Introduction
City in northeastern Osaka Prefecture, Japan
Core city in Kansai, JapanHirakata
枚方市Core cityHirakata City hall
FlagEmblemLocation of Hirakata in Osaka PrefectureHirakataLocation in JapanCoordinates: 34°49′N 135°39′E / 34.817°N 135.650°E / 34.817; 135.650CountryJapanRegionKansaiPrefectureOsakaGovernment • MayorTakashi FushimiArea • Total65.12 km2 (25.14 sq mi)Population (December 31, 2021) • Total397,681 • Density6,107/km2 (15,820/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)City hall address2-1-20 Ogaito-chō, Hirakata-shi, Osaka-fu573-8666ClimateCfaWebsiteOfficial websiteSymbolsBirdCommon kingfisherFlowerChrysanthemumTreeWillow
Hirakata Park
Hirakata (枚方市, Hirakata-shi) is a city in northeastern Osaka Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 December 2021[update], the city had an estimated population of 397,681 in 183075 households and a population density of 6100 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 65.12 square kilometres (25.14 sq mi).
Geography
[edit]
Hirakata is located in the northeast of Osaka Prefecture, almost halfway between the metropolis of Osaka and Kyoto. It is on the left bank of the Yodogawa River, and forms a triangle of 12.0 km (7.5 mi) and 8.7 km (5.4 mi) north–south. It is bordered by the Ikoma Mountains to the east.
Climate[edit]
Hirakata has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Hirakata is 16.2 °C (61.2 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,389.5 mm (54.70 in) with June as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 28.3 °C (82.9 °F), and lowest in January, at around 4.9 °C (40.8 °F).
Climate data for Hirakata (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present)
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Record high °C (°F)
17.7(63.9)
22.7(72.9)
26.7(80.1)
31.0(87.8)
33.3(91.9)
36.4(97.5)
39.8(103.6)
39.6(103.3)
37.1(98.8)
34.0(93.2)
27.3(81.1)
25.0(77.0)
39.8(103.6)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
9.3(48.7)
10.2(50.4)
14.1(57.4)
20.1(68.2)
25.2(77.4)
28.1(82.6)
31.9(89.4)
33.7(92.7)
29.3(84.7)
23.5(74.3)
17.5(63.5)
11.8(53.2)
21.3(70.3)
Daily mean °C (°F)
4.9(40.8)
5.5(41.9)
8.9(48.0)
14.4(57.9)
19.4(66.9)
23.1(73.6)
27.1(80.8)
28.3(82.9)
24.3(75.7)
18.4(65.1)
12.5(54.5)
7.2(45.0)
16.2(61.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
1.0(33.8)
1.3(34.3)
4.2(39.6)
9.1(48.4)
14.4(57.9)
19.1(66.4)
23.4(74.1)
24.4(75.9)
20.4(68.7)
14.2(57.6)
8.1(46.6)
3.2(37.8)
12.0(53.6)
Record low °C (°F)
−6.2(20.8)
−7.1(19.2)
−4.4(24.1)
−1.1(30.0)
3.2(37.8)
9.0(48.2)
15.3(59.5)
16.4(61.5)
9.4(48.9)
3.1(37.6)
−0.6(30.9)
−3.9(25.0)
−7.1(19.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches)
49.8(1.96)
61.6(2.43)
106.2(4.18)
102.4(4.03)
139.1(5.48)
194.2(7.65)
183.8(7.24)
142.5(5.61)
158.6(6.24)
136.7(5.38)
70.5(2.78)
53.0(2.09)
1,389.5(54.70)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0mm)
5.5
6.7
9.6
9.7
10.0
12.0
11.7
8.6
10.2
8.9
6.6
6.2
105.1
Mean monthly sunshine hours
135.0
128.7
161.2
184.4
193.4
141.7
155.9
204.9
153.9
158.1
143.2
139.9
1,912.2
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency
Demographics[edit]
Per Japanese census data, the population of Hirakata rose rapidly in the 1960s and 1970s, and less rapidly since.
Historical populationYearPop.±% 1920 23,714—     1930 27,878+17.6% 1940 39,306+41.0% 1950 52,817+34.4% 1960 80,312+52.1% 1970 217,369+170.7% 1980 353,358+62.6% 1990 390,788+10.6% 2000 402,563+3.0% 2010 407,997+1.3%
Eriko Aoki, author of "Korean children, textbooks, and educational practices in Japanese primary schools," stated that the city's location in proximity to both Osaka City and Kyoto contributed to its population growth of ten times its previous size from around 1973 to 2013.
Ethnic Koreans[edit]
As of 2013 the city has about 2,000 ethnic Koreans. Most Hirakata Koreans, including children of school age, use Japanese names. Many Koreans in Hirakata operate their own businesses. Hirakata has the "mother's society" or "Omoni no Kai", a voluntary association of ethnic Korean mothers. It also has branches of the Chongryon and Mindan, Japan's two major Korean associations. Hirakata has no particular Korean neighborhoods. There were about 3,000 ethnic Koreans in Hirakata in the pre-World War II period. In the 1930s Hirakata Koreans, fearful of keeping their own jobs, had negative attitudes towards Osaka-based Koreans who were looking for employment after having lost their jobs. Military construction was the most common job sector of that era's Korean population. Eriko Aoki stated that in 2013 there was still a sense of difference between the Koreans in Hirakata and the Koreans in Osaka.
