135th meridian east monument in Akashi tenmoncho2.jpg
Article

28203 / あかしし

Hyogo Prefecture

Akashi City

Japan sets its clocks by this town.

The 135th meridian east

Photo by 藤谷良秀(Fujitani Yoshihide) (CC BY-SA 4.0)

01 / Meridian

Noon in Japanis decided on this line.

2025年9月30日の明石市立天文科学館の駅から見える外観.jpg
Photo by どがさん (CC0)

In 1886 the meridian of 135 degrees east was fixed as Japan Standard Time, in force from 1 January 1888. The line runs through Akashi, and in 1910 a marker for the crossing of the standard meridian was built here. The city's planetarium followed in 1960, standing on the line itself.

  • Fixed in 1886
  • In force from 1 January 1888
  • Meridian marker built in 1910

02 / Children

Seven things free,and no income test.

Medical care to the end of high school, nursery fees for second and later children, a nappy delivery service in the first year, help with the one-month check-up, primary school lunches, junior high school lunches, and admission for children at four city facilities. The city calls them Seven Free, and none of them is means-tested.

  • Medical care free until the end of high school
  • School lunches free, primary and junior high
  • No income test on any of the seven

03 / Uontana

350 metres of arcade,110 shops along it.

Akashi-uontana,2010年末-魚の棚商店街 DSCF0215.JPG
Photo by 松岡明芳 (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Uontana (魚の棚) market was laid out about 400 years ago when Akashi Castle was built, by a street plan credited to Miyamoto Musashi. Some 110 shops line 350 metres of arcade, selling fish landed that morning and the fish paste the town is known for. Locals call it Uontana.

  • 350 metres of arcade
  • About 110 shops
  • Akashi Castle built about 400 years ago

Living here

Osaka in 40 minutes; Shinkansen at Nishi-Akashi.

  • about 300,000 people
  • Shinkansen stops here

The JR and Sanyo Electric Railway stations called Akashi sit in the same place, and city hall is about five minutes by bus from stand 2 on the south-east side. Shinkansen Hikari trains stop at Nishi-Akashi Station in the city, 3 hours 27 minutes from Tokyo.

People living here
303,601people
19952020

+3.5% since 2015

287,606 → 303,601

Area
49.41km²

47.99km² of it habitable

2024

Households
133,647households

2.3 people per household

2020

Rent (average for rentals)
61,843yen

National average 60,630 yen

2023

Healthcare
21 hospitals / 248 clinics

8.9 per 10,000 people

2023

Almost entirely flat.Almost all of it is habitable land (97.1%)
Area and habitable land at the same scalee-Stat B1101 / B1103
Children waiting for childcare
—48 nurseries and similar
Home purchase subsidy
—
Average annual temperature
—

These 3 items are waiting on a nationwide data source. We do not fill them with estimates.

ACCESS

Where you can go from here.

Akashi City in Japan34.643°N 134.997°E
TokyoAkashi City
Akashi Station
明石駅2019
  • to OsakaJR Special Rapid40min
  • to TokyoShinkansen Hikari207min

Travel times follow 市公式「明石市へのアクセス」に載る値 (checked 2026-09-23). They vary by time of day.

Shape

Borders 4 municipalities.

Territory of Akashi City
Boundaries: National Land Numerical Information (N03)

North to south

9.5km

神戸市, 播磨町, 稲美町, 加古川市

Akashi City isthis kind of town.

  1. 01The 135th meridian east runs through, and Japan's clocks follow it
  2. 02Seven Free: medical care and school lunches, with no income test
  3. 03Uontana market, laid out 400 years ago: 110 shops in 350 metres

See the town as it is now.

Source: Wikidata (P2002, P2003, P2013, P2397)

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.