Shiwa (紫波町, Shiwa-chō) is a town in Shiwa District, Iwate Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. As of 31 March 2017[update], the town had an estimated population of 33,314 and a population density of 139.4 persons per km2. The total area of the town was 238.98 square kilometres (92.27 sq mi).[1]
Shiwa
紫波町 | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Shiwa Town Hall | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Shiwa in Iwate Prefecture | |
  Shiwa | |
| Coordinates: 39°33′15.8″N 141°09′19.7″E / 39.554389°N 141.155472°E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Tōhoku |
| Prefecture | Iwate |
| District | Shiwa |
| Area | |
• Total | 238.98 km2 (92.27 sq mi) |
| Population (March 31, 2017) | |
• Total | 33,314 |
| • Density | 139.4/km2 (361/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
| Symbols | |
| • Tree | Keyaki |
| • Flower | Kikyō |
| • Bird | Barn swallow |
| Phone number | 019-672-2111 |
| Address | Hizume Nishiura 23-1 Shiwa-chō, Shiwa-gun, Iwate-ken 028-3390 |
| Website | Official website |
Geography
Shiwa is located in central Iwate Prefecture, in the Kitakami River basin, south of the prefectural capital of Morioka. The Sannōkai Dam is located in Shiwa.
Neighboring municipalities
- Iwate Prefecture
Climate
Shiwa has a humid oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Shiwa is 10.3 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1326 mm with September as the wettest month and February as the driest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.0 °C, and lowest in January, at around -2.3 °C.[2]
Demographics
Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Shiwa has gradually increased over the past 40 years.
| Census Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1970 | 26,459 |
| 1980 | 27,787 |
| 1990 | 29,856 |
| 2000 | 33,038 |
| 2010 | 33,252 |
History
The area of present-day Shiwa was part of ancient Mutsu Province, and has been settled since at least the Jomon period. The area was inhabited by the Emishi people, and came under the control of the Yamato dynasty during the early Heian period. During the Kamakura period, the area was ruled by a branch of the Northern Fujiwara, followed by the Shiba clan during the Muromachi period. During the Sengoku period, the area was conquered by the Nambu clan in 1588. During the Edo period, Shiwa prospered as a post station on the Ōshū Kaidō highway connecting Edo with the northern provinces, as well as from its location on the Kitakami River. Initially part of Morioka Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate, from 1684, four villages (Tsuchidate, Katayose, Inato and Kamihirazawa) formed an exclave of Hachinohe Domain.
During the Meiji period, this exclave became the village of Shiwa, and the town of Hizume and the villages of Furudate, Mizuwake, Akaishi, Hikobe, Sahinai, Akasawa, ane Nagaoka were established within Shiwa District on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. These municipalities were merged on April 1, 1955 to form the new town of Shiwa.
Economy
The local economy of Shiwa is traditionally based on agriculture, primarily rice cultivation; however, due to its proximity to Morioka city, it is increasingly serving as a bedroom community.
Education
Shiwa has eleven public elementary schools and three public junior high schools operated by the town government and one public high school operated by the Iwate Prefectural Board of Education.[4]
Transportation
Railway
- East Japan Railway Company (JR East) – Tōhoku Main Line
Highway
International relations
– Southern Downs, Queensland, Australia[5]
- Portage, Michigan, United States[5]
Notable people from Shiwa
- Toru Yoshida – professional soccer player
References
- ^ "詳細データ 岩手県紫波町". 市町村の姿 グラフと統計でみる農林水産業 (in Japanese). Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
- ^ Shiwa climate data
- ^ Shiwa population statistics
- ^ Shiwa Town Board of EducationTemplate:Ja
- ^ a b "International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Retrieved 21 November 2015.
External links
