is a city located in southwestern Hyà Âgo Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 45,747 in 20,563 households and a population density of 360 persons per km<sup>2</sup>. The total area of the city is .
Akà  is located in far southwestern Hyà Âgo Prefecture. The city is on the border of the Hyà Âgo and Okayama prefectures, which also divides the Kinki and Chà «goku areas. On each side of the border, ancient Harima and Bizen provinces, which are now Akà  and Bizen cities, respectively (except for the former village of Fukukawa, now part of Akà  but formerly belonging to Bizen Province), have cultivated their own cultures. Therefore, even at the present days, dialects are vastly different on the sides of the border. A traveller from west to east on the JR San'yà  Main Line will notice that the dialect of passengers suddenly changes between Kamigori station in Hyogo prefecture and Mitsuishi station in Okayama prefecture. In Akà Â, people speak a type of the Kansai dialect whose intonation is however of the Tokyo type. The superset of the dialect spoken in Akà Â, called Banshà «-ben, is known as one of the harshest-sounding dialects. The Chikusa River flows through the center of the city, providing the moat of Akà  Castle with water through a branch, Kariya River. The central part of the city around the castle has been built on the alluvial plain of Chikusa River. Parts of the city are within the borders of the Setonaikai National Park.
Hyà Âgo Prefecture
Okayama Prefecture
Akà  has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Akà  is 15.1 ðC. The average annual rainfall is 1519 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.1 ðC, and lowest in January, at around 4.8 ðC.
Per Japanese census data, the population of Akà  has remained relatively constant over the past 40 years.
Akà  was part of ancient Harima province, and has been settled since at least the Jomon period, with numerous remains from the Yayoi period and Kofun period found within city limits. During the Edo period, Akà  was a capital of Akà  Domain, which was noted for its salt production. The town Akà  was created with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. It was raised to city status on September 1, 1951.
Akà  has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 18 members. Akà  contributes one member to the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Hyà Âgo 12th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Akà  has traditionally been famous for salt production was its main industry during the feudal period. Other industries are light manufacturing, commercial fishing, agriculture and tourism thanks to the story of the forty-seven rà Ânin, as featured in the Chà «shingura.
Akà  has ten public elementary schools and five public middle schools operated by the city government and one public high schools operated by the Hyà Âgo Prefectural Department of Education. The prefecture also operates a special education school for the handicapped. The Kansai University of Social Welfare was founded in 1997 is also located in Akà Â.
JR West â San'yà  Main Line
JR West â Akà  Line