Shizukuishi town hallMount Iwate and Mount Kurakake from Shizukuishi Ski Area
Shizukuishi (雫石町, Shizukuishi-chō) is a town located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 March 2020[update], the town had an estimated population of 16,263 in 6354 households,[1] and a population density of 27 persons per km2. [citation needed] The total area of the town is 608.82 square kilometres (235.07 sq mi).
Geography
Shizukuishi is located in the Ōu Mountains of west-central Iwate Prefecture, bordering Akita Prefecture to the west. Mount Iwate (2038 m), an active volcano, lies just to the north of Shizukuishi and dominates the landscape. The Ōu Mountains form the boundary to the west as well with Akita Komagatake, another active volcano, just across the border in Akita Prefecture. The downtown area is located where the Shizukuishi and Kakkonda Rivers meet. Gosho Lake was created in 1981 with the completion of Gosho Dam.
Shizukuishi has a cold humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Shizukuishi is 9.2°C. The average annual rainfall is 1469 mm, with September as the wettest month and February as the driest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 23.2 °C, and lowest in January, at around -3.7 °C.[2]
Climate data for Shizukuishi (altitude 195m, 1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present)
In the Meiji period, the villages of Shizukuishi, Gosho, Nishiyama and Omyojin within Minami-Iwate District were created on April 1, 1889, with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. Kita-Iwate District and Minami-Iwate Districts merged to form Iwate District on March 29, 1896. Shizukuishi was raised to town status on December 23, 1940. On April 1, 1955, Shizukuishi merged with Gosho, Nishiyama and Omyojin, but lost a portion of its territory in a border adjustment with Morioka City on October 1 of the same year. The All Nippon Airways Flight 58 accident occurred over Shizukuishi on July 30, 1971.
Government
Shizukuishi has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 16 members. Shizukuishi, together with the city of Takizawa, contributes three seats to the Iwate Prefectural legislature. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Iwate 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy
The local economy is based on agriculture, forestry and seasonal tourism. Koiwai Farm, based in Takizawa, is currently the largest privately owned dairy production center in Japan. The farm produces a full range of dairy products distributed throughout the nation.[6]
Education
Shizukuishi has five public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Iwate Prefectural Board of Education.
In winter, numerous ski resorts come to life. Due to the town's rural nature, low income and low population Yoshiaki Tsutsumi, Japan's richest man at the time, was able to build a large ski area and hotel without the kind of "organized opposition of environmentalists" which stymied his plans elsewhere in Japan.[7]
Koiwai Farm is a working dairy and tourist attraction. A number of the farm buildings have been named National Tangible Cultural Properties. The farm has been used as a shooting location for television dramas and movies.[8] Every year Koiwai Farm puts on the Koiwai Snow Festival (小岩井雪祭, Koiwai Yuki Matsuri). This festival is noteworthy for its giant snow sculptures.
The town is known for its annual hemp festival every year in August which draws "crowds of sightseers".[9]
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