Amami (奄美市, Amami-shi) is a city located on the island of Amami Ōshima, in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Amami is the most populated municipality on Amami Ōshima. The most urban part of the municipality as well as the island's main port is a small city also known as Naze. As of 1 October 2020, the city has an estimated population of 41,390 and a population density of 134 persons per km2. The total area is 308.15 km2.

Amami
奄美市
Skyline of Amami City
Skyline of Amami City
Flag of Amami
Official seal of Amami
Location of Amami in Kagoshima Prefecture
Location of Amami in Kagoshima Prefecture
Amami is located in Japan
Amami
Amami
 
Amami is located in Asia
Amami
Amami
Amami (Asia)
Coordinates: 28°22′42″N 129°29′40″E / 28.37833°N 129.49444°E / 28.37833; 129.49444
CountryJapan
RegionKyushu (Amami Islands)
PrefectureKagoshima Prefecture
First official recorded657 AD
Naze City SettledJuly 1, 1946
Current city name changed forMarch 20, 2006
Government
 • MayorTsuyoshi Asayama
Area
 • Total308.15 km2 (118.98 sq mi)
Population
 (October 1, 2020)
 • Total41,390
 • Density134/km2 (350/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
-TreeRyūkyūmatsu and Banyan
- FlowerSharinbai and Hibiscus
-Other PlantsHikagehego
Phone number0997-52-1111
Address25-8 Naze-saiwaichō, Amami-shi, Kagoshima-ken 894-0025 
Websitewww.city.amami.lg.jp
Night view of downtown Amami
Beaches

History

edit

The village of Naze was established on April 1, 1908. It was elevated to town status on October 1, 1922. As with all of the Amami Islands, the village came under the administration of the United States from July 1, 1946, to December 25, 1953. It was elevated to city status on July 1, 1946.

The modern city of Amami was established on March 20, 2006, from the merger of the city of Naze, the town of Kasari, and the village of Sumiyō (both from Ōshima District).

Geography

edit

Amami is bordered by the East China Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The Kasari area of the city is an exclave, separated from the main part of Amami by the town of Tatsugō.

Climate

edit

Amami has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with long, hot, humid summers and mild winters. Precipitation is abundant throughout the year, with particularly heavy rainfall in May, June, August and September. The area is subject to frequent typhoons.

Climate data for Naze, Amami (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1896−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 28.1
(82.6)
28.2
(82.8)
30.4
(86.7)
32.1
(89.8)
33.7
(92.7)
36.3
(97.3)
37.3
(99.1)
36.9
(98.4)
34.9
(94.8)
33.0
(91.4)
31.0
(87.8)
28.6
(83.5)
37.3
(99.1)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 17.7
(63.9)
18.3
(64.9)
20.4
(68.7)
23.1
(73.6)
26.2
(79.2)
29.4
(84.9)
32.3
(90.1)
32.0
(89.6)
30.4
(86.7)
27.0
(80.6)
23.5
(74.3)
19.6
(67.3)
25.0
(77.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) 15.0
(59.0)
15.3
(59.5)
17.1
(62.8)
19.8
(67.6)
22.8
(73.0)
26.2
(79.2)
28.8
(83.8)
28.5
(83.3)
27.0
(80.6)
23.9
(75.0)
20.4
(68.7)
16.7
(62.1)
21.8
(71.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 12.2
(54.0)
12.4
(54.3)
14.1
(57.4)
16.7
(62.1)
19.8
(67.6)
23.6
(74.5)
26.0
(78.8)
26.0
(78.8)
24.3
(75.7)
21.2
(70.2)
17.6
(63.7)
13.9
(57.0)
19.0
(66.2)
Record low °C (°F) 4.4
(39.9)
3.1
(37.6)
4.7
(40.5)
6.6
(43.9)
9.4
(48.9)
13.9
(57.0)
18.8
(65.8)
19.6
(67.3)
15.3
(59.5)
11.2
(52.2)
8.2
(46.8)
6.1
(43.0)
3.1
(37.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 184.1
(7.25)
161.6
(6.36)
210.1
(8.27)
213.9
(8.42)
278.1
(10.95)
427.4
(16.83)
214.9
(8.46)
294.4
(11.59)
346.0
(13.62)
261.3
(10.29)
173.6
(6.83)
170.4
(6.71)
2,935.7
(115.58)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 15.1 13.6 14.4 12.7 13.7 16.2 10.4 13.7 14.8 12.8 10.6 13.8 161.8
Average relative humidity (%) 68 70 70 73 77 80 77 78 78 75 72 69 74
Mean monthly sunshine hours 58.7 63.3 89.3 110.6 122.8 116.4 199.2 176.3 135.0 107.9 86.1 66.5 1,332.1
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[1][2]

Surrounding municipalities

edit

Transportation

edit

Airport

edit

Seaport

edit

Naze Port is a regional transportation hub, with frequent ferry service to Kagoshima, Tokyo, Kobe, and Osaka, as well as Okinawa, the other Amami islands, and Tokara Islands.

Highway

edit

Points of interest

edit

Sister cities

edit

Notable people from Amami

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "名瀬 年・月ごとの平年値". 気象庁. Retrieved 2014-05-20.
  2. ^ "名瀬 観測史上1~10位の値". 気象庁. Retrieved 2014-05-20.
edit