Maizuru

Maizuru (舞鶴市, Maizuru-shi) is a city in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, on an inlet of the Sea of Japan. The city was founded on May 27, 1943.

Maizuru

舞鶴市
City
April 2005 view of the Maizuru Bay
Flag
Chapter
Location of Maizuru in
Maizuru
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 35°28′N 135°23′E
CountryJapan
RegionKansai
DistrictKyoto Prefecture
Government
  MayorRyozo Tatami
Area
  Total342.1 km2 (132.1 sq mi)
Population
 (October 2015)
  Total83,990
  Density250/km2 (640/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address1044 Kitasui, Maizuru-shi, Kyōto-fu
625-8555
Websitewww.city.maizuru.kyoto.jp
Symbols
FlowerAzalea
TreeJapanese zelkova
[1]

As of 2015, the city has an estimated population of 83,990 and a population density of 245 persons per km². The total area is 342 km².

Maizuru is a city rich in nature, located on the scenic Maizuru Bay. Maizuru Harbor is located in Maizuru Bay, from which travel to Hokkaidō is possible via the Sea of Japan.

History

Maizuru port

The district developed greatly when the Maizuru Naval District was created in 1889. the associated Maizuru Naval Arsenal for ship basing, construction, and repair was created in 1901. In the Russo-Japanese War, many warships were based there, due to its proximity to the Sea of Japan. After the Second World War, Maizuru was a key port for returning Japanese servicemen and detainees from continental Asia for over 13 years.[2] Today, Maizuru is a key district headquarters for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Climate

Like Toyooka in Hyōgo Prefecture, Maizuru has a climate resembling the Hokuriku region rather than the rest of Kansai, though it is less wet than other Hokuriku towns during the late autumn and winter because its location on a deep inlet means the northerly winds driven by the Siberian High and Aleutian Low do not produce as much rain and/or snow. In the summer, however, Maizuru can be extremely oppressive as the intense radiation creates extreme humidity around the bay: on August 13, 1994 the town recorded a minimum temperature of 29 °C (84.2 °F).

Climate data for Maizuru, Kyoto (1981~2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 19.4
(66.9)
22.9
(73.2)
25.3
(77.5)
32.6
(90.7)
32.8
(91.0)
36.7
(98.1)
38.6
(101.5)
38.3
(100.9)
38.3
(100.9)
31.3
(88.3)
26.3
(79.3)
22.1
(71.8)
38.6
(101.5)
Average high °C (°F) 7.4
(45.3)
8.0
(46.4)
11.9
(53.4)
18.5
(65.3)
23.0
(73.4)
26.2
(79.2)
30.2
(86.4)
32.1
(89.8)
27.2
(81.0)
21.6
(70.9)
16.0
(60.8)
10.5
(50.9)
19.4
(66.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) 3.5
(38.3)
3.8
(38.8)
7.0
(44.6)
12.6
(54.7)
17.4
(63.3)
21.3
(70.3)
25.5
(77.9)
26.9
(80.4)
22.7
(72.9)
16.5
(61.7)
11.0
(51.8)
6.1
(43.0)
14.5
(58.1)
Average low °C (°F) 0.4
(32.7)
0.4
(32.7)
2.5
(36.5)
7.3
(45.1)
12.4
(54.3)
17.4
(63.3)
22.0
(71.6)
23.0
(73.4)
19.1
(66.4)
12.6
(54.7)
7.1
(44.8)
2.6
(36.7)
10.6
(51.1)
Record low °C (°F) −8
(18)
−8.8
(16.2)
−6.2
(20.8)
−3.2
(26.2)
0.9
(33.6)
7.0
(44.6)
13.0
(55.4)
14.4
(57.9)
7.9
(46.2)
2.5
(36.5)
−1.7
(28.9)
−6.7
(19.9)
−8.8
(16.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 165.9
(6.53)
147.9
(5.82)
139.9
(5.51)
111.7
(4.40)
144.5
(5.69)
169.9
(6.69)
180.5
(7.11)
133.9
(5.27)
207.7
(8.18)
144.9
(5.70)
138.7
(5.46)
141.2
(5.56)
1,826.7
(71.92)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 82
(32)
78
(31)
15
(5.9)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
30
(12)
205
(80.9)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.5 mm) 20.5 18.3 17.6 12.5 12.2 12.7 13.8 10.0 13.8 12.6 14.8 18.2 177
Average snowy days 13.9 12.6 3.5 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.7 34.8
Average relative humidity (%) 81 79 74 70 72 77 78 76 79 79 79 80 77
Mean monthly sunshine hours 73.0 78.9 115.2 167.0 177.2 138.9 148.0 196.9 131.1 130.5 97.8 84.3 1,538.8
Source 1: Japan Meteorological Agency[3]
Source 2: Japan Meteorological Agency (records)[4]

Education

The community previously had a North Korean school, Maizuru Korean Elementary and Junior High School (舞鶴朝鮮初中級学校).[5]

International town twinnings

Maizuru became sister town to Nakhodka, Russia in June 1961, the first Russian - Japanese sister towns in history. More recently the town has been twinned with Dalian, China since 1982 and Portsmouth, England since 1998.[6]

Economy

Japan Marine United, a large shipbuilding corporation, has one of its shipyards in Maizuru.

Sightseeing

Maizuru is dotted with sightseeing spots. There is Maizuru Repatriation Memorial Museum, a commemorative hall which documents the return of half a million servicemen and detainees from Soviet internment, and an observatory which overlooks the Rias seashore of the Maizuru bay.

Notable people from Maizuru

References

  1. 2015 Population Census (in Japanese)
  2. "Return to Maizuru Port—Documents Related to the Internment and Repatriation Experiences of Japanese (1945-1956)". Memory of the World Register.
  3. "平年値(年・月ごとの値)". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2011-11-27.
  4. "観測史上1~10位の値(年間を通じての値)". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2011-11-27.
  5. "ウリハッキョ一覧" (). Chongryon. November 6, 2005. Retrieved on October 15, 2015.
  6. Sister City and Friendly City
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