Takeo, Saga

Takeo (武雄市) is a city located in Saga Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 47,136 in 19207 households, and a population density of 240 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 195.40 km2.

Geography
Takeo is located in the western part of Saga Prefecture. It is approximately 28 km west of Saga City and approximately 30 km east of Sasebo. Takeo has a complex topography including mountains, mountain basins and riverside plains. The population is concentrated in the western end of the Takeo Basin in the southeastern part of the city, and in the basin on the western side of the city.


 * Mountains:　Mt. Mifune (210 m), Mt. Hachiman (764 m), Mt. Bi (518 m), Mt. Jinroku (447 m)
 * Rivers: Rokkaku River, Shiomi River, Yamanaka River

Adjoining municipalities
Saga Prefecture Nagasaki Prefecture
 * Arita
 * Imari
 * Karatsu
 * Ōmachi
 * Shiroishi
 * Taku
 * Ureshino
 * Hasami

Climate
Takeo has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Takeo is 16.1 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1864 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around 5.9 °C.

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

History
The area of Takeo was part of ancient Hizen Province. During the Edo period it was mostly under Saga Domain ruled by the Nabeshima clan. Following the Meiji restoration, the town of Takeo and the villages of Asahi, Hashishita, Higashikawanobori, Kitagata, Kitsu, Nakato, Nishikawanobori, Sumiyoshi, Takeo, Takeuchi and Wakaki were established with the creation of the modern municipalities system in Kishima District, Saga. Takeo village and Takeo town merged on June 7, 1900. Kitamura was raised to town status on April 29, 1944. On April 1, 1954 Takeo annexed the villages of Asahi, Hashishita, Higashikawanobori, Nishikawanobori, Takeuchi and Wakagi and was raised to city status. On September 1, 1960 Yamauchi was raised to town status. On March 1, 2006, the towns of Kitagata and Yamauchi (both from Kishima District) were merged into Takeo.

Government
Takeo has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 20 members. Takeo 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
About 23% of the city area is farmland, and agriculture is practiced throughout the city. The main agricultural product is rice, with wheat and soybeans also being cultivated. However, agricultural income has been declining year by year, and is the lowest among the cities in the prefecture. Combined with the aging of agricultural successors, the increase in abandoned farmland and the decline in agriculture have become serious problems.

Industry is centered around ceramics production and a number kilns are located mainly in the old portion of the city. The former Yamauchi Town is adjacent to Arita, so there are many Arita ware (Imari ware) kilns. The city has a number of industrial parks.

The tertiary industry is centered on commerce and tourism due to Takeo Onsen and other hot springs.

Education
Takeo has 11 public elementary schools and five junior high schools operated by the city government and one public junior high school and one public high school operated by the Saga Prefectural Board of Education.

High schools

 * Saga Prefectural Takeo High School

Junior high schools

 * Takeo Junior High School
 * Takeo Kita Junior High School
 * Kawanobori Junior High School
 * Kitagata Junior High School
 * Yamauchi Junior High School
 * Seiryo Junior High School

Elementary schools

 * Takeo Elementary School
 * Mifunegaoka Elementary School
 * Asahi Elementary School
 * Tachibana Elementary School
 * Wakaki Elementary School
 * Takeuchi Elementary School
 * Higashikawanobori Elementary School
 * Nishikawanobori Elementary School
 * Kitagata Elementary School
 * Yamauchi Higashi Elementary School
 * Yamauchi Nishi Elementary School

Railway
JR Kyushu - Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen
 * Takeo-Onsen

JR Kyushu - Sasebo Line
 * ■ Kitagata - Takahashi - Takeo-Onsen -  Nagao -  Mimasaka

Highways

 * JP Expressway E34.svg Nagasaki Expressway (Takeo-Kitagata Interchange - Kawanobori Service Area - Takeo Junction)
 * JP Expressway E35.svg Nagasaki Expressway (Takeo Junction - Takeo Minami Interchange)

Sister city relations

 * 🇺🇸 - Sebastopol, California, United States, friendship city since 1985

Local attractions

 * Takeo Onsen
 * Takeo Jinja
 * Takeo Velodrome
 * Saga Prefectural Space and Science Museum
 * Mifunegaoka Plum Grove
 * Otsuboyama Kōgoishi, National Historic Site
 * Kitagata Shiki no Oka Park
 * Daishō-ji
 * Chūō Park
 * Mt. Kurokami, Fūfu Rock
 * Kurokami no Roman festival
 * Mifuneyama Garden
 * Keishūen Garden, Yōkō Museum

Notable people from Takeo

 * Keisuke Hiwatashi, former mayor
 * Taizo Ichinose, war photographer
 * Yoshiko Yamaguchi, 1930s-late 1940s Singer and Actress in China