Musashimurayama, Tokyo

Musashimurayama 武蔵村山市
City
Musashimurayama City Hall
Flag Seal
Location of Musashimurayama in Tokyo
Musashimurayama
Coordinates: 35°45′17.4″N 139°23′14.5″E
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Tokyo
Area
• Total	15.32 km2 (5.92 sq mi)
Population  (March 2021)
• Total	72,021
• Density	4,700/km2 (12,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Symbols
• Tree	Celtis sinensis
• Flower	Camellia sinensis
• Bird	Japanese white-eye
Phone number	042-565-1111
Address	1-1-1 Honmachi, Musashimurayama-shi, Tokyo 208-8501
Website	Official website

Musashimurayama (武蔵村山市, Musashi-Murayama-shi) is a city located in the western side of Tokyo, Japan. As of 1 March 2021, the city had an estimated population of 72,021 in 32,234 households, and a population density of 4,700 people per km². The total area of the city is 15.32 square kilometres (5.92 sq mi).

Geography

Musashimurayama is located in north-central Tokyo Metropolis, bordered by Saitama Prefecture to the north. Upstream tributaries of the Arakawa River and Tama River flow through the city. The Sayama Hills run from west to east in the northern part of the city. The south side of the hill is on the western edge of the Musashino Plateau.

Surrounding municipalities

Tokyo Metropolis

• Higashiyamato
• Fussa
• Mizuho
• Tachikawa

Saitama Prefecture

• Tokorozawa

Climate

Musashimurayama has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Musashimurayama is 13.8 °C (56.8 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,647 mm (64.8 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.5 °C (77.9 °F), and lowest in January, at around 2.1 °C (35.8 °F).

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Musashimurayama increased rapidly from the 1960s.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1920	7,165	—
1930	7,891	+10.1%
1940	8,989	+13.9%
1950	10,989	+22.2%
1960	12,065	+9.8%
1970	41,275	+242.1%
1980	57,198	+38.6%
1990	65,562	+14.6%
2000	66,052	+0.7%
2010	70,065	+6.1%

History

The area of present-day Musashimurayama was part of ancient Musashi Province. In Meji era, the area was organized into four villages within Kitatama District in Kanagawa Prefecture. Kitatama District was transferred to the administrative control of Tokyo Metropolis on April 1, 1893.

The village of Murayama was created on April 1, 1917 and was elevated to town status on November 3, 1954. The population of the town grew extremely rapidly in the 1960s with the development of public housing. Murayama was elevated to city status on November 3, 1970 and was named Musashimurayama.

Government

Musashimurayama has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 20 members. Musashimurayama, together with the cities of Higashiyamato and Higashimurayama, contributes three members to the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Tokyo 20th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

The area of Musashimurayama was traditionally a center for cotton textile production. The area remains largely agricultural, notably horticulture and the growing of tea, although a significant portion of the population commutes to downtown Tokyo.

Musashimurayama was the location of a Nissan automobile assembly plant, originally opened in 1962 by the Prince Motor Company. It closed in March 2001 as part of the Nissan Revival Plan announced in 1999. It is now a museum called Carest Murayama, next to the Aeon Mall Musashi Murayama Megamall occupying a 213,252 square foot facility

Shinkawa, now known as Yamaha Robotics Holdings, is a leading manufacturer of precision robots for semiconductor manufacturing. The head office and factory are in the city.

Education

• Tokyo Keizai University - Musashimurayama campus
• Musashimurayama has eight public elementary schools and four public middle schools, and one combined public elementary/middle school operated by the city government. The city has three public high schools operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education. Tokyo Metropolis also operates one special education school for the handicapped.

Transportation

Railway

• Musashimurayama is not served by any passenger rail services.

Highway

• Musashimurayama is not served by any expressways or national highways.

Twin towns and sister cities

JPN - Sakae, Nagano, Japan

Notable people from Musashimurayama, Tokyo

• Gedo (Real Name: Keiji Takayama, Nihongo: 高山 圭司, Takayama Keiji), Japanese professional wrestler and manager (New Japan Pro-Wrestling)
• Go Hatano, Japanese football player (FC Tokyo, J1 League)
• Hidekazu Nagai, Japanese comedian and owarai presenter
• Kenji Osawa, former Japanese mixed martial artist
• Masahiro Sakurai, Japanese video game director, game designer and songwriter (Kirby and Super Smash Bros.)
• Yuko Suzuki, Japanese volleyball player (Denso Airybees, V.League 1)

External links

• Musashimurayama City Official Website (in Japanese)