Iwata is located in southwestern Shizuoka Prefecture, bordered by the Tenryū River to the west and with a small coastline on the Pacific Ocean to the south.
Per Japanese census data,[1] the population of Iwata has been increasing over the past 60 years.
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±%
1960
105,489
—
1970
111,452
+5.7%
1980
145,751
+30.8%
1990
157,219
+7.9%
2000
166,002
+5.6%
2010
168,616
+1.6%
2020
166,672
−1.2%
Climate
The city has a climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild winters (Köppen climate classificationCfa). The average annual temperature in Iwata is 16.3 °C (61.3 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,748.0 mm (68.82 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.8 °C (80.2 °F), and lowest in January, at around 6.2 °C (43.2 °F).[3]
Climate data for Iwata (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present)
With the establishment of the modern municipalities system of the early Meiji period on October 1, 1889, Mitsuke Town within Iwata District, Shizuoka was established. Later that year, Nakaizumi Town and Ninomiya Village merged to form Nakaizumi Town. These two towns merged on November 1, 1940 with Saikai Village and Tenryū Village to form the new town of Iwata. Iwata was raised to city status on April 1, 1948.
Iwata has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 26 members. The city contributes three members to the Shizuoka Prefectural Assembly.
Economy
The economy of Iwata is primarily agricultural and is known for green tea and melons grown in greenhouses, which are called "Iwata melon". The Yamaha Corporation was founded in Iwata and maintains a strong presence in the city. Yamaha Motor's headquarters is in Iwata. Suzuki Motor Corporation has a vehicle assembly plant in Iwata.
Iwata has 23 public elementary schools and 11 public middle schools operated by the city government. The city has four public high schools operated by the Shizuoka Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates two special education schools for the disabled.
Iwata also has two international schools, the CEP Brasil – Centro Educacional e Profissional – Brazilian school[5] and the Escola Objetivo de Iwata Tia Rosa, a Brazilian primary school[5] Iwata formerly hosted another Brazilian school, a primary school called Escola Nipo-Brasileira de Iwata.[6]
The Great Camphor tree of Zendoji situated on north exit of Iwata Station.
Near the north exit of JR Iwata Station is the Great Camphor tree of Zendo-ji. Believed to be 700 years old, it was once within the grounds of a Buddhist temple called Zendo-ji. Its height is 18.3 meters and its diameter at chest height is 2.87 meters. The root structure bulges out of the ground creating a second level, and the circumference at the portion touching the surface is 32.9 meters.
^"International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Archived from the original on 13 January 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
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