Nishiaizu (西会津町, Nishiaizu-machi) is a town located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 April 2020[update], the town had an estimated population of 6,090 in 2598 households,[1] and a population density of 20 persons per km². Approximately 66% of the population is over the age of 65.[2] The total area is 298.18 square kilometres (115.13 sq mi).
Nishiaizu
西会津町 | |
|---|---|
 Nyoho-ji Temple | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Nishiaizu in Fukushima Prefecture | |
  Nishiaizu | |
| Coordinates: 37°35′19.8″N 139°38′50.9″E / 37.588833°N 139.647472°E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Tōhoku |
| Prefecture | Fukushima |
| District | Yama |
| Area | |
• Total | 298.18 km2 (115.13 sq mi) |
| Population (April 2020) | |
• Total | 6,090 |
| • Density | 20/km2 (53/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
| Phone number | 0241-45-2211 |
| Address | 3261 Otsu Nozawa Shimokoyaue Nishiaizu-machi, Yama-gun, Fukushima-ken 969-4495 |
| Climate | Cfa |
| Website | Official website |
| Symbols | |
| Flower | Lilium |
| Tree | Paulownia tomentosa |
Geography
editNishiaizu is located at the far northwestern corner of the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture, bordered Niigata Prefecture to the north and the west. It is known as the "front door" to the Iide Mountains. About 86 percent of the total area is composed of mountains and forests.[3]
- Mountains : Mount Mikunidake (1644 m)
- Rivers : Aga River
Neighboring municipalities
editFukushima Prefecture
Niigata Prefecture
Climate
editNishiaizu has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) characterized by warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Nishiaizu is 11.8 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1548 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.4 °C, and lowest in January, at around -0.9 °C.[4]
| Climate data for Nishiaizu (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 13.2 (55.8) |
15.2 (59.4) |
22.1 (71.8) |
29.1 (84.4) |
33.6 (92.5) |
34.3 (93.7) |
36.8 (98.2) |
36.9 (98.4) |
35.9 (96.6) |
30.1 (86.2) |
23.9 (75.0) |
19.7 (67.5) |
36.9 (98.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 2.8 (37.0) |
3.8 (38.8) |
8.0 (46.4) |
15.8 (60.4) |
21.9 (71.4) |
25.0 (77.0) |
28.1 (82.6) |
29.7 (85.5) |
25.3 (77.5) |
19.0 (66.2) |
12.1 (53.8) |
5.5 (41.9) |
16.4 (61.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −0.4 (31.3) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
2.7 (36.9) |
9.0 (48.2) |
15.1 (59.2) |
19.5 (67.1) |
23.2 (73.8) |
24.2 (75.6) |
19.9 (67.8) |
13.4 (56.1) |
7.0 (44.6) |
2.0 (35.6) |
11.3 (52.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −3.6 (25.5) |
−4.1 (24.6) |
−1.9 (28.6) |
2.9 (37.2) |
8.9 (48.0) |
14.7 (58.5) |
19.3 (66.7) |
20.0 (68.0) |
15.8 (60.4) |
9.1 (48.4) |
3.0 (37.4) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
6.9 (44.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −16.7 (1.9) |
−17.0 (1.4) |
−14.8 (5.4) |
−6.8 (19.8) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
4.8 (40.6) |
10.1 (50.2) |
10.6 (51.1) |
5.5 (41.9) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
−6.1 (21.0) |
−12.5 (9.5) |
−17.0 (1.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 193.1 (7.60) |
127.0 (5.00) |
121.1 (4.77) |
91.9 (3.62) |
83.6 (3.29) |
122.5 (4.82) |
233.5 (9.19) |
169.0 (6.65) |
132.1 (5.20) |
134.5 (5.30) |
160.3 (6.31) |
217.4 (8.56) |
1,786 (70.31) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 237 (93) |
187 (74) |
107 (42) |
13 (5.1) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
1 (0.4) |
3 (1.2) |
118 (46) |
663 (261) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 22.0 | 18.4 | 18.4 | 13.5 | 10.9 | 11.7 | 14.9 | 11.6 | 12.3 | 13.6 | 17.0 | 21.4 | 185.7 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 3 cm) | 21.4 | 19.1 | 14.3 | 1.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 10.3 | 67.3 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 59.8 | 71.6 | 119.1 | 168.5 | 190.3 | 158.7 | 149.2 | 190.4 | 136.7 | 118.1 | 89.5 | 61.5 | 1,520.2 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[5][6] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
editPer Japanese census data,[7] the population of Nishiaizu has declined by more than two-thirds over the past 60 years.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 18,336 | — |
| 1970 | 14,200 | −22.6% |
| 1980 | 11,490 | −19.1% |
| 1990 | 10,122 | −11.9% |
| 2000 | 9,075 | −10.3% |
| 2010 | 7,362 | −18.9% |
| 2020 | 5,770 | −21.6% |
History
editThe area of present-day Nishiaizu was part of ancient Mutsu Province and formed part of the holdings of Aizu Domain during the Edo period. After the Meiji Restoration, it was organized as part of Yama District, Fukushima Prefecture. The town of Nishiaizu was founded on July 1, 1954 through a merger of the villages of Shingo and Okugawa with the town of Nozawa and villages of Onomoto, Tosejima, Mutsuai, Shitatani, Muraoka, Kaminojiri and Hosaka in Kawanuma District. In 2006, Nishiaizu residents decided to decline a merger with the city of Kitakata.
Economy
editNishiaizu is a rural area with a local economy dependent on agriculture and forestry.
Education
editNishiaizu has one public elementary school and one public junior high school operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Fukushima Prefectural Board of Education.
- Nishiaizu Elementary School
- Nishiaizu High School.[8]
Transportation
editRailway
edit- Onobori - Nozawa - Kami-Nojiri - Tokusawa
Highway
editBan-etsu Expressway – Nishiaizu PA
National Route 49
National Route 400
National Route 459
Local attractions
edit- Enmanji Kannon-dō, the temple building is the one designated Important Cultural Property in Nishiaizu.[9]
- Torioi-Kannon Nyohōji - the gate and four wooden statues are Fukushima Prefectural Important Cultural Properties. The temple houses one of the Aizu region's three important statues of Kannon.[10]
References
edit- ^ Nishiaizu town official statistics(in Japanese)
- ^ Fukushima Prefectural Demographics Archived 2012-09-07 at archive.today, accessed February 13, 2009 [Japanese].
- ^ Nishiaizu official website, accessed February 5, 2009 [Japanese].
- ^ Nishiaizu climate data
- ^ 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- ^ 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- ^ Nishiaizu population statistics
- ^ [1], Nishiaizu official website.
- ^ Japan National Cultural Properties database Archived 2008-07-30 at the Wayback Machine, accessed February 5, 2009. [Japanese]
- ^ [2] Torioi-Kannon Nyohōji official website, accessed February 13, 2009. (in Japanese)
External links
edit Media related to Nishiaizu, Fukushima at Wikimedia Commons
- Official Website (in Japanese)