Karumai, Iwate

Kurumai 軽米町
Town
Karumai Town Hall
Flag Seal
Location of Karumai in Iwate Prefecture
Kurumai
Coordinates: 40°19′36.3″N 141°27′37.7″E / 40.326750°N 141.460472°E / 40.326750; 141.460472Coordinates: 40°19′36.3″N 141°27′37.7″E / 40.326750°N 141.460472°E / 40.326750; 141.460472
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Prefecture	Iwate
District	Kunohe
Area
• Total	245.82 km2 (94.91 sq mi)
Population (October 2016)
• Total	9,131
• Density	37.1/km2 (96/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City symbols
• Tree	Ichii
• Flower	Kobushi
• Bird	Copper pheasant
Phone number	0195-46-2111
Address	Karumai dai-10 jiwari 85, Karumai-machi, Kunohe-gun, Iwate 028-6302
Website	http://www.town.karumai.iwate.jp/

Park in Karumai

Karumai (軽米町, Karumai-machi) is a town located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 October 2016, the town had an estimated population of 9,131, and a population density of 37,1 persons per km². The total area of the town is 245.74 square kilometres (94.88 sq mi).

Geography

Karumai is located in far northcentral Iwate Prefecture, bordered by Aomori Prefecture to the north.

Neighboring municipalities

• Aomori Prefecture
  • Hachinohe
  • Nanbu
  • Hashikami
• Iwate Prefecture
  • Ninohe
  • Kuji
  • Hirono
  • Kunohe

Climate

Karumai has a humid oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Karumai is 9.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1209 mm with September as the wettest month and February as the driest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 22.5 °C, and lowest in January, at around -2.4 °C.^[1]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,^[2] the population of Karumai has steadily declined over the past 40 years.

History

The area of present-day Karumai was part of ancient Mutsu Province, dominated by the Nambu clan from the Muromachi period, and part of Hachinohe Domain under the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate. During the early Meiji period, the village of Karumai within Kita-Kunohe District was created on April 1, 1889, with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. Kita-Kunohe District and Minami-Kunohe Districts merged to form Kunohe District on April 1, 1897. The village was raised to town status on January 1, 1925. The neighboring villages of Kogarumai and Hareyama were merged with Karumai on January 1, 1955.

Economy

The economy of Karumai is based on agriculture, particularly the various grains, livestock raising, and the production of charcoal. The hardy kiwi is a noted local speciality ^[3]

Education

Karumai has three public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Iwate Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway

• Karumai is not served by any passenger train routes.

Highway

• Hachinohe Expressway – Orizume Service Area - Karumai Interchange
• Japan National Route 340
• Japan National Route 395

Noted people from Karumai

• Haruichi Furudate, manga artist

References

External links

Media related to Karumai, Iwate at Wikimedia Commons

• Official Website (in Japanese)