec mean C = 3.5

|Jan low C = -2.9

|Feb low C = -2.6

|Mar low C = -0.1

|Apr low C = 4.6

|May low C = 9.9

|Jun low C = 15.4

|Jul low C = 20.1

|Aug low C = 20.6

|Sep low C = 16.2

|Oct low C = 9.2

|Nov low C = 3.2

|Dec low C = -1.2

|Jan record high C = 17.2

|Feb record high C = 19.8

|Mar record high C = 23.7

|Apr record high C = 29.1

|May record high C = 31.5

|Jun record high C = 33.0

|Jul record high C = 37.4

|Aug record high C = 36.7

|Sep record high C = 35.4

|Oct record high C = 29.4

|Nov record high C = 24.1

|Dec record high C = 19.5

|year record high C= 37.4

|Jan record low C = -11.7

|Feb record low C = -13.7

|Mar record low C = -8.4

|Apr record low C = -4.8

|May record low C = -0.7

|Jun record low C = 5.8

|Jul record low C = 10.5

|Aug record low C = 12.5

|Sep record low C = 3.3

|Oct record low C = -2.2

|Nov record low C = -4.6

|Dec record low C = -10.6

|year record low C= -13.7

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 64.5

|Feb precipitation mm = 80.4

|Mar precipitation mm = 144.6

|Apr precipitation mm = 180.0

|May precipitation mm = 212.1

|Jun precipitation mm = 270.0

|Jul precipitation mm = 343.0

|Aug precipitation mm = 189.8

|Sep precipitation mm = 210.9

|Oct precipitation mm = 116.7

|Nov precipitation mm = 82.0

|Dec precipitation mm = 69.8

|year precipitation mm=

|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

|Jan rain days = 8.6

|Feb rain days = 9.6

|Mar rain days = 11.0

|Apr rain days = 10.0

|May rain days = 9.4

|Jun rain days = 12.6

|Jul rain days = 12.3

|Aug rain days = 10.0

|Sep rain days = 10.0

|Oct rain days = 7.2

|Nov rain days = 7.7

|Dec rain days = 8.9

|Jan sun = 116.9

|Feb sun = 127.6

|Mar sun = 165.0

|Apr sun = 189.2

|May sun = 210.0

|Jun sun = 143.3

|Jul sun = 149.8

|Aug sun = 183.3

|Sep sun = 151.9

|Oct sun = 167.6

|Nov sun = 142.2

|Dec sun = 124.5

|source 1 = JMA{{cite web

| url = http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_a.php?prec_no=67&block_no=1326&year=&month=&day=&view=

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

| publisher = JMA

| access-date = February 17, 2022}}{{cite web

| url = http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=67&block_no=1326&year=&month=&day=&view=

|script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）

| publisher = JMA

| access-date = February 17, 2022}}}}

The area of Hatsukaichi is part of ancient Aki Province. Itsukushima Shrine developed greatly at the end of the Heian period under the patronage of Taira no Kiyomori and gained influence in the region. As the shrine was occasionally destroyed by fire or natural disasters, the Kamakura shogunate, ordered many metal casters moved to the area on the opposite bank (present-day Honmachi, Hatsukaichi City), and the accumulation of living and rebuilding materials such as salt and wood began. Since the last day of the festival held four times a year at Itsukushima Shrine was the 20th, a market began to be held on the 20th of each month as early as the middle of the Kamakura period, and the market on the 20th is called 'Hatsukaichi'. This name appears in official documents from 1454, and since this period, Hatsukaichi has developed as a port and a timber industry town based on the collection of timber from the western Chugoku Mountains. During the Edo Period, the area was part of the holdings of Hiroshima Domain. Following the Meiji Restoration, the town of Hatsukaichi was established within Saeki District, Hiroshima on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. Hatsukaichi merged with four neighboring villages to become the city of Hatsukaichi on April 1, 1988.

On March 1, 2003, the town of Saeki and the village of Yoshiwa, both from Saeki District, merged into the expanded city of Hatsukaichi. On November 3, 2005, the towns of Miyajima and Ōno (both from Saeki District) were merged into Hatsukaichi. Therefore, Saeki District was dissolved as a result of this merger.

Hatsukaichi has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 28 members. Hatsukaichi contributes two members to the Hiroshima Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Hiroshima 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Hatsukaichi is one of the cities that make up the Hiroshima metropolitan area, and was formerly an industrial city noted for its timber industry, wood processing and food processing, as well as commercial fishing. It is increasingly a commuter town for neighboring Hiroshima. However, after the mergers of 2003 and 2005, the city gained a large agricultural hinterland, as well as the major tourist attraction of Itsukushima Shrine.

Hatsukaichi has 16 public elementary schools and seven public junior high schools operated by the city government, and four public high schools operated by the Hiroshima Prefectural Board of Education. There is also one private high school. The prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped. The Japanese Red Cross Hiroshima College of Nursing and Sanyo Women's College are located in Hatsukaichi.

File:廿日市駅北口新駅舎.jpg Hatsukaichi station in 2016]]

File:Sakura Bus.JPG

File:View towards Miyajimaguchi, Hatsukaichi, 2016.jpg in the foreground.]]

File:JR logo (west).svg JR West - San'yō Main Line

• {{STN|Hatsukaichi|x}} - {{STN|Miyauchikushido|x}} - {{STN|Ajina|x}} - {{STN|Miyajimaguchi|x}} - {{STN|Maezora|x}} - {{STN|Ōnoura|x}}

File:Hiroden Logomark.svg Hiroshima Electric Railway - Hiroden Miyajima Line

• {{STN|Sanyo-jogakuen-mae|x}} - {{STN|Hiroden-hatsukaichi|x}} - {{STN|Hatsukaichi-shiyakusho-mae|x}} - {{STN|Miyauchi|x|Hiroshima}} - {{STN|JA Hiroshimabyoin-mae|x}} - {{STN|Jigozen|x}} - {{STN|Ajina-higashi|x}} - {{STN|Hiroden-ajina|x}} - {{STN|Miyajima Boat Race Jō|x}} - {{STN|Hiroden-miyajima-guchi|x}}

Hatsukaichi is served by the Sakura Bus on the Hara Line.

• File:JP Expressway E2.svg Sanyō Expressway
• File:JP Expressway E2A.svg Chūgoku Expressway
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|2}}
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|186}}
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|433}}
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|434}}
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|488}}

• JR Miyajima Ferry and Miyajima Matsudai Kisen connect between Miyajimaguchi and Miyajima.

• FM Hatsukaichi

• {{flagicon|United States}} Hawaiʻi County, Hawaiʻi, United States (since 2024)
• {{flagicon|New Zealand}} Masterton, Greater Wellington, New Zealand (since 1998)
• {{flagicon|France}} Mont Saint-Michel, Normandy, France

File:ItsukushimaTorii7396.jpg in Itsukushima Shrine]]

Image:Miyajima.jpg

• Hatsukaichi City is considered to be the birthplace of kendama, a traditional Japanese toy.
• Itsukushima Shrine - an UNESCO World Heritage Site on the island of Itsukushima (also known as Miyajima) - one of the three most beautiful sites in Japan.
• Marine Plaza Miyajima - an aquarium on Miyajima
• Miyajima Natural Botanical Garden
• Miyao Castle ruins, site of the Battle of Miyajima (1555)
• Miyajima Underwater Firework Festival, held in mid-August{{cite web|url=http://www.miyajima.or.jp/english/event/event_hanabi.html|access-date=July 20, 2012|title=Miyajima Water Fireworks Display|archive-date=May 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517120428/https://www.miyajima.or.jp/english/event/event_hanabi.html|url-status=dead}}

• Yoshirō Edamasa, movie director
• Tadamichi Yamamoto, diplomat

{{reflist}}

• {{commons category-inline}}
• [http://www.city.hatsukaichi.hiroshima.jp Hatsukaichi city official website] {{in lang|ja}}
• [http://www.wikimanche.fr/Le_Mont-Saint-Michel Le Mont Saint-Michel] {{in lang|fr}}
• [http://www.tourisme-japon.fr/jnto150/ The 150 year anniversary of France and Japan in 2008] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20080322191410/http://www.tourisme-japon.fr/jnto150/ |date=2008-03-22 }} {{in lang|fr}}
• {{osmrelation-inline|4090189}}

{{Hiroshima}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities in Hiroshima Prefecture

Category:Populated coastal places in Japan

Category:Port settlements in Japan