User:Asakura Akira/Chronological list of cities in Japan

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Todo:

Move all "new establishment mergers" to the front columns as with #7 Himeji City, so the precursors can be listed, yet a single entry for homonymous successors be maintained
Maybe (?) add another running count excluding subsequently dissolved cites towards the current total

Notes:

Cities # 1–40 were all established by Home Ministry ordinance in 1889, but exact date of implementation varied from prefecture to prefecture. Of these, Cities #1–36 were contained in the first Home Ministry ordinance of 1889, February 2.
The precursors for cities established in the initial introduction of cities in 1889 (in Okinawa-ken & Hokkai-dō 1921/22) are not exact, in many cases the borders of -shi did expand (in some sections also recede) somewhat from the precursor -ku.
The N→S column allows to sort by prefecture from North to South in the order commonly used in Japan.
Abbreviations
- Suffix translations (only used after 1889; the ku/gun/chō/son up to 1889 are not accurately described as wards/districts/towns/villages, but rather urban/rural districts or counties/cities & urban/rural neighbourhoods/areas/subdistricts)
  - C.: City (-shi)
  - D.: District (-gun)
  - T.: Town (-machi/-chō)
  - V.: Village (-mura/-son)
- Prefix translations (mostly in district names stemming from Meiji era district partition)
  - N.: North (Kita-)
  - S.: South (Minami-)
  - E.: East (Higashi-)
  - W.: West (Nishi-)
  - Cent.: Central (Naka-)
  - Upp.: Upper (Kami-)
  - Low.: Lower (Shimo-)

#	Prefecture (-to/-dō/-fu/-ken)	N→S	City (-shi)	Established	from	[Dissolved]	[into]	Major city status
1	Tokyo		Tokyo	May 1, 1889	15 -ku of Tokyo	July 1, 1943 (Tosei)	35 -ku of Tokyo	One of the original "three capitals"→-ku pre-date city One of the "Six major cities" (roku-daitoshi) from 1922
2	Kyoto		Kyoto	April 1, 1889	2 -ku of Kyoto	–	–	One of the original "three capitals"→-ku pre-date city One of the "six major cities" (roku-daitoshi) from 1922 Designated major city since 1956
3	Osaka		Osaka	April 1, 1889	4 -ku of Osaka	–	–	One of the original "three capitals"→-ku pre-date city One of the "six major cities" (roku-daitoshi) from 1922 Designated major city since 1956
4	Osaka		Sakai	April 1, 1889	Sakai-ku of Osaka	–	–	Core city from 1996 Designated major city since 2006
5	Kanagawa		Yokohama	April 1, 1889	Yokohama-ku of Kanagawa	–	–	One of the "Six major cities" (roku-daitoshi) from 1922 Wards established in 1927 Designated major city since 1956
6	Hyōgo		Kōbe	April 1, 1889	Kōbe-ku of Hyōgo	–	–	One of the "Six major cities" (roku-daitoshi) from 1922 Wards established in 1931 Designated major city since 1956
7	Hyōgo		Himeji (old) Himeji (new)	April 1, 1889 March 1, 1946	Parts of Shikitō-gun 2 C.s, 2 T.s from Shikama D.. 1 T. & 3 V.s from Ibo D. (Himeji C. (old), Shikama C., Shirahama T., Hirohata T., Aboshi T., Ōtsu V., Katsuhara V., Amarube V.)	–	–	Core city since 1996
8	Nagasaki		Nagasaki	April 1, 1889	Nagasaki-ku of Nagasaki	–	–	Core city since 1997
9	Niigata		Niigata	April 1, 1889	Niigata-ku of Niigata	–	–	Core city from 1996 Designated major city since 2007
10	Ibaraki		Mito	April 1, 1889	Parts of Higashi-Ibaraki-gun	–	–	Special case city since 2001
11	Mie		Tsu	April 1, 1889	Parts of Anotsu-gun	– January 1, 2006	– Technically: Tsu City (new)	–
12	Aichi		Nagoya	October 1, 1889	Nagoya-ku of Aichi	–	–	Wards established in 1908 One of the "Six major cities" (roku-daitoshi) from 1922 Designated major city since 1956
13	Shizuoka		Shizuoka	April 1, 1889	Parts of Abe- and Udo-gun	– April 1, 2003	– Technically: Shizuoka City (new)	Core city from 1996/2003 Designated major city since 2005
14	Miyagi		Sendai	April 1, 1889	Sendai-ku of Miyagi	–	–	Designated major city since 1989
15	Iwate		Morioka	April 1, 1889	Parts of Minami-Iwate-gun	–	–	Special case city from 2000 Core city since 2008
16	Aomori		Hirosaki	April 1, 1889	Parts of Naka-Tsugaru-gun	– February 27, 2006	– Technically: Hirosaki City (new)	–
17	Yamagata		Yamagata	April 1, 1889	Parts of Minami-Murayama-gun	–	–	Special case city since 2001
18	Yamagata		Yonezawa	April 1, 1889	Parts of Minami-Okitama-gun	–	–	–
19	Akita		Akita	April 1, 1889	Parts of Minami-Akita-gun	–	–	Core city since 1997
20	Fukui		Fukui	April 1, 1889	Parts of Asuwa-gun	–	–	Special case city since 2000
21	Ishikawa		Kanazawa	April 1, 1889	Kanazawa-ku of Ishikawa	–	–	Core city since 1996
22	Toyama		Toyama	April 1, 1889	Parts of Kami-Niikawa-gun	– April 1, 2005	– Technically: Toyama City (new)	Core city since 1996/2005
23	Toyama		Takaoka	April 1, 1889	Parts of Imizu-gun	– November 1, 2005	– Technically: Takaoka City (new)	–
24	Shimane		Matsue	April 1, 1889	Parts of Shimane- and Ou-gun	– March 31, 2005	– Technically: Matsue City (new)	Special case city since 2012
25	Okayama		Okayama	June 1, 1889	Okayama-ku of Okayama	–	–	Core city from 1996 Designated major city since 2009
26	Hiroshima		Hiroshima	April 1, 1889	Hiroshima-ku of Hiroshima	–	–	Designated major city since 1980
27	Yamaguchi		Akamagaseki →Shimonoseki	April 1, 1889 June 1, 1902	Akamagaseki-ku of Yamaguchi Name changed from Akamagaseki City	– February 13, 2005	– Technically: Shimonoseki City (new)	Special case city from 2002 Core city since 2005
28	Wakayama		Wakayama	April 1, 1889	Wakayama-ku	–	–	Core city since 1997
29	Tokushima		Tokushima	October 1, 1889	Parts of Myōdō-gun	–	–	–
30	Kagawa		Takamatsu	February 15, 1890	Parts of Kagawa-gun	–	–	Core city since 1999
31	Ehime		Matsuyama	December 15, 1889	Parts of Onsen-gun	–	–	Core city since 2000
32	Kōchi		Kōchi	April 1, 1889	Parts of Tosa-gun	–	–	Core city since 1998
33	Fukuoka		Fukuoka	April 1, 1889	Fukuoka-ku of Fukuoka	–	–	Designated major city since 1972
34	Fukuoka		Kurume	April 1, 1889	Parts of Mii-gun	–	–	Special case city from 2001 Core city since 2008
35	Kumamoto		Kumamoto	April 1, 1889	Kumamoto-ku of Kumamoto	–	–	Core city from 1996 Designated major city since 2012
36	Kagoshima		Kagoshima	April 1, 1889	Parts of Kagoshima-gun	– April 29, 1967	– Technically: Kagoshima City (new)	Core city since 1996
37	Saga		Saga	April 1, 1889	Parts of Saga-gun	– October 1, 2005	– Technically: Saga City (new)	Special case city since 2014
38	Gifu		Gifu	July 1, 1889	Parts of Atsumi-gun	–	–	Core city since 1996
39	Yamanashi		Kōfu	July 1, 1889	Parts of Nishi-Yamanashi-gun	–	–	Special case city since 2000
40	Tottori		Tottori	October 1, 1889	Parts of Ōmi-gun	–	–	Special case city since 2005
41	Gunma		Maebashi	April 1, 1892	Maebashi Town, East Gunma District	–	–	Special case city from 2001 Core city since 2009
42	Tochigi		Utsunomiya	April 1, 1896	Utsunomiya Town, Kawachi District	–	–	Core city since 1996
43	Nagano		Nagano	April 1, 1897	Nagano Town, Upper Minochi District	– October 16, 1966	– Technically: Nagano City (new)	Core city since 1999
44	Mie		Yokkaichi	August 1, 1897	Yokkaichi Town, Mie District	–	–	Special case city since 2000
45	Nara		Nara	February 1, 1898	Nara Town, Soekami District	–	–	Core city since 2002
46	Hiroshima		Onomichi	April 1, 1898	Onomichi Town, Mitsugi District	–	–	–
47	Aomori		Aomori	April 1, 1898	Aomori Town, East Tsugaru District	– April 1, 2005	– Technically: Aomori City (new)	Core city since 2006
48	Shiga		Ōtsu	October 1, 1898	Ōtsu Town, Shiga District	–	–	Special case city from 2009 Core city since 2009
49	Fukushima		Wakamatsu	April 1, 1899	Wakamatsu Town, North Aizu District	– January 1, 1955	– Technically: Aizu-Wakamatsu City (new)	–
50	Kagawa		Marugame	April 1, 1899	Marugame Town, Naka District	– March 22, 2005	– Technically: Marugame City (new)	–
51	Fukuoka		Moji	April 1, 1899	Moji Town, Kiku District	February 10, 1963	Kitakyūshū City	–
52	Fukuoka		Kokura	April 1, 1900	Kokura Town, Kiku District	February 10, 1963	Kitakyūshū City	–
53	Gunma		Takasaki	April 1, 1900	Takasaki Town, Gunma District	–	–	Special case city from 2001 Core city since 2011
54	Nagasaki		Sasebo	April 1, 1902	Sasebo Village, East Sonogi District	–	–	Special case city from 2001 Core city since 2016
55	Hiroshima		Kure	October 1, 1902	3 Towns & 2 Villages in Aki District (Kure T., Miyahara V., Washō T., Sōyamada V., Futagawa T.)	–	–	Special case city from 2000 Core city since 2016
56	Niigata		Nagaoka	April 1, 1906	Nagaoka Town, Koshi District	–	–	Special case city since 2007
58	Aichi		Toyohashi	August 1, 1906	Toyohashi Town, Atsumi District	–	–	Core city since 1999
57	Mie		Uji-Yamada →Ise	September 1, 1906 January 1, 1955	Uji-Yamada Town, Watarai District Name changed from Uji-Yamada-City	–	–	–
59	Kanagawa		Yokosuka	February 15, 1907	Yokosuka Town, Miura District	–	–	Core city since 2001
60	Fukushima		Fukushima	April 1, 1907	Fukushima Town, Shinobu District, Fukushima	–	–	–
61	Nagano		Matsumoto	May 1, 1907	Matsumoto Town, East Chikuma District	–	–	Special case city since 2000
62	Ōita		Ōita	April 1, 1911	Ōita Town, Ōita District	– March 10, 1963	– Technically: Ōita City (new)	Core city since 1997
63	Shizuoka		Hamamatsu	July 1, 1911	Hamamatsu Town, Hamana District	– April 1, 2007	– Technically: Hamamatsu City (new)	Core city from 1996 Designated major city since 2007
64	Niigata		Takada	September 1, 1911	Takada Town, Central Kubiki District	April 29, 1974	Jōetsu City	–
65	Fukuoka		Wakamatsu	April 1, 1914	Wakamatsu Town, Onga District	February 10, 1963	Kitakyūshū City	–
66	Hyōgo		Amagasaki	April 1, 1916	Amagasaki Town, Kawabe District (+ parts of Tachibana V.)	– April 1, 1936	– Technically: Amagaseki City (new)	Special case city from 2001 Core city since 2009
67	Aichi		Okazaki	July 1, 1916	Okazaki Town, Nukata District	–	–	Core city since 2003
68	Hiroshima		Fukuyama	July 1, 1916	Fukuyama Town, Fukayasu District	– May 1, 1966	– Technically: Fukuyama City (new)	Core city since 1998
69	Fukuoka		Ōmuta	March 1, 1917	Ōmuta Town, Miike District	–	–	–
70	Fukuoka		Yahata	March 1, 1917	Yahata Town, Onga District	February 10, 1963	Kitakyūshū City	–
71	Tokyo		Hachiōji	September 1, 1917	Hachiōji Town, South Tama District	–	–	Core city since 2015
72	Gifu		Ōgaki	April 1, 1918	Ōgaki Town, Anpachi District	–	–	–
73	Nagano		Ueda	May 1, 1919	Ueda Town, Chiisagata District	– March 6, 2006	– Technically: Ueda City (new)	–
74	Hyōgo		Akashi	November 1, 1919	Akashi Town, Akashi District	–	–	Special case city since 2002
75	Ehime		Imabari	February 11, 1920	Imabari T. & Hiyoshi V., Ochi District	– January 16, 2005	– Technically: Imabari City (new)	–
76	Tochigi		Ashikaga	January 1, 1921	Ashikaga Town, Ashikaga District	–	–	–
77	Chiba		Chiba	January 1, 1921	Chiba Town, Chiba District	–	–	Designated major city since 1992
78	Gunma		Kiryū	March 1, 1921	Kiryū Town, Yamada District	–	–	–
79	Okinawa (1946/01/29–1974/05/15 US military)		Naha	May 20, 1921	Naha-ku of Okinawa	–	–	Core city since 2013
80	Okinawa (1946/01/29–1974/05/15 US military)		Shuri	May 20, 1921	Shuri-ku of Okinawa	September 1, 1954	Naha City	–
81	Ehime		Uwajima	August 1, 1921	Uwajima T. & Yawata V., North Uwa District	– August 1, 2005	– Technically: Uwajima City (new)	–
82	Aichi		Ichinomiya	September 1, 1921	Ichinomiya Town, Nakashima District	–	–	Special case city since 2001
83	Yamaguchi		Ube	September 1, 1921	Ube Village, Nakashima District	–	–	–
84	Hokkai[-dō]		Sapporo	August 1, 1922	Sapporo-ku of Hokkai-dō	–	–	Designated major city since 1972
85	Hokkai[-dō]		Hakodate	August 1, 1922	Hakodate-ku of Hokkai-dō	–	–	Special case city from 2000 Core city since 2005
86	Hokkai[-dō]		Otaru	August 1, 1922	Otaru-ku of Hokkai-dō	–	–	–
87	Hokkai[-dō]		Muroran	August 1, 1922	Muroran-ku of Hokkai-dō	–	–	–
88	Hokkai[-dō]		Asahikawa	August 1, 1922	Asahikawa-ku of Hokkai-dō	–	–	Core city since 2000
89	Hokkai[-dō]		Kushiro	August 1, 1922	Kushiro-ku of Hokkai-dō	–	–	–
90	Osaka		Kishiwada	November 1, 1922	Kishiwada Town, Sennan [=Izumi S.] District	– April 1, 1942	– Technically: Kishiwada City (new)	Special case city since 2002
91	Saitama		Kawagoe	December 1, 1922	Kawagoe T. & Senba V., Iruma District	–	–	Core city since 2003
92	Shizuoka		Numazu	July 1, 1923	Numazu T. & Yanagihara V., Suntō [=Suruga E.] District	–	–	Special case city since 2000
93	Shizuoka		Shimizu	February 11, 1924	2 Towns & 2 Villages in Abe District (Shimizu T., Irie T., Fujimi V., Miho V.)	April 1, 2003	Shizuoka City	Special case city from 2001
94	Miyazaki		Miyazaki	April 1, 1924	2 Towns & 1 Village in Miyazaki District (Miyazaki T., Ōyodo T., Ōmiya V.)	–	–	Core city since 1998
95	Miyazaki		Miyakonojō	April 1, 1924	Miyakonojō Town, North Morokata District	– January 1, 2006	– Technically: Miyakonojō City (new)	–
96	Ōita		Beppu	April 1, 1924	Beppu Town, Hayami District	–	–	–
97	Kanagawa		Kawasaki	July 1, 1924	2 Towns & 1 Village in Tachibana District (Kawasaki T., Miyuki V., Daishi T.)	–	–	Designated major city since 1972
98	Fukushima		Kōriyama	September 1, 1924	Kōriyama T. & Koharada V., Asaka District	–	–	Core city since 1997
99	Fukuoka		Tobata	September 1, 1924	Tobata Town, Onga District	February 10, 1963	Kitakyūshū City	–
100	Yamagata		Tsuruoka	October 1, 1924	Tsuruoka Town, West Tagawa District	– October 1, 2005	– Technically: Tsuruoka City (new)	–
101	Hyōgo		Nishinomiya	April 1, 1925	Nishinomiya Town, Muko District	–	–	Core city since 2008
102	Tottori		Yonago	April 1, 1927	Yonago Town, Saihaku District	– March 31, 2005	– Technically: Yonago City (new)	–
103	Okayama		Kurashiki	April 1, 1928	Kurashiki Town, Tsukubo District	– February 1, 1967	– Technically: Kurashiki City (new)	Core city since 2002
104	Okayama		Tsuyama	February 22, 1929	2 T.s & 3 V.s from Tomata & 1 V. from Kume (Tsuyama T., Tsuyama E. T., W. Tomada V., Ninomiya V., Innoshō V., Fukuoka V.)	–	–	–
105	Yamaguchi		Yamaguchi	April 1, 1928	Yamaguchi Town & Yoshiki Village, Yoshiki District	– October 1, 2005	– Technically: Yamaguchi City (new)	–
106	Ōita		Nakatsu	April 1, 1928	Nakatsu Town, Shimoge District	–	–	–
107	Aomori		Hachinohe	May 1, 1929	3 Towns & 1 Village from Sannohe District (Hachinohe T., Konakano T., Minato T., Same V.)	–	–	Special case city from 2001 Core city since 2017
108	Kyoto		Fushimi	May 1, 1929	Fushimi Town, Kii District	April 1, 1931	Kyoto City	–
109	Aichi		Seto	October 1, 1929	Seto Town, East Kasugai District	–	–	–
110	Fukuoka		Nōgata	January 1, 1931	Nōgata Town, Kurate District	–	–	–
111	Saga		Karatsu	January 1, 1932	Karatsu Town, East Matsuura District	– January 1, 2005	– Technically: Karatsu City (new)	–
112	Fukuoka		Iizuka	January 20, 1932	Iizuka Town, Kaho District	– March 26, 2006	– Technically: Iizuka City (new)	–
113	Kanagawa		Hiratsuka	April 1, 1932	Hiratsuka Town, Naka District	–	–	Special case city since 2001
114	Yamaguchi		Hagi	July 1, 1932	Hagi Town, Abu District	– March 6, 2005	– Technically: Hagi City (new)	–
117	Mie		Matsuaka	February 1, 1933	Matsusaka Town, Iinan District	– January 1, 2005	– Technically: Matsusaka City (new)	–
115	Chiba		Chōshi	February 11, 1933	3 T.s & 1 V. from Kaijō District (Chōshi T., Moto-Chōshi T., W. Chōshi T., Toyooka V.)	–	–	–
118	Miyazaki		Nobeoka	February 11, 1933	Nobeoka Town, East Usuki District	–	–	–
116	Hokkai[-dō]		Obihiro	April 1, 1933	Obihiro Town, Kasai District	–	–	–
119	Yamagata		Sakata	April 1, 1933	Sakata Town, Akumi District	– January 1, 2006	– Technically: Sakata City (new)	–
120	Saitama		Kumagaya	April 1, 1933	Kumagaya Town, Ōsato District	– October 1, 2005	– Technically: Kumagaya City (new)	Special case city since 2009
121	Saitama		Kawaguchi	April 1, 1933	1 T. & 3 V.s from N. Adachi District (Kawaguchi T., Yokozone V., Aoki V., S. Hirayanagi V.	–	–	Special case city since 2001
122	Miyagi		Ishinomaki	April 1, 1933	Ishinomaki Town, Oshika District	– April 1, 2005	– Technically: Ishinomaki City (new)	–
123	Wakayama		Shingū	October 1, 1933	Shingū T. & Miwasaki T., E. Muro District	– October 1, 2005	– Technically: Shingū City (new)	–
...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
891	Fukuoka		Nakagawa	October 1, 2018	Nakagawa T., Chikushi District	–	–	–

Maintenance.temp

Abbr.s in this sect.:

P.=Prefecture (-to/-dō/-fu/-ken; all periods, i.e. incl. the -dō during the Empire because its subdivisions already became the same as in other P.s before WWII!)
D.=District (-gun)
U.D.=Urban District (1878–89 -ku, also Hokkai & Okinawa P.s' -ku/cities after that)
C.=City (-shi)
T.=Town (1889– -chō/-machi; obviously only where this is the suffix of a municipality, not where it is part of the name of a neighbourhood/part of a municipality, although both were historically the same thing)
V.=Village (1889– -son/-mura)
S.W.=Special ward ([tokubetsu]-ku)
W.=Ward (1889– -ku)

Ambiguities

Hiyoshi V., Kitauwa D., Ehime P. (Hiyoshi, Ehime→Hiyoshi, Kitauwa, Ehime? ja:日吉村 (愛媛県北宇和郡)) vs. Hiyoshi V., Ochi D., Ehime P. (Hiyoshi, Ochi, Ehime; ja:日吉村 (愛媛県越智郡))

Trivia

Miyazaki became the last P. to contain its first C. in 1924.
Saitama was the last P. to have a T. as capital. (Urawa T., North Adachi D. only became Urawa C. in 1934)

External links