Izumisano, Ōsaka Prefecture, Kansai Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Izumisano (Japanese: 泉佐野市, Izumisano-shi,) is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. As of 29 February 2024, the city had an estimated population density of 1,800 persons per km². The total area of the city is 56.51 square km (21.82 sq mi).

Geography Izumisano is located approximately halfway between Osaka City and Wakayama City, bordered by Osaka Bay to the north-west and the Izumi Mountains and Kongō-Ikoma-Kisen Quasi-National Park to the south. The northern third of Kansai International Airport is located within the city limits on an artificial island offshore, and the area within Izumisano includes the connecting bridge to the mainland.

Neighboring municipalities Osaka Prefecture • Sennan • Kaizuka • Tajiri • Kumatori; Wakayama Prefecture • Kinokawa.

Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Izumisano has increased steadily from the year 1920 to the year 1980, and has leveled off since.

History The area of the modern city of Izumisano was within ancient Izumi Province. The area also had many Kofun period burial mounds from the 5th to 7th century AD. From the Kamakura to the Muromachi period a large portion of the area was controlled by Hine-no-shō, a large landed estate owned by the Kujō family of Court nobility. In the Edo Period, much of the city area was controlled by Kishiwada Domain with smaller portions controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate.

After the Meiji restoration, the village of Sano established within Hine District with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. On April 1, 1896 the area became part of Sennan District, Osaka. Sano was elevated to town status on October 1, 1911. Sano annexed the village of Kitanakado on April 1, 1937. On April 1, 1948 Sano was promoted to city status. To avoid confusion with Sano, Tochigi, the city name was chosen to be Izumisano.On April 1, 1954, the city expanded to its present area by annexing the neighboring villages of Minaminakadori, Nagataki, Kaminogo, Hineno and Otsuchi. Kansai International Airport was opened on April 4, 1994, with Rinku Town commercial development opening in 1995. Izumisano entered into discussions to merge with Sennan, Misaki, Hannan and Tajiri to form the city of "Sennanshu" (南泉州市) from 2001 to 2004; however, per a public referendum, only Misaki was in favor of the merger and the plans were abandoned.

Government Izumisano has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 18 members. Izumisano collectively with the cities of Kaizuka, Sennan, and the smaller municipalities of Sen'nan District contributes two members to the Osaka Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Osaka 19th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy The main industries of Izumisano remain food-related: agriculture, commercial fishing and food processing. The main crops are onions, eggplants, cabbage, and broccoli. Textile production is also important, with the city accounting for 47% of domestic towel production. Due to the proximity of Kansai International Airport, airport-support and aviation-related industries have increase. Peach Aviation has its head office in Izumisano. The city is also home to the 256-m (840-ft) Rinku Gate Tower Building, the third tallest building in Japan.

Education Izumisano has 13 public elementary schools and five public middle schools operated by the city government and three public high schools operated by the Osaka Prefectural Department of Education. The Rinku campus of the Osaka Prefecture University is also located at Izumisano.

Transport: Air • Kansai International Airport

Transport: Rail JR West – Hanwa Line • Higashi-Sano - < Kumatori> - Hineno - Nagataki; JR West – Kansai Airport Line • Hineno - Rinkū Town; Nankai Electric Railway - Nankai Main Line • Tsuruhara - Iharanosato - Izumisano - Hagurazaki; Nankai Electric Railway - Nankai Airport Line • Izumisano - Rinkū Town.

Transport: Road • Hanshin Expressway • Hanwa Expressway • Kansai-Kūkō Expressway • National Route 26 • National Route 170 • National Route 481.

Local attractions • Hine-no-shō sites, National Historic Site • Jigen-in temple • Hine Jinja • Site of the Battle of Kashii.