Mutsu, Aomori

Mutsu
むつ市
City

Mutsu City from Kamafuse-yama

Flag
Seal

Location of Mutsu in Aomori Prefecture
Mutsu

 

Coordinates: 41°17′34.2″N 141°11′1″E / 41.292833°N 141.18361°E / 41.292833; 141.18361Coordinates: 41°17′34.2″N 141°11′1″E / 41.292833°N 141.18361°E / 41.292833; 141.18361
Country Japan
Region Tōhoku
Prefecture Aomori Prefecture
Government
 • - Mayor Sōichirō Miyashita
Area
 • Total 864.16 km2 (333.65 sq mi)
Population (February 2017)
 • Total 59,807
 • Density 69.2/km2 (179/sq mi)
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City symbols  
-Tree Asunaro
-Flower Rosa rugosa
-Bird Whooper swan
Phone number 0175-22-1111
Address 1-1-1, Kanaya, Mutsu-shi, Aomori-ken 035-8686
Website www.city.mutsu.lg.jp
Mutsu City Hall

Mutsu (むつ市, Mutsu-shi) is a city located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. As of 28 February 2017, the city had an estimated population of 59,807, and a population density of 69.2 persons per km², in 29,304 households.[1] Its total area is 864.16 square kilometres (333.65 sq mi), making it the largest municipality in Aomori Prefecture in terms of area.

Geography

Mutsu occupies most of Shimokita Peninsula and is bordered by Mutsu Bay to the south and Tsugaru Strait to the north, and is the northernmost city on the island of Honshū. Parts of the city is within the limits of the Shimokita Hantō Quasi-National Park. The volcanic Osorezan Mountain Range extends across the northern portion of the city, and includes a number of caldera lakes.

Neighbouring municipalities

Climate

Mutsu has a cold maritime climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb) bordering on a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) characterized by mild summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Mutsu is 7.2 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1339 mm with September as the wettest month.The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 20.3 °C, and lowest in January, at around -4.6 °C.[2]

Climate data for Mutsu, Aomori
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 1.1
(34)		 1.3
(34.3)		 4.8
(40.6)		 12.0
(53.6)		 17.5
(63.5)		 20.0
(68)		 23.5
(74.3)		 25.6
(78.1)		 22.1
(71.8)		 16.9
(62.4)		 10.3
(50.5)		 4.2
(39.6)		 13.28
(55.89)
Daily mean °C (°F) −1.9
(28.6)		 −2.0
(28.4)		 1.1
(34)		 7.0
(44.6)		 12.1
(53.8)		 15.6
(60.1)		 19.5
(67.1)		 21.7
(71.1)		 17.6
(63.7)		 11.8
(53.2)		 6.2
(43.2)		 1.0
(33.8)		 9.14
(48.47)
Average low °C (°F) −5.7
(21.7)		 −6.6
(20.1)		 −3.1
(26.4)		 2.3
(36.1)		 7.1
(44.8)		 11.8
(53.2)		 16.2
(61.2)		 18.3
(64.9)		 13.1
(55.6)		 6.3
(43.3)		 1.6
(34.9)		 −2.7
(27.1)		 4.88
(40.78)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 104.5
(4.114)		 79.0
(3.11)		 77.1
(3.035)		 90.1
(3.547)		 81.0
(3.189)		 105.7
(4.161)		 124.8
(4.913)		 144.1
(5.673)		 166.7
(6.563)		 109.2
(4.299)		 117.5
(4.626)		 97.4
(3.835)		 1,297.1
(51.065)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 140
(55.1)		 119
(46.9)		 52
(20.5)		 4
(1.6)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 14
(5.5)		 86
(33.9)		 415
(163.5)
Average relative humidity (%) 75 75 72 71 74 83 86 85 81 74 72 75 76.9
Mean monthly sunshine hours 78.9 95.8 157.8 197.9 219.3 175.4 158.2 155.3 152.2 165.7 107.8 73.6 1,737.9
Source: NOAA (1961-1990) [3]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[4] the population of Mutsu has declined over the past 40 years.

Census Year Population
1970 66,447
1980 71,567
1990 68,637
2000 67,022
2010 61,053

History

Mutsu was founded as September 1, 1959 through the merger of the former towns of Ōminato and Tanabu. Tanabu had been the location of a daikansho under the Morioka Domain in the Edo period, and was a resettlement and colonization zone for dispossessed ex-samurai of the defeated Aizu Domain after the Boshin War. Ōminato was a port town, and home to the Ōminato Guard District, a major base for the Imperial Japanese Navy until the end of World War II. The base facilities were used by the United States Navy during the occupation of Japan, and (on a reduced scale) by the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force to date.

The new city was originally called Ōminato-Tanabu (coupling of the names of two antecedent towns); its name was changed to Mutsu in 1960. At the time, it was the only city with a hiragana name (むつ), which was adopted to avoid confusion with the original kanji word Mutsu (陸奥) which indicates the old province that covered most of the modern Tōhoku region.

On March 14, 2005, the towns of Kawauchi and Ōhata, and the village of Wakinosawa (all from Shimokita District) were merged into Mutsu.

Government

Mutsu has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 26 members.

Economy

The economy of Mutsu is heavily dependent on agriculture, forestry and fishing, especially scallop aquaculture in Mutsu Bay. The city is also the location for various facilities of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, and was the home port for the nuclear powered research vessel Mutsu, until its decommissioning in 1997.

Education

Mutsu has 13 public elementary schools and nine middle schools operated by the city government, and four public high schools operated by the Aomori Prefectural Board of Education.

High schools

Transportation

Railway

Highway

International relations

Local attractions

Noted people from Mutsu

References

  1. ↑ Official home page
  2. ↑ Mutsu climate data
  3. ↑ "Mutsu Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
  4. ↑ Mutsu population statistics
  5. ↑ "US-Japan Sister Cities by State". Asia Matters for America. Honolulu, HI: East-West Center. Retrieved 20 November 2015.

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