Livability Report
TakasagoLivability Score
Hyogo·Pop. 83,322
Takasago lies in southern Hyogo Prefecture in the eastern part of the Harima Plain, with the Kakogawa River to the east and the Harima Sea to the south. In 1601 the lord of Himeji Castle, Ikeda Terumasa, diverted the river to open a port at its mouth, and through the Edo period the town prospered as a port linking river boats with Inland Sea shipping. From the modern era, large machinery, paper, chemical, food and power plants moved in, making it a core of the Harima coastal industrial belt. It is known for the Noh play Takasago, and the city declared itself a Bridal City in 1988.
Published 2026-03-19 · Article updated 2026-10-09 · Data updated 2026-10-20
Where in Japan
Overall Score
44.8
55.9
49.5
52.3
45.6* 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
Safety44.8Cost55.9Convenience49.5Welfare52.3Economy45.6Basic Information
Population
83,322
Prefecture
Hyogo
Q&A with Kai
Alex, Yuki, and Kai discuss what it's really like to live here.
A river-mouth port and the Stone Shrine
Alex
I know the name but cannot picture the place. How did the town come about?
Yuki
What is the history of the land before the port was built?
Alex
What happened to how the coast was used afterwards?
Kai
It is a port town between river and sea. In 1601 Ikeda Terumasa, lord of Himeji Castle, diverted the Kakogawa to open a river port here, and Honda Tadamasa then laid out the town. Through the Edo period it linked river boats with Inland Sea shipping, and tax rice from upstream domains was shipped from here.
Safety
Alex
When choosing a home, what can I use as a guide to local safety?
Yuki
By what rules is that number counted?
Kai
The guide is the crime rate. In Hyogo Prefectural Police statistics by municipality, recorded criminal offenses in 2025 were 6.40 per thousand residents, an average level among Japan's major municipalities. It is based on offenses recognised by police and excludes traffic accidents and harm the police never recorded.
Cost of living
Alex
If I rent, what rent should I plan for?
Yuki
Does the feel of the city differ from place to place?
Alex
How should I read the land price guide?
Kai
Average rent for rented homes is the guide. In the 2023 Housing and Land Survey it was 41,754 yen a month, below the median of Japan's major municipalities. It differs from advertised rents for individual homes and varies by station and floor plan, so read it only as a guide.
Convenience
Alex
How much are trains and buses used for commuting or school?
Yuki
Do the station names have anything to do with how the town formed?
Alex
How do shops for food and daily goods look in the statistics?
Kai
The JR Sanyo Line and the Sanyo Electric Railway serve the city, along with route buses and the Joton community bus. In the 2020 Census, 14.3% used rail or bus for commuting or school, an average level among Japan's major municipalities. It counts trips inside and outside the city alike and is a breakdown of travel modes.
Welfare
Alex
What hospital provision is there in the city for emergencies?
Yuki
What is the city doing on the school side?
Kai
The city has hospitals including the public Takasago Municipal Hospital. The 2023 Survey of Medical Institutions count of hospitals and clinics, divided by the 2025 Census population, gives 7.92 facilities per 10,000 residents, an average level among Japan's major municipalities. It is a ratio of facilities to residents and says nothing about departments or ease of visits.
Economy
Alex
In a town with jobs inside it, how should I read the income statistics?
Yuki
Which way are people moving, in or out?
Alex
Can the net movement be seen against the size of the population?
Kai
Under the FY2025 taxation survey by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, taxable income per taxpayer was 3,423,478 yen, an average level among Japan's major municipalities. It averages residents who pay tax here, separate from wages at local plants. Machinery, paper, chemical, food and power plants moved in, making the city a core of the Harima coastal industrial belt.
Share of people living here
Alex
There is a supplementary residency rate. How is it calculated?
Yuki
When does a gap between the two populations appear?
Kai
It is a ratio of two populations: the 2025 Census population divided by the Basic Resident Register population as of 1 January 2026. For Takasago it is 97.1%, below the median of major municipalities. The Census counts people living in a place, while the register counts registrations, so both timing and method differ.
Who this city suits
Families with children
All public elementary and junior high schools run integrated nine-year education, and the city offers the Kodomo Daredemo Tsuen childcare scheme and postnatal care in overnight, day and home-visit forms. Check eligibility on the city's childcare pages. In the 2023 Housing and Land Survey, average rent is below the median of Japan's major municipalities. Check rents for each candidate home in listings.
Young singles
The city's guide gives about 15 minutes to Himeji, 30 to Kobe and 60 to Osaka by train. There is no Shinkansen station in the city. Check the lines and transfers for your workplace or business trips. In the 2023 Housing and Land Survey, average rent is below the median of Japan's major municipalities.
Seniors
In the 2023 Survey of Medical Institutions the city has two hospitals, including the public Takasago Municipal Hospital. The Joton community bus and route buses also run. Medical facilities per 10,000 residents, based on that survey, are at an average level among Japan's major municipalities. Confirm the departments you need and the bus routes near your home.
Remote workers
The city has Mt. Takamikura, called the Harima Fuji, the Kuraku Matsuemon residence added to the Kitamaebune Japan Heritage listing, and Ishi no Hoden. Check the distance and route from your home. Retail establishments per thousand residents, based on the 2021 Economic Census, are at an average level among Japan's major municipalities, and shops within walking distance vary by address.
Disaster risk and hazard maps
The city publishes hazard maps in booklet and web form. The flood section shows inundation assumptions and duration for the Kakogawa, Hokkesandani and Amakawa rivers (plus the Nishihama under maximum-scale rainfall), a storm surge map follows the prefectural inundation maps published in August 2020, and a reservoir failure map is also available. A tsunami inundation map for a Nankai Trough earthquake exists, but the web guide updated on 29 February 2024 states that no tsunami disaster caution zones have been designated. Sediment disaster caution zones can be checked on the web map, and the earthquake section maps intensity and liquefaction for the Yamasaki fault zone and a Nankai Trough earthquake. In 1976 Typhoon 17 made the Amakawa overflow and flooded a quarter of the city. The city also pursues a comprehensive flood control plan and subsidies for rainwater tanks. Check address-level assumptions on the official maps.
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Detailed Data
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Crime Rate (per 1,000) | 6.40 | 2025 |
| Avg. Land Price (¥/m²) | 61,192 | 2026 |
| Avg. Rent (¥) | 41,754 | 2023 |
| Public Transit Usage (%) | 14.3 | 2020 |
| Retail Establishments | 484 | 2021 |
| Retail Establishments (per 1,000) | 5.81 | 2021 |
| Restaurant Establishments | 397 | 2021 |
| Restaurant Establishments (per 1,000) | 4.77 | 2021 |
| Residency Rate (%, census ÷ resident register) | 97.1 | 2025 |
| Medical Facilities (per 10,000, hospitals + clinics) | 7.92 | 2023 |
| Hospitals | 2 | 2023 |
| Hospitals (per 10,000) | 0.24 | 2023 |
| Clinics | 64 | 2023 |
| Clinics (per 10,000) | 7.68 | 2023 |
| Schools (elementary + junior high + high) | 21 | 2024 |
| Schools (per 1,000) | 0.252 | 2024 |
| Schools (per habitable km²) | 0.699 | 2024 |
| Taxable Income per Capita (¥) | 3,423,478 | 2025 |
| Net Migration | -275 | 2025 |
| Net Migration Rate (%) | -0.33 | 2025 |
| Total Population | 83,322 | 2025 |
| crime_count | 533 | 2025 |
| crime_count_pref | 39,899 | 2025 |
| crime_rate_pref_per_1000 | 8 | 2025 |
| habitable_area_km2 | 30 | 2024 |
| resident_registry_population | 85,820 | 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 (27)
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- 高砂市 高砂市に住んでみーひん？
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- 高砂市 こども誰でも通園制度
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- 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
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- 国土地理院 重ねるハザードマップ
Data years: mainly 2025 (2020–2026 by indicator)
Published 2026-03-19 · Article updated 2026-10-09 · Data updated 2026-10-20