Shimizu 清水町 | |
|---|---|
 Kano River in Shimizu Town | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Shimizu Town in Shizuoka Prefecture | |
  Shimizu | |
| Coordinates:35°5′56.4″N138°54′10.3″E / 35.099000°N 138.902861°E /35.099000; 138.902861 | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Chūbu Tōkai |
| Prefecture | Shizuoka |
| District | Suntō |
| Area | |
• Total | 8.81 km2 (3.40 sq mi) |
| Population (August 2019) | |
• Total | 32,453 |
| • Density | 3,680/km2 (9,540/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
| City symbols | |
| • Tree | Castanopsis |
| • Flower | Chrysanthemum |
| • Bird | Common kingfisher |
| Phone number | 055-973-1111 |
| Address | 210-1 Dōniwa, Shimizu-chō, Suntō-gun, Shizuoka-ken 411-8650 |
| Website | Official website |
Shimizu (清水町,Shimizu-chō) is atown inSuntō District ofShizuoka Prefecture,Japan. As of 1 August 2019[update], the town had an estimatedpopulation of 32,453 in 14058 households,[1] and apopulation density of 3,700 persons per km2. The total area of the town was 8.81 square kilometres (3.40 sq mi). One of its most notable features is the spectacular view ofMt. Fuji on clear days.
Shimizu is located at the northern end ofIzu Peninsula. Both theKakita River and theKano River flow through the town. The area has a temperatemaritime climate with hot, humid summers and mild, cool winters.
Per Japanese census data,[2] the population of Shimizu has been increasing over the past 70 years.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 6,033 | — |
| 1950 | 8,859 | +46.8% |
| 1960 | 10,841 | +22.4% |
| 1970 | 21,036 | +94.0% |
| 1980 | 26,408 | +25.5% |
| 1990 | 27,755 | +5.1% |
| 2000 | 30,870 | +11.2% |
| 2010 | 32,304 | +4.6% |
The city has a climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild winters (Köppen climate classificationCfa). The average annual temperature in Shimizu is 15.8 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1925 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.6 °C, and lowest in January, at around 5.8 °C.[3]
Shimizu is located in the far eastern portion of formerSuruga Province, and was largelytenryō territory under direct control of theTokugawa shogunate in theEdo period. With the establishment of the modern municipalities system of the earlyMeiji period in 1889, the area was reorganized into the village of Shimizu withinSuntō District, Shizuoka through the merger of 11 small hamlets.
Shimizu attained town status in 1963. There have been numerous unsuccessful attempts tomerge Shimizu into neighboring Numazu (1966, 1967, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007).
The economy of Shimizu is largely based on agriculture. The town also serves as abedroom community for the industrial zones in neighboring Numazu and Mishima.
Shimizu has three public elementary schools and two public junior high schools operated by the town government. The town has one public high school operated by the Shizuoka Prefectural Board of Education.
Shimizu does not have any passenger railway service.
Shimizu's mascot isYusui-kun (ゆうすいくん). He is a elf who lives in the Kakita River. He wears aMount Fuji-like hat and a cape withKakita River and Mishimabaikamo flower motifs. His uniform has a pocket that can store green rice (a special kind of rice) and several books. Depending on the season, he changes his hat (white and green for spring, green for summer, white and brown for fall and white for winter) and his gloves and boots (red for spring, blue for summer, brown for fall and white for winter). His job is a park ranger. As a park ranger, he must protect the Kakita River (and nature in general) while making everyone's dreams come true. Because of his handsome looks as a park ranger, he is nicknamed the "Cute Hero" (かわいいヒーロー,Kawaī hīrō). He is unveiled on 11 May 2013.[4]
Miaoli City, Taiwan, since 2003[5]
Squamish, British Columbia, Canada[6]
Geographic data related toShimizu, Shizuoka atOpenStreetMap
Media related toShimizu, Shizuoka at Wikimedia Commons
| Shizuoka |
|  | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamamatsu |
| |||
| Special cities | ||||
| Cities | ||||
| Districts | ||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
