Seika-cho (精華町)
Seika-cho is a town located on the southwestern edge of Kyoto Prefecture. The town is the center of the Kansai Science City, boasting the Kansai-kan of the National Diet Library, the Vocational Museum, and the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International. Strawberries are their specialty crop.
Geography
The location of the municipal office is:
Seika-cho is located in the area stretching from south to north between Keihanna Hills in the west and the Kizu-gawa River in the east. As a town of the Kansai Science City and a bedroom community for Osaka City, Kyoto City, and Nara City, the hillsides in the area have been developed for housing: as a result, the town has experienced a population influx and increased the population by 1,290 in the fiscal year of 2005 (from April 2004 to March 2005) with a population growth rate of 4.0 percent. Furthermore, according to the preliminary results of the national census taken in 2005, Seika-cho has ranked first in population growth with a growth rate of 29.9 percent (34,540 people in the fiscal year of 2006), far surpassing all other municipalities across Japan.
History
1931:
October 1: Komada-mura, Hosono-mura, and Inada-mura were combined to form Kawanishi-mura.
1951:
April 1: Yamadasho-mura and Kawanishi-mura were combined to form Seika-mura.
1955:
April 1: The chosei (grant of township) was implemented.
1977:
January 20: The area code changed from 077484 to 07749-4 (the area code for Yamada, Zakuro, and Inuidani remained the same: 07747).
1995:
January 1: The area codes are unified into 0774.
Politics and government
The mayor is Kaname KIMURA. There are 21 assembly members.
Industries
Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR)
NTT Keihanna Building
Advanced Technology Research Laboratories, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
Keihanna Human Info-Communication Research Center, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
Kyocera Corporation R&D Center, Keihanna
Okawa Center
Technology Research Laboratory (Keihanna), Shimadzu Corporation
Kansai Science City Internet Community
Companies headquartered in Seika-cho
Activelink Co., Ltd.
Takako Industries, Inc.
International
Norman, Oklahoma, the United States of America (the Declaration of Friendship was signed in October 2000, and the sister city agreement was signed in September 2005.)
Railroads
West Japan Railway Company (JR West)
Katamachi Line: (from/to Takarazuka Station, Kitashinchi Station and Kyobashi Station) - Shimokoma Station - Hosono Station - (from/to Kizu Station)
Kintetsu Railway
Kintetsu Kyoto Line: (from/to Kyoto Station, Kintetsu-Tanbabashi Station and Okubo Station) - Yamadagawa Station - Shin-Hosono Station - Komada Station (form/to Takanohara Station, Yamato-Saidaiji Station, Kintetsu-Nara Station and Kashiharajingu-mae Station)
National expressway
Not available
National route
Keinawa Expressway (a toll road along the National Route 24, opened in 1991, and an expressway)
The expressway has three interchanges in town: the Seika Shimokoma Interchange, the Seika Gakken Interchange, and the Yamadagawa Interchange
National Route 163
It has two bypasses: the Zakuro Bypass and the Yamadagawa Bypass (both opened in 1970).
Buses
Seika Kururin Bus (100 yen per ride)
The Koriyama office of the NC Bus is entrusted with the operation.
Scenic sites, historic sites, tourist spots, festivals and events
Vocational Museum
Kansai-kan of the National Diet Library
Historic sites
Raiko-ji Temple
The grave for Ochiyo and Hanbe, the main characters in the story of the double suicide 'Shinju Yogoshin' by Monzaemon CHIKAMATSU, lies in this temple.
Hosono-jinja Shrine
The unique festival 'Igomori Festival' is held.
Leisure
Hanakukan Keihanna (old Kyoto Flower Center)
Tourism
Festivals
Igomori festival (at the Hosono-jinja Shrine) in January
Others
The ZIP code for the town is as follows:
Yamashiro-Kizu post office in Kizugawa City (former Kizu-cho): 619-02xx and 619-11xx.