About Harima-cho, Japan

 Harima (播磨町, Harima-chō) is a town located in Kako District, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. 

The town shares its name with Harima Province, one of the old provinces of Japan. Harima was known as Ae village until April 1962. 

The name "Harima" is derived from a large area in southwestern Hyōgo Prefecture, commonly referred to as "the country of Harima," or Banshū area. 

As of May 1, 2017, the town has an estimated population of 34,590, with 14,668 households.[1] The total area is 9.13 square kilometres (3.53 sq mi). Approximately 30 percent of the area is a man-made island. 

The island is one part of the East Harima Coastal Industrial Region.

 It also includes a large port for international shipping. Several large companies have factories in this area.

 The town flower is the chrysanthemum.

Harima currently has two sister city relationships:

• Lima, Ohio, United States, since March 16, 1999
• Heping, Tianjin, China, since March 25, 1993

The Harima International Friendship Association (HIFA) maintains sister-city relationships with Lima, Ohio, in the United States and Heping, Tianjin, in China. Activities include yearly cultural exchanges between the people of Harima and their sister-city partners.