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Maebashi

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Maebashi is a city in Gunma Prefecture, located in the northern Kantō region of Japan.

Maebashi city office
Maebashi city office

It sits at the foot of Mount Akagi in the northeast corner of the Kantō Plain. Other mountains, like Mount Haruna and Mount Myōgi, are also nearby. Two rivers flow through the city, including the Hirose River and the Tone River. The Tone River is the second-longest river in all of Japan. Even though it is inland, the southern part of the city is only about 100 meters high. The highest point is 1,823 meters on the south side of Mount Kurohino.

Maebashi Metropolitan Employment Area 2010
Maebashi Metropolitan Employment Area 2010

The weather in Maebashi is quite special. It has a humid subtropical climate with many sunny days. In fact, the city gets over 2,210 hours of sunshine every year. In the winter, a dry wind called the karakkaze blows from the north. This happens because mountains block snow clouds from reaching the area. Summers can be very hot because the city is far from the coast. On July 24, 2001, Maebashi reached a temperature that was the fifth-hottest ever recorded in Japan.

Maebashi has a long and interesting history. Long ago, during the Nara period, the area was called Umayabashi. This name came from a bridge over the Tone River and a nearby stable for travelers. In 1649, the name changed to Maebashi when it became a castle town. The modern town was officially set up on April 1, 1889. It became a city on April 1, 1892. During World War II, air raids destroyed about 64.2% of the city's urban center. Since then, the city has grown by joining with many nearby villages.

Today, Maebashi is a busy place with many people. It has an estimated population of 335,352 people living in 151,171 households. The city is known as the "City of Water, Greenery and Poets." This is because of its clean water, beautiful nature, and famous poets like Sakutarō Hagiwara.

JR logo (east)
JR logo (east)

Many people live in the urban zone around the city. The city is also home to many schools and universities. For example, Gunma University is located here. It is also a place where companies make things like air conditioning parts and tofu.

Maebashi is a very important part of its region. It is the farthest prefectural capital from the sea in Japan, sitting about 120 km away. The city has its own government with a mayor and a city council. It is also part of a group called Cittaslow. Maebashi has a sister city in Birmingham, which is in the United States. You can travel through the area using the Jōmo Electric Railway or the JR East lines. This helps connect the city to other parts of Japan.

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🖼️ Images & Media (3)
File:Maebashi city office.jpg
Maebashi city office.jpg
File:Maebashi Metropolitan Employment Area 2010.svg
Maebashi Metropolitan Employment Area 2010.svg
File:JR logo (east).svg
JR logo (east).svg
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