Kaminoyama (上山市, Kaminoyama-shi) is a city located in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 October 2020, the city had an estimated population of 29,617 in 11278 households,[1] and a population density of 120 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 240.93 square kilometres (93 sq mi).

Kaminoyama
上山市
Kaminoyama City Hall
Kaminoyama City Hall
Flag of Kaminoyama
Official seal of Kaminoyama
Location of Kaminoyama in Yamagata Prefecture
Location of Kaminoyama in Yamagata Prefecture
Kaminoyama is located in Japan
Kaminoyama
Kaminoyama
 
Coordinates: 38°8′58.5″N 140°16′4.3″E / 38.149583°N 140.267861°E / 38.149583; 140.267861
CountryJapan
RegionTōhoku
PrefectureYamagata
Area
 • Total
240.93 km2 (93.02 sq mi)
Population
 (February 2015)
 • Total
29,974
 • Density120/km2 (320/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
City symbols 
- TreeJapanese yew
- FlowerChrysanthemum
- BirdLittle egret
Phone number023-672-1111
Address1-1-10 Kawasaki, Kaminoyama-shi, Yamagata-ken 999-3192
WebsiteOfficial website
Hayama neighborhood in Kaminoyama

Geography

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Kaminoyama is located in southeast Yamagata Prefecture, in the Murayama Basin, bordered by Miyagi Prefecture to the east. Mount Zaō is located within its borders.

Neighboring municipalities

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Climate

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Kaminoyama has a Humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. This includes heavy amounts of snowfall from late November until early March. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is heaviest from August to October. The average annual temperature in Kaminoyama is 11.4 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1362 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.9 °C, and lowest in January, at around -1.1 °C.[2]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Kaminoyama has declined over the past 40 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1960 40,383—    
1970 38,357−5.0%
1980 38,533+0.5%
1990 38,327−0.5%
2000 36,886−3.8%
2010 33,836−8.3%
2020 29,110−14.0%

History

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The area of present-day Kaminoyama was part of ancient Dewa Province, and was a castle town for Kaminoyama Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate in the Edo period. It was also a post station on the Ushū Kaidō highway. After the start of the Meiji period, the area became part of Minamimurayama District, Yamagata Prefecture. The town of Kaminoyama was established on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system, and was elevated to city status on October 1, 1954.[citation needed]

Government

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Higashine has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 15 members. The city contributes one member to the Yamagata Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Yamagata District 1 of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

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The economy of Kaminoyama is based on agriculture (horticulture), light manufacturing (electronics, automotive components, clothing, foodstuffs), forestry and tourism. This region is famous for its hot spring water and hot spring resorts near the former grounds of Kaminoyama Castle[4]

Education

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Kaminoyama has five public elementary schools and three public middle schools operated by the city government and one public high schools operated by the Yamagata Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped and two vocational training schools.

Transportation

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Railway

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  East Japan Railway Company - Yamagata Shinkansen

  East Japan Railway Company - Ōu Main Line

Highways

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Local attractions

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Kaminoyama Castle

International relations

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Sister cities

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Notable people from Kaminoyama

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References

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  1. ^ Kaminoyama City official statistics (in Japanese)
  2. ^ Kaminoyama climate data
  3. ^ Kaminoyama population statistics
  4. ^ "Kaminoyama Onsen | the Hidden Japan".
  5. ^ "Kaminoyama, Japan". official home page. Donaueschingen City. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  6. ^ [Heinrich, Amy Vladeck, 1983. Fragments of Rainbows: The Life and Poetry of Saitō Mokichi. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0231054287, page 3
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