Murakami, Niigata


Murakami is a city located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan., the city had an estimated population of 58,309 in 22,843 households, and a population density of 49.7 persons per km². The total area of the city was.

Geography

Murakami is located on the Sea of Japan coast of far northern Niigata Prefecture, bordered by Yamagata Prefecture to the north and east.

Surrounding municipalities

Murakami has a Humid climate characterized by warm, wet summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Murakami is 12.6 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2122 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.9 °C, and lowest in January, at around 0.9 °C.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Murakami has declined steadily over the past 40 years.
Census YearPopulation
197083,107
198080,206
199076,511
200073,902
201066,427

History

The area of present-day Murakami was part of ancient Echigo Province. Murakami developed as a port and a castle town for the Murakami Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate in the Edo period. Even today, the downtown area shows the influence of its past existence as a residence of samurai and merchants. Following the Meiji restoration, the area was organized as part of Iwafune District, Niigata, and the town of Murakami was established with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Murakami was raised to city status on March 31, 1954. On April 1, 2008, the towns of Arakawa and Sanpoku and the villages of Asahi and Kamihayashi were merged into Murakami.

Government

Murakami has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 26 members.

Education

Murakami has 21 public elementary schools and seven public middle schools operated by the city government. There is one public middle school and three public high schools operated by the Niigata Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school.

Transportation

Railway

- Uetsu Main Line
JR East - Yonesaka Line
Famous products of Murakami are tea, salmon, and Murakami beef. The city is also a tourist spot because of famous Senami Onsen and as a jumping off point to Awashima Island.

Festivals

, a traditional regional festival, has been held in the downtown area on July 6 and 7, annually, since 1868.