Maebashi
Prefecture capital and Core city
Native name前橋市
Coordinates36°23′22.2″N 139°3′48.3″E
CountryJapan
RegionKantō
PrefectureGunma
First official record4th century AD
City settledApril 1, 1892
MayorAkira Ogawa (小川晶) (from February 2024)
Area total311.59 km²
Population total335352
Population as ofAugust 31, 2020
Population metro1263034 (12th)
Time zoneJapan Standard Time (UTC+9)
- TreeGinkgo & Zelkova
- FlowerRose & Azalea
Phone number027-224-1111
Address2-12-1, Ote-Machi, Maebashi-shi, Gunma-ken 371-8601
WebsiteOfficial website

Maebashi (前橋市, Maebashi-shi, ma.eꜜ.ba.ɕi, maꜜ.e-, ma.e.ba.ɕiꜜ.ɕi, ma.e.ba.ɕi[1]) is the capital city of Gunma Prefecture, in the northern Kantō region of Japan.[2] As of 31 August 2020, the city had an estimated population of 335,352 in 151,171 households,[3] and a population density of 1100 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 311.59 km2 (120.31 sq mi). It was the most populous city within Gunma Prefecture until Takasaki merged with nearby towns between 2006 and 2009.[4] Maebashi is known to be the "City of Water, Greenery and Poets" because of its pure waters, its rich nature and because it gave birth to several Japanese contemporary poets, such as Sakutarō Hagiwara.[5]

Etymology

The Maebashi area was called Umayabashi (厩橋) during the Nara period. This name finds its origins in the fact that there was a bridge (hashi, 橋) crossing the Tone River and not far from the bridge there was a small refreshment house with a stable (umaya, 駅家), often used by people travelling on the Tōzan-dō (the road connecting the capital to the eastern regions of Japan). The spelling was officially changed into Maebashi (前橋) in 1649 during the Edo period when Maebashi became a castle town and the center of Maebashi Domain, a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate.[6]

History

The town of Maebashi was established within Higashigunma District, Gunma Prefecture on April 1, 1889, with the creation of the modern municipalities system after the Meiji Restoration. Maebashi was raised to city status on April 1, 1892. In 1901, it annexed a portion of Kamikawabuchi village from Seta District.[citation needed]

On August 5, 1945, approximately 64.2% of the urban core of the city was destroyed during World War II during air raids which followed the dropping of propaganda leaflets warning of the impending attacks.[7][8]

In 1951, a portion of Kaigaya Village from Seta District was merged into Maebashi. The city expanded further on April 1, 1954, by annexing the villages of Kamikawabuchi, Shimokawabuchi, Azuma, Minamitachibana, Kaigaya, Haga, Motosōja, and Sōja from Seta District, followed by a portion of Jōnan village in 1957. On April 1, 1960, a portion of Tamamura Town and another portion of Jōnan village were merged into Maebashi, which finally annexed the remainder of Jōnan village in 1967.[citation needed]

Maebashi hosted the 1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships.[9]

On April 1, 2001, Maebashi was designated a special city (tokureishi) with increased local autonomy.

On December 5, 2004, the town of Ōgo, as well as the villages of Kasukawa and Miyagi (all from Seta District), were merged into Maebashi. On May 5, 2009, the village of Fujimi (Seta District) was merged into Maebashi. Seta District was dissolved as a result of this merger.[10]

Maebashi became a core city (Chūkakushi) on April 1, 2009.[11]

Geography

Maebashi is located at the foot of Mount Akagi in the northeast corner of the Kantō Plain. It is also surrounded by Mount Haruna and Mount Myōgi. Two rivers run through the city: the Tone River, Japan's second-longest, and the Hirose River. Although it is located inland more than 100 kilometers away from the coast, the elevation of the southern part of the city is only around 100 meters. The highest elevation is 1823 meters above sea level on the south side of Mt. Kurohino, a peak of Mount Akagi. Maebashi is the farthest from the sea (about 120 km) of all Japanese prefectural capitals. The surrounding cities comprise an urban zone of over 1 million people, separated by farmland to the south from the built up areas of Greater Tokyo.

Surrounding municipalities

Gunma Prefecture

Climate

Maebashi has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa). In the winter, the karakkaze, or "dry wind" blows through Maebashi from the north. This is due to the snow clouds coming from the Sea of Japan being blocked by the Echigo Mountain Range between Gunma and Niigata Prefectures. Because of this, the city has a dry winter and is one of the sunniest places in Japan at over 2,210 hours of sunshine per year.[12] In the summer, it is hot since the location is inland, although less hot than coastal Tokyo on average. On July 24, 2001, Maebashi hit 40 °C (104 °F), the fifth-hottest temperature ever in Japan.

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
192051,015—
193053,052+4.0%
194052,898−0.3%
195068,710+29.9%
1960240,301+249.7%
1970273,864+14.0%
1980311,121+13.6%
1990335,704+7.9%
2000341,738+1.8%
2010340,390−0.4%
2020332,149−2.4%

Per Japanese census data,[13] the population of Maebashi has recently plateaued after a long period of growth.

Government

Maebashi has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 38 members. Maebashi contributes eight members to the Gunma Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Gunma 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Successive mayors

PeriodMayorTerm startTerm end
1Zentarō ShimomuraMay 19, 1892June 2, 1893
2Tomojirō YashiroJuly 22, 1893September 23, 1898
3Gen SasajiNovember 11, 1898May 9, 1902
4ShūSaku InabaJune 13, 1902January 14, 1909
5Keizaburo EharaFebruary 28, 1909September 20, 1911
6Teppei KonOctober 23, 1911June 14, 1913
7Jirō KimuraAugust 30, 1913August 30, 1925
8Katsuzō TakeuchiSeptember 16, 1925October 26, 1930
9Ineichi TanakaNovember 7, 1930December 9, 1933
10-11Keizaburō EharaDecember 24, 1933December 23, 1941
12Yasuo HoriFebruary 23, 1942November 13, 1946
13-14SAhikō SekiguchiApril 5, 1947May 31, 1958
15-19Shigemaru IshiiJuly 12, 1958July 11, 1978
20-22Seiichi FujiiJuly 12, 1978January 11, 1988
23-24Kiyota FujishimaFebruary 28, 1988February 27, 1996
25-26Yasoji HagiwaraFebruary 28, 1996February 27, 2004
27-28Masao TakagiFebruary 28, 2004February 27, 2012
29-31Ryu YamamotoFebruary 28, 2012February 27, 2024
32Akira OgawaFebruary 28, 2024ongoing

Source:Maebashi City[14]

Economy

As of 2010, Greater Maebashi, Maebashi Metropolitan Employment Area, has a GDP of US$59.8 billion.[15][16] The air conditioning system and compressor manufacturing company Sanden Corporation as well as the tofu and tofu products company Sagamiya Foods have manufacturing sites in the city.[17] The Gunma Bank is headquartered in Maebashi.

Education

Universities

Primary and secondary schools

Maebashi has 54 public elementary schools and 21 public middle schools operated by the city government, and two private elementary and two private middle schools. The city has nine public high schools operated by the Gunma Prefectural Board of Education and one by the city government. There are five private high schools and one private combined middle/high school.

International schools:

Transportation

Railway

JR East – Jōetsu Line

  • -

JR East – Ryōmō Line

  • - - -
  • Jōmō Electric Railway Company – Jōmō Line
    • - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Highway

  • – Maebashi Interchange
  • – Maebashi-Minami Interchange

Sports

Thespa Gunma at Shoda Shoyu Stadium Gunma was originally formed in Kusatsu, but plays in Maebashi due to J.League stadium requirements.

Local attractions

Festivals

  • Ogo Gion Festival

Notable people

International relations

Maebashi is a member of Cittaslow.[20]

Sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Japan

Maebashi is twinned with:[21]

In addition, Maebashi has friendly relations with Menasha, United States and Orvieto, Italy.[21]

References

  1. ^ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute (ed.) (24 May 2016). ja:NHK日本語発音アクセント新辞典 (in Japanese). NHK Publishing.
  2. ^ Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), "Maebashi area"; retrieved 2015-05-10.
  3. ^ "Maebashi City official statistics" (in Japanese)
  4. ^ Takasaki City Office. September 30, 2014. "Demography Study"
  5. ^ Maebashi City Office. March 27, 1989. "Declaration from the Municipal Council" Archived 2014-10-12 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Maebashi no Rekishi (History of Maebashi) Archived 2018-08-17 at the Wayback Machine (July 24, 2012)
  7. ^ Craven, Wesley & Cate, James (eds.) (1953). The Pacific: Matterhorn to Nagasaki. The Army Air Forces in World War II. Volume V. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. pp. 656, 675. OCLC 256469807
  8. ^ Caidin, Martin (1960). A Torch to the Enemy: The Fire Raid on Tokyo. Bantam War Books. ISBN 0-553-29926-3.
  9. ^ "7th IAAF World Indoor Championships". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2024-08-13.
  10. ^ [1] Archived August 21, 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ "ja:前橋市の歴史／前橋市" [History of Maebashi City] (in Japanese). Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  12. ^ "Monthly total of sunshine duration (h)". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  13. ^ "Gunma Prefecture - Maebashi population statistics". City Population.de. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  14. ^ "ja:市長の部屋／前橋市" [Mayor's Room] (in Japanese). Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  15. ^ Yoshitsugu Kanemoto. "Metropolitan Employment Area (MEA) Data". Center for Spatial Information Science, The University of Tokyo. Archived from the original on 2019-05-02. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
  16. ^ Conversion rates - Exchange rates - OECD Data
  17. ^ "Major Corporations in Gunma Prefecture". Department of Industry and Economy, Gunma Prefecture. Archived from the original on 17 October 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  18. ^ "ja:アクセス". Gunma Korean Elementary and Junior High School. December 11, 2007. Archived from the original on December 11, 2007. Retrieved October 14, 2015. ""
  19. ^ Yagyū, Toshinaga (1957, 1989) Shōden Shinkage-ryū. Kōdansha, reprinted by Shimazu Shobō, ISBN 4-88218-012-X.
  20. ^ "Cittaslow List". Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  21. ^ "国際交流" (in Japanese). Maebashi. Retrieved 2025-09-22.