Nobeoka, Miyazaki

Nobeoka
延岡市
City

Panorama view of Agata and Nakashima, other downtown areas and the Ose River in Nobeoka, from Mount Atago

Flag

Location of Nobeoka in Miyazaki Prefecture
Nobeoka

Location in Japan

Coordinates: 32°35′N 131°40′E / 32.583°N 131.667°E / 32.583; 131.667Coordinates: 32°35′N 131°40′E / 32.583°N 131.667°E / 32.583; 131.667
Country Japan
Region Kyushu
Prefecture Miyazaki Prefecture
Government
  Mayor Masaharu Sudō
Area
  Total 867.97 km2 (335.13 sq mi)
Population (December 1, 2013)
  Total 128,187
  Density 147.69/km2 (382.5/sq mi)
Symbols
  Tree Round Leaf Holly (Ilex rotunda)
  Flower Canna
  Flowering tree Wisteria
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City Hall Address 2-1 Higashihonkōji, Nobeoka-shi, Miyazaki-ken
882-8686
Website www.city.nobeoka.miyazaki.jp

Nobeoka (延岡市 Nobeoka-shi) is a city located in the north of Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan.

As of the December 1, 2013 the city has an estimated population of 128,187 and a population density of 147.68 persons per km². The total area is 867.97 km².

History

The city was officially founded on February 11, 1933 after it gained city status. During World War II it was one of the most important centers of military explosives in Japan.[1] On the night of June 28-29th, 1945, 117 United States B-29s fire-bombed the city destroying 1.35 square km, or 36% of the city.[2] On July 16, 1945, 33 US B-24s bombed the bridges in around the city, severing the strategically important Nippō Main Line railway.[3]

On February 20, 2006, Nobeoka absorbed the towns of Kitakata and Kitaura (both from Higashiusuki District).

On March 31, 2007, the town of Kitagawa (also from Higashiusuki District) was also merged into Nobeoka.

Climate

Nobeoka has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa), which is hot and humid in the summer (above 30 °C (86 °F)) and is somewhat cold in the winter with temperatures dropping to around freezing (0 °C (32 °F)). Snowfall can be seen in the winter months, but does not accumulate because of coastal warming effects.

Climate data for Nobeoka, Miyazaki
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 12.2
(54)
12.9
(55.2)
15.8
(60.4)
20.4
(68.7)
23.5
(74.3)
25.9
(78.6)
29.9
(85.8)
30.7
(87.3)
28.1
(82.6)
23.7
(74.7)
19.0
(66.2)
14.4
(57.9)
21.38
(70.48)
Daily mean °C (°F) 6.1
(43)
7.1
(44.8)
10.1
(50.2)
15.1
(59.2)
18.7
(65.7)
21.9
(71.4)
25.7
(78.3)
26.4
(79.5)
23.3
(73.9)
18.1
(64.6)
13.0
(55.4)
8.0
(46.4)
16.13
(61.03)
Average low °C (°F) 1.0
(33.8)
2.0
(35.6)
4.8
(40.6)
10.2
(50.4)
14.2
(57.6)
18.4
(65.1)
22.4
(72.3)
22.8
(73)
19.6
(67.3)
13.4
(56.1)
7.9
(46.2)
2.7
(36.9)
11.62
(52.91)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 56.0
(2.205)
77.2
(3.039)
134.8
(5.307)
231.2
(9.102)
275.8
(10.858)
358.1
(14.098)
259.9
(10.232)
279.0
(10.984)
307.1
(12.091)
182.7
(7.193)
79.2
(3.118)
42.4
(1.669)
2,283.4
(89.896)
Average relative humidity (%) 62 64 66 73 77 83 83 82 81 75 71 66 73.6
Mean monthly sunshine hours 193.1 170.0 185.0 170.9 179.4 144.4 199.5 206.9 158.5 178.6 174.1 187.2 2,147.6
Source: NOAA (1961-1990)[4]

Economy

The city's economy depends strongly on the company Asahi Kasei, a producer of synthetic and industrial fibers. It is known regionally for its Ayu fish.

Imayama Buddhist Statue in Soryo area

Transportation

Nobeoka is the terminal station for trains that run the length of the prefecture (although some trains do continue up into Oita prefecture). It used to be the terminal station for the privately owned Takachiho line, which ran towards Kumamoto prefecture from the northeast to the northwest of the prefecture. This line was closed after a typhoon in 2005, and has not been reopened.

Miyazaki is not currently serviced by an expressway, but there are vague plans of building a freeway from Miyazaki city up to Nobeoka. This would bring Nobeoka to within a one-hour drive of Miyazaki city. The cost, however, of building an expressway has been criticized as not being recoverable by the relatively small population that it would serve. Nobeoka does have its own municipal bus service with routes to most destinations in the city.

See also

Strategic bombing during World War II

References

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Thursday, November 05, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.