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Ikeda 池田市
Ikeda's location in Osaka, Japan.
Ikeda's location in Japan.
Location
Country	Japan
Region	Kansai
Prefecture	Osaka
Physical characteristics
Area	22.09 km2 (8.53 sq mi)
Population (as of April 2008)
Total	104,314
Density	4,720 /km2 (12,225 /sq mi)
Location	34°49′N 135°26′E / 34.817, 135.433Coordinates: 34°49′N 135°26′E / 34.817, 135.433
Symbols
Tree	Camphor laurel
Flower	Satsuki azalea
Bird	Oriental Turtle Dove
Flag
Ikeda Government Office
Mayor	Kaoru Kurata
Address	1-1-1, Jōnan, Ikeda-shi, Ōsaka-fu 563-8666
Phone number	072-752-1111
Official website: Ikeda City

Ikeda (池田市, Ikeda-shi^?) is a city located in Osaka, Japan. As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 104,314 and a density of 4,720 persons per km². The total area is 22.09 km².

In the Edo period, Ikeda had a castle occupied by a daimyo, the seat of a 50 000 goku domain. It was famous for Ikeda-zumi (Ikeda charcoal) traded by Ikeda merchants. In Cha no yu Ikeda-zumi is loved because of its high quality even today.

The city was founded formally on April 29, 1939. It was developed as an urban town by a local railway company, Hankyu Dentetsu. Its founder Kobayashi Ichizo (Itsuo) lived there also.

Ikeda boasts two cultural attractions: the Itsuo Museum and Ikeda Bunko (Ikeda Archive). Itsuo Museum holds the Itsuo Collection which is mainly Japanese art for cha-no-yu; Ikeda Bunko holds collections on Takarazuka and other materials related to Hankyu Dentetsu. There is also a municipal Zoo named Satsukiyama Zoo.

It is also home to the Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum.

On June 8, 2001, the Osaka school massacre occurred in this city. A man entered an elementary school and fatally stabbed eight children in the school.　Many pupils have suffered PTSD. To avoid flashback memory of the massacre and improve school security, the school buildings were reformed and April 2004 the newly reformed building has been utilized. On September 14, 2004, Mamoru Takuma was executed for the murders.

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Airports near Ikeda

• Osaka International Airport (also known as Itami Airport), in nearby Itami and Toyonaka

[edit] Railways

• Hankyu Railway
  • Takarazuka Line: Ikeda Station - Ishibashi Station
  • Minoo Line: Ishibashi Station

[edit] Roads

• Route 171, Route 173, Route 176 Route 477
• Expressways
  • Chūgoku Expressway Chūgoku-Ikeda Interchange
  • Hanshin Expressway Ikeda Route (11)

[edit] Major Company Headquarters in Ikeda

• Daihatsu
• Ikeda Bank

[edit] Sister cities

• Launceston, Tasmania, Australia (since 1965)
• Suzhou, PRC (since 1981, friendship city)
• Ikeda, Hokkaidō
• Ikeda, Fukui
• Tottori, Tottori

[edit] External links

• Ikeda official website (Japanese)

Osaka Prefecture
Cities
Daitō | Fujiidera | Habikino | Hannan | Higashiōsaka | Hirakata | Ibaraki | Ikeda | Izumi | Izumiotsu | Izumisano | Kadoma | Kaizuka | Kashiwara | Katano | Kawachinagano | Kishiwada | Matsubara | Minoh | Moriguchi | Neyagawa | Osaka (capital) | Ōsakasayama | Sakai | Sennan | Settsu | Shijōnawate | Suita | Takaishi | Takatsuki | Tondabayashi | Toyonaka | Yao
Districts
Minamikawachi | Mishima | Senboku | Sennan | Toyono
See also: Towns and villages by district edit