Kanuma, Tochigi

Coordinates: 36°34′1.5″N 139°44′42.2″E / 36.567083°N 139.745056°E / 36.567083; 139.745056
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Kanuma
鹿沼市
Kanuma City Hall
Kanuma City Hall
Flag of Kanuma
Official seal of Kanuma
Location of Kanuma in Tochigi Prefecture
Location of Kanuma in Tochigi Prefecture
Kanuma is located in Japan
Kanuma
Kanuma
 
Coordinates: 36°34′1.5″N 139°44′42.2″E / 36.567083°N 139.745056°E / 36.567083; 139.745056
CountryJapan
RegionKantō
PrefectureTochigi
First official recorded710 AD
City settledOctober 10, 1948
Government
 • MayorShin Satō (from June 2008)
Area
 • Total490.64 km2 (189.44 sq mi)
Population
 (August 2020)
 • Total94,926
 • Density190/km2 (500/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number0289-64-2111
Address1688-1 Imamiyachō, Kanuma-shi, Tochigi-ken 322-0068
ClimateCfa
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
FlowerSatsuki azalea
TreeCryptomeria
Imamiya Shrine Festival

Kanuma (鹿沼市, Kanuma-shi) is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 August 2020, the city had an estimated population of 94,926 in 36,795 households,[1] and a population density of 190 persons per km². The total area of the town is 490.64 km2 (189.44 sq mi).

Geography[edit]

Kanuma is located in central Tochigi Prefecture. The cities is located in the northern part of the Kanto region. The western half of the city area is occupied by the Ashio Mountains, and the eastern half by a diluvial plateau called Kanuma Plateau. The city is bordered by the prefectural capital of Utsunomiya to the east.

Surrounding municipalities[edit]

Tochigi Prefecture

Gunma Prefecture

Climate[edit]

Kanuma has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kanuma is 13.1 °C (55.6 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,677.2 mm (66.03 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.9 °C (76.8 °F), and lowest in January, at around 1.5 °C (34.7 °F).[2]

Climate data for Kanuma (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 17.0
(62.6)
21.6
(70.9)
26.2
(79.2)
29.5
(85.1)
34.0
(93.2)
37.0
(98.6)
37.0
(98.6)
37.1
(98.8)
35.6
(96.1)
32.6
(90.7)
24.0
(75.2)
23.2
(73.8)
37.1
(98.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 8.1
(46.6)
9.0
(48.2)
12.5
(54.5)
17.9
(64.2)
22.5
(72.5)
25.2
(77.4)
28.8
(83.8)
30.1
(86.2)
26.4
(79.5)
20.9
(69.6)
15.5
(59.9)
10.4
(50.7)
18.9
(66.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) 1.5
(34.7)
2.4
(36.3)
6.0
(42.8)
11.5
(52.7)
16.8
(62.2)
20.4
(68.7)
23.9
(75.0)
24.9
(76.8)
21.3
(70.3)
15.5
(59.9)
9.3
(48.7)
3.8
(38.8)
13.1
(55.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −3.5
(25.7)
−3.0
(26.6)
0.1
(32.2)
5.5
(41.9)
11.6
(52.9)
16.3
(61.3)
20.3
(68.5)
21.2
(70.2)
17.4
(63.3)
11.1
(52.0)
4.2
(39.6)
−1.1
(30.0)
8.3
(47.0)
Record low °C (°F) −10.9
(12.4)
−11.3
(11.7)
−9.3
(15.3)
−4.7
(23.5)
1.0
(33.8)
7.8
(46.0)
11.4
(52.5)
12.2
(54.0)
5.5
(41.9)
0.1
(32.2)
−4.3
(24.3)
−9.1
(15.6)
−11.3
(11.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 40.9
(1.61)
37.5
(1.48)
91.8
(3.61)
125.7
(4.95)
153.0
(6.02)
203.6
(8.02)
239.3
(9.42)
240.4
(9.46)
246.1
(9.69)
186.1
(7.33)
75.8
(2.98)
37.2
(1.46)
1,677.2
(66.03)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 4.0 5.0 8.7 10.6 11.8 14.8 15.7 13.8 13.5 10.1 6.5 4.1 118.6
Mean monthly sunshine hours 206.4 194.5 196.1 187.8 177.5 120.6 128.2 153.4 122.6 139.3 166.7 195.2 1,988.4
Source 1: 理科年表
Source 2: Japan Meteorological Agency (averages: 1981-2010; peaks: 1888-present)[2][3]

Demographics[edit]

Per Japanese census data,[4] the population of Kanuma peaked around the year 2000 and has declined since.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 68,981—    
1930 74,561+8.1%
1940 77,462+3.9%
1950 98,504+27.2%
1960 91,896−6.7%
1970 89,196−2.9%
1980 95,999+7.6%
1990 101,098+5.3%
2000 104,764+3.6%
2010 103,257−1.4%
2020 94,033−8.9%

History[edit]

Kanuma was the castle town for a 25,000 koku feudal domain in the early Edo period. Even after the domain was suppressed by the Tokugawa shogunate, the area continued to prosper from its location with a number of post stations on the Nikkō Reiheishi Kaidō. The town of Kanuma was created on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of then modern municipalities system. It was raised to city status on October 10, 1948. On January 1, 2006, the town of Awano (from Kamitsuga District) was merged into Kanuma.

Government[edit]

Kanuma has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 24 members. Kanuma contributes three members to the Tochigi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Tochigi 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy[edit]

The economy of Kanuma is primarily agricultural. Hemp was once a major cash crop, but has been supplanted by soba and strawberries.

Education[edit]

Kanuma has 24 primary schools and ten middle schools operated by the city government. The city has four public high schools operated by the Tochigi Prefectural Board of Education.[5]

Transportation[edit]

Railway[edit]

JR EastNikkō Line

Tobu RailwayTobu Nikkō Line

Highway[edit]

Local attractions[edit]

External relations[edit]

Notable people[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Kanuma City official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. ^ a b "平年値(年ごとの値)". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
  3. ^ "観測史上1~10位の値(年間を通じての値)". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
  4. ^ Kanuma population statistics
  5. ^ "Elementary and junior high schools". Kanuma City. 3 April 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  6. ^ Bakken, Ryan (2003-10-21). "Japanese Residents Will Dedicate New Garden". Grand Forks Herald.

External links[edit]

Media related to Kanuma, Tochigi at Wikimedia Commons