Kashiwazaki is located in a coastal region of south-central Niigata Prefecture. Part of the city is within the borders of the Sado-Yahiko-Yoneyama Quasi-National Park. The highest elevation is the summit of Mount Gozu at 912 meters.
Surrounding municipalities
Niigata Prefecture
*Jōetsu
*Nagaoka
*Tōkamachi
*Izumozaki
*Kariwa
Climate
Kashiwazaki has a Humid climate characterized by warm, wet summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kashiwazaki is 13.0 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2360 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.0 °C, and lowest in January, at around 1.4 °C.
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Kashiwazaki peaked at around the year 1995, and has declined steadily since.
Census Year
Population
1970
94,990
1980
95,892
1990
99,265
2000
97,896
2010
91,451
History
The area of present-day Kashiwazaki was part of ancient Echigo Province and developed as a post station on the Hokuriku-dō highway. Under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, parts of what is now Kashiwazaki were under the control of Shiiya Domain, a minor fudaifeudal domain ruled by a junior branch of the Hori clan, while other parts were tenryō territory under direct control of the shogunate, or were exclaves of Kuwana Domain, Kaminoyama Domain, Nagaoka Domain or Yoita Domain. Pre-modern Kashiwazaki was located within the holdings of Kuwana Domain. The modern town of Kashiwazaki was established on April 1, 1889, within Kariwa District, Niigata with the establishment of the municipalities system. During the Meiji period, the discovery of petroleum in the area led to an economic boom and increase in population. Kashiwazaki was elevated to city status on 1 July 1940.. On November 1, 1968, Kashiwaza absorbed the village of Kurohime, followed by the town of Kitajō on May 1, 1971. The city annexed part of the town of Kakizaki on April 1, 1989 and the towns of Nishiyama and Takayanagi on May 1, 2005.
2007 earthquake
On July 16, 2007, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit off the coast of Kashiwazaki, killing 11 people, and injuring more than 700, causing massive power outages, a tsunami warning, and other disasters. The quake forced the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant to shut down for 10 months as of May 2008.
Government
Kashiwazaki has a mayor-councilform of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 26 members. The city contributes two members to the Niigata Prefectural Assembly.
Economy and Industries
Kashiwazaki has traditionally been a center for commercial fishing, machinery, glassware and lumber processing. The city is home to the Kashiwazaki-Kariwanuclear power plant, the largest nuclear generating station in the world by net electrical power rating. Bourbon, a major confectionery company in Japan, is headquartered in Kashiwazaki.
Kashiwazaki is host to many cultural events every year, including the Kaze no Jin festival in May, En Ma Ichi in June, DonGALA in July, and Gion, also in July.
