Livability Report
AkashiLivability Score
Hyogo·Pop. 306,587
Akashi is a long, narrow city on the Seto Inland Sea in southern Hyogo Prefecture. The Japan Standard Time meridian at 135 degrees east passes through it, and Awaji Island lies across the strait. In the Edo period it was a castle town, and Uonotana market, said to be as old as the castle, still sells fish landed in the strait. The city absorbed Okubo, Uozumi and Futami in 1951. JR and Sanyo Electric Railway lines run along the coast, and the city describes itself as a commuter town for Osaka, Kobe and Himeji.
Published 2026-04-15 · Article updated 2026-10-09 · Data updated 2026-10-08
Where in Japan
Overall Score
42.2
41.9
49.7
55.7
55.6* These scores are based on statistical analysis of public data and do not represent a definitive assessment of any area. Actual livability varies depending on individual values and lifestyle.
5-axis scores
Safety42.2Cost41.9Convenience49.7Welfare55.7Economy55.6Basic Information
Population
306,587
Prefecture
Hyogo
Q&A with Kai
Alex, Yuki, and Kai discuss what it's really like to live here.
The meridian and the castle town
Alex
To start with the basics, how did Akashi come to be a town?
Yuki
Station signs call it the town of time. Does that have anything to do with the castle?
Kai
It grew as the castle town of Akashi Castle in the Edo period. Construction began in 1619 and finished the following year, but only the stone base of the keep was built and no keep ever stood on it. The site became a prefectural park in 1918, and two turrets still stand just north of the station.
Safety
Yuki
The station area looks lively at night. Is it a calm place to live?
Alex
How far can that number be trusted?
Kai
The crime rate is the guide. Based on Hyogo Prefectural Police figures by municipality, recorded penal code offenses in 2025 came to 7.03 per 1,000 residents, higher than the median for Japan's larger municipalities. The figure counts offenses recorded by the police and excludes traffic accidents and harm that never reached them.
Cost of living
Alex
If I rent, what rent should I expect?
Yuki
And if I buy, how should I read the land price?
Kai
The average for rented homes is the guide. In the 2023 Housing and Land Survey it was 61,908 yen a month, higher than the median for Japan's larger municipalities. The background is the city's own description of itself as a commuter town on lines to Osaka and Kobe. Rents vary by station and layout, so treat the average as a starting point.
Convenience
Yuki
Do most people commute by train or by car?
Alex
Where do people do their everyday shopping?
Kai
Trains carry a large share. In the 2020 Census, 35.0% of commuters and students used rail or bus, higher than the median for Japan's larger municipalities. Behind that are the JR Sanyo Line stations at Asagiri, Akashi, Nishi-Akashi, Okubo and Uozumi, the Sanyo Electric Railway stations along the coast, and the Special Rapid service from Osaka stopping at Akashi.
Welfare
Alex
How many hospitals and clinics are there?
Yuki
What is the city known for when it comes to children?
Kai
By facility count, the 2023 Survey of Medical Institutions found 8.77 hospitals and clinics per 10,000 residents, an average level among Japan's larger municipalities. Density says nothing about what care is available or how easy it is to reach. The core is Akashi Municipal Hospital, a designated regional medical support hospital with a primary stroke centre; departments are on its website.
Economy
Alex
In a commuter town, what is the income level of working residents?
Yuki
Is the population growing or shrinking?
Alex
Is that a large movement for a city this size?
Kai
In the FY2025 municipal tax survey, taxable income per taxpayer was 3,699,162 yen, an average level among Japan's larger municipalities. It averages people registered and taxed in Akashi, not local wages. In the background is a town with local plants, such as Kawasaki Heavy Industries' Akashi Works and the Asahi Soft Drinks plant, and residents commuting to big cities along the line.
Share of people who actually live here
Alex
What does the residency rate, the supplementary indicator, actually measure?
Yuki
If the two almost match, what does that mean for daily life?
Kai
It is a ratio of two population counts: the 2025 Census population divided by the Basic Resident Register population as of 1 January 2026. Akashi's figure is 99.7%. The Census counts people living in a place, the register counts registrations, so timing and method differ. A small gap means the two statistics describe a population of nearly the same size.
Who this city suits
Families with children
Seven Free waives children's medical costs and elementary and junior high school lunches, and the diaper delivery service brings baby supplies with a support worker who can answer questions. Conditions differ by item, so check the city pages before moving. One thing to weigh: average rent is higher than the median.
Young singles
Osaka is about 40 minutes from Akashi Station by Special Rapid and the Shinkansen stops at Nishi-Akashi, which suits jobs in the Hanshin area or with frequent travel. Rent is higher than the median, so homes away from the station or stations further west widen the options.
Seniors
The municipal hospital, which runs a primary stroke centre, anchors care, and Akashi Medical Center serves the west. The library and shopping streets are within walking distance of the station, but in western residential areas check the routes of the Taco community bus first.
Remote workers
A seaside promenade and Akashi Park offer a change of scene, and Uonotana sells fish from the strait. Both the Special Rapid and the Shinkansen serve business trips. Retail establishments per head are lower than the median, so walkable shops vary by address.
Disaster risk and hazard maps
The city's hazard map, revised in 2022, shows river flood and storm surge inundation assumptions and seismic intensity, tsunami and liquefaction assumptions for a Nankai Trough earthquake. Hyogo Prefecture publishes a flood inundation map for the Akashi River system and a maximum-scale storm surge map. On tsunami, the city says the prefectural assumption published in February 2014 keeps flooding outside the seawalls with no inundation of housing areas, yet urges early evacuation to north of the Sanyo Electric Railway. Prefecturally designated sediment disaster warning areas also exist. Check address-level assumptions on the official maps when choosing a home.
Notes on the data
- ※ The crime rate is the number of penal code offenses recorded by Hyogo Prefectural Police by municipality (counted where the offense occurred), per thousand residents in the 2025 Census. It excludes harm not recorded by the police and traffic accidents.
- ※ "Higher" or "lower than the median" compares each indicator with the median of municipalities that had 50,000 or more residents in the 2025 Census. Values in the middle half of that range are described as an average level.
- ※ Indicator years are not aligned. Commuting modes are from the 2020 Census, retail establishments from the 2021 Economic Census, rent from the 2023 Housing and Land Survey, medical facilities from 2023 and school counts from FY2024.
- ※ Land price is the simple average of residential points in the 2026 official land price survey. Commercial and industrial land are excluded.
- ※ City measures are based on the FY2026 policy address and city guidance as of 2026. Details change each year, so confirm on the latest city pages.
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Detailed Data
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Crime Rate (per 1,000) | 7.03 | 2025 |
| Avg. Land Price (¥/m²) | 116,514 | 2026 |
| Avg. Rent (¥) | 61,908 | 2023 |
| Public Transit Usage (%) | 35.0 | 2020 |
| Retail Establishments | 1,564 | 2021 |
| Retail Establishments (per 1,000) | 5.10 | 2021 |
| Restaurant Establishments | 1,195 | 2021 |
| Restaurant Establishments (per 1,000) | 3.90 | 2021 |
| Residency Rate (%, census ÷ resident register) | 99.7 | 2025 |
| Medical Facilities (per 10,000, hospitals + clinics) | 8.77 | 2023 |
| Hospitals | 21 | 2023 |
| Hospitals (per 10,000) | 0.69 | 2023 |
| Clinics | 248 | 2023 |
| Clinics (per 10,000) | 8.09 | 2023 |
| Schools (elementary + junior high + high) | 50 | 2024 |
| Schools (per 1,000) | 0.163 | 2024 |
| Schools (per habitable km²) | 1.042 | 2024 |
| Taxable Income per Capita (¥) | 3,699,162 | 2025 |
| Net Migration | 843 | 2025 |
| Net Migration Rate (%) | 0.28 | 2025 |
| Total Population | 306,587 | 2025 |
| crime_count | 2,154 | 2025 |
| crime_count_pref | 39,899 | 2025 |
| crime_rate_pref_per_1000 | 8 | 2025 |
| habitable_area_km2 | 48 | 2024 |
| resident_registry_population | 307,487 | 2026 |
Data sources
| Indicator | Source | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Population | 2025 Population CensusStatistics Bureau of Japan | 2025 | |
| Crime Rate (per 1,000) | Reported penal code offenses by municipalityHyogo Prefectural Police | 2025 | Counted where offenses occur; per 1,000 uses the 2025 census population |
| Avg. Land Price (¥/m²) | Official land prices (National Land Numerical Information L01)Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism | 2026 | Residential sites only; simple average of sites |
| Avg. Rent (¥) | 2023 Housing and Land SurveyStatistics Bureau of Japan | 2023 | Monthly rent of rented housing; next survey in 2028 |
| Public Transit Usage (%) | 2020 Population Census (means of commuting)Statistics Bureau of Japan | 2020 | To be updated when the 2025 census commuting tables are published |
| Retail Establishments (per 1,000) | 2021 Economic Census for Business ActivityMIC and METI | 2021 | Next survey in 2026 |
| Restaurant Establishments (per 1,000) | 2021 Economic Census for Business ActivityMIC and METI | 2021 | Next survey in 2026 |
| Medical Facilities (per 10,000, hospitals + clinics) | Survey of Medical Institutions (System of Social and Demographic Statistics)Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare | 2023 | Hospitals and clinics combined |
| Schools (per habitable km²) | School Basic Survey and habitable area (System of Social and Demographic Statistics)MEXT and Statistics Bureau of Japan | 2024 | Elementary, junior high and high schools per habitable km² |
| Taxable Income per Capita (¥) | Survey on municipal tax assessmentMinistry of Internal Affairs and Communications | 2025 | Taxable income per taxpayer |
| Net Migration Rate (%) | Report on Internal MigrationStatistics Bureau of Japan | 2025 | |
| Residency Rate (%, census ÷ resident register) | Census population ÷ resident register populationMinistry of Internal Affairs and Communications | 2025 | Resident register population as of January 1, 2026 |
Sources (39)
- 明石市 市のあらまし
- 明石市 明石城跡
- 明石市 わがまちあかし十景 魚の棚
- 明石市 わがまちあかし十景 天文科学館
- 明石市 明石を楽しむ
- 明石市 明石で暮らす
- 明石市 明石・朝霧エリア
- 明石市 西明石エリア
- 明石市 大久保エリア
- 明石市 魚住・二見エリア
- 明石市 明石で子育て
- 明石市 0歳児見守り訪問おむつ定期便
- 明石市 明石市へのアクセス
- 明石市 Tacoバス 時刻表・路線図
- 明石市 あかし市民図書館
- 明石市 2026年度施政方針
- 明石市立市民病院
- 明石観光協会 アサヒ飲料明石工場
- 明石観光協会 海峡のまち
- 明石市ハザードマップ（2022年改訂）
- 明石市 南海トラフ巨大地震津波浸水シミュレーション
- 明石市 土砂災害警戒区域等
- 兵庫県 想定し得る最大規模の高潮による浸水想定区域図
- 兵庫県 想定最大規模降雨による洪水浸水想定区域図
- Hyogo Prefectural Police: crime situation by municipality
- Hyogo Prefectural Police: penal code offenses by municipality, 2025 (PDF)
- Wikipedia 明石市
- Wikipedia 川崎重工業
- e-Stat: 2025 Population Census, basic tabulation (table 0004065881)
- e-Stat: 2023 Housing and Land Survey, monthly rent of rented housing (table 0004021452)
- e-Stat: 2020 Population Census, means of commuting (table 0003454513)
- e-Stat: 2021 Economic Census for Business Activity, establishments by industry (table 0004005684)
- e-Stat: System of Social and Demographic Statistics, schools (table 0000020205)
- e-Stat: System of Social and Demographic Statistics, medical facilities (table 0000020209)
- e-Stat: Basic Resident Register migration report, net migration (table 0003419945)
- MLIT National Land Numerical Information: official land prices L01 (2026)
- MIC: municipal tax survey, FY2025
- MIC: population based on the Basic Resident Register, 2026
- 国土地理院 重ねるハザードマップ
Data years: mainly 2025 (2020–2026 by indicator)
Published 2026-04-15 · Article updated 2026-10-09 · Data updated 2026-10-08