Honjō, Saitama Prefecture, Kantō Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Honjō (本庄市, Honjō-shi) is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 January 2021, the city had an estimated population density of 870 persons per km². The total area of the city is 89.69 square km (34.63 sq mi).

Geography Honjō is located on the north-western border of Saitama Prefecture, bordered by the upper reaches of

**the Tone River to the north.

Surrounding municipalities** Saitama Prefecture • Fukaya • Kamisato • Kamikawa • Nagatoro • Minano; Gunma Prefecture • Isesaki • Tamamura.

Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Honjō peaked around the year 2000 and has declined since.

History The area of Honjō has been inhabited since prehistoric times and numerous burial mounds from the Kofun period have been found in the area. During the Kamakura period, the area was dominated by the Honjō clan, who continued to rule over a castle town and eventually the short-lived Honjō Domain during the early Tokugawa shogunate of the Edo period. After the suppression of Honjō Domain, the town continued to prosper as Honjō-juku, a post station on the Nakasendo highway. During the late Edo period and early Meiji period, the area was noted for sericulture. The town of Honjō was created within Kodama District, Saitama with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Honjō was elevated to city status on July 1, 1954 by merging with neighboring Fujita, Nitte, Asahi and Kitaizumi villages. On January 10, 2006, the town of Kodama was merged into Honjō.

Government Honjō has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 21 members. Honjō, together with the towns of Kamikawa and Kamisato, contributes two members to the Saitama Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Saitama 11th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy The economy of Honjō is based on light and precision manufacturing and agriculture, and the city is also a regional commercial center.

Education • Waseda University has a campus at Honjō • Honjō has 13 public elementary schools and four public middle schools operated by the city government, and three public high schools operated by the Saitama Prefectural Board of Education. In addition, there are two private combined middle/high schools and one private high school. The prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped. • International schools: Escola Intercultural Unificada Arco Íris - Brazilian school Previously the city hosted another Brazilian school, Centro de Aprendizagem Logos.

Transport: Rail JR East –Joetsu Shinkansen • Honjō-Waseda

JR East – Takasaki Line • Honjō

JR East – Hachikō Line • Kodama.

Transport: Road • Kan-etsu Expressway – Honjō-Kodama IC • National Route 17 • National Route 254 • National Route 462.

Local attractions • Honjō Circuit, a small motorsports circuit • Sagiyama kofun • Maze Dam • Honjo City Museum of History and Folklore.