Kanda, Fukuoka

Coordinates: 33°46′33″N 130°58′50″E / 33.77583°N 130.98056°E / 33.77583; 130.98056
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Kanda
苅田町
Kanda Town Hall
Kanda Town Hall
Flag of Kanda
Official seal of Kanda
Map
Location of Kanda in Fukuoka Prefecture
Location of Kanda
Kanda is located in Japan
Kanda
Kanda
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 33°46′33″N 130°58′50″E / 33.77583°N 130.98056°E / 33.77583; 130.98056
CountryJapan
RegionKyushu
PrefectureFukuoka
DistrictMiyako
Area
 • Total48.98 km2 (18.91 sq mi)
Population
 (December 31, 2023)
 • Total37,783
 • Density770/km2 (2,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address1-19-1 Fukucho, Kanda-cho, Miyako-gun, Fukuoka-ken 800-0392
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
FlowerPansy
TreeCinnamomum camphora
Seiryu Cave

Kanda (苅田町, Kanda-machi) is a town located in Miyako District, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 December 2023, the town had an estimated population of 37,783 in 18840 households, and a population density of 120 persons per km². [1] The total area of the town is 48.98 km2 (18.91 sq mi).

Geography[edit]

Kanda is located in northeastern Fukuoka Prefecture. It is bordered by the Gulf of Suo on the Seto Inland Sea, and to the west by the Hiraodai, which is known for its karst plateau. The southern area adjacent to Yukuhashi City is a lush rural area on the Miyako Plain.

Neighboring municipalities[edit]

Fukuoka Prefecture

Climate[edit]

Kanda has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kanda is 15.8 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1663 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around 5.2 °C.[2]

Demographics[edit]

Per Japanese census data, the population of Kanda is as shown below

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1950 13,731—    
1960 18,796+36.9%
1970 22,430+19.3%
1980 26,058+16.2%
1990 32,850+26.1%
2000 34,931+6.3%
2010 35,827+2.6%
2020 37,309+4.1%

History[edit]

The area of Kanda was part of ancient Buzen Province. During the Edo Period, the area was part of the holdings of Kokura Domain. The village of Kanda within Miyako District, Fukuoka was established on May 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. Kanda was raised to town status on August 1, 1924. Kanda annexed neighboring the villages of Obase and Shirakawa on January 1, 1955.

Government[edit]

Kanda has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 11 members. Miyako, collectively with the town of Kanda contributes one member to the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Fukuoka 11th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Future merger[edit]

A majority of local residents favor remaining an independent municipality, but voices calling for a merger with the neighboring city of Kitakyūshū remain.[3]

Economy[edit]

Kanda belongs to the Kitakyushu metropolitan area and serves partly as a commuter town with neighboring Kitakyushu City and Yukuhashi City. It is part of the Kitakyushu industrial zone (region) centered on automobiles, cement, electricity, etc., and has a large concentration of industry compared to its population size. In recent years, the automobile industry has become extremely concentrated, with the Nissan Motor Kyushu Plant (currently Nissan Motor Kyushu) starting operations in 1975 and the Toyota Motor Kyushu Kanda Plant starting operations in 2005.[4] It is developing as an area that is responsible for the automobile industry in northern Kyushu.

Education[edit]

Kanda has six public elementary schools and two public junior high schools operated by the town government and one combined public high school operated by the Fukuoka Prefectural Board of Education. The Nishinippon Institute of Technology is also located in Kanda.

Transportation[edit]

Airports[edit]

Railways[edit]

JR Kyushu - Nippō Main Line

Highways[edit]

Sister City relations[edit]

Samcheok, South Korea (since 1997)

Local attractions[edit]

Festivals[edit]

  • Kanda Float Festival, held annually in mid-September.[7] The festival is famous for its 14 "fighting floats", and has been categorized as an "Intengible Folk Cultural Asset" by the Fukuoka prefecture.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Kanda Town official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. ^ Kanda climate: Average Temperature, weather by month
  3. ^ "振興から自立へ 苅田町の挑戦<中>連携 聞こえてくる不協和音". Archived from the original on 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2009-11-19.
  4. ^ "Nissan Kyushu Plant history". Archived from the original on 2015-07-23. Retrieved 2015-07-18.
  5. ^ "Welcome to Kitakyushu airport official website". english.kitakyu-air.jp. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  6. ^ "Higashi-Kyushu Expressway Kanda Kitakyushu Airport IC Inbound Exit Details / Explore| Japan Travel by NAVITIME - Japan Travel Guides, Maps, Transit Search and Route Planner". japantravel.navitime.com. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  7. ^ Japan, Kyushu Tourism Promotion Organization [. "KANDA FLOAT FESTIVAL|EVENT INFORMATION|Kyushu Tourism Information [ Japan ]". Kyushu Tourism Information [ Japan ] (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-08-30.

External links[edit]