Yuzawa, Akita

Yuzawa (湯沢市, Yuzawa-shi) is a city located in Akita Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 December 2019, the city had an estimated population of 44,346 in 17,789 households,[1] and a population density of 56 persons per km². The total area of the city is 790.91 km2 (305.37 sq mi). Yuzawa claims to be the birthplace of the famous Heian period poet Ono no Komachi.

Yuzawa

湯沢市
City
Yuzawa City Hall
Flag
Seal
Location of Yuzawa in Akita Prefecture
Yuzawa
 
Coordinates: 39°9′50.7″N 140°29′41.4″E
CountryJapan
RegionTōhoku
PrefectureAkita
Government
 • -MayorToshio Suzuki
Area
 • Total790.91 km2 (305.37 sq mi)
Population
 (December 2019)
 • Total44,346
 • Density56/km2 (150/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- TreeJapanese zelkova
- FlowerCherry blossom
- BirdCopper pheasant
Phone number0183-73-2111
Address1-1 Satakechō, Yuzawa-shi, Akita-ken 012-8501
WebsiteOfficial website

Geography

Yuzawa is located at the far southeast corner of Akita Prefecture, bordered by mountains to the south, east and west.

Neighboring municipalities

Demographics

Japanese census data,[2] the population of Yuzawa peaked in the 1950s, and has since declined to less than the level as a century ago.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 55,439—    
1930 60,550+9.2%
1940 64,073+5.8%
1950 79,056+23.4%
1960 77,405−2.1%
1970 68,621−11.3%
1980 65,532−4.5%
1990 62,537−4.6%
2000 58,504−6.4%
2010 50,863−13.1%

Climate

Yuzawa 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 Yuzawa is 7.9 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1732 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 21.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around -4.8 °C.[3]

Climate data for Yuzawa（1981-2010）
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 1.3
(34.3)		 2.0
(35.6)		 5.9
(42.6)		 14.7
(58.5)		 20.4
(68.7)		 24.3
(75.7)		 27.3
(81.1)		 29.2
(84.6)		 24.6
(76.3)		 18.3
(64.9)		 11.2
(52.2)		 4.5
(40.1)		 15.3
(59.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) −1.7
(28.9)		 −1.3
(29.7)		 1.7
(35.1)		 8.6
(47.5)		 14.4
(57.9)		 19.0
(66.2)		 22.5
(72.5)		 23.9
(75.0)		 19.3
(66.7)		 12.7
(54.9)		 6.4
(43.5)		 1.1
(34.0)		 10.6
(51.1)
Average low °C (°F) −5.1
(22.8)		 −4.9
(23.2)		 −2.4
(27.7)		 2.8
(37.0)		 8.7
(47.7)		 14.3
(57.7)		 18.4
(65.1)		 19.5
(67.1)		 14.8
(58.6)		 7.9
(46.2)		 2.2
(36.0)		 −2.1
(28.2)		 6.2
(43.2)
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[4]

History

The area of present-day Yuzawa was part of ancient Ugo Province, dominated by the Satake clan during the Edo period, who ruled Kubota Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. Much of the territory was part of the 20,000 koku subsidiary feudal domain of Iwasaki Domain (岩崎藩, Iwasaki-han).

After the start of the Meiji period, Iwasaki Domain became briefly “Iwasaki Prefecture”, before becoming Ogachi District, Akita Prefecture in 1878. The towns of Iwasaki and Yuzawa were created with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889, becoming the city of Yuzawa on March 31, 1954.

On March 22, 2005, the towns of Inakawa, Minase and Ogachi (all from Ogachi District) were merged into Yuzawa.

Government

Yuzawa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 18 members. The city (together with the towns and villages of Ogachi District) contributes three members to the Akita Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Akita District 3 of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Elections

Economy

The economy of Yuzawa is based on agriculture, primarily rice cultivation, and the brewing of sake.　The production of sake in Yuzawa accounts for about 70% of the total amount in Akita prefecture and the city positions sake brewing as one of the key industries. Sake brewing in Yuzawa had been known through the Edo period since the area included Innai Silver Mine, a large consumption area comparable to the jōkamachi of Kubota Domain. At its highest, it had more than 20 breweries and some still operate to this day.

Education

Yuzawa has 11 public elementary schools and six public middle schools operated by the city government and four public high schools operated by the Akita Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped.

Media

FM Yutopia (JOZZ2AN-FM) is the only radio station located in Yuzawa. It is known as the second oldest community radio station in Akita Prefecture, airing on Feb 2, 1999.

Transportation

Railway

East Japan Railway Company - Ōu Main Line

Highway

Local attractions

International relations
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Japan

Twin towns – Sister cities

Yuzawa is twinned with:

Other relations

Yuzawa carries out an exchange program for junior high school students with:

Noted people from Yuzawa

References
  1. Yuzawa City official statistics (in Japanese)
  2. Yuzawa population statistics
  3. Yuzawa climate data
  4. "湯沢 1981-2010年". JMA. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  5. "International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Retrieved 21 November 2015.
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