Shimamoto, Osaka

Town in Japan

Shimamoto

島本町

Town

Shimamoto town hall

Flag

Location of Shimamoto in Osaka Prefecture

Shimamoto

Location in Japan

Coordinates: 34°53′02″N 135°39′47″E﻿ / ﻿34.88389°N 135.66306°E﻿ / 34.88389; 135.66306
Country| Japan
Region| Kansai
Kinki
Prefecture| Osaka
District| Mishima
Area

• Total

| 16.81 km2 (6.49 sq mi)
Population

(March 1, 2025)

• Total

| 32,292
• Density| 1,900/km2 (5,000/sq mi)
Time zone| UTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address| 2-1-1 Sakurai, Shimamoto-cho, Mishima-gun, Osaka-fu 618-8570
Website| Official website
Symbols

Flower| Kerria japonica
Tree| Kusunoki
Suntory Yamazaki distillery in Shimamoto

Shimamoto (島本町, Shimamoto-chō) is a town consisting of the entirety of Mishima District, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 March 2025[update], the town had an estimated population of 32,292 in 14334 households, and a population density of 1900 people per km2.[1] It has prospered for a long time as a key point of transportation from Kyoto to Osaka. Recently, residential area development is progressing as commuter town of Osaka City and Kyoto City.

## Geography

[edit]

Shimamoto occupies a large part of the Minase River basin, a tributary of the Yodo River in far northeastern Osaka Prefecture. The town area stretches from northwest to southeast, and the elevation increases towards the northwest. Nearly 70% of the town is mountainous and hilly. The urban area is located in a small open area along the Yodo River in the southeast, and major transportation routes pass through this area. There is a point where the three rivers, Katsura River, Uji River, Kizu River, merge, and because the water temperatures of each river are different, there is a lot of fog in the winter. The highest elevation is 631.4 meters at Shakadake, and the lowest is 8.5 meters at Takahama.

### Neighbouring municipalities

[edit]

* Osaka Prefecture
* Takatsuki
* Hirakata
* Kyoto Prefecture
* Kyoto
* Nagaokakyō
* Yawata
* Ōyamazaki

## Climate

[edit]

The town has a maritime climate characterized by warm humid summers and cool winters with light snowfall (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Shimamoto is 14.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1677 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.5 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.1 °C.[2]

### Demographics

[edit]

Per Japanese census data, the population of Shimamoto is as shown below.

Historical populationYear| Pop.| ±%

|
|

1940 | 6,015| —
1950 | 8,160| +35.7%
1960 | 9,173| +12.4%
1970 | 16,873| +83.9%
1980 | 24,663| +46.2%
1990 | 29,971| +21.5%
2000 | 30,125| +0.5%
2010 | 28,935| −4.0%
2020 | 30,927| +6.9%

## History

[edit]

The area of Shimamoto was part of ancient Settsu Province. Sandwiched between Mount Tennōzan and Otokoyama, it is the only transportation hub that does not require crossing the mountain on the road connecting Settsu and Yamashiro Province. Since ancient times, it was on the route of the San'yō Expressway that connected the capital of Heian-kyō and Dazaifu. The area where the Minase and Yodo rivers meet (currently the Hirose and Todaiji districts) is called "Minase". Known for its scenery and fluttering haze, it has been used as a pillow word since the time of "Man'yōshū".[citation needed] Emperor Go-Toba built a palace, Minamise Rikyū (currently Minamise Jingū) at this location. The Sakurai-no-eki in Sakurai district is the location where Kusunoki Masashige parted from his son while en route to the Battle of Minatogawa per the Taiheiki. Shimamoto is also the location of the battlefield of Battle of Yamazaki where Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Hashiba Hideyoshi) defeated Akechi Mitsuhide.

The village of Shimamoto was formed on 1 April 1889 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. It was raised to town status on1 April 1940.

## Government

[edit]

Shimamoto has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 14 members. Shimamoto, collectively with the city of Takatsuki, contributes four members to the Osaka Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Osaka 10th District of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

## Economy

[edit]

The economy of Shimamoto is mixed commercial, light manufacturing and agricultural. It is increasingly a commuter town for the Osaka and Kyoto metropolis. Shimamoto is also the location of Suntory's Yamazaki Distillery, the oldest whiskey distillery in Japan.

### Industry

[edit]

* Hitachi Metal Yamazaki Manufacturing Department
* Ono Pharmaceutical Minase Research Institute
* Sekisui Chemical Development Laboratory
* Suntory Yamazaki Distillery
* Toppan Forms Osaka Sakurai Factory

### Financial institution

[edit]

* Bank of Kyoto Yamazaki Branch (Minamise 1-chome)
* Kita Osaka Shinkin Bank Shimamoto Branch (Minase 2-chome)
* Resona Bank Shimamoto Branch (Egawa 2-chome)

## Education

[edit]

Shimamoto has four public elementary schools and two public junior high schools operated by the town government, and one private junior high school, The town has one public high school operated by the Osaka Prefectural Board of Education and one private high school..

## Transportation

[edit]

### Railways

[edit]

Hankyu Railway \- Kyoto Main Line

■ Minase

JR West \- Tōkaidō Main Line (JR Kyōto Line)

■ Shimamoto

### Highways

[edit]

* Meishin Expressway
* National Route 171

## Sister cities

[edit]

* Frankfort, Kentucky, United States

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Shimamoto Town official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
2. ^ Shimamoto climate data

## External links

[edit]

* Media related to Shimamoto, Osaka at Wikimedia Commons
* Shimamoto official website (in Japanese)
* Sister cities page on Shimamoto/Frankfort

* v
* t
* e

Osaka Prefecture

Osaka (capital)

Osaka|

| Wards|

* Abeno
* Asahi
* Chūō
* Fukushima
* Higashinari
* Higashisumiyoshi
* Higashiyodogawa
* Hirano
* Ikuno
* Jōtō
* Kita
* Konohana
* Minato
* Miyakojima
* Naniwa
* Nishi
* Nishinari
* Nishiyodogawa
* Suminoe
* Sumiyoshi
* Taishō
* Tennōji
* Tsurumi
* Yodogawa

|

Sakai|

| Wards|

* Higashi
* Kita
* Naka
* Nishi
* Mihara
* Minami
* Sakai

|

Core cities|

* Higashiōsaka
* Hirakata
* Neyagawa
* Suita
* Takatsuki
* Toyonaka
* Yao

Special cities|

* Ibaraki
* Kishiwada☆

Cities|

* Daitō
* Fujiidera
* Habikino
* Hannan
* Ikeda
* Izumi
* Izumiōtsu
* Izumisano
* Kadoma
* Kaizuka
* Kashiwara
* Katano
* Kawachinagano
* Matsubara
* Minoh
* Moriguchi
* Ōsakasayama
* Sennan
* Settsu
* Shijōnawate
* Takaishi
* Tondabayashi

Districts|

* Minamikawachi District
* Chihayaakasaka
* Kanan
* Taishi
* Mishima District
* Shimamoto
* Senboku District
* Tadaoka
* Sennan District
* Kumatori
* Misaki
* Tajiri
* Toyono District
* Nose
* Toyono

List of mergers in Osaka Prefecture; Note: ☆ - Cities to become core cities

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States
* Japan
* Israel

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*[±%]: Percent change
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