Mamurogawa


Mamurogawa is a town located in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan., the town has an estimated population of 7,506 in 2678 households , and a population density of 20 persons per km². The total area of the town is.

Geography

Mamurogawa is located in the extreme northern Yamagata Prefecture, bordering on Akita Prefecture to the north. The town is located in the Shinjō Valley, surrounding by low mountains on all sides, with the Ōu Mountains to the northeast. The area is known for its heavy snowfalls in winter.

Neighboring municipalities

Per Japanese census data, the population of Mamurogawa peaked in the 1950s, and is now considerably less than what it was a century ago.

Climate

Mamurogawa has a Humid continental climate with large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is heaviest from August to October. The average annual temperature in Mamurogawa is 10.4 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1872 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.1 °C, and lowest in January, at around -2.0 °C.

History

The area of present-day Mamurogawa was part of ancient Dewa Province and the location of Sakenobe Castle in the Sengoku period. After the start of the Meiji period, the area became part of Mogami District, Yamagata Prefecture. The village of Mamurogawa was established on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. During World War II, an airbase for training pilots was established by the Imperial Japanese Army. The site is now a park, and part of the grounds of the local high school. Mamurogawa was elevated to town status on April 1, 1950. On August 1, 1954, it absorbed the neighboring villages of Araki and Nozoki.

Economy

The economy of Mamurogawa is based on agriculture and forestry.

Education

Mamurogawa has three public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government and one public high school operated by the Yamagata Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway

- Ōu Main Line