Kitaibaraki, Ibaraki

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Kitaibaraki
北茨城市
Kitaibarakisiyakusho.jpg
Kitaibaraki city hall
Flag of Kitaibaraki, Ibaraki.svg
Emblem of Kitaibaraki, Ibaraki.svg
Kitaibaraki in Ibaraki Prefecture Ja.svg
Location of Kitaibaraki in Ibaraki Prefecture
Japan location map with side map of the Ryukyu Islands.svg
Red pog.svg
Kitaibaraki
 
Coordinates: 36°48′6.8″N140°45′3.7″E / 36.801889°N 140.751028°E / 36.801889; 140.751028
Country Japan
Region Kantō
Prefecture Ibaraki
Area
  Total
186.80 km2 (72.12 sq mi)
Population
 (July 2020)
  Total
41,750
  Density220/km2 (580/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number0293-43-1111
AddressIsohara 1630, Isohara-chō, Kitaibaraki-shi, Ibaraki-ken 319-1592
Climate Cfa
Website Official website
Symbols
Bird Common gull
Fish Goosefish
Flower Rhododendron ponticum
Tree Pine
Izura coast of Kitaibaraki Izura-beach2011.jpg
Izura coast of Kitaibaraki

Kitaibaraki (北茨城市, Kitaibaraki-shi) is a city in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 July 2020, the city had an estimated population of 41,750 in 17,034 households and a population density of 220 persons per km2. The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 34.6%. [1] The total area of the city is 186.80 square kilometres (72.12 sq mi).

Contents

Geography

Kitaibaraki is in northern Ibaraki Prefecture, bounded by Fukushima Prefecture to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the east. As its name implies, it is the northernmost city within Ibaraki. Approximately 80% of the total area is mountainous forest. The eastern region is low ground facing the ocean with spacious open flatland along the Okita and Satone Rivers. It is approximately 57 kilometers to the northeast of Mito, the prefectural capital.

Surrounding municipalities

Fukushima Prefecture

Ibaraki Prefecture

Climate

Kitaibaraki has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kitaibaraki is 13.0 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1435 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.2 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.9 °C. [2]

Climate data for Kitaibaraki (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °C (°F)20.2
(68.4)
22.8
(73.0)
24.8
(76.6)
25.7
(78.3)
30.3
(86.5)
31.3
(88.3)
33.9
(93.0)
35.7
(96.3)
34.0
(93.2)
32.1
(89.8)
24.4
(75.9)
24.3
(75.7)
35.7
(96.3)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)8.4
(47.1)
8.6
(47.5)
11.2
(52.2)
15.6
(60.1)
19.4
(66.9)
22.1
(71.8)
25.7
(78.3)
27.4
(81.3)
25.0
(77.0)
20.4
(68.7)
15.7
(60.3)
10.9
(51.6)
17.5
(63.6)
Daily mean °C (°F)3.6
(38.5)
3.8
(38.8)
6.5
(43.7)
11.0
(51.8)
15.3
(59.5)
18.6
(65.5)
22.1
(71.8)
23.8
(74.8)
21.1
(70.0)
16.2
(61.2)
11.0
(51.8)
6.0
(42.8)
13.3
(55.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)−1.2
(29.8)
−1.0
(30.2)
1.7
(35.1)
6.3
(43.3)
11.3
(52.3)
15.5
(59.9)
19.4
(66.9)
20.9
(69.6)
17.9
(64.2)
12.3
(54.1)
6.2
(43.2)
1.2
(34.2)
9.2
(48.6)
Record low °C (°F)−9.0
(15.8)
−9.3
(15.3)
−5.9
(21.4)
−3.7
(25.3)
2.5
(36.5)
6.1
(43.0)
12.3
(54.1)
12.0
(53.6)
9.1
(48.4)
1.7
(35.1)
−2.7
(27.1)
−7.7
(18.1)
−9.3
(15.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches)50.0
(1.97)
45.9
(1.81)
99.9
(3.93)
128.5
(5.06)
156.1
(6.15)
158.0
(6.22)
170.4
(6.71)
138.1
(5.44)
183.2
(7.21)
189.5
(7.46)
78.7
(3.10)
48.8
(1.92)
1,435.4
(56.51)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)4.75.18.810.111.312.013.39.611.610.57.15.3109.4
Mean monthly sunshine hours 196.7183.3191.9193.6191.0141.6150.3181.3140.4143.8156.5179.42,040.8
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency [3] [4]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, [5] the population of Kitaibaraki has fluctuated somewhat over the past 70 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 38,559    
1930 37,829−1.9%
1940 37,718−0.3%
1950 55,169+46.3%
1960 60,567+9.8%
1970 48,323−20.2%
1980 47,670−1.4%
1990 51,093+7.2%
2000 51,593+1.0%
2010 47,026−8.9%
2020 41,801−11.1%

History

Under the ritsuryō system, the area of Kitaibaraki was the northern tip of the Tōkaidō region, and was part of Hitachi Province. The towns of Otsu and Hirakata and the village of Kitanakago were created with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. The area was part of the Jōban coal fields and coal mines were developed in the early twentieth century. Kitanakago became the town of Isohara on January 1, 1925. On March 31, 1956 the towns of Otsu, Hirakata, Isohara and the villages of Sekinan, Sekimonto and Minaminakago merged to form the city of Kitaibaraki. The city suffered from serious damage caused by the tsunami from the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake. [6]

Government

Kitaibaraki has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 19 members. Kitaibaraki, together with neighboring Takahagi, contributes two members to the Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Ibaraki 5th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Commerce developed during the Edo period along the Tanagura highway, which was also called the 'Road of Salt'. The area flourished with ports for water transportation and coal mining began at the end of the Edo period. Kitaibaraki is now a regional commercial center with some light manufacturing. JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation, Nichia Steel Works, NOK Corporation and Fuso Pharmaceutical Industries have major factories in the city. The Jōban Coal Field, which was the mainstay of the economy from the Meiji period to the mid-Shōwa period, closed in 1976. Commercial fishing from Otsu fishing port, notably for angler fish, is also a factor in the local economy.

Education

Kitaibaraki has 12 public elementary schools and five public middle schools operated by the city government, and one public high school operated by the Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway

JR logo (east).svg JR EastJōban Line

Highway

Sister cities

Local attractions

Festivals

Notable people from Kitaibaraki

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References

  1. "Ibaraki prefectural official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. Kitaibaraki climate data
  3. 観測史上1~10位の値(年間を通じての値). JMA . Retrieved March 5, 2022.
  4. 気象庁 / 平年値(年・月ごとの値). JMA . Retrieved March 5, 2022.
  5. Kitaibaraki population statistics
  6. http://www.comcast.net/slideshow/news-toppix0307/8/ Archived 2011-03-16 at the Wayback Machine Kita Ibaraki
  7. "Sister Cities & Friendship cities in the upper half of the North Island". Sister cities. Consulate-General of Japan in Auckland. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  8. "100 Soundscapes of Japan" (in Japanese). Ministry of the Environment . Retrieved 18 April 2011.