Suita (吹田市) is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 381,238 in 182636 households and a population density of 11,000 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 36.09 sqkm. It is a suburban city of Osaka City and a part of the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe metropolitan area.

Geography

Suita is located in northern Osaka Prefecture. The northern part of the city is occupied by the gently sloping Senri Hills, and the southern part is a plain made up of the Yodo River, Aui River, Kanzaki River, and sediments carried from rivers that originate in Senri Hills. The elevation of the city ranges from 1.5 meters to 115.7 meters above sea level. The city limits are 6.4 kilometers from east-to-west and 9.6 kilometers from north-to-south. In the past, the sea was right next to the city, and place names such as Toyotsu and Takahama still remain today. The Ani River runs through the southern edge of the city limits, and the Kanzaki River flows from east to west.

Neighboring municipalities

Osaka Prefecture

Climate

Suita has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Suita is 15.0 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1475 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.9 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.6 °C.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Suita has risen steadily over the past century.

History

The area of the modern city of Suita was within ancient Settsu Province, and has been continuously inhabited since the Japanese Paleolithic period. In 785 AD, Wake no Kiyomaro constructed a canal between the Yodo River and the Kanzaki River in what is now Suita, and from the Heian period, the area was occupied by shōen landed estates of the nobility and the imperial family. In the Edo Period, it was divided between estates directly controlled by Tokugawa shogunate and those controlled by the Imperial family. The village of Suita was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. On April 1, 1896 the area became part of Mishima District, Osaka. Suita was raised to town status on April 1, 1898 and to city status on January 1, 1940. The city was the site of Expo '70, a World's Fair held in 1970. On April 1, 2001 Suita was designated a Special city with increased local autonomy.

Government

Suita has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 36 members. Suita contributes four members to the Osaka Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Osaka 7th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Suita is a regional commercial center and distribution hub for northern Osaka. Due to its proximity to the Osaka metropolitan area, it is also a commuter town. The city also has a growing and very diverse industrial base.

Major companies and industries

Education

Universities

Primary and secondary education

Suita has 38 public elementary schools and 18 public middle schools operated by the city government and one elementary school and one junior high school operated by Osaka City. Suita has five public high schools operated by the Osaka Prefectural Department of Education. There are also two private combined middle/high schools and one private high school. The prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped.

Transportation

Railway

JR West – JR Kyōto Line JR West – Osaka Higashi Line Hankyu Railway Hankyu Kyoto Line Hankyu Railway Hankyu Senri Line Kita-Osaka Kyuko Railway Osaka Metro - Midosuji Line Osaka Monorail - Main Line Osaka Monorail - Saito Line

Highway

Sister cities

Suita was involved in Bankstown's first international sister city in March 1989.

Local attractions

Museums

Notable residents of Suita