Namegata

Namegata (行方市, Namegata-shi) is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 July 2020, the city had an estimated population of 32,144 in 11,412 households and a population density of 144.5 persons per km². The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 35.9%.[1] The total area of the city is 222.48 square kilometres (85.90 sq mi).

Namegata

行方市
City
Namegata city hall
Flag
Seal
Location of Namegata in Ibaraki Prefecture
Namegata
 
Coordinates: 35°59′25.8″N 140°29′20.5″E
CountryJapan
RegionKantō
PrefectureIbaraki
Area
 • Total222.48 km2 (85.90 sq mi)
Population
 (September 2015)
 • Total31,960
 • Density140/km2 (370/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
TreeGinkgo biloba
FlowerLilium auratum
BirdEgret
Phone number0299-72-0811
AddressAso 1561-9, Namegat-shi, Ibaraki-ken 311-3892
WebsiteOfficial website
Aerial view of marina on Lake Kasumigaura in Namegata
Lake Kasumigaura from Namegata

Geography

Namegata is located in south-central Ibaraki Prefecture, bordered by Lake Kasumigaura to the east and Lake Kitaura to the west. It is located about 70 kilometers from central Tokyo and about 40 kilometers from the prefectural capital at Mito.

Surrounding municipalities

Ibaraki Prefecture

Climate

Namegata has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Namegata is 14.1 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1410 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.4 °C.[2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Namegata peaked around 1980 and has steadily declined since.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 33,789—    
1930 35,996+6.5%
1940 38,680+7.5%
1950 49,391+27.7%
1960 47,549−3.7%
1970 42,589−10.4%
1980 42,660+0.2%
1990 42,990+0.8%
2000 41,465−3.5%
2010 37,638−9.2%

History

During the Edo period, portions of what later became the city of Namegata were under the control of Asō Domain, a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. The towns of Asō and Tamazukuri were created with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. The village of Kitaura was established on April 1, 1955, and elevated to town status on October 1, 1997. The three towns merged to form the city of Namegata on September 2, 2005.

Government

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

Economy

The economy of Namegata is primarily agriculture, with aquaculture on Lake Kasumigaura taking a predominant role.

Education

Namegata has 16 public elementary schools and four public middle schools operated by the city government, and two public high schools operated by the Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway
  • Namegata does not have any commercial passenger rail service.

Highway

Noted people from Namegata

References
  1. "Ibaraki prefectural official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. Namegata climate data
  3. Namegata population statistics
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