Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima

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Map showing location of Higashihiroshima in Hiroshima Prefecture (as of 2006).

Higashihiroshima (東広島市, Higashihiroshima-shi^?) is a city located in Hiroshima, Japan.

Higashihiroshima is a university town of Hiroshima University. As the central city of Hiroshima Central Technopolis, high-tech industry is growing. Higashihiroshima is adjacent to Hiroshima, so it is also a commuter towns of Hiroshima.

From old times, Higashihiroshima is famous for making sake and there are "white walls", "black and white check walls" and "red brick chimneys" along the "Sakagura-dori (sake brewery avenue)". An annual sake matsuri is held every October. National Research Institute of Brewing has moved to Higashihiroshima from Tokyo in 1995.

The population growth rate is high compared with other cities, and the number of people from other countries (including students from abroad) is also increasing.

As of October 1, 2006 the city has an estimated population of 185,857 and a density of 292.5 persons per km². The total area is 635.32 km².

The city was founded on April 20, 1974 from the merger of the four towns of Saijō, Hachihonmatsu, Shiwa, and Takaya in Kamo District.

In 1992, the population reached 100,000.

On February 7, 2005, the towns of Kurose, Kōchi, Toyosaka, and Fukutomi in Kamo District, and the town of Akitsu in Toyota District were merged into Higashihiroshima.