Shimotsuke, Tochigi

Shimotsuke (下野市, Shimotsuke-shi) is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 August 2020, the city had an estimated population of 60,274 in 24,654 households[1], and a population density of 810 persons per km². The total area of the city is 74.59 square kilometres (28.80 sq mi).

Shimotsuke

下野市
City
Shimotsuke City Hall
Flag
Seal
Location of Shimotsuke in Tochigi Prefecture
Shimotsuke
 
Coordinates: 36°23′13.9″N 139°50′31.4″E
CountryJapan
RegionKantō
PrefectureTochigi
Government
 • MayorToshio Hirose <広瀬寿雄> (from August 2006)
Area
 • Total74.59 km2 (28.80 sq mi)
Population
 (August 2020)
 • Total60,274
 • Density810/km2 (2,100/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- TreeZelkova serrata
- FlowerCalabash
- BirdJapanese bush warbler
Phone number0285-40-5551
Address1127 Koganei, Shimotsuke-shi, Tochigi-ken 329-0492
WebsiteOfficial website
Reconstructed portion of Shimotsuke Kokubun-ji

Geography

Shimotsuke is located in southern Tochigi Prefecture.

Surrounding municipalities

Tochigi Prefecture

Climate

Shimotsuke has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Shimotsuke is 13.9 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1373 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.2 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.4 °C.[2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Shimotsuke has been increasing steadily over the past 50 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 20,526—    
1930 23,069+12.4%
1940 24,691+7.0%
1950 33,491+35.6%
1960 32,401−3.3%
1970 36,471+12.6%
1980 43,641+19.7%
1990 46,673+6.9%
2000 57,447+23.1%
2010 59,464+3.5%

History

The city of Shimotsuke was established on January 10, 2006, from the merger of the towns of Minamikawachi (from Kawachi District), and the towns of Kokubunji and Ishibashi (both from Shimotsuga District).

Government

Shimotsuke has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature council of 18 members. Shimotsuke contributes one member to the Tochigi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is divided between the Tochigi 1st district and the Tochigi 4th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Agriculture and light manufacturing are mainstays of the local economy, with production of Kanpyō, turmeric and spinach being prominent local crops. The city is increasingly a bedroom community for neighboring Utsunomiya.

Education
  • Jichi Medical University
  • Shimotsuke also has twelve public primary schools and two public middle schools operated by the town government. The town has one public high school operated by the Tochigi Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped.

Transportation

Railway

JR East – Tōhoku Main Line (Utsunomiya Line)

Highway

Local attractions
  • Shimotsuke Kokubun-ji ruins, National Historic Site
  • Shimotsuke Kokubunni-ji ruins, National Historic Site
  • Shimotsuke Yakushi-ji temple and grave of Dōkyō, National Historic Site
  • Kabutozuka Kofun, National Historic Site
  • Koganei Ichirizuka, National Historic Site

International relations

Noted people from Shimotsuke

References
  1. "Shimotsuke City official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. Shimotsuke climate data
  3. Shimotsuke population statistics
  4. Germany Embassy in Japan

Media related to Shimotsuke, Tochigi at Wikimedia Commons

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