Karumai, Iwate

Karumai (軽米町, Karumai-machi) is a town located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 March 2020, the town had an estimated population of 8,895 in 3769 households,[1] and a population density of 36 persons per km². The total area of the town is 245.82 square kilometres (94.91 sq mi).

Karumai

軽米町
Town
Karumai Town Hall
Flag
Seal
Location of Karumai in Iwate Prefecture
Karumai
 
Coordinates: 40°19′36.3″N 141°27′37.7″E
CountryJapan
RegionTōhoku
PrefectureIwate
DistrictKunohe
Area
 • Total245.82 km2 (94.91 sq mi)
Population
 (March 1, 2020)
 • Total8,895
 • Density36/km2 (94/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
City symbols 
• TreeJapanese Yew
• FlowerKobushi
• BirdCopper pheasant
Phone number0195-46-2111
AddressKarumai dai-10 jiwari 85, Karumai-machi, Kunohe-gun, Iwate 028-6302
WebsiteOfficial website
Park in Karumai

Geography

Karumai is located in far northcentral Iwate Prefecture, bordered by Aomori Prefecture to the north.

Neighboring municipalities

Aomori Prefecture

Iwate Prefecture

Climate

Karumai has a humid oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Karumai is 9.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1209 mm with September as the wettest month and February as the driest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 22.5 °C, and lowest in January, at around -2.4 °C.[2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Karumai peaked at around the year 1960 and has steadily declined over the past 60 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 12,147—    
1930 13,561+11.6%
1940 14,716+8.5%
1950 16,842+14.4%
1960 17,672+4.9%
1970 15,462−12.5%
1980 13,768−11.0%
1990 12,646−8.1%
2000 11,863−6.2%
2010 10,212−13.9%

History

The area of present-day Karumai was part of ancient Mutsu Province, dominated by the Nambu clan from the Muromachi period, and part of Hachinohe Domain under the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate. During the early Meiji period, the village of Karumai within Kitakunohe District, Iwate Prefecture was created on April 1, 1889, with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. Kita-Kunohe District and Minami-Kunohe Districts merged to form Kunohe District on April 1, 1897. The village was raised to town status on January 1, 1925. The neighboring villages of Kogarumai and Hareyama were merged with Karumai on January 1, 1955.

Government

Karumai has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 12 members. Karumai, as part of Kunohe District, contributes two seats to the Iwate Prefectural legislature. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Iwate 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

The economy of Karumai is based on agriculture, particularly the various grains, including millet, livestock raising, and the production of charcoal. The hardy kiwi is a noted local speciality [4]

Education

Karumai has three public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Iwate Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway
  • Karumai does not have any passenger train service.

Highway

Noted people from Karumai
  • Haruichi Furudate, manga artist (Haikyu!!, Yotsuya Senpai no Kaidan). Much of Haikyu!! is based on actual locations in Karumai.

References
  1. Kurumai Town official statistics
  2. Karumai climate data
  3. Karumai population statistics
  4. Karumai official home page

Media related to Karumai, Iwate at Wikimedia Commons

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