Hanawa, Fukushima

Hanawa 塙町
Town
Hanawa Town Hall
Flag Seal
Location of Hanawa in Fukushima Prefecture
Hanawa
Coordinates: 36°57′26″N 140°24′34.9″E / 36.95722°N 140.409694°E / 36.95722; 140.409694Coordinates: 36°57′26″N 140°24′34.9″E / 36.95722°N 140.409694°E / 36.95722; 140.409694
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Prefecture	Fukushima
District	Higashishirakawa
Area
• Total	211.41 km2 (81.63 sq mi)
Population (May 2018)
• Total	8,914
• Density	42/km2 (110/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
City symbols
• Tree	Cryptomeria
• Flower	Rhododendron, dahlia
• Bird	Green pheasant
Phone number	0247-43-2111
Address	3-21 Hanawa Omachi, Hanawa-machi, Higashishirakawa-gun, Fukushima-ken 963-5405
Website	Official website

Hanawa (塙町, Hanawa-machi) is a town located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 May 2018, the town had an estimated population of 8,914 in 3301 households ^[1], and a population density of 43.9 persons per km². The total area of the town was 211.41 square kilometres (81.6 sq mi).

Geography

Hanawa is located in the southernmost portion of Fukushima prefecture, bordering on Ibaraki Prefecture to the south. Hanawa has a humid climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Hanawa is 12.0 °C (53.6 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,420 mm (56 in) with September as the wettest month.The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 23.9 °C (75.0 °F), and lowest in January, at around 1.1 °C (34.0 °F).^[2]

• Mountains: Yamizozan (1021.8m), Yoneyama
• Rivers: Kuji River

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,^[3] the population of Hanawa has been declining over the past 40 years.

History

The area of present-day Hanawa was part of ancient Mutsu Province. Part of the area formed part of the holdings of Tanagura Domain, and part was tenryō territory under direct control of the Tokugawa Shogunate during the Edo period. After the Meiji Restoration, it was organized as part of Higashishirakawa District within the Nakadōri region of Iwaki Province.

Tsunetoyo Village was formed on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the municipalities system. It was elevated to town status on November 3, 1948, changing its name to Hanawa at that time. Hanawa annexed the neighboring villages of Sasahara, Ishii and Takagi in March 1955.

Economy

The economy of Hanawa is primarily agricultural. A major crop is Konjac

Education

Hanawa has three public elementary schools and one combined public middle/high school operated by the town government.

Transportation

Local attractions

• Abukumo Kogen Art Museum

External links

Media related to Hanawa, Fukushima at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website (in Japanese)

References