Shirakawa, Fukushima
| Shirakawa 白河市 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| City | |||
|
Shirakawa City Hall | |||
| |||
 Location of Shirakawa in Fukushima Prefecture | |||
  Shirakawa
| |||
| Coordinates: 37°07′34.7″N 140°12′39.3″E / 37.126306°N 140.210917°ECoordinates: 37°07′34.7″N 140°12′39.3″E / 37.126306°N 140.210917°E | |||
| Country | Japan | ||
| Region | Tōhoku | ||
| Prefecture | Fukushima Prefecture | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 305.30 km2 (117.88 sq mi) | ||
| Population (November 2014) | |||
| • Total | 62,688 | ||
| • Density | 205/km2 (530/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) | ||
| City symbols | |||
| • Tree | Pinus densiflora | ||
| • Flower | Ume | ||
| • Bird | Emberiza cioides | ||
| Phone number | 0248-22-1111 | ||
| Address | 7-1 Hachimankōji, Shirakawa, Fukushima 961-0941 | ||
| Website |
www | ||
Shirakawa (白河市 Shirakawa-shi) is a city located in Fukushima Prefecture, in northern Honshū, Japan. As of November 2014, the city had an estimated population of 62,688 and a population density of 205 persons per km2. The total area was 305.3 square kilometres (117.9 sq mi).
Geography
Shirakawa is located in southern Fukushima prefecture.
- Rivers: Abukuma River
Neighboring municipalities
- Fukushima Prefecture
- Tochigi Prefecture
Climate
Shirakawa has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with warm summers and cold winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is heaviest from May to October.
| Climate data for Shirakawa, Fukushima | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 4.4 (39.9) |
4.6 (40.3) |
8.2 (46.8) |
15.4 (59.7) |
20.5 (68.9) |
22.9 (73.2) |
26.3 (79.3) |
28.2 (82.8) |
23.3 (73.9) |
17.8 (64) |
12.7 (54.9) |
7.4 (45.3) |
15.98 (60.75) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −0.2 (31.6) |
0.2 (32.4) |
3.3 (37.9) |
9.7 (49.5) |
14.9 (58.8) |
18.3 (64.9) |
21.9 (71.4) |
23.3 (73.9) |
18.9 (66) |
12.7 (54.9) |
7.4 (45.3) |
2.4 (36.3) |
11.07 (51.91) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −4.4 (24.1) |
−3.9 (25) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
4.2 (39.6) |
9.4 (48.9) |
14.4 (57.9) |
18.5 (65.3) |
19.8 (67.6) |
15.3 (59.5) |
8.2 (46.8) |
2.5 (36.5) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
6.71 (44.08) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 29.0 (1.142) |
43.3 (1.705) |
67.7 (2.665) |
99.2 (3.906) |
112.6 (4.433) |
177.7 (6.996) |
162.9 (6.413) |
200.9 (7.909) |
191.1 (7.524) |
116.3 (4.579) |
63.5 (2.5) |
33.4 (1.315) |
1,297.6 (51.087) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 24 (9.4) |
30 (11.8) |
18 (7.1) |
3 (1.2) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
2 (0.8) |
15 (5.9) |
92 (36.2) |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 68 | 67 | 65 | 66 | 70 | 80 | 84 | 82 | 82 | 77 | 73 | 70 | 73.7 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 164.6 | 154.2 | 187.4 | 182.9 | 196.8 | 131.7 | 129.2 | 156.2 | 111.3 | 144.0 | 144.8 | 156.4 | 1,859.5 |
| Source: NOAA (1961-1990) [1] | |||||||||||||
History
The area of present-day Shirakawa was part of ancient Mutsu Province and was the location of a barrier gate on the Oshu kaido connecting the capital at Kyoto with the northern provinces. In the Heian period, the Buddhist monk and waka poet Nōin composed the following poem about the region:
| “ | 都をば霞とともに立ちしかど秋風ぞ吹く白河の関
Miyako wo ba kasumi to tomo ni tachishikado akikaze zo fuku Shirakawa no seki. (English: I left the capital with the spring haze, but at the barrier of Shirakawa the autumn wind blows.) |
” |
In the Edo period the area prospered as a castle town Shirakawa Domain, and was the site of a major battle in the Aizu War during the Meiji restoration. In the Meiji period, it was organized as part of Nakadōri region of Iwaki Province.
The town of Shirakawa was formed on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the municipalities system. On April 1, 1949, Shirakawa was elevated to city status after merging with the neighboring village of Ōnuma. Subsequent mergers occurred in 1954 and 1955 with the inclusion of the villages of Shirasaka, Odagawa, Goka and a portion of Omotegō into the territory of Shirakawa. On November 7, 2005, the villages of Taishin, Higashi, and the remainder of Omotegō (all from Nishishirakawa District) were merged into Shirakawa, increasing its population from 48,297 to approximately 66,000 and territory from 117.67 km2 (45.43 sq mi) to 305.30 km2 (117.88 sq mi).
Economy
Shirakawa has a mixed economy, and is a major commercial center for the surrounding region.
Education
Shirakawa has four high schools, eight junior high schools, and fifteen elementary schools.
Post offices
Shirakawa has nineteen post offices within the boundaries of the city.[2]
Transportation
Railway
Highway
Local attractions
- Site of Shirakawa Barrier (National Historic Monument)
- Komine Castle – One of the 100 Castles of Japan
- Site of Shirakawa Castle
- Nanko Park – National Historic Monument and National Scenic Site
- Shirakawa Funada – Honnuma Site – kofun period burial tumulus, National Historic Site
- Festivals held in Shirakawa include "Daruma Ichi", celebrating the traditional Daruma doll, wherein the city streets are packed with stalls selling Daruma, a variety of festival foods and charms, and "Chōchin Matsuri" (Lantern Festival), which is held each summer, with a special three-day celebration held once every three years.
International relations
-
Compiègne, France, since October 20, 1988
Noted people from Shirakawa
- Gishu Nakayama – writer
- Atsushi Fujita - Olympic marathon runner
- Hideo Madarame – Olympic cyclist
- Toshiaki Fushimi – Olympic cyclist
References
- ↑ "Shirakawa Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
- ↑ List of Post Offices in Shirakawa (in Japanese)
External links
Media related to Shirakawa, Fukushima at Wikimedia Commons
 |
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Shirakawa. |
- Official website (in Japanese)
- Shirakawa website (in Japanese)
