Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Mooka has recently plateaued after a long period of growth.

History

During the Edo Period, much of the area was tenryō territory under direct control of the Tokugawa Shogunate or various hatamoto. Towards the end of the Edo Period, the daimyō of Odawara, Ōkubo Tadazane attempted to develop waste land with the assistance of Ninomiya Sontoku. The town on Mooka was established within Tsuga District, Tochigi on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. Mooka annexed the neighboring villages of Yamazeki, Ouchi and Naka on March 31, 1954. It was elevated to city status on October 1, 1954.

On March 23, 2009, the town of Ninomiya (from Haga District) was merged into Mooka.

Government

Mooka has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city assembly of 21 members. Mooka collectively contributes two members to the Tochigi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Tochigi 4th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Mooka is a regional commercial center with a mixed economy. Agriculture centers primarily on rice production and fruits. Traditional industries of sake brewing and cotton weaving have largely been replaced by light manufacturing of automotive and electronic components, primarily for the nearby Nissan factory in Kaminokawa and Honda factory in Tsuga.

Education

Mooka has 14 public primary schools and nine public middle schools operated by the city government. and four high schools. The city has four public high schools operated by the Tochigi Prefectural Board of Education.

It previously hosted the Colégio Pitágoras Brasil, a Brazilian school.

Transportation

Railway

  • Mooka Railway Mooka Line
  • - - - - -

Highway

  • – Mooka Interchange

Local attractions

  • Osaki Jinja
  • Site of Nakamura Castle

International relations

  • Douliu, Taiwan
  • Glendora, California, United States

Noted people

  • Takanori Hoshino, voice actor
  • Nándor Wagner, artist and sculptor

References

  • Official Website