Hachiōji-shi

Geography

Hachiōji is located in the foothills of the Okutama Mountains of western Tokyo, about 40 kilometers west of the center of the 23 special wards of Tokyo. The city is surrounded on three sides by mountains, forming the Hachioji Basin which opens up toward the east in the direction of Tokyo. The mountain ranges in the southwest include Mount Takao (599 m) and Mount Jinba (857 m), two popular hiking destinations which can be reached by train and bus, respectively.

Surrounding municipalities

Kanagawa Prefecture

Sagamihara

Tokyo Metropolis

Akiruno

Akishima

Fussa

Hino

Hinohara

Machida

Tama

Climate

Hachiōji has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Hachiōji is 13.9 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1998 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.3 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.4 °C.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Hachiōji has recently plateaued after nine decades of strong growth.

History

The area of present-day Hachiōji was part of ancient Musashi Province. It has been an important junction point and post town along the Kōshū Kaidō, the main road that connected the historical Edo (today's Tokyo) with western Japan. Hachiōji Castle was built during the Sengoku period in 1584 by Hōjō Ujiteru, but was destroyed in 1590 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. During the Edo period, the area was tenryō controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate. In the post-Meiji Restoration cadastral reform of July 22, 1878, the area became part of Minamitama District in Kanagawa Prefecture. The town of Hachiōji was created on April 1, 1889, with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. Minaitama District was transferred to the administrative control of Tokyo Metropolis on April 1, 1893. Hachiōji gained city status on September 1, 1917.

During the 1964 Summer Olympics, the city was host to the cycling events. The Hachioji Velodrome was used for the events.

Hachiōji became a Core city on April 1, 2015, with increased local autonomy.

Government

Hachiōji has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 40 members, whose members are elected for a four-year term. Hachiōji contributes five members to the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is divided between the Tokyo 21st district and Tokyo 24th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

During the Meiji period, Hachiōji prospered as an important location for the production of silk and silk textiles. The industry faded away, however, in the 1960s. Today, Hachiōji mainly serves as a commuter town for people working in Tokyo, and as a location for many large colleges and universities.

Education

Colleges and universities

Chuo University (Tama Campus)

Digital Hollywood University

Kogakuin University (Hachioji Campus)

Kyorin University (Hachioji Campus)

Meisei University (Hino Campus)

Nihon Bunka University

Soka University

Tama Art University (Hachioji Campus)

Takushoku University (Hachioji Campus)

Teikyo University (Hachioji Campus)

Tokyo Junshin University

Tokyo Kasei-Gakuin University (Machida Campus)

Tokyo Metropolitan University (Minamiōsawa Campus)

Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences

Tokyo University of Technology (Hachiōji Campus)

Tokyo Zokei University

Nippon Engineering College

Hachioji Municipal Nursing College

Primary and secondary education

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education operates nine public high schools, and the Hachioji School for the Blind. There are also eleven private high schools.

Metropolitan high schools:

Hachiōji has 70 public elementary schools and 37 public junior high schools operated by the city government, as well as four public combined elementary/junior high schools.

Combined public elementary and junior high schools:

Izumi no Mori School (いずみの森義務教育学校)

Tate (館小中学校)

Municipal junior high schools:

Municipal elementary schools:

Former:

Takaosan Gakuen (高尾山学園) - Elementary and junior high

Transportation

Railways

JR East - Chūō Main Line

Hachiōji – Nishi-Hachiōji – Takao

JR East - Yokohama Line

Hachiōji-Minamino – Katakura – Hachiōji

JR East - Hachikō Line

Hachiōji – Kita-Hachiōji – Komiya

Keio Corporation - Keiō Line

Naganuma – Kitano – Keiō-Hachiōji

Keio Corporation - Keiō Takao Line

Kitano – Keiō-Katakura – Yamada – Mejirodai – Hazama – Takao – Takaosanguchi

Keio Corporation - Sagamihara Line

Keiō-Horinouchi – Minami-Ōsawa

Tokyo Tama Intercity Monorail - Tama Toshi Monorail Line

Chūō-Daigaku-Meisei-Daigaku – Ōtsuka-Teikyō-Daigaku – Matsugaya

Takaotozan Railway

Highways

Ken-Ō Expressway

Chūō Expressway

National Route 16

National Route 20

National Route 411

Sister cities

Kaohsiung, Taiwan, friendship city since November 1, 2006

Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, friendship city since November 7, 2006

Tai'an, Shandong, People's Republic of China, friendship city since September 23, 2006

Local attractions

Hachioji stretches over a large area, combining such diverse parts as the densely populated city center and its shopping district with the hardly populated rural areas in the west.

Mt. Takao (599 m) is a popular hiking destination in the southwest, easily accessible through the Keiō Takao Line. It is famous for the Shingon Buddhist temple Takao-san Yakuōin Yūkiji (高尾山薬王院有喜寺).

Mt. Jinba (855 m) is more difficult to reach, requiring a one-hour bus ride from the city center. It is popular, however, because of the scenic view toward Mt. Fuji.

Tama Forest Science Garden

Tokyo Fuji Art Museum

Kamiyugi Park Baseball Field

Kamiyugi Park Athletic Stadium

Musashi Imperial Graveyard houses the remains of the Taishō and Shōwa emperors.

Takiyama Castle, A castle ruin in the Sengoku period, one of the Continued Top 100 Japanese Castles.

Hachiōji Castle, A castle ruin in the Sengoku period, one of Japan's Top 100 Castles.