Okuizumo (奥出雲町, Okuizumo-chō) is a town located in Nita District, Shimane Prefecture, Japan. As of August 1, 2023, the town has a population of 11,056 and a density of 30 persons per km2. The area of the town is 368.01 square kilometres (142.09 sq mi).

Okuizumo
奥出雲町
Town
Okuizumo Town Hall
Okuizumo Town Hall
Flag of Okuizumo
Official seal of Okuizumo
Location of Okuizumo in Shimane Prefecture
Location of Okuizumo in Shimane Prefecture
Okuizumo is located in Japan
Okuizumo
Okuizumo
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 35°11′51″N 133°0′9″E / 35.19750°N 133.00250°E / 35.19750; 133.00250
CountryJapan
RegionChūgoku
San'in
PrefectureShimane
DistrictNita
Area
 • Total368.01 km2 (142.09 sq mi)
Population
 (August 1, 2023)
 • Total11,056
 • Density30/km2 (78/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address358-1 Mitsunari, Okuizumo-cho, Nita-gun, Shimane-ken 699-1592
ClimateCfa
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
FlowerRhododendron subg. Hymenanthes
TreeMaple
Oni-no-Shitaburui Falls
Okuizumo Orochi Loop bridge
Izumo Minari Station

Geography

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Okuizumo is located in the mountains of North East Shimane. The steep mountains are limited to the area near the prefectural border and the border with Unnan, and the entire town is covered in heavy snowfall. The area is the headwaters of the Hii River, and the main mountains include Mt. Sarumasa (1267m), which is the highest peak in the Izumo region. Parts of the town are within the borders of the Hiba-Dogo-Taishaku Quasi-National Park.

Neighboring municipalities

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Hiroshima Prefecture

Shimane Prefecture

Tottori Prefecture

Climate

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Okuizumo has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with very warm summers and cool winters. Precipitation is abundant throughout the year. The average annual temperature in Okuizumo is 12.3 °C (54.1 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,754.6 mm (69.08 in) with July 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 0.7 °C (33.3 °F).[1] The highest temperature ever recorded in Okuizumo was 36.3 °C (97.3 °F) on 19 August 2010; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −13.1 °C (8.4 °F) on 28 February 1981.[2]

Climate data for Yokota, Okuizumo (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 16.1
(61.0)
21.0
(69.8)
23.2
(73.8)
30.5
(86.9)
32.7
(90.9)
33.8
(92.8)
35.4
(95.7)
36.3
(97.3)
35.7
(96.3)
30.3
(86.5)
25.5
(77.9)
21.4
(70.5)
36.3
(97.3)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 4.9
(40.8)
6.2
(43.2)
11.0
(51.8)
17.6
(63.7)
22.7
(72.9)
25.7
(78.3)
29.0
(84.2)
30.3
(86.5)
25.6
(78.1)
20.1
(68.2)
14.3
(57.7)
7.8
(46.0)
17.9
(64.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) 0.7
(33.3)
1.4
(34.5)
5.0
(41.0)
10.7
(51.3)
16.1
(61.0)
20.0
(68.0)
23.9
(75.0)
24.6
(76.3)
20.2
(68.4)
14.0
(57.2)
8.4
(47.1)
3.1
(37.6)
12.3
(54.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −2.9
(26.8)
−3.0
(26.6)
−0.5
(31.1)
3.9
(39.0)
9.7
(49.5)
15.0
(59.0)
19.8
(67.6)
20.2
(68.4)
15.8
(60.4)
8.8
(47.8)
3.3
(37.9)
−0.8
(30.6)
7.4
(45.4)
Record low °C (°F) −12.2
(10.0)
−13.1
(8.4)
−10.6
(12.9)
−5.2
(22.6)
−1.6
(29.1)
4.7
(40.5)
7.5
(45.5)
11.4
(52.5)
2.5
(36.5)
−0.7
(30.7)
−4.5
(23.9)
−11.5
(11.3)
−13.1
(8.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 143.1
(5.63)
114.4
(4.50)
129.5
(5.10)
106.4
(4.19)
114.2
(4.50)
178.0
(7.01)
237.3
(9.34)
154.0
(6.06)
210.7
(8.30)
131.1
(5.16)
96.1
(3.78)
139.7
(5.50)
1,754.6
(69.08)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 155
(61)
128
(50)
34
(13)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
3
(1.2)
86
(34)
401
(158)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 18.6 15.4 14.9 11.0 10.2 12.2 13.6 10.9 12.1 10.4 12.5 17.7 159.5
Average snowy days (≥ 3 cm) 13.5 12.6 3.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.2 7.2 36.7
Mean monthly sunshine hours 52.8 68.4 132.4 180.5 201.8 149.0 152.5 182.2 130.6 135.4 100.6 63.6 1,549.8
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[2][1]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data, the population of Okuizumo in 2020 is 11,849 people.[3] Okuizumo has been conducting censuses since 1920.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 21,431—    
1925 21,805+1.7%
1930 22,303+2.3%
1935 24,248+8.7%
1940 25,198+3.9%
1945 26,782+6.3%
1950 27,908+4.2%
1955 28,477+2.0%
1960 26,820−5.8%
1965 23,501−12.4%
1970 20,878−11.2%
1975 19,398−7.1%
1980 19,057−1.8%
1985 18,706−1.8%
1990 18,100−3.2%
1995 17,426−3.7%
2000 16,689−4.2%
2005 15,812−5.3%
2010 14,458−8.6%
2015 13,063−9.6%
2020 11,849−9.3%
Okuizumo population statistics[3]

History

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The area of Okuizumo was the center of ancient Izumo Province, and was one of the early centers of Tatara steel production from the Kofun period.[4] During the Edo Period, the area was mostly under the control of Matsue Domain, which was ruled mostly by various branches of the Matsudaira clan under the Tokugawa shogunate. After the Meiji restoration, the village of Minari (三成村) was established on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. It was raised to town status on July 1 , 1941. Minari merged with four surrounding villages to form the town of Nita (仁多町) on April 15, 1955. The town of Okuizumo was formed on March 31, 2005 from the merger of the towns of Nita and Yokota.

Government

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Okuizumo has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 14 members. Okuizumo contributes one member to the Shimane Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Shimane 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

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The economy of Okuizumo is centered on agriculture and forestry. Komaki mine was used to produce tungsten from 1911 to 1984.[5]

Education

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Okuizumo has ten public elementary school and two public junior high schools operated by the city government, and one public high schools operated by the Shimane Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

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Railway

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  JR West (JR West) - Kisuki Line

Highways

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References

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  1. ^ a b 気象庁 / 平年値(年・月ごとの値). JMA. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  2. ^ a b 観測史上1~10位の値(年間を通じての値). JMA. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Okuizumo population statistics
  4. ^ "Sights Detail - SIGHTSEEING NAVIGATION IN SHIMANE". www.kankou-shimane.com. Archived from the original on 2012-05-29.
  5. ^ "Komaki mine, Komaki, Okuizumo, Nita District, Shimane Prefecture, Japan".
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