Noshiro (能代市, Noshiro-shi) is a city located in Akita Prefecture, Japan. As of 28 February 2023[update], the city had an estimated population of 49,150 in 24,079 households,[1] and a population density of 120 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 426.95 square kilometres (164.85 sq mi).
Noshiro
能代市 | |
|---|---|
 Left:Chikazue lantern float on Noshiro Tanabata Festiwal on every August, Right:Kimiichi Heartfull Bell, Another float at Noshiro Tanabata Festival, A pond in Window of Matsubara, A sunset view of Mount Range of Shirakami and Yoneshiro River.(above to bottom) | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Noshiro in Akita Prefecture | |
 | |
  Noshiro | |
| Coordinates: 40°12′43.7″N 140°1′35.8″E / 40.212139°N 140.026611°E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Tōhoku |
| Prefecture | Akita |
| Government | |
| • -Mayor | Saitō Shigenobu |
| Area | |
• Total | 426.95 km2 (164.85 sq mi) |
| Population (February 28, 2023) | |
• Total | 49,150 |
| • Density | 120/km2 (300/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
| Phone number | 0185-52-2111 |
| Address | 1-3 Uemachi, Noshiro-shi, Akita-ken 016-8501 |
| Climate | Cfa |
| Website | Official website |
| Symbols | |
| Bird | Green Pheasant |
| Flower | Sakura |
| Tree | Japanese black pine, Cryptomeria |
Geography
editNoshiro is located in the flat coastal plains northwestern Akita Prefecture, bordered by the Sea of Japan to the west, but there are hills near the border with Mitane and along the coast. Much of the eastern part of the city is mountainous. The Yoneshiro River flows through the city and empties into the Sea of Japan near Noshiro Port. The highest point is Mount Yakeyama at 963.1 metres (3,160 ft).
Neighboring municipalities
editAkita Prefecture
Climate
editNoshiro has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. Precipitation significant throughout the year, but is heaviest from August to October. The average annual temperature in Noshiro is 11.5 °C (52.7 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,494.4 mm (58.83 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.3 °C (75.7 °F), and lowest in January, at around 0.2 °C (32.4 °F).[2]
| Climate data for Noshiro (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 11.4 (52.5) |
18.3 (64.9) |
19.8 (67.6) |
27.1 (80.8) |
30.7 (87.3) |
33.1 (91.6) |
36.8 (98.2) |
39.1 (102.4) |
37.7 (99.9) |
27.2 (81.0) |
23.5 (74.3) |
16.1 (61.0) |
39.1 (102.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 2.9 (37.2) |
3.7 (38.7) |
7.5 (45.5) |
13.6 (56.5) |
19.1 (66.4) |
23.2 (73.8) |
26.7 (80.1) |
28.7 (83.7) |
24.9 (76.8) |
18.5 (65.3) |
11.9 (53.4) |
5.7 (42.3) |
15.5 (60.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 0.2 (32.4) |
0.6 (33.1) |
3.6 (38.5) |
9.0 (48.2) |
14.5 (58.1) |
18.9 (66.0) |
22.8 (73.0) |
24.3 (75.7) |
20.2 (68.4) |
13.9 (57.0) |
7.9 (46.2) |
2.6 (36.7) |
11.5 (52.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −2.5 (27.5) |
−2.4 (27.7) |
0.0 (32.0) |
4.4 (39.9) |
10.3 (50.5) |
15.2 (59.4) |
19.6 (67.3) |
20.6 (69.1) |
16.1 (61.0) |
9.7 (49.5) |
4.1 (39.4) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
7.9 (46.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −12.4 (9.7) |
−12.4 (9.7) |
−10.5 (13.1) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
0.0 (32.0) |
5.8 (42.4) |
11.5 (52.7) |
12.4 (54.3) |
6.1 (43.0) |
1.4 (34.5) |
−4.1 (24.6) |
−8.8 (16.2) |
−12.4 (9.7) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 114.8 (4.52) |
86.0 (3.39) |
79.5 (3.13) |
86.3 (3.40) |
105.5 (4.15) |
100.2 (3.94) |
162.5 (6.40) |
155.9 (6.14) |
154.6 (6.09) |
147.7 (5.81) |
157.5 (6.20) |
143.9 (5.67) |
1,494.4 (58.83) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 129 (51) |
106 (42) |
30 (12) |
1 (0.4) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
5 (2.0) |
66 (26) |
337 (133) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 20.8 | 17.8 | 14.7 | 11.1 | 10.7 | 9.7 | 11.2 | 10.3 | 11.6 | 14.1 | 17.4 | 21.6 | 171 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 3 cm) | 16.2 | 14.4 | 3.8 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.7 | 8.2 | 43.4 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 32.9 | 60.6 | 128.7 | 185.0 | 191.4 | 184.4 | 157.9 | 194.7 | 168.5 | 145.2 | 82.7 | 41.6 | 1,572.5 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3][2] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
editPer Japanese census data,[4] the population of Noshiro has been declining over the past 60 years.
| Year | Pop. | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 82,722 | — | |
| 1970 | 77,011 | −6.9% | |
| 1980 | 76,028 | −1.3% | |
| 1990 | 69,516 | −8.6% | |
| 2000 | 65,237 | −6.2% | |
| 2010 | 59,084 | −9.4% | |
| 2020 | 49,968 | −15.4% | |
| |||
History
editPer the Nihon Shoki and other ancient chronicles, Noshiro is the location where an expedition sent by the imperial court led by Abe no Hirafu landed in 658 AD with orders to force the local Emishi tribes into submission. Trade vessels from Balhae were calling at Noshiro Port as late as 771 AD. The area of present-day Noshiro was part of ancient Dewa Province, dominated by the Satake clan during the Edo period, who ruled Kubota Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. The town of Nishirominato was established on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system.
The city of Noshiro was created by the merger of the town of Noshirominato and the villages of Shinonome and Sakaki (all formerly from Yamamoto District) on October 1, 1940.
On March 21, 2006, the town of Futatsui (from Yamamoto District) was merged into Noshiro.[5]
Government
editNoshiro has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 20 members. The city (together with the towns of Yamamoto District) contributes four members to the Akita Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Akita 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy
editThe economy of Noshiro is based on agriculture and commercial fishing. Tohoku Electric operates the Noshiro Thermal Power Station, a coal / biomass power plant in the city.
Education
editNoshiro has seven public elementary schools and six public junior high schools operated by the city government, and four public high schools operated by the Akita Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped.
Transportation
editAirport
edit- Odate-Noshiro Airport - opened in 1998
Railway
edit East Japan Railway Company - Ōu Main Line
East Japan Railway Company - Gonō Line
Highway
editSeaports
editSister cities
editLocal attractions
edit- Kaze no Matsubara - one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment[6]
- Noshiro Onsen
- Noshiro Swimming Beach
Festivals
edit- Noshiro Port Fireworks Festival in 2008 had 150,000 visitors.
- Noshiro Yakutanabata
- Onagori Festival in Noshiro Kanto matsuri, Aomori Nebuta Matsuri, Samba Carnival and more. In 2008, 250,000 people visited.
- Tenku no Fuyajo
Notable people from Noshiro
edit- Masumi Asano, voice actress
- Ando Chikasue, Daimyo
- Hosei Norota, politician
- Shuji Ono, Basketball head coach
- Takashi Ono, Olympic gymnast
- Sadatoshi Sugawara, Olympic volleyball player
- Nanako Takeda, professional football player
- Hisashi Yamada, professional baseball player
References
edit- ^ "Noshiro city official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
- ^ a b 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
- ^ 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
- ^ Noshiro population statistics
- ^ 第1章 地方拠点都市地域にかかる整備の方針に関する事項 (PDF). Noshiro official website (in Japanese). Noshiro city. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
- ^ "100 Soundscapes of Japan". Ministry of the Environment. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
External links
edit- Official Website (in Japanese)