city, Hyōgo ken (prefecture), Honshu, Japan, on the Inland Sea. It long served as a collection and distribution centre for the rice that was produced in the hinterland of the Harima Sea, a portion of the Inland Sea. In the late 19th century Takasago's harbour and plentiful water supply were developed for industrial use (paper and cotton-spinning mills). Ceramics and heavy chemicals subsequently became the major industrial products, and Takasago, which at one time had been a quiet town graced with pine trees, began to be altered by pollution and noise. Pop. (2005) 94,813.