Katagami, Akita

Katagami is located in the coastal plains of northwestern Akita Prefecture, with the Sea of Japan on the southwest and the remnant of Lake Hachirōgata to the northwest. It has the smallest area of any city in Akita Prefecture.

Per Japanese census data,[2] the population of Katakami has been relatively steady over the past 60 years.

Katagami has a Humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is heaviest from August to October. The average annual temperature in Katagami is 11.2 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1631 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.9 °C, and lowest in January, at around -0.8 °C.[3]

The area of present-day Katagami was part of ancient Dewa Province. During the Edo period, the area came under the control of the Satake clan, who ruled the northern third of the province from Kubota Domain. After the start of the Meiji period, the area became part of Minamiakita District, Akita Prefecture in 1878 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system.

The city of Katagami was established on March 22, 2005, from the merger of the three towns of Iitagawa, Shōwa and Tennō (all from Minamiakita District).

Katagami has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 18 members. The city contributes one member to the Akita Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Akita District 2 of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

The economy of Katagami is based on agriculture and commercial fishing.

Katagami has six public elementary schools and three public middle schools operated by the city government and one public high school operated by the Akita Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped.

• Koji Futada, politician
• Kenichi Kaga, professional soccer player
• Yuki Kikuchi, basketball player
• Ikuo Nakamura, photographer
• Kazushi Sakuraba, mixed martial artist
• Kenichi Takahashi (basketball), basketball player
• Kōsei Yoshida, professional baseball player

• Media related to Katagami, Akita at Wikimedia Commons
• Official Website (in Japanese)