Shōnai, Yamagata

Shōnai (庄内町, Shōnai-machi) is a town located in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. As of 29 February 2020, the town has an estimated population of 20,940 in 7108 households,[1] and a population density of 87.5 per km². The total area of the town is 249.17 square kilometres (96 sq mi).

Shōnai

庄内町
Town
Wind farm in Shonai
Flag
Seal
Location of Shōnai in Yamagata Prefecture
Shōnai
 
Coordinates: 38°50′59.6″N 139°54′17″E
CountryJapan
RegionTōhoku
PrefectureYamagata
DistrictHigashitagawa
Area
 • Total249.17 km2 (96.21 sq mi)
Population
 (February 2020)
 • Total20,940
 • Density84/km2 (220/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- TreeCamellia japonica
- FlowerFritillaria camschatcensis
- BirdEurasian skylark
Phone number0234-43-2211
Address132-1 Amarume-cho, Shōnai-machi, Higashitagawa-gun, Yamagata-ken 999-7781
WebsiteOfficial website
Shōnai town hall

Geography

Shōnai is located in the coastal plains of north-central Yamagata Prefecture. The Mogami River flows through the town. Mount Gassan, the highest of the Three Mountains of Dewa is at the intersection of the borders of Shōnai, Tsuruoka, Ōkura and Nishikawa.

Neighboring municipalities

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[2] the population of Shōnaipeaked around the year 1950, and has gradually been decreasing over the past 70 years. It is now less than it was a hundred years ago.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 25,848—    
1930 28,224+9.2%
1940 29,310+3.8%
1950 33,961+15.9%
1960 33,160−2.4%
1970 28,925−12.8%
1980 27,798−3.9%
1990 26,705−3.9%
2000 25,489−4.6%
2010 23,158−9.1%

Climate

Shōnai 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 Shōnai is 11.4 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1917 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.9 °C, and lowest in January, at around -0.6 °C.[3]

History

The area of present-day Shōnai was part of ancient Dewa Province. After the start of the Meiji period, the area became part of Higashitagawa District, Yamagata Prefecture. The town of Amarume was established on April 1, 1889, with the creation of the modern municipalities system, and the town of Karikawa on April 1, 1937. Karikawa merged with the neighboring villages of Kiyokawa and Tachiyazawa on October 1, 1954, and was renamed Tachikawa. On July 1, 2005, the towns of Tachikawa and Amarume merged to form the new town of Shōnai.

Economy

The economy of Shōnai is based on agriculture.

Education

Shōnai has five public elementary schools and two public middle schools operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Yamagata Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway

East Japan Railway Company - Uetsu Main Line

East Japan Railway Company - Rikuu West Line

Highway

International relations
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Japan

Twin towns and sister cities
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References
  1. Shōnai Town official statistics (in Japanese)
  2. Shōnai population statistics
  3. Shōnai climate data
  4. "International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Retrieved 21 November 2015.
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