Handa, Aichi

Handa 半田市
City
Kamesaki Mud-flats Festival on May
Flag Seal
Location of Handa in Aichi Prefecture
Handa
Coordinates: 34°53′31″N 136°56′17″E / 34.89194°N 136.93806°E / 34.89194; 136.93806Coordinates: 34°53′31″N 136°56′17″E / 34.89194°N 136.93806°E / 34.89194; 136.93806
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu (Tōkai)
Prefecture	Aichi Prefecture
District	Chita (formerly)
Government
• Mayor	Izō Sakakibara
Area
• Total	47.42 km2 (18.31 sq mi)
Population (May 2015)
• Total	117,088
• Density	2,470/km2 (6,400/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
- Tree	Japanese Black Pine
- Flower	Satsuki azalea
Phone number	0569-21-3111
Address	2-1 Tōyō-chō, Handa-shi, Aichi-ken 475-8666
Website	Official website

Handa City Hall

Handa (半田市, Handa-shi) is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

As of May 2015, the city had an estimated population of 117,088 and a population density of 2,470 persons per km². The total area was 47.24 square kilometres (18.24 sq mi).

Handa Canal

Geography

Handa is located in northeastern Chita Peninsula in southern Aichi Prefecture, and is bordered by Mikawa Bay to the east.

Neighboring municipalities

• Aichi Prefecture
  • Hekinan
  • Tokoname
  • Takahama
  • Taketoyo
  • Agui
  • Higashiura

History

During the Edo period, the area of Handa city was part of Owari Domain. In the post-Meiji restoration cadastral reforms of October 1, 1889, the towns of Handa and Kamezaki were founded, as was the town of Narawa the following year. These three towns merged on October 1, 1937 to form the city of Handa.

Economy

Handa has a strong historical connection with soy sauce, sake and vinegar brewing, and remains the worldwide headquarters of the Mizkan Vinegar Group.^[1] During World War II, Nakajima Aircraft Company established an aircraft production plant in Handa. In the post-war period, this was redeveloped into a heavy industrial zone, including a production plant by Dow Chemical. Handa and Midland, Michigan became Sister Cities in 1981, a relationship that continues to this day.^[2]

Education

• Nihon Fukushi University – Handa campus
• Handa has seven elementary schools, five middle schools, five high schools and two special education schools.

Transportation

Railway

• East Japan Railway Company – Taketoyo Line
  • Kamezaki-Okkawa-Handa-Higashi-Narawa
• Meitetsu – Kōwa Line
  • Handaguchi-Sumiyoshichō-Chita-Handa-Narawa
• Kinuura Rinkai Railway – Handa Line
  • (freight only)

Highway

• Japan National Route 247
• Japan National Route 366

Sister city relations

• – Nanto, Toyama, since April 28, 1997
• -Midland, Michigan, United States, since June 5, 1981.^[3]
• – Port Macquarie, Australia,^[4] since April 14, 1990
• – Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China,^[4] since May 27, 1993

Local attractions

• Mizkan Museum
• Handa Red Brick Building
• Niimi Nankichi Memorial Museum
• Yakachi River
• Jōraku-ji

• 
  Mizkan Museum
• 
  Handa Red Brick Building
• 
  Niimi Nankichi Memorial Museum
• 
  Yakachi River
• 
  Jōraku-ji

Noted people from Handa

• Satoru Akahori – author
• Nankichi Niimi – author
• Atsushi Harada – actor
• Eiji Mitsuoka – mixed martial artist
• Hiromi Makihara – professional baseball player

References

External links

Media related to Handa, Aichi at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website (Japanese)

Aichi Prefecture
Nagoya (capital)
Wards of Nagoya	Atsuta Chikusa Higashi Kita Meitō Midori Minami Minato Mizuho Moriyama Naka Nakagawa Nakamura Nishi Shōwa Tempaku
Core cities	Okazaki Toyohashi Toyota
Special cities	Ichinomiya Kasugai
Cities	Aisai Ama Anjō Chiryū Chita Gamagōri Handa Hekinan Inazawa Inuyama Iwakura Kariya Kitanagoya Kiyosu Komaki Kōnan Miyoshi Nagakute Nishio Nisshin Ōbu Owariasahi Seto Shinshiro Tahara Takahama Tokoname Tōkai Toyoake Toyokawa Tsushima Yatomi
Aichi District	Tōgō
Ama District	Kanie Ōharu Tobishima
Chita District	Agui Higashiura Mihama Minamichita Taketoyo
Kitashitara District	Shitara Tōei Toyone
Nishikasugai District	Toyoyama
Niwa District	Fusō Ōguchi
Nukata District	Kōta
List of mergers in Aichi Prefecture