Hachiōji

Hachiōji is a city located in the western portion of Tokyo Metropolis, in the central Kantō region of Japan., the city had an estimated population of 579,330 and a population density of 3110 persons per km². Its total area was 186.38sqkm.HistoryThe area of present-day Hachiōji was part of ancient Musashi Province. It has been an important junction point and post town along the Kōshū Highway, the main road that connected the historical Edo (today's Tokyo) with western Japan. Hachioji Castle was built during the Sengoku period in 1584 by Hōjō Ujiteru, but was soon destroyed in 1590 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. During the Edo period, the area was tenryo controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate.In the post-Meiji Restoration cadastral reform of July 22, 1878, the area became part of Minamitama District in Kanagawa Prefecture. The town of Hachiōji was created on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of municipalities law. Minaitama District was transferred to the administrative control of Tokyo Metropolis on April 1, 1893. Hachiōji gained city status on September 1, 1917.