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| settlement_type= Special city | image_skyline= Kawaguchi-eki shuhen koso tatemono.jpg | imagesize= | image_caption= View of downtown Kawaguchi | image_flag= Flag of Kawaguchi, Saitama.svg | image_map=Kawaguchi in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg | lat_deg = 35 | lat_min = 48 | lat_sec = | lon_deg = 139 | lon_min = 43 | lon_sec = | region=Kanto | prefecture=Saitama Prefecture | mayor = Koshiro Okamura (since May 1997) | area_km2= 61.97 | population= 579,069 | population_as_of= March 1, 2012 | density_km2= 9344 | postal_code= | area_code= | tree =Camellia sasanqua | flower =Lilium longiflorum | bird = | city_hall_address= 2-1-1 Aoki | city_hall_postal_code = 332-0031 | website = (English ) }} is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on April 1, 1933. As of March 1, 2012, the city has an estimated population of 579,069, the second largest in Saitama Prefecture after Saitama City, and a population density of 9,344 persons per km². The total area is 61.97 km². It is the Greater Tokyo Area's 9th most populated city (after Hachioji). On October 11, 2011, Kawaguchi City absorbed the neighboring city of Hatogaya. ==History == After the last ice age, during early and middle Jomon period, most of the area which is now Kawaguchi City were under sea level except for the area which is now Omiya Tableland. (Japanese: ) Ancient people living in this area left several shell heaps, in which a lot of shells, Jomon pottery, and pit houses were dug up. In Kofun period, countless barrows were constructed particularly in the west of Japan. Some barrows were also found in Kawaguchi, the largest one is Takainari Barrow, which was destroyed because of the use of the soil in 1960. In middle ages, Kawaguchi was part of Musashi Province, which included entire Saitama, Tokyo, and part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It is not known when people started using the name Kawaguchi, but in a tale of war named Gikeiki, which was reportedly written in around 1300, there was a name of Ko Kawaguchi, that means little Kawaguchi. However, it is not proven that the name designated current Kawaguchi. Once Tokugwa Ieyasu, a founder of Tokugawa Shogunate, died in 1616, Tokugawa shogunate established Kawaguchi Juku(Japanese:川口宿) on the Nikko Onari Kaido, a road used by shoguns to visit Nikko Toshogu, a shrine for worship of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Hence, a dozen hotels were built to serve travelers there. As Edo, now Tokyo, increased its importance as both political and industrial gravity, demand for metal products increased. Because of proximity to Tokyo and convenient water transportation using Arakawa River, Kawaguchi became the center of casting industry. A lot of orders of military weapons from Tokugawa shogunate and many Daimyos, governors of a province, to fight against foreign countries during late Edo period made Kawaguchi more and more competitive casting town. Since then casting have been the symbol of Kawaguchi. In 1910 Kawaguchi-machi Station opened, which was the first train station in Kawaguchi. On April 1, 1933, Kawaguchi City was established with the merger of Kawaguchi-machi, Aoki-mura, Minami-Hirayanagi-mura and Yokozone-mura. Kawaguchi City was the second city in Saitama Prefecture, after Kawagoe City. Following this merger, in 1940 with Hatogaya-machi, Shiba-mura, Kamine-mura, and Shingo-mura, in 1956 with part of Angyo-mura, in 1962 with part of Misono-mura, Kawaguchi City expanded its territory. However, Hatogaya-machi got separated from Kawaguchi City in 1948 in accordance with the referendum. Kawaguchi had been the most populous city in Saitama until Urawa overtook Kawaguchi. Now, Kawaguchi is the second most populated city in Saitama Prefecture after Saitama City, the capital city of Saitama Prefecture. Kawaguchi underwent a lof of disasters, such as flood, earthquake and war. Arakawa River inundated Kawaguchi countless times and ruined agricultures, which resulted in devastating famine. Also in 1923, Great Kantō earthquake struck Kawaguchi, and 99 people were killed, but fortunately no fire occurred unlike Tokyo and Yokohama. It could have been much worse. Currently, the population of Kawaguchi continues to increase, and many tall apartment buildings are being built around train stations, so Kawaguchi Station area looks like skyscraper. This is because many casting foundries moved to suburb industrial parks and the sites turned into apartment buildings, whereas in suburb areas nature still remains and they are good healing spots for citizens of Kawaguchi. On October 11, 2011, Kawaguchi absorbed the city Hatogaya, which is surrounded by Kawaguchi and was once part of Kawaguchi. The name of the new city will remain Kawaguchi. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Kawaguchi, Saitama」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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