Kōka, Shiga Prefecture, Kansai Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Kōka (甲賀市, Kōka-shi) is a city in southern Shiga Prefecture, Japan. (The word 'Kōka' is often rendered as 'Koga' in English, especially when referring to the "Koga Ninja".) The city had an estimated population density of 190 persons per km². The total area of the city is 481.62 square km (185.95 sq mi).

Geography Kōka occupies the entire southern end of Shiga Prefecture, and is thus long east-to-west. At the eastern end of Kōka, the southern ridge of the Suzuka Mountains with one elevation of 1000 meters runs from north-east to south-west, forming the boundary with Mie Prefecture. The highest altitude point in Kōka is Mount Amagoi in this range.

Neighboring municipalities Shiga Prefecture • Ōtsu • Rittō • Konan • Higashiōmi • Ryūō • Hino; Kyoto Prefecture • Wazuka • Minamiyamashiro • Ujitawara; Mie Prefecture • Yokkaichi • Suzuka • Kameyama • Iga • Komono.

History Kōka is part of ancient Ōmi Province. During the Sengoku period, the area was an ikki and effectively self-governed by local ninja families. In the Edo period it became a centre for the Kōga-ryū school of ninjutsu, in rivalry with Iga-ryū. The area was on the route of the Tōkaidō highway connecting Kyoto with Edo and the eastern provinces of Japan. Minakuchi-juku was both a post station and also a castle town for Minakuchi Domain, which ruled over parts of the area of Kōka during the Edo period. The village of Minakuchi was established on April 1, 1889 within Kōka District, Shiga with the creation of the modern municipalities system. It was raised to town status on August 18, 1894. On October 1, 2004, Minakuchi merged with the towns of Kōka, Kōnan, Shigaraki and Tsuchiyama (all from Kōka District) to form the city of Kōka.

Government Kōka has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 24 members. Kōka contributes three members to the Shiga Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Shiga 4th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy Kōka is traditionally known for its production of ceramics, most notably Shigaraki ware, as well as agriculture and forestry. Light manufacturing is concentrated to pharmaceuticals.

Education Kōka has 21 public elementary schools and six public middle schools operated by the city government and one middle school operated by the Shiga Prefectural Department of Education. The prefecture also operates four public high schools.

Transport: Rail JR West – Kusatsu Line • Kibukawa - Kōnan - Terashō - Kōka - Aburahi

Ohmi Railway – Main Line • Minakuchi Matsuo - Minakuchi - Minakuchi Ishibashi - Minakuchi Jōnan - Kibukawa

Shigaraki Kōgen Railway - Shigaraki Line • Kibukawa - Shigarakigūshi - Kumoi - Chokushi - Gyokukeijimae - Shigaraki

Transport: Road • Shin-Meishin Expressway • National Route 1 • National Route 307 • National Route 422 • National Route 477.

Local attractions • Miho Museum • Minakuchi Castle • Minakuchi-juku • Tsuchiyama-juku • site of Shigaraki Palace, National Historic Site • Tarumi Saiō Tongū Site, National Historic Site • Minakuchi Okayama Castle ruins.