Kitakami 北上市 | |
|---|---|
 Kitakami City Hall | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Kitakami in Iwate Prefecture | |
  Kitakami | |
| Coordinates:39°17′12.3″N141°6′47.6″E / 39.286750°N 141.113222°E /39.286750; 141.113222 | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Tōhoku |
| Prefecture | Iwate |
| Government | |
| • -Mayor | Toshihiko Takahashi (since May 2011) |
| Area | |
• Total | 437.55 km2 (168.94 sq mi) |
| Population (February 1, 2023) | |
• Total | 92,875 |
| • Density | 212.26/km2 (549.75/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
| Phone number | 0197-64-2111 |
| Address | 1-1 Yoshi-cho, Kitakami-shi, Iwate-ken 024-8501 |
| Climate | Cfa |
| Website | Official website |
| Symbols | |
| Bird | Grey wagtail |
| Flower | WhiteWhite lily |
| Tree | Sakura |
Kitakami (北上市,Kitakami-shi) is acity located inIwate Prefecture,Japan. As of 1 June 2019[update], the city had an estimatedpopulation of 92,311, and apopulation density of 210 persons per km2 in 37,085 households.[1] The total area of the city is 437.55 square kilometres (168.94 sq mi).[2] The city is famous for thesakura that bloom in Tenshochi Park.
Kitakami is located in south-central Iwate Prefecture, in theKitakami River valley, approximately 45 kilometers south of the prefectural capital ofMorioka, and 490 kilometers north ofTokyo. The city is at the confluence of theKitakami River and theWaga River and has an altitude ranging from 50 to 200 meters above sea level, rising to 400 meters in the east.
Iwate Prefecture
Kitakami has ahumid climate (KöppenCfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Kitakami is 10.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1319 mm with September as the wettest month and February as the driest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.3 °C, and lowest in January, at around -2.4 °C.[3]
| Climate data for Kitakami, Iwate (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 13.4 (56.1) | 15.4 (59.7) | 21.7 (71.1) | 28.9 (84.0) | 33.5 (92.3) | 33.8 (92.8) | 36.6 (97.9) | 37.0 (98.6) | 35.8 (96.4) | 28.5 (83.3) | 22.1 (71.8) | 18.4 (65.1) | 37.0 (98.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 2.4 (36.3) | 3.6 (38.5) | 8.1 (46.6) | 15.0 (59.0) | 20.8 (69.4) | 24.3 (75.7) | 27.4 (81.3) | 28.9 (84.0) | 24.8 (76.6) | 18.5 (65.3) | 11.6 (52.9) | 4.9 (40.8) | 15.9 (60.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −0.9 (30.4) | −0.1 (31.8) | 3.4 (38.1) | 9.4 (48.9) | 15.2 (59.4) | 19.3 (66.7) | 22.9 (73.2) | 24.1 (75.4) | 20.1 (68.2) | 13.6 (56.5) | 7.1 (44.8) | 1.5 (34.7) | 11.3 (52.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −4.2 (24.4) | −3.7 (25.3) | −0.8 (30.6) | 4.2 (39.6) | 10.3 (50.5) | 15.3 (59.5) | 19.4 (66.9) | 20.5 (68.9) | 16.2 (61.2) | 9.1 (48.4) | 2.9 (37.2) | −1.7 (28.9) | 7.3 (45.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −17.3 (0.9) | −17.4 (0.7) | −11.1 (12.0) | −5.4 (22.3) | −0.2 (31.6) | 6.2 (43.2) | 9.3 (48.7) | 11.8 (53.2) | 4.9 (40.8) | −1.0 (30.2) | −7.1 (19.2) | −15.0 (5.0) | −17.4 (0.7) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 72.7 (2.86) | 56.3 (2.22) | 87.7 (3.45) | 86.4 (3.40) | 112.1 (4.41) | 128.1 (5.04) | 196.7 (7.74) | 165.3 (6.51) | 156.1 (6.15) | 118.2 (4.65) | 91.7 (3.61) | 91.9 (3.62) | 1,357.8 (53.46) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 123 (48) | 99 (39) | 42 (17) | 2 (0.8) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 3 (1.2) | 73 (29) | 340 (134) |
| Average rainy days | 14.6 | 12.6 | 13.0 | 11.0 | 10.7 | 10.4 | 13.1 | 11.4 | 11.8 | 11.4 | 13.4 | 15.4 | 148.8 |
| Average snowy days | 13.8 | 12.8 | 5.2 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 7.4 | 39.8 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 90.1 | 100.5 | 141.4 | 172.0 | 183.6 | 149.2 | 128.8 | 147.5 | 121.3 | 131.4 | 108.2 | 84.9 | 1,562 |
| Source 1:JMA[4] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2:JMA[5] | |||||||||||||
Per Japanese census data,[6] the population of Kitakami has recently plateaued after several decades of growth.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 43,431 | — |
| 1930 | 47,101 | +8.5% |
| 1940 | 52,622 | +11.7% |
| 1950 | 67,097 | +27.5% |
| 1960 | 70,032 | +4.4% |
| 1970 | 68,074 | −2.8% |
| 1980 | 76,633 | +12.6% |
| 1990 | 82,902 | +8.2% |
| 2000 | 91,501 | +10.4% |
| 2010 | 93,147 | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 93,045 | −0.1% |
The area of present-day Kitakami was part of ancientMutsu Province, and has been settled since at least theJōmon period by theEmishi people. The area was a stronghold for the Emishi chieftainAterui until his death at the hands ofSakanoue Tamuramaro. During the later portion of theHeian period, the area was ruled by theAbe clan, and became a battleground during theFormer Nine Years War. The Abe were followed by theNorthern Fujiwara clan. During theSengoku period, the area came under the control of theNanbu clan. The area was part ofMorioka Domain during theEdo period, under theTokugawa shogunate, with the exception of two villages on its southeastern border, which were underSendai Domain.
The town of Kurosawajiri was established by theMeiji period creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1891. The modern city of Kitakami was founded on April 1, 1954, by the merger of the town of Kurosawajiri, with the villages of Iitoyo, Futako, Saraki, Oniyanai, Aisari and Fukuoka. On April 1, 1991 Kitakami absorbed the neighboring village of Ezuriko and town of Waga (both fromWaga District).
Kitakami has amayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and aunicameral city legislature of 13 members.[7] Kitakami and the town of Nishiwaga collectively contribute four seats to the Iwate Prefectural legislature. In terms of national politics, the city is part ofIwate 3rd district of thelower house of theDiet of Japan.
The economy of Kitakami was traditionally agricultural; however, due to its ease of access with Sendai and Morioka via theTōhoku Expressway, the area has rapidly developed into a light manufacturing and transshipment center, with numerousindustrial parks.
Kitakami has 17 public elementary schools and nine public junior high schools operated by the city government and five public high schools operated by the Iwate Prefectural Board of Education.
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East Japan Railway Company (JR East) -Tōhoku Shinkansen
East Japan Railway Company (JR East) -Tōhoku Main Line
East Japan Railway Company (JR East) -Kitakami Line
Tōhoku Expressway – Kitakami-Kanegasaki IC, Kitakami-Ezuriko IC
Akita Expressway – Kitakami IC, Kitakami-Nishi IC
National Route 4
National Route 107
National Route 456The city is famous for thesakura that bloom in Tenshochi Park, which is regarded as one of the hundred best places in Japan to view cherry blossoms.
Another hallmark of the city isOni Kenbai, a traditionalsword dance where the dancers dress as demons, performed during the summer festivals, such asKitakami Michinoku Traditional Dance Festival.
Kitakami also boasts a site that is reputed to be the grave of the famousHeian periodwaka poetIzumi Shikibu.
Concord, California, United States, sister cities since October 25, 1974[13]
Sanmenxia,Henan Province, China, friendship cities since May 25, 1985[14]
Media related toKitakami, Iwate at Wikimedia Commons
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