Misato, Akita

Misato (美郷町, Misato-chō) is a town located in Akita Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 February 2020, the town had an estimated population of 19,337 in 6632 households [1] and a population density of 119 persons per km². The total area was 168.34 square kilometres (65.00 sq mi).

Misato 美郷町
Town
Misato Town Hall
Flag Seal
Location of Misato in Akita Prefecture
Misato
Coordinates: 39°25′16″N 140°32′38″E
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Prefecture	Akita
District	Semboku
Area
• Total	168.34 km^2 (65.00 sq mi)
Population  (February 2020)
• Total	19,337
• Density	110/km^2 (300/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- Tree	Japanese red pine
- Flower	Lavender
- Bird	Domestic goose
Phone number	0187-84-1111
Address	30-1 Ueno-otome Tsuchizaki, Misato-cho, Semboku-gun, Akita-ken 019-1541
Website	Official website

Geography

Misato is located at the far southeastern of Akita Prefecture, bordered by the Ōu Mountains and Iwate Prefecture to the east.

Neighboring municipalities

• Akita Prefecture
  • Daisen
  • Yokote
• Iwate Prefecture
  • Nishiwaga

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[2] the population of Misato peaked at around the year 1960 and has been in steady decline since then.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1920	21,813	—
1930	23,779	+9.0%
1940	24,828	+4.4%
1950	30,342	+22.2%
1960	32,268	+6.3%
1970	27,981	−13.3%
1980	26,356	−5.8%
1990	25,987	−1.4%
2000	24,207	−6.8%
2010	21,679	−10.4%

Climate

Misato has a Humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is heaviest from August to October. The average annual temperature in Misato is 14.3 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1743 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.3 °C, and lowest in January, at around -3.8 °C.[3]

History

The area of present-day Misato was part of ancient Dewa Province, dominated by the Satake clan during the Edo period, who ruled Kubota Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. The area was organized into six villages within Semboku District, Akita with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. The village of Rokugō was raised to town status in 1891. The town of Misato was established on November 1, 2004, from the merger of the towns of Senhata and Rokugō, with the village of Sennan.

Economy

The economy of Misato is based on agriculture and forestry. Rice is the primary cash crop. Industries are centered around food processing, with sake brewing and fermented foods made from soybeans such as natto, miso, and soy sauce predominant.

Education

Misato has three public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government. The town has one public high school operated by the Akita Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway

East Japan Railway Company - Ōu Main Line

• Gosannen - Iizume

Highway

• National Route 13

Sister city relations

• – Ruisui, Hualien, Taiwan [4] (friendship city)

Local attractions

• Hotta-no-saku, National Historic Site

Noted people from Misato

• Kosugi Tengai, author

References

1. Misato Town official statistics (in Japanese)
2. Misato population statistics
3. Misato climate data
4. "International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Archived from the original on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.

External links

Media related to Misato, Akita at Wikimedia Commons

• Official Website (in Japanese)