Shinjō, Yamagata

Shinjō
新庄市
City
Shinjō City Hall

Flag
Seal

Location of Shinjō in Yamagata Prefecture
Shinjō
 
Coordinates: 38°46′N 140°18′E / 38.767°N 140.300°E / 38.767; 140.300Coordinates: 38°46′N 140°18′E / 38.767°N 140.300°E / 38.767; 140.300
Country Japan
Region Tōhoku
Prefecture Yamagata Prefecture
Area
 • Total 223.08 km2 (86.13 sq mi)
Population (October 2016)
 • Total 36,481
 • Density 160/km2 (420/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- Tree Momi Fir
- Flower Hydrangea
Phone number 0233-22-2111
Address 10-37 Okinomachi, Shinjō-shi, Yamagata-ken 996-8501
Website http://www.city.shinjo.yamagata.jp/

Shinjō (新庄市, Shinjō-shi) is a city in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. As of October 2016, the city had an estimated population of 36,481, and a population density of 160 persons per km². The total area is 223.08 km².

Geography

Shinjō is located in a mountain basin in north-central Yamagata Prefecture. The Mogami River runs through the city.

Neighboring municipalities

Climate

Shinjō has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfa) with very warm summers and cold, snowy winters. Precipitation is plentiful throughout the year, although the months from February to June have somewhat less rainfall.

Climate data for Shinjō, Yamagata
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 1.7
(35.1)		 2.4
(36.3)		 6.6
(43.9)		 14.4
(57.9)		 20.2
(68.4)		 24.3
(75.7)		 26.2
(79.2)		 29.6
(85.3)		 24.4
(75.9)		 17.4
(63.3)		 10.7
(51.3)		 5.6
(42.1)		 15.3
(59.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) −1.3
(29.7)		 −0.9
(30.4)		 2.6
(36.7)		 8.5
(47.3)		 14.2
(57.6)		 18.9
(66)		 21.6
(70.9)		 24.4
(75.9)		 19.7
(67.5)		 12.2
(54)		 6.5
(43.7)		 2.3
(36.1)		 10.7
(51.3)
Average low °C (°F) −4.4
(24.1)		 −4.5
(23.9)		 −1.4
(29.5)		 2.9
(37.2)		 8.7
(47.7)		 14.2
(57.6)		 18.0
(64.4)		 20.3
(68.5)		 16.1
(61)		 7.9
(46.2)		 2.7
(36.9)		 −0.7
(30.7)		 6.7
(44)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 184.4
(7.26)		 123.7
(4.87)		 89.7
(3.531)		 101.9
(4.012)		 88.0
(3.465)		 119.5
(4.705)		 137.0
(5.394)		 177.2
(6.976)		 140.0
(5.512)		 130.9
(5.154)		 183.8
(7.236)		 179.7
(7.075)		 1,655.8
(65.19)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 314
(123.6)		 210
(82.7)		 62
(24.4)		 3
(1.2)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 37
(14.6)		 139
(54.7)		 765
(301.2)
Average relative humidity (%) 82 80 74 70 70 74 79 77 80 81 81 81 77
Mean monthly sunshine hours 37.5 56.3 108.7 158.8 179.1 170.2 145.1 177.8 104.3 99.6 58.6 41.5 1,337.5
Source: NOAA (1961-1990) [1]

Population

As is the case in many rural Japanese communities, the population of Shinjo city is shrinking. The population of Shinjo city peaked around 1990 at 43,125 residents and has continued to decline to the current population of 36,894 residents.

YearPopulation
197042,120
197542,227
198042,911
198543,033
199043,125
199542,896
200042,151
200540,717
201038,850
201536,894

[2]

History

During the Edo period, the area of present-day Shinjō was part of Shinjō Domain, a 65,000 koku feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate controlled by the Tozawa clan, who ruled from 1622-1871. The domain was centered on Shinjō Castle, but the castle and most of the surrounding castle town was destroyed during the Battle of Shinjō during the Boshin War of the Meiji restoration.

After the start of the Meiji period, the area organized as Shinjō Town under Mogami District, Yamagata Prefecture in 1878. The town prospered as a transportation hub with four railway lines, and as a center for horse ranches providing mounts for the Imperial Japanese Army cavalry regiments. The town largely escaped damage during World War II, save for a lone air raid, which killed six people. Shinjō became a city on April 1, 1946. It annexed the neighboring villages of Hagino on April 1, 1955 and Yamuki on September 30, 1956.

Economy

The economy of Shinjō is based on light manufacturing, agriculture and wood products.

Transportation

Rail

Highways

Local attractions

Shinjō Matsuri

One of the premier festivals of Yamagata Prefecture, Shinjō Matsuri (or Shinjō Festival) is a summer-time celebration held annually from August 24–26. Held since 1755, the festival was established by the local daimyō (feudal lord) to lift the spirits of the common people after a particularly bad harvest. The current incarnation of the festival includes traditional dancing, a reenactment of the first "Daimyō Parade", traditional festival vending stalls, and the Yattai Parade, in which each neighborhood in the city constructs large, vivid scenes from Japanese/local history, folklore, and/or fairy tales on wide floats. These are then pulled throughout the city by children both at day and at night for the three days of the festival. A traditional hayashi band of taiko drums, cymbals, shamisen, and Japanese flute follow behind. The hands, feet, and faces of the figures on the floats are based on traditional Noh design. The floats are judged and the three winners displayed in Shinjō Station, and the Shinjō History Center. The rest are dismantled. In 2017, the Shinjō Matsuri was added to the list of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Notable people from Shinjō

References

  1. ↑ "Shinjō Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
  2. ↑ Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications | https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%96%B0%E5%BA%84%E5%B8%82#%E4%BA%BA%E5%8F%A3
  3. ↑ "Vol.13[巻頭インタビュー]冨樫義博" [Vol.13 The First Page Interview Yoshihiro Togashi] (in Japanese). Yamagata River and National Highway Office. Archived from the original on 2006-02-04. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
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