Hannō, Saitama Prefecture, Kantō Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Hannō (飯能市, Hannō-shi) is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 January 2021, the city had an estimated population density of 410 persons per km². The total area of the city is 193.05 square km (74.54 sq mi).

Geography Hannō is located on the southern border of Saitama Prefecture, bordered by the Tokyo to the south and the Chichibu region to the west. Both the Iruma River and the Koma River flow through the city. Hannō is mainly made up of urban and suburban areas, surrounded by mountains and rivers.

Surrounding municipalities Saitama Prefecture • Iruma • Sayama • Hidaka • Chichibu • Tokigawa • Yokoze • Ogose • Moroyama; Tokyo Metropolis • Oume • Okutama.

Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Hannō peaked around the year 2000 and has declined slightly over the past 20 years.

History Hannō was traditionally noted for its lumber industry, which developed during the Edo period to supply Edo with timber needed for rebuilding after its frequent fires. The town of Hannō was established within Koma District, Saitama with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Koma District was abolished in 1896, becoming part of Iruma District.

Hannō annexed the neighboring villages of Seimei, Minami-Koma, Kaji and Moto-Kaji on April 1, 1943. It was elevated to city status on January 1, 1954. Hannō annexed the neighboring villages of Agano, Gigshi-Agano, Haraichiba on September 30, 1956. On January 1, 2005, the village of Naguri was merged into Hannō.

Economy The economy of Hannō is mixed, with a number of pharmaceutical firms and electronics firms maintaining factories in the area. A substantial fraction of the population commutes to Tokyo every day.

Government Hannō has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 19 members. Hannō contributes one member to the Saitama Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Saitama 9th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Education • Surugadai University – Hannō campus • Hannō has 11 public elementary schools and seven public middle schools operated by the city government, and two public high schools operated by the Saitama Prefectural Board of Education. In addition, there are two private middle schools and three private high schools.

Transport: Rail JR East – Hachiko Line • Higashi-Hannō; Seibu Railway - Seibu Ikebukuro Line/Seibu Chichibu Line • Hannō - Higashi-Hannō - < Koma - Musashi-Yokote > - Higashi-Agano - Agano - Nishi-Agano - Shōmaru.

Transport: Road • National Route 299.

Local attractions • JLPGA Mitsubishi Ladies Golf, late October • Hannō Festival, first weekend of November • Moomin Valley Park The theme park opened 2019. • Akebono Children's Forest Park is another Moomin themed public park for children that opened in 1997.