Kariya, Aichi Prefecture, Chūbu Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Kariya (刈谷市, Kariya-shi) is a city in central Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 October 2019, the city had an estimated population density of 3,040 persons per km². The total area of the city is 50.39 square km (19.46 sq mi).

Geography Kariya is situated in central Aichi Prefecture, on the Mikawa side of the border between former Owari Province and Mikawa Province. The area is flat and well-watered, with an average elevation of less than 10 meters above sea level.

Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Kariya has grown steadily over the past 70 years.

Neighboring municipalities Aichi Prefecture • Anjō • Chiryū • Higashiura • Miyoshi • Ōbu • Takahama • Tōgō • Toyoake • Toyota.

History Kariya was a castle town in the Sengoku period, in an area contested between the Imagawa clan, Oda clan and various local warlords, including the Mizuno clan and Matsudaira clan.

Early modern period Tokugawa Ieyasu’s maternal grandfather Mizuno Tadamasa rebuilt Kariya Castle in the mid-16th century. The Mizuno clan shifted allegiances adroitly between the Imagawa clan to Oda Nobunaga and to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who relocated the clan to Ise Province.

However, Mizuno Katsunari, the grandson of Tadamasa was allowed to return to the clan's ancestral territories by Ieyasu after the Battle of Sekigahara as daimyō of Kariya Domain, a feudal han under the Tokugawa shogunate. The domain was reassigned to numerous clans during the Edo period, but was retained by the Doi clan from 1734 until the Meiji Restoration.

Late modern period After the Meiji Restoration, Kariya Town was created within Hekikai District, Aichi Prefecture with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on October 1, 1889. The town prospered as a centre for commerce, sake production, sericulture and ceramics due to its location on the main railway routes. The Yosami Transmitting Station, located in Kariya, was Japan's tallest structure when completed in 1929.

Contemporary history Kariya achieved city status on April 1, 1950. The city expanded by annexation of neighboring Fujimatsu and most of Yosami villages on April 1, 1955. Control of the Yosami Transmitting Station was returned to Japan from the United States Navy in 1994, and the former facility is now a city park.

Government Kariya has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 28 members. The city contributes two members to the Aichi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Aichi District 13 of the lower house of the Diet of Japan. •

Economy The economy of Kariya is dominated by companies related to the Toyota Group, including Toyota Industries Corporation, Aisin Seiki and Denso Corporation. Toyota Motor Corporation started as a division of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works (now called Toyota Industries Corporation). The Toyoda Automatic Loom Works was highly profitable and board members reinvested much of the profits into the growing automobile manufacturing business.

Companies headquartered in Kariya • ADVICS • Aisin • Aska Corporation • DCM Kahma • Denso • JTEKT • Toyota Auto Body • Toyota Boshoku • Toyota Industries

Education • Aichi University of Education

Schools • Kariya has 15 public elementary schools and six public junior high schools operated by the city government, and four public high schools operated by the Aichi Prefectural Board of Education. There are also one public high schools operated by the national government.

International School • The Colégio Pitágoras Brasil, a Brazilian school was previously located in Kariya.

Transport: Rail Conventional lines

Central Japan Railway Company • Tōkaidō Main Line: - Higashi-Kariya - Noda-Shimmachi - Kariya - Aizuma -

Meitetsu • Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line: - Hitotsugi - Fujimatsu - • Mikawa Line: - Kariya - Kariyashi - Ogakie -

Transport: Road Expressway • Isewangan Expressway; Japan National Route • National Route 1 • National Route 23 • National Route 155 • National Route 419.

;

Festival • Mando Matsuri

Tokusanhin • Dried turnip (Kiriboshi Daikon)

Sport The city is home to the SeaHorses Mikawa, 5-time champion of Japan's top professional basketball league.

Local attractions • Kariya castle • Kariya city Children's traffic park • Kariya Highway Oasis • Kijo Park • Mississauga Park - in honour of twinning with Mississauga, Ontario and scaled model of Mississauga City Centre • Suhara Park.