Sukagawa, Fukushima

Sukagawa
須賀川市
City
Skyline of Sukagawa

Flag
Seal

Location of Sukagawa in Fukushima Prefecture
Sukagawa
 
Coordinates: 37°17′11.3″N 140°22′21.6″E / 37.286472°N 140.372667°E / 37.286472; 140.372667Coordinates: 37°17′11.3″N 140°22′21.6″E / 37.286472°N 140.372667°E / 37.286472; 140.372667
Country Japan
Region Tōhoku
Prefecture Fukushima Prefecture
Government
 • Mayor Katsuya Hashimoto
Area
 • Total 279.43 km2 (107.89 sq mi)
Population (April 2018)
 • Total 76,251
 • Density 270/km2 (710/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
City symbols  
• Tree Pinus densiflora
• Flower Peony
• Bird Common kingfisher
Phone number 0248-75-1111
Address 135 Hachimanmachi, Sukagawa-shi, Fukushima-ken 962-8601
Website Official website

Sukagawa (須賀川市, Sukagawa-shi) is a city located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 May 2018, the city had an estimated population of 76,251 in 38824 households [1], and a population density of 270 persons per km2. The total area of the city was 279.43 square kilometres (107.9 sq mi).

Geography

Sukagawa is located in central Fukushima prefecture. Sukagawa has a humid climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Sukagawa is 11.8 °C (53.2 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,261 mm (49.6 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.6 °C (76.3 °F), and lowest in January, at around 0.1 °C (32.2 °F).[2]

  • Mountains: Utsuminesan (676.9m)
  • Rivers: Abukuma River, Shakadogawa,

Neighboring municipalities

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[3] , the population of Sukagawa has increased over the past 40 years.

Census Year Population
1970 66,552
1980 69,553
1990 73,107
2000 79,409
2010 79,267

History

The area of present-day Sukagawa was part of ancient Mutsu Province. Remains from the Japanese Paleolithic through the Nara period and Heian period indicate continuous settlement of the area for many centuries. Sulagawa developed as a castle town of the Nikaido clan during the [Kamakura period]]. The castle was destroyed by Date Masamune during the Sengoku period. During the Edo period the area prospered from its location as a major lodging place on Ōshū Kaidō, which is one of the Edo Five Routes, and was the commercial center in the region. The area was mostly administered as an exclave of Takada Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. After the Meiji restoration, it was organized as part of Nakadōri region of Iwaki Province.

The village of Sukagawa was formed on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. However, after mid-Meiji period, the municipality was eclipsed by Kōriyama, which had succeeded in inviting the junction of West Ban'etsu Line with the Tōhoku Main Line train routes. On March 31, 1954 Sukagawa was elevated to city status after merging with the town of Hamada and villages of Nishibukuro and Inada (all from Iwase District), and the village of Oshioe (from Ishikawa District). Later, Sukagawa absorbed Niida Village (from Iwase District) on March 10, 1955, and then absorbed Ohigashi Village (from Ishikawa District) on February 1, 1967. On April 1, 2005, Sukagawa absorbed the town of Naganuma and village Iwase (both from Iwase District).

After the earthquake of 2011, the Fujinuma Dam collapsed resulting in seven fatalities. See also Radiation effects from Fukushima I nuclear accidents.

Government

Sulagawa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 23 members.

Economy

Sukagawa has a mixed economy, and is a major commercial center for the surrounding region.

Education

Sukagawa has 17 public elementary schools and ten public junior high schools operated by the city government. The city has five public high schools operated by the Fukushima Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway

Highway

Local attractions

International relations

  • China Luoyang, China, Friendship city since August 1983

Noted people from Sukagawa

Media related to Sukagawa, Fukushima at Wikimedia Commons

References

  1. ↑ Sukagawa City official statistics(in Japanese)
  2. ↑ Sukagawa climate data
  3. ↑ Sukagawa population statistics
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