Ōdate

Ōdate (大館市, Ōdate-shi) is a city in Akita Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2015, the city has an estimated population of 74,862 and a population density of 82 persons per km². The total area is 913.22 square kilometres (352.60 sq mi).

Geography

Ōdate is located in the mountains of northern Akita Prefecture, with the Ou Mountains on the east and Aomori Prefecture to the north. The city is a basin surrounded by mountains on all sides. Part of the city is within the borders of the Towada-Hachimantai National Park. Much of the city area is covered in forest. Due to its inland location, the city is noted for its heavy snowfall in winter.

Neighboring municipalities

Climate

Ōdate has a Humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfa) with large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is heaviest from August to October.