About Koshigaya City
Koshigaya was established as a city on 3 November 1958.
The major urban area in the southwest region of Saitama Prefecture with an area of 60.31 square kilometres, Koshigaya is 25 kilometres north of central Tokyo and home to more than 335,440 people (as of May 2015).
Similar to Campbelltown, Koshigaya is a city where urban life and nature coexist. The goal of the city is to create a cultural centre where residents and visitors alike can enjoy the sun, water and greenery the area is well known for.
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Koshigaya City emblem
The city emblem is composed of outer linked circles and inner symbols. The 10 outer circles represent the two towns and eight villages that united to form the city. The inner symbol represents “koshi”.
It is symbolised by a ring formed by repeating the katakana character four times in different directions.
This emblem was chosen from submissions made by residents and was formally adopted on 19 January 1954.
City Flower
The Chrysanthemum (or Kiku in Japanese) is a perennial flower of the family Asteraceae and is grown in a number of areas in Koshigaya City. It is loved by the Japanese people for its beauty and aroma.
City Tree
The Zelkova (or Keyaki in Japanese) is a deciduous tree of the family Ulmaceae. Its straight trunk and spreading branches make it a fitting symbol of the continuous development of Koshigaya.
As part of celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of the city, the Zelkova was designated as the official tree of Koshigaya on 3 November 1978. The city flower was also designated on this date.
City Bird
The official city bird of Koshigaya is the Collared Turtledove (or Shirakobato in Japanese), a bird of the family Columbidae. Brown in colour with a black ring around its neck, this is a rare bird found only in Koshigaya City and its surrounding areas.
It was designated on 3 November 1988 in recognition of the 30th anniversary of the city, and was also chosen as a symbol for environmental protection.
Koshigaya Lake Town
This is the area surrounding Osagami Reservoir and Koshigaya Lake Town Station on the Japan Rail Musashino Line. There are commercial facilities here such as AEON Lake Town, and parks and residences have also been constructed. Following the completion of a boardwalk and pier, locals enjoy yachting and canoeing on the lake.
History of Koshigaya
During the Edo period (1603-1867), a part of the area that is now Koshigaya City flourished as a post town on the Nikko Road (Nikko-Kaido) – one of the five major roads built to connect Edo (old Tokyo) with a number of locations throughout Japan.
A new Koshigaya Town was formed in 1954 when the old Koshigaya Town, Osawa Town and eight villages merged. Then in 1958, Koshigaya Town was renamed Koshigaya City, and became the twenty second city in Saitama Prefecture.
Following on from the connections of the Hibiya Subway Line and the Tobu Railways - Isesaki Line in 1962, Koshigaya City became a favourable place to live for people working in Tokyo, and the city’s population grew steadily. The opening of Japan National Railways (now Japan Rail) and the Isesaki Line (now called the Tokyo Skytree Line) and Hanzomon Subway Line connection in 2003 has cemented Koshigaya City as a core city of Saitama Prefecture.