Nishiaizu, Fukushima

Nishiaizu
西会津町
Town
Nishiaizu Town Hall

Flag
Seal

Location of Nishiaizu in Fukushima Prefecture
Nishiaizu
 
Coordinates: 37°35′20″N 139°38′51″E / 37.58889°N 139.64750°E / 37.58889; 139.64750Coordinates: 37°35′20″N 139°38′51″E / 37.58889°N 139.64750°E / 37.58889; 139.64750
Country Japan
Region Tōhoku
Prefecture Fukushima Prefecture
District Yama District
Area
 • Total 298.13 km2 (115.11 sq mi)
Population (September 2014)
 • Total 6,695
 • Density 22.5/km2 (58/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- Tree Paulownia tomentosa
- Flower Lilium
Phone number 0241-45-2211　
Address 3261 Otsu Nozawa Shimokoyaue Nishiaizu-machi, Yama-gun, Fukushima-ken 969-4495
Website https://www.town.nishiaizu.fukushima.jp/

Nishiaizu (西会津町, Nishiaizu-machi) is a town located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. As of September 2014, the town had an estimated population of 6,695, and a population density of 22.5 persons per km². Approximately 66% of the population is over the age of 65.[1] The total area is 298.13 km². About 86 percent of the total area is composed of mountains and forests.[2]

Geography

Nishiaizu is located at the far northwestern corner of the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture, bordered Niigata Prefecture to the north and the west. The climate is like many other parts of northern Japan, with cold winters and snowfall averaging 2 meters. It is known as the "front door" to the Iide Mountains.

  • Mountains : Mount Mikunidake (1644 m)
  • Rivers : Agano River

Neighboring municipalities

History

The area of present-day Nishiaizu 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 Yama District.

Modern Nishiaizu was founded on July 1, 1954 through a merger of the villages of Shingo and Okugawa with the town of Nozawa and villages of Onomoto, Tosejima, Mutsuai, Shitatani, Muraoka, Kaminojiri and Hosaka in Kawanuma District. In 2006, Nishiaizu residents decided to decline a merger with the city of Kitakata.

Education

  • Nishiaizu Elementary School
  • Nishiaizu High School.[3]

Transportation

Railway

Highway

Local attractions

  • Enmanji Kannon-dō, the temple building is the one designated Important Cultural Property in Nishiaizu.[4]
  • Torioi-Kannon Nyohōji - the gate and four wooden statues are Fukushima Prefectural Important Cultural Properties. The temple houses one of the Aizu region's three important statues of Kannon.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Fukushima Prefectural Demographics, accessed February 13, 2009 [Japanese].
  2. ↑ Nishiaizu official website, accessed February 5, 2009 [Japanese].
  3. ↑ , Nishiaizu official website.
  4. ↑ Japan National Cultural Properties database Archived 2008-07-30 at the Wayback Machine., accessed February 5, 2009. [Japanese]
  5. ↑ Torioi-Kannon Nyohōji official website, accessed February 13, 2009. (in Japanese)

Media related to Nishiaizu, Fukushima at Wikimedia Commons

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.