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Tosu, Saga

Tosu
鳥栖市
City
Tosu City Hall
Tosu City Hall
Flag of Tosu
Flag
Official seal of Tosu
Seal
Map
Location of Tosu in Saga Prefecture
Location of Tosu
Tosu is located in Japan
Tosu
Tosu
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 33°23′N 130°30′E / 33.383°N 130.500°E / 33.383; 130.500
CountryJapan
RegionKyushu
PrefectureSaga
Government
 • MayorYasushi Hashimoto (since March 2007)
Area
 • Total
71.72 km2 (27.69 sq mi)
Population
 (April 30, 2024)
 • Total
74,334
 • Density1,000/km2 (2,700/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address1118 Shukumachi, Tosu-shi, Saga-ken 841-8511
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
BirdJapanese white-eye
FlowerJapanese iris
TreeRound leaf holly
Sun Messe Tosu
Tosu stadium

Tosu (鳥栖市, Tosu-shi) is a city located in the eastern part of Saga Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. As of 30 April 2024, the city had an estimated population of 74,334 in 33597 households, and a population density of 1000 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the city is 71.72 km2 (27.69 sq mi).

Geography

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Located in the Saga Plains, the Chikushi River runs along the southern border of Tosu. The lowlands are used for paddy fields and is where the urban center is located. The northwestern part of the city is in the eastern part of the Sefuri Mountaians.

Mountains

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Rivers

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Dams

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Adjoining municipalities

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Fukuoka Prefecture

Saga Prefecture

Climate

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Tosu has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Tosu is 15.1 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1766 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.2 °C, and lowest in January, at around 4.3 °C.[2]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data, the population of Tosu is as shown below.[3]

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1940 31,401—    
1950 39,781+26.7%
1960 41,870+5.3%
1970 47,369+13.1%
1980 54,254+14.5%
1990 55,877+3.0%
2000 60,726+8.7%
2010 69,074+13.7%
2020 74,196+7.4%

History

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The area of Tosu was part of ancient Hizen Province, and during the Edo period was an exclave of Tsushima-Fuchū Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. Tashiro-juku was home to the taxation rice storehouse and magistrate's office of the domain. It was also a stopping place for Joseon missions to Japan. The Sō clan prospered from its knowledge of Chinese traditional medicine and access to supplies imported from Korea, and the region was considered one of the four major pharmaceutical centers in pre-modern Japan. Following the Meiji restoration, the area was the center of the 1874 Saga Rebellion, and a battle between the government troops and the rebel army occurred on Mount Asahi. The villages Asahi, Fumoto, Kizato, Tashiro and Todoroki were created on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. Todoroki was elevated to town status on March 19, 1907 and renamed Tosu. Tashiro was elevated to town status on March 11, 1936. On April 1, 1954 Tosu merged with Tashiro and the villages of Asahi, Fumoto and Kizato and was raised to city status.

Government

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Tosu has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 22 members. Tosu contributes three members to the Saga Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Saga 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

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Tosu is a regional commercial center and logistics and distribution hub, due to its location at the intersection of several major highways and rail line. The local economy remains centered on agriculture, food processing and light manufacturing. Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical is headquartered inn Tosu.

Education

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Tosu has eight public elementary schools and five public junior high schools operated by the city government, and three public high schools operated by the Saga Prefectural Board of Education.

Junior colleges

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Senior high schools

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Junior high schools

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Elementary schools

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Transport

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Tosu is one of the major transportation hubs of Kyushu. Its main train station is Tosu Station which connects the Nagasaki Main Line and the Kagoshima Main Line. There is also a junction connecting the Kyūshū Expressway, Nagasaki Expressway and Ōita Expressway. Economically it is part of the Fukuoka metropolitan area, and according to a 2000 census about 5% of the total population of Tosu commute to work or school in Fukuoka.

Rail

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JR Kyushu - Kyushu Shinkansen

Shin-Tosu

JR Kyushu - Kagoshima Main Line

JB Yayoigaoka - Tashiro - Tosu - Hizen-Asahi

JR Kyushu - Nagasaki Main Line

JH Tosu - Shin-Tosu - Hizen-Fumoto

Highways

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Sister cities

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Local attractions

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Tosu Football Stadium


Sightseeing spots

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Tosu Premium Outlets

Festivals and events

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Sports

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Notable people from Tosu

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References

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  1. ^ "Tosu City official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. ^ Tosu climate: Average Temperature, weather by month
  3. ^ Saga Prefecture population by municipality
  4. ^ "Partnerstädte". zeitz.de (in German). Zeitz. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
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