Nishihara 西原村 | |
|---|---|
 Nishihara Village office | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Nishihara in Kumamoto Prefecture | |
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  Nishihara Location in Japan | |
| Coordinates:32°50′05″N130°54′11″E / 32.83472°N 130.90306°E /32.83472; 130.90306 | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Kyushu |
| Prefecture | Kumamoto |
| District | Aso |
| Area | |
• Total | 77.22 km2 (29.81 sq mi) |
| Population (August 30, 2024) | |
• Total | 7,035 |
| • Density | 91/km2 (240/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
| City hall address | 3259 Komori, Nishihara-mura, Aso-gun, Kumamoto-ken 861-2492 |
| Website | Official website |
| Symbols | |
| Bird | Green Pheasant |
| Flower | Chrysanthemum × morifolium |
| Tree | Oak |
Nishihara (西原村,Nishihara-mura) is avillage located inAso District,Kumamoto Prefecture,Japan. As of 31 August 2024[update], the village had an estimatedpopulation of 7035 in 3044 households, and apopulation density of 91 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the village is 77.22 km2 (29.81 sq mi).
Nishihara Village is located about 20 kilometers east of the urban center of Kumamoto City, between the Kumamoto metropolitan area and theAso Caldera (Nango Valley). It is located at the western foot of the Aso outer rim, and is a lush village with many plains and forests.
Kumamoto Prefecture
Nishihara has ahumid subtropical climate (KöppenCfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Nishihara is 14.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1918 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.2 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.6 °C.[2]
Per Japanese census data, the population of Nishihara is as shown below
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 6,469 | — |
| 1970 | 5,132 | −20.7% |
| 1980 | 4,824 | −6.0% |
| 1990 | 5,024 | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 5,728 | +14.0% |
| 2010 | 6,792 | +18.6% |
| 2020 | 6,426 | −5.4% |
The area of Nishihara was part of ancientHigo Province. In theEdo Period, it was part of the holdings ofKumamoto Domain. Following theMeiji restoration, the villages of Yamanishi and Kawara were established on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. The two villages merged on September 1, 1960 to form the village of Nishihara.
NIshihara has amayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and aunicameral village council of 10 members. Nishihara, collectively with the other municipalities of Aso District, contributes one member to the Kumamoto Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the village is part of theKumamoto 3rd district of thelower house of theDiet of Japan.
The economy of Nishihara is largely agricultural, withsweet potato andpeanuts as the mai crops. Due it its proximity to Kumamoto, the village population is increasing with commuters.
Nishihara has two public elementary schools and one public junior high school operated by the village government. The village does not have a high school.
Nishihara does not have any passenger railway service. The nearest station isHigo-Ōzu Station on theJR KyushuHōhi Main Line in neighboring Ōzu.
Nishihara is not on any national highways or expressways. The nearest highway interchange is theKyushu Expressway Mashiki Kumamoto Airport Interchange in neighboring Mashiki.
Media related toNishihara, Kumamoto at Wikimedia Commons| Kumamoto |
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