Shirakawa, Fukushima

Shirakawa (白河市, Shirakawa-shi) is a city located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 April 2020, the city had an estimated population of 59,393 in 23,546 households [1] and a population density of 190 persons per km2. The total area of the city was 305.3 square kilometres (117.9 sq mi).

Shirakawa

白河市
City
Shirakawa City Hall
Flag
Seal
Location of Shirakawa in Fukushima Prefecture
Shirakawa
 
Coordinates: 37°07′34.7″N 140°12′39.3″E
CountryJapan
RegionTōhoku
PrefectureFukushima
Area
 • Total305.32 km2 (117.88 sq mi)
Population
 (April 2020)
 • Total59,393
 • Density190/km2 (500/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
City symbols 
• TreePinus densiflora
• FlowerUme
• BirdEmberiza cioides
Phone number0248-22-1111
Address7-1 Hachimankōji, Shirakawa, Fukushima 961-0941
WebsiteOfficial website
Nanko Park in Shirakawa

Geography

Shirakawa is located in south-central Fukushima prefecture facing the Nasu plateau, and extending to the lowland Shirakawa Basin.

Neighboring municipalities

Climate

Shirakawa has a humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Shirakawa is 11.4 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1377 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.0 °C, and lowest in January, at around 0.3 °C.[2]

Climate data for Shirakawa, Fukushima
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 4.4
(39.9)		 4.6
(40.3)		 8.2
(46.8)		 15.4
(59.7)		 20.5
(68.9)		 22.9
(73.2)		 26.3
(79.3)		 28.2
(82.8)		 23.3
(73.9)		 17.8
(64.0)		 12.7
(54.9)		 7.4
(45.3)		 16.0
(60.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) −0.2
(31.6)		 0.2
(32.4)		 3.3
(37.9)		 9.7
(49.5)		 14.9
(58.8)		 18.3
(64.9)		 21.9
(71.4)		 23.3
(73.9)		 18.9
(66.0)		 12.7
(54.9)		 7.4
(45.3)		 2.4
(36.3)		 11.1
(51.9)
Average low °C (°F) −4.4
(24.1)		 −3.9
(25.0)		 −1.4
(29.5)		 4.2
(39.6)		 9.4
(48.9)		 14.4
(57.9)		 18.5
(65.3)		 19.8
(67.6)		 15.3
(59.5)		 8.2
(46.8)		 2.5
(36.5)		 −2.1
(28.2)		 6.7
(44.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 29.0
(1.14)		 43.3
(1.70)		 67.7
(2.67)		 99.2
(3.91)		 112.6
(4.43)		 177.7
(7.00)		 162.9
(6.41)		 200.9
(7.91)		 191.1
(7.52)		 116.3
(4.58)		 63.5
(2.50)		 33.4
(1.31)		 1,297.6
(51.08)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 24
(9.4)		 30
(12)		 18
(7.1)		 3
(1.2)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 2
(0.8)		 15
(5.9)		 92
(36.4)
Average relative humidity (%) 68 67 65 66 70 80 84 82 82 77 73 70 74
Mean monthly sunshine hours 164.6 154.2 187.4 182.9 196.8 131.7 129.2 156.2 111.3 144.0 144.8 156.4 1,859.5
Source: NOAA (1961-1990) [3]

Demographics
Comparison of Population Distribution between Shirakawa and Japanese National Average Population Distribution by Age and Sex in Shirakawa
■Shirakawa
■Japan (average)
■Male
■Female
1970 58,896
1975 59,821
1980 60,253
1985 62,596
1990 63,839
1995 65,155
2000 66,048
2005 65,707
2010 64,710
2015 Census, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications - Statistics Department

History
View of Komine Castle in Shirakawa

The area of present-day Shirakawa was part of ancient Mutsu Province and was the location of a barrier gate on the Ōshū Kaidō connecting the capital at Kyoto with the northern provinces. In the Heian period, the Buddhist monk and waka poet Nōin composed the following poem about the region:

都をば霞とともに立ちしかど秋風ぞ吹く白河の関

Miyako wo ba kasumi to tomo ni tachishikado akikaze zo fuku Shirakawa no seki.

(English: I left the capital with the spring haze, but at the barrier of Shirakawa the autumn wind blows.)

In the Edo period the area prospered as a castle town Shirakawa Domain, and was the site of a major battle in the Boshin War during the Meiji restoration. In the Meiji period, it was organized as part of Nakadōri region of Iwaki Province.

The town of Shirakawa was formed on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. On April 1, 1949, Shirakawa was elevated to city status after merging with the neighboring village of Ōnuma. Subsequent mergers occurred in 1954 and 1955 with the inclusion of the villages of Shirasaka, Odagawa, Goka and a portion of Omotegō into the territory of Shirakawa. On November 7, 2005, the villages of Taishin, Higashi, and the remainder of Omotegō (all from Nishishirakawa District) were merged into Shirakawa, increasing its population from 48,297 to approximately 66,000 and territory from 117.67 km2 (45.43 sq mi) to 305.30 km2 (117.88 sq mi).

Government

Shirakawa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 26 members. Shirakawa, together with Nishishirakawa District contributes three members to the Fukushima Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Fukushima 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Shirakawa has a mixed economy, and is a major commercial center for the surrounding region. Principal industries include electrical appliances, construction materials and clothing.[4]

Education

Shirakawa has fifteen public elementary schools and eight junior high schools operated by the city government and four public high schools operated by the Fukushima Prefectural Board of Education.

Post offices

Shirakawa has nineteen post offices within the boundaries of the city.[5]

Transportation

Railway

Highway

Local attractions
  • Site of Shirakawa Barrier - National Historic Site
  • Komine Castle – One of the 100 Castles of Japan
  • Nanko Park – National Historic Site and National Scenic Site
  • Shirakawa Funada – Honnuma Kofun – kofun period burial tumulus, National Historic Site
  • Festivals held in Shirakawa include "Daruma Ichi", celebrating the traditional Daruma doll, wherein the city streets are packed with stalls selling Daruma, a variety of festival foods and charms, and "Chōchin Matsuri" (Lantern Festival), which is held each summer, with a special three-day celebration held once every three years.

International relations

Noted people from Shirakawa

References
  1. Shirakawa city official statistics(in Japanese)
  2. Shirakawa climate data
  3. "Shirakawa Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
  4. Campbell, Allen; Nobel, David S (1993). Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Kodansha. p. 1396. ISBN 406205938X.
  5. List of Post Offices in Shirakawa Archived 2013-02-05 at Archive.today (in Japanese)

Media related to Shirakawa, 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.