Tadami, Fukushima

Tadami (只見町, Tadami-machi) is a town located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 March 2020, the town has an estimated population of 4,117 in 1749 households, of which 45.88% were classified as "elderly households"[1] The town had a population density of 5.5 persons per km2. The total area of the town was 747.56 square kilometres (288.63 sq mi). Tadami is famous locally for its own Snow Festival, where huge sculptures and replicas of monuments are cut out of Tadami's abundant snow.

Tadami

只見町
Town
Tadami Town Hall
Flag
Seal
Location of Tadami in Fukushima Prefecture
Tadami
 
Coordinates: 37°20′55.3″N 139°18′57″E
CountryJapan
RegionTōhoku
PrefectureFukushima
DistrictMinamiaizu
Area
 • Total747.56 km2 (288.63 sq mi)
Population
 (March 2020)
 • Total4,117
 • Density5.5/km2 (14/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Symbols 
• TreeBeech
• FlowerMagnolia kobus
• BirdJapanese bush-warbler
• FishIwana
Phone number0241-82-5050
Address1039 Ōaza Tadami Aza-Amazutsumi, Tadami-machi, Fukushima-ken 968-0421
WebsiteOfficial website

Geography

Tadami is located in the mountainous western portion of the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture, bordered Niigata Prefecture to the west.

Mountains
  • Aizuasahidake
  • Asakusadake
  • Gamoudake

Rivers

Lakes
  • Lake Tadami
  • Lake Tagokura

Neighboring municipalities

Climate

Tadami has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) characterized by warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Tadami is 11.1 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1749 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.4 °C, and lowest in January, at around -1.3 °C.[2]

Climate data for Tadami
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 1.9
(35.4)		 2.6
(36.7)		 6.0
(42.8)		 13.6
(56.5)		 20.8
(69.4)		 24.4
(75.9)		 27.6
(81.7)		 29.5
(85.1)		 24.4
(75.9)		 18.0
(64.4)		 11.5
(52.7)		 5.2
(41.4)		 15.5
(59.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) −1.5
(29.3)		 −1.3
(29.7)		 1.2
(34.2)		 6.7
(44.1)		 13.4
(56.1)		 18.2
(64.8)		 21.9
(71.4)		 23.2
(73.8)		 18.8
(65.8)		 12.2
(54.0)		 6.0
(42.8)		 1.2
(34.2)		 10.0
(50.0)
Average low °C (°F) −4.8
(23.4)		 −5.0
(23.0)		 −2.9
(26.8)		 1.2
(34.2)		 7.0
(44.6)		 13.1
(55.6)		 17.9
(64.2)		 18.9
(66.0)		 15.0
(59.0)		 8.3
(46.9)		 2.1
(35.8)		 −1.9
(28.6)		 5.8
(42.4)
Record low °C (°F) −16.1
(3.0)		 −19.6
(−3.3)		 −16.3
(2.7)		 −7.3
(18.9)		 −0.7
(30.7)		 4.0
(39.2)		 10.8
(51.4)		 11.2
(52.2)		 5.0
(41.0)		 −5.8
(21.6)		 −10.1
(13.8)		 −14.9
(5.2)		 −19.6
(−3.3)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 407
(160)		 320
(126)		 212
(83)		 84
(33)		 3
(1.2)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 30
(12)		 233
(92)		 1,294
(509)
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[4] the population of Tadami peaked in the 1950s and has declined steadily over the past 70 years. It is now much less than it was a century ago.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 7,009—    
1930 7,728+10.3%
1940 8,869+14.8%
1950 10,434+17.6%
1960 12,341+18.3%
1970 8,838−28.4%
1980 7,271−17.7%
1990 6,170−15.1%
2000 5,557−9.9%
2010 4,932−11.2%

History

The area of present-day Tadami was part of ancient Mutsu Province and formed part of the holdings of Aizu Domain during the Edo period. After the Meiji Restoration, it was organized as part of Minamiaizu District in Fukushima Prefecture. Inahoku village was founded on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. It changed its name on November 3, 1953 to Tadami. The village expanded on July 20, 1955 through a merger with neighboring Meiwa Village. Tadami was raised to town status on August 1, 1959 after merging with the village of Asahi.

Economy
Taki Dam on the Tadami River

Hydroelectric power generation from numerous dams on the Tadami River is the primary source of revenue for the town.

Education

The town has three public elementary schools and one public junior high school operated by the town government. The town has one public high school operated by the Fukushima Prefectural Board of Education.

Elementary schools
  • Tadami Elementary School
  • Asahi Elementary School
  • Meiwa Elementary School

Junior high schools
  • Tadami Junior High School

High schools
  • Tadami High School

Transportation

Railway

JR East – Tadami Line

Highway

Local attractions
  • Tadami Hot Springs
  • Fukasawa Hot Springs
  • Mizukubo castle ruin
  • Tagokura Dam
  • Kurotani Shrine
  • Tadami Museum
  • Kawai Tsuginosuke Museum
  • Beech tree forest, listed on UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in 2014[5]

References
  1. Tadami official statistics(in Japanese)
  2. Tadami climate data
  3. "平年値（年・月ごとの値）". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2011-06-22.
  4. Tadami population statistics
  5. "Tadami in United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization". UNESCO. Retrieved 2014-10-29.
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