Kumagaya


Kumagaya is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan., the city had an estimated population of 198,440, and a population density of 1240 persons per km². Its total area is.

Geography

Kumagaya is one of the largest cities in northern Saitama Prefecture. Eight national highways and three railway lines serve the city. While many people commute towards south Tokyo, its daytime population is larger than the night population thanks to commuters from surrounding towns. The city is located on the east edge of Arakawa River alluvial fan, approximately 60 km from central Tokyo and 45 km from Saitama City. The Tone River also flows through city.

Surrounding municipalities

Kumagaya has a humid subtropical climate and is known for being one of the hottest areas in summer in Japan. This is caused by very hot winds from Tokyo and the Chichibu basin in the west of the prefecture. In central Tokyo, the summer monsoon enhanced by sea breeze is heated by the urban heat island. Also, from the Chichibu Mountains, the Fohn blows. The two winds converge above the city at about 2 p.m.
On August 16, 2007, the city recorded air temperature of, breaking the 74-year record for the highest temperature recorded in Japan. "Very Hot! Kumagaya" is a catchphrase of the city. On July 23, 2018, the national record was broken again with a temperature of, surpassing the previous record of recorded in Kōchi Prefecture in August 2013.
There was a large hailstorm on June 29, 1917 at about 5 p.m. The hailstones had a diameter of 29.5 centimetres and weighed 3.4 kilograms.
The Japan Meteorological Agency maintains a local meteorological observatory in Kumagaya.

History

developed as a post town on the Nakasendō highway during the Edo period.

Education

Universities

Railway

Kumagaya is twinned with:

Noted people from Kumagaya