Kawanehon (川根本町,Kawanehon-chō) is atown located inHaibara District,Shizuoka Prefecture,Japan. As of 1 August 2019[update], the town had an estimatedpopulation of 6,731 in 2895 households[1] and apopulation density of 13.4 persons per km². The total area of the town was 496.88 square kilometres (191.85 sq mi).
Kawanehon 川根本町 | |
|---|---|
 Ōigawa Railway in Kawanehon Town | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Kawanehon in Shizuoka Prefecture | |
  Kawanehon | |
| Coordinates:35°2′49″N138°4′53.9″E / 35.04694°N 138.081639°E /35.04694; 138.081639 | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Chūbu Tōkai |
| Prefecture | Shizuoka |
| District | Haibara |
| Area | |
• Total | 496.88 km2 (191.85 sq mi) |
| Population (August 2019) | |
• Total | 6,731 |
| • Density | 14/km2 (35/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
| Phone number | 547-56-1117 |
| Address | 627 Kaminagao, Kawanehon-chō, Haibara-gun, Shizuoka-ken 428-0313 |
| Climate | Cfa |
| Website | Official website |
| Symbols | |
| Flower | Rhododendron quinquefolium |
| Tree | Japanese beech |
Geography
editKawanehon is located in north-central Shizuoka, along the upper reaches of theŌi River, with approximately 90% of the town area covered in forest and mountains. It is bordered to the north by theJapanese Alps, with peaks ranging to 2400 meters. Forests range fromSiebold's Beech at lower elevations toSiberian Dwarf Pine at higher altitudes, and wildlife includewild boar andkamoshika. The area enjoys a temperatemaritime climate with hot, humid summers and mild, cool winters.
Surrounding municipalities
editShizuoka Prefecture
Nagano Prefecture
Climate
editThe town has a climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild winters (Köppen climate classificationCfa). The average annual temperature in Kawanehon is 14.0 °C (57.2 °F). The average annual rainfall is 3,103.4 mm (122.18 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.2 °C (77.4 °F), and lowest in January, at around 3.0 °C (37.4 °F).[2]
| Climate data for Kawanehon (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 19.3 (66.7) | 24.8 (76.6) | 26.5 (79.7) | 30.3 (86.5) | 33.2 (91.8) | 37.5 (99.5) | 38.7 (101.7) | 39.6 (103.3) | 37.3 (99.1) | 32.1 (89.8) | 26.3 (79.3) | 21.6 (70.9) | 39.6 (103.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 10.1 (50.2) | 11.2 (52.2) | 14.4 (57.9) | 19.4 (66.9) | 23.8 (74.8) | 26.3 (79.3) | 30.2 (86.4) | 31.4 (88.5) | 27.7 (81.9) | 22.5 (72.5) | 17.3 (63.1) | 12.2 (54.0) | 20.5 (69.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.0 (37.4) | 4.2 (39.6) | 7.6 (45.7) | 12.6 (54.7) | 17.1 (62.8) | 20.6 (69.1) | 24.4 (75.9) | 25.2 (77.4) | 21.9 (71.4) | 16.4 (61.5) | 10.4 (50.7) | 5.1 (41.2) | 14.0 (57.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −2.6 (27.3) | −1.9 (28.6) | 1.6 (34.9) | 6.6 (43.9) | 11.4 (52.5) | 16.2 (61.2) | 20.3 (68.5) | 21.0 (69.8) | 17.9 (64.2) | 11.9 (53.4) | 5.3 (41.5) | −0.3 (31.5) | 9.0 (48.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −10.6 (12.9) | −10.5 (13.1) | −8.0 (17.6) | −3.5 (25.7) | 1.3 (34.3) | 7.8 (46.0) | 12.9 (55.2) | 14.5 (58.1) | 8.3 (46.9) | 0.6 (33.1) | −3.6 (25.5) | −9.5 (14.9) | −10.6 (12.9) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 97.7 (3.85) | 134.8 (5.31) | 247.0 (9.72) | 260.3 (10.25) | 267.6 (10.54) | 336.7 (13.26) | 431.1 (16.97) | 328.3 (12.93) | 439.5 (17.30) | 292.4 (11.51) | 169.8 (6.69) | 100.7 (3.96) | 3,103.4 (122.18) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 5.8 | 6.5 | 10.5 | 10.9 | 11.4 | 13.9 | 14.2 | 13.0 | 13.3 | 11.5 | 7.8 | 6.5 | 125.3 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 193.0 | 179.6 | 187.7 | 185.8 | 177.5 | 119.1 | 142.4 | 171.1 | 131.1 | 152.0 | 168.0 | 185.4 | 1,993.9 |
| Source:Japan Meteorological Agency[3][2] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
editPer Japanese census data,[4] the population of Kawanehon has declined by roughly two-thirds over the past 80 years.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 18,767 | — |
| 1950 | 18,610 | −0.8% |
| 1960 | 18,511 | −0.5% |
| 1970 | 15,205 | −17.9% |
| 1980 | 12,776 | −16.0% |
| 1990 | 11,126 | −12.9% |
| 2000 | 9,785 | −12.1% |
| 2010 | 8,074 | −17.5% |
| 2020 | 6,206 | −23.1% |
History
editKawanehon is on the border between the former provinces ofSuruga andTōtōmi, and was mostlytenryō territory under direct control of theTokugawa shogunate in theEdo period. With the establishment of the modern municipalities system in the earlyMeiji period in 1889, the area was reorganized into numerous villages within both Haibara and Shida Districts within Shizuoka Prefecture. Kawanehon was formed on September 20, 2005 by themerger of the former towns ofNakakawane andHonkawane, both from Haibara District.
Economy
editThe economy of Kawanehon is dominated by forestry and the production ofgreen tea, with tourism on theŌigawa Railway and tohot spring resorts also playing a role.
Education
edit- Kawanehon has four public elementary schools and two public middle schools operated by the town government. The town has one public high school operated by the Shizuoka Prefectural Board of Education.
Transportation
editRailway
edit
Highway
edit
Local attractions
edit- The sound of the steam locomotives of Ōigawa Railway is listed as one of the100 Soundscapes of Japan by theMinistry of the Environment[5]
References
edit- ^Kawanehon Town official statistics(in Japanese)
- ^ab気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）.JMA. RetrievedApril 12, 2022.
- ^観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）.JMA. RetrievedApril 12, 2022.
- ^Kawanehon population statistics
- ^"100 Soundscapes of Japan".Ministry of the Environment. Retrieved8 December 2015.
External links
edit
Media related toKawanehon, Shizuoka at Wikimedia Commons
- Official website(in Japanese)