Kashima, Saga

Kashima (鹿島市) is a city located in the southern part of Saga Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 27,360 in 10949 households, and a population density of 240 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 112.12 km2.

Geography
Kashima is located in the southern part of Saga Prefecture, about 60 kilometers southwest of Saga City. The eastern part of the city faces the Ariake Sea, and the southwestern part forms the prefectural border with Nagasaki Prefecture. To the south lies the Tara mountain range, and at its foot, several rivers carve valleys. To the north is a coastal plain where the urban center is located.


 * Mountains: Mount Kyōga (1076 m), Mount Jōdo (501 m), Mount Kotoji (501 m), Mount Gibi (198 m)
 * Rivers: Shiota River, Kashima River, Hama River, Naka River

Adjoining municipalities
Saga Prefecture Nagasaki Prefecture
 * Ureshino
 * Shiroishi
 * Tara
 * Ōmura

Climate
Kashima has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kashima is 15.9 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1970 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.5 °C, and lowest in January, at around 5.9 °C.

Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Kashima is as shown below.

History
The area of Kashima was part of ancient Hizen Province. During the Edo period it was mostly under Kashima Domain, a sub-domain of Saga Domain ruled by a cadet branch of the Nabeshima clan. Following the Meiji restoration, the villages of Minami-Kashima, Kita-Kashima, Hachihongi, Fureda, Nogomi and Nanaura were established with the creation of the modern municipalities system. Minami-Kashima was raised to town status on December 1, 1912 and Kita-Kashima Village was renamed Kashima Village. Hachihongi Village was elevated to town status on August 3, 1918. Kashima Town absorbed Hama Town, Kashima Village, Furueda Village and Nogomi Village to create Kashima City on April 1, 1954.

Government
Kashima has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 16 members. Kashima, collectively with the municipalities of Fujitsu District, Saga contributes two members to the Saga Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Saga 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy
In the Edo Period, Kashima was famous for its production of Saga Nishiki, a type of brocade. Modern Kashima has a mixed economy with light manufacturing (automotive parts, pharmaceutics), agriculture and aquaculture of edible seaweed.

Education
Kashima has seven public elementary schools and two junior high schools operated by the city government and one public high school operated by the Saga Prefectural Board of Education.

High schools

 * Saga Prefectural Kashima High School
 * Saga Prefectural Kashima Vocational High School

Junior high schools

 * Tōbu Junior High School
 * Seibu Junior High School

Elementary schools

 * Kashima Elementary School
 * Nogomi Elementary School
 * Furueda Elementary School
 * Hama Elementary School
 * Kita-Kashima Elementary School
 * Nanaura Elementary School
 * Meirin Elementary School

Railway
JR Kyushu - Nagasaki Main Line
 * Hizen-Kashima - Hizen-Hama - Hizen-Nanaura -  Hizen-Iida

Sister city relations

 * - Goheung County, Jeollanam-do, South Korea, friendship city since 1997

Local attractions

 * Yūtoku Inari Shrine (祐徳稲荷神社), one of the three biggest and most famous Inari shrines in Japan. There is a bus from Hizen-Kashima Station to Yūtoku Inari Shrine.


 * Hizen Hamajuku sake brewing street (肥前浜宿酒蔵通り) is 15 minutes on foot from Hizen-Hama Station.

Festivals
The Kashima Gatalympics is held every May in Hama-chō, a part of Kashima City. This event is a sports competition carried out on the mudflats on the city's Ariake Sea shoreline, and includes cycling, 25 metre running and sumo wrestling events.

Sport
The local football club is Saga LIXIL F.C., and competes in the Kyushu Football League. Formerly known as Kyushu INAX SC, it changed its name when INAX's parent company LIXIL took over. It's also a pun on the team being from Kashima, as LIXIL also sponsors 8-time Japanese champions Kashima Antlers (from the city in Ibaraki).

Notable people from Kashima

 * YUKI, one half of the duo BENNIE K
 * Narimi Arimori, actress
 * Yu Hirakawa, football player