Hyōgo Prefecture Kasai has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall.

Following the Meiji restoration, the villages of Takino and Yashiro were created within Katō District with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889.

[3] Katō has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 18 members.

In terms of national politics, the city is part of Hyōgo 4th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Katō is a regional commercial center, with a mixed local economy of agriculture and light manufacturing.