Kahoku (かほく市, Kahoku-shi) is a city located in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 January 2018, the city had an estimated population of 35,188 in 12787 households, and a population density of 550 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the city was 64.44 square kilometres (24.88 sq mi).

Kahoku
かほく市
Kahoku City Hall
Kahoku City Hall
Flag of Kahoku
Official seal of Kahoku
Location of Kahoku in Ishikawa Prefecture
Location of Kahoku in Ishikawa Prefecture
Kahoku is located in Japan
Kahoku
Kahoku
 
Coordinates: 36°43′11.3″N 136°42′24.1″E / 36.719806°N 136.706694°E / 36.719806; 136.706694
CountryJapan
RegionChūbu (Hokuriku)
PrefectureIshikawa Prefecture
Government
 • - MayorWaichiro Aburano
Area
 • Total64.44 km2 (24.88 sq mi)
Population
 (January 31, 2018)
 • Total35,188
 • Density550/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number076-283-1111
Address81 Unoke, Kahoku-shi, Ishikawa-ken 929-1195
ClimateCfa
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
BirdKentish plover
FlowerRosa rugosa
TreeSakura

Geography

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Kahoku is located in central Ishikawa Prefecture. It is approximately 20 km north of the capital of, Kanazawa, or thirty minutes by train. Kahoku lies between the Sea of Japan to the west, the town of Hōdatsushimizu to the north, the town of Tsubata to the east and the town of Uchinada to the south. Geographically from the east to west, Kahoku is composed of a mountainous region, a hilly region, a terrace region, a lowland region and then a coastal region. In the northern part of town the Ōmi River flows into the Sea of Japan and in the southern area, the Unoke River flows into the Kahoku Lagoon which marks the southernmost part of Kahoku.

Neighbouring municipalities

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Climate

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Kahoku has a humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kahoku is 14.1 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2500 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.6 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.9 °C.[2]

Climate data for Kahoku (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 19.3
(66.7)
23.2
(73.8)
25.0
(77.0)
30.0
(86.0)
31.4
(88.5)
33.6
(92.5)
37.7
(99.9)
39.2
(102.6)
36.3
(97.3)
33.8
(92.8)
25.9
(78.6)
23.5
(74.3)
39.2
(102.6)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 6.7
(44.1)
7.2
(45.0)
10.8
(51.4)
16.2
(61.2)
21.1
(70.0)
24.4
(75.9)
28.3
(82.9)
30.3
(86.5)
26.5
(79.7)
21.3
(70.3)
15.5
(59.9)
9.9
(49.8)
18.2
(64.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) 3.3
(37.9)
3.5
(38.3)
6.4
(43.5)
11.5
(52.7)
16.5
(61.7)
20.5
(68.9)
24.7
(76.5)
26.2
(79.2)
22.3
(72.1)
16.7
(62.1)
11.0
(51.8)
6.0
(42.8)
14.1
(57.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 0.2
(32.4)
−0.1
(31.8)
2.0
(35.6)
6.7
(44.1)
12.0
(53.6)
17.0
(62.6)
21.6
(70.9)
22.7
(72.9)
18.6
(65.5)
12.6
(54.7)
6.9
(44.4)
2.4
(36.3)
10.2
(50.4)
Record low °C (°F) −6.4
(20.5)
−5.5
(22.1)
−4.2
(24.4)
−1.8
(28.8)
3.3
(37.9)
8.7
(47.7)
13.7
(56.7)
14.5
(58.1)
8.6
(47.5)
2.1
(35.8)
−1.0
(30.2)
−4.8
(23.4)
−6.4
(20.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 210.9
(8.30)
125.8
(4.95)
129.4
(5.09)
121.5
(4.78)
123.5
(4.86)
167.5
(6.59)
221.9
(8.74)
186.2
(7.33)
213.7
(8.41)
154.9
(6.10)
209.5
(8.25)
252.7
(9.95)
2,117.4
(83.36)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 23.9 18.5 15.9 12.1 10.5 10.9 12.9 9.2 12.5 13.1 17.2 23.1 179.8
Mean monthly sunshine hours 59.4 87.6 154.7 193.3 211.7 167.5 174.3 225.2 159.8 150.2 107.9 66.3 1,757.9
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3][4]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data,[5] the population of Kahoku has remained steady over the past 40 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1970 32,225—    
1980 34,106+5.8%
1990 34,207+0.3%
2000 34,670+1.4%
2010 34,651−0.1%
2020 34,889+0.7%

History

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The area around Kahoku was mostly part of ancient Kaga Province, with a small portion of its northern area in Noto Province. The area became part Kaga Domain under the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate. Following the Meiji restoration, the area was organised into Kahoku District, Ishikawa. The villages of Takamatsu, Nanatsuka and Unoke were established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Takamatsu was raised to town status on August 1, 1922, Nanatsuka on February 11, 1940, and Unoke on February 11, 1948. The three towns merged on March 1, 2004, to form the city of Kahoku.

Government

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Kahoku has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 18 members.

Economy

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The local economy of Kahoku is dominated by agriculture.

Education

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Kahoku has six public elementary schools and three middle schools operated by the city government; however, the city does not have a high school. The Ishikawa Prefectural Nursing University is also located in Kahoku.

Junior high schools

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  • Kahokudai Junior High School
  • Takamatsu Junior High School
  • Unoke Junior High School

Elementary schools

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  • Kanazu Elementary School
  • Nanatsuka Elementary school
  • Ōmi Elementary school
  • Sotohisumi Elementary school
  • Takamatsu Elementary School
  • Unoke Elementary School

Transportation

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Railway

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  West Japan Railway Company - Nanao Line

Highway

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  National Route 159
  National Route 471

Sister cities

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Kahoku is twinned with:[6]

Local attractions

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Mascot

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Nyantaro, the city's mascot

Kahoku's mascot is Nyantaro (にゃんたろう), a 5-year-old cat. His birthday is 28 May. He ends his sentences with the Japanese onomatopoeia for "meow".[8]

Notable people from Kahoku

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References

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  1. ^ Official statistics page
  2. ^ Kahoku climate data
  3. ^ 観測史上1~10位の値(年間を通じての値). JMA. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
  4. ^ 気象庁 / 平年値(年・月ごとの値). JMA. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
  5. ^ Kahoku population statistics
  6. ^ "Kahoku and its sister city Messkirch (Germany)". city.kahoku.ishikawa.jp. Kahoku. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  7. ^ 上山田貝塚 (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs.
  8. ^ "かほく市マスコットキャラクターの使用について". Kahoku.
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