Mitsuke, Niigata

Mitsuke (見附市, Mitsuke-shi) is a city located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 July 2019, the city had an estimated population of 39,487 in 14,917 households,[1] and a population density of 507 persons per km². The total area of the city is 77.01 square kilometres (29.73 sq mi), making it the smallest city in Niigata Prefecture in terms of area.

Mitsuke 見附市
City
Mitsuke City Hall
Flag Emblem
Location of Mitsuke in Niigata Prefecture
Mitsuke
Coordinates: 37°31′53.7″N 138°54′45.9″E
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu (Kōshin'etsu) (Hokuriku)
Prefecture	Niigata
Government
• Mayor	Tokio Kusumi
Area
• Total	77.91 km^2 (30.08 sq mi)
Population  (July 1, 2019)
• Total	39,487
• Density	510/km^2 (1,300/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- Tree	Prunus mume
Phone number	0258-62-1700
Address	2-1-1 Showa-cho, Mitsuke-shi, Niigata-ken 954-8686
Website	Official website

Mitsuke from Kannonyama

Mitsuke English Gardens

Geography

Mitsuke is located in an inland region near the geographical centre of Niigata Prefecture, it has a monument called the "Navel of Niigata" (新潟のへそ, Niigata no heso). The highest elevation is 300 meters above sea level, and the lowest is 10 meters above sea level. Over 50% of the city area is farmland.

Surrounding municipalities

• Niigata Prefecture
  • Sanjō
  • Nagaoka

Climate

Mitsuke has a Humid climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm, wet summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Mitsuke is 12.7 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2176 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.1 °C, and lowest in January, at around 0.6 °C.[2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Mitsuke has remained steady over the past 40 years.

Census Year	Population
1970	41,059
1980	41,833
1990	43,116
2000	43,526
2010	41,862

History

The area of present-day Mitsuke was part of ancient Echigo Province. During the Edo period the area was divided between Nagaoka Domain, Muramatsu Domain and Shibata Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. After the start of the Meiji period, the area was organised as part of Minamikanbara District, Niigata. The town of Mitsuke was established on April 1, 1887 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. It was raised to city status on March 31, 1954.

Government

Mitsuke has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 17 members.

Economy

Mitsuke was traditionally known for its silk weaving industry. The city is now known for the production of knitted and synthetic fabrics. The main agricultural products are rice and tobacco. The Mitsuke Oil Fields were once one of the most productive petroleum deposits in Japan.

Education

Mitsuke has eight public elementary schools and four public middle schools operated by the city government. There are two public high schools operated by the Niigata Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture, also operates one special education school.

Transportation

Railway

JR East - Shin'etsu Main Line

• Mitsuke

Highway

• National Route 8

References

1. Mitsuke city official statistics (in Japanese)
2. Mitsuke climate data
3. Mitsuke population statistics

External links

• Official Website (in Japanese)