Akashi, Hyogo

Akashi is a core city in southern Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, on the Seto Inland Sea in the Kansai region, that developed as a castle town during the Edo period and gained city status in 1919. The 135th meridian east, which defines Japan Standard Time, passes through the city and is marked by its municipal planetarium, and Akashi suffered significant damage in the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake. With an estimated 2024 population of 305,925, the city functions as a commuter town for Kobe and Osaka and is known for the local dish akashiyaki and for sake production dating to the Edo period. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/