Ikeda, Osaka


Ikeda is a city in Osaka Prefecture, Japan.
As of February 2017, the city had an estimated population of 103,028 and a population density of 4,700 persons per km2. The total area is 22.09 km2.

History

In the Edo period, Ikeda had a castle occupied by a daimyō, the seat of a 50,000-koku domain. It was famous for Ikeda-zumi traded by Ikeda merchants. In cha no yu Ikeda-zumi is loved because of its high quality even today.
The city was founded formally on April 29, 1939. It was developed as an urban town by a local railway company, Hankyu Dentetsu. Its founder Kobayashi Ichizo lived there.
On June 8, 2001, the Osaka school massacre occurred in this city. A man entered an elementary school and fatally stabbed eight children in the school. Many pupils have suffered post-traumatic stress disorder. To avoid flashback memories of the massacre and to improve school security, the buildings were remodeled and subsequently occupied in April 2004. On September 14, 2004, Mamoru Takuma was executed for the murders.

Neighboring municipalities

Ikeda boasts several cultural attractions: the Itsuō Art Museum holds the Itsuo Collection which is mainly Japanese art for cha-no-yu; Ikeda Bunko holds collections on Takarazuka and other materials related to Hankyu Dentetsu. There is a municipal zoo named Satsukiyama Zoo. It is home to the Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum.

Transportation

Airports

JAL Express has its headquarters on the grounds of Osaka International Airport and in Ikeda.

Sister cities