Higashihiroshima

Higashihiroshima (東広島市, Higashihiroshima-shi) is a city located in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.

Higashihiroshima 東広島市
City
Flag Emblem
Location of Higashihiroshima in Hiroshima Prefecture
Higashihiroshima Location in Japan
Coordinates: 34°25′N 132°44′E
Country	Japan
Region	Chūgoku (San'yō)
Prefecture	Hiroshima Prefecture
Government
• Mayor	Yoshio Kurata
Area
• Total	635.32 km2 (245.30 sq mi)
Population  (July 31, 2016)
• Total	185,418
• Density	291.85/km2 (755.9/sq mi)
Symbols
• Tree	Pine
• Flower	Azalea Rhododendron sect. Tsutsusi
Time zone	UTC+9 (JST)
City hall address	8-29 Saijō Sakaemachi, Higashihiroshima-shi, Hiroshima-ken 739-8601
Website	www.city.higashihiroshima.hiroshima.jp

As of July 31. 2016 the city has an estimated population of 185,418 and a population density of 291.85 persons per km². The total area is 635.32 km².

Higashihiroshima is a university town of Hiroshima University. Higashihiroshima is adjacent to Hiroshima, and so also forms a commuter town of Hiroshima.

From old times, Higashihiroshima is famous for making sake and along the Sakagura Dōri ("Sake Storehouse Road") area near JR Saijō Station are the Namako wall (white-lattice walled) and Sekishu Gawara (red-roof tile) roofs of ten well-known sake breweries. An annual sake matsuri is held every October.

The city was founded on April 20, 1974, from the merger of the four towns of Saijō, Hachihonmatsu, Shiwa and Takaya in Kamo District.

In 1992, the population reached 100,000.

On February 7, 2005, the towns of Kurose, Kōchi, Toyosaka and Fukutomi (all from Kamo District), and the town of Akitsu (from Toyota District) were merged into Higashihiroshima.