Kamiamakusa (上天草市, Kamiamakusa-shi) is a city located in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 July 2024[update], the city had an estimated population of 23,824 in 11085 households, and a population density of 190 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the city is 126.67 km2 (48.91 sq mi).
Kamiamakusa
上天草市 | |
|---|---|
 Kamiamakusa City hall | |
 Flag  Emblem | |
 Location of Kami-Amakusa in Kumamoto Prefecture | |
 | |
  Kamiamakusa Location in Japan | |
| Coordinates: 32°35′15″N 130°25′50″E / 32.58750°N 130.43056°E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Kyushu |
| Prefecture | Kumamoto |
| Area | |
• Total | 126.67 km2 (48.91 sq mi) |
| Population (July 31, 2024) | |
• Total | 23,824 |
| • Density | 190/km2 (490/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
| City hall address | 1514 Oyano-cho Kami, Kamiamakusa-shi, Kumamoto-ken 869-3692 |
| Climate | Cfa |
| Website | Official website |
| Symbols | |
| Bird | Warbling white-eye |
| Flower | Sakura |
| Tree | Pine |
Geography
editKamiamakusa covers the western coast of one of the two main islands, Kamishima (上島, "Upper Island") and ten smaller inhabited islands (including Ōyano-jima) and numerous uninhabited islets located the central-west Kumamoto Prefecture, in between the Yatsushiro Sea and the East China Sea. Parts of the city are within the borders of the Unzen-Amakusa National Park.
Neighboring municipalities
editKumamoto Prefecture
Climate
editKamiamakusa has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot, humid summers and cool winters. There is significant precipitation throughout the year, especially during June and July. The average annual temperature in Kamiamakusa is 16.8 °C (62.2 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,019.9 mm (79.52 in) with June as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.5 °C (81.5 °F), and lowest in January, at around 6.5 °C (43.7 °F).[2] The highest temperature ever recorded in Kamiamakusa was 37.2 °C (99.0 °F) on 13 August 2018; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −6.5 °C (20.3 °F) on 25 January 2016.[3]
| Climate data for Matsushima, Kamiamakusa (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 21.3 (70.3) |
24.0 (75.2) |
26.2 (79.2) |
29.0 (84.2) |
31.5 (88.7) |
34.6 (94.3) |
37.0 (98.6) |
37.2 (99.0) |
36.4 (97.5) |
31.7 (89.1) |
27.3 (81.1) |
25.6 (78.1) |
37.2 (99.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 10.5 (50.9) |
11.9 (53.4) |
15.4 (59.7) |
20.4 (68.7) |
24.7 (76.5) |
27.1 (80.8) |
31.0 (87.8) |
32.4 (90.3) |
29.1 (84.4) |
24.1 (75.4) |
18.3 (64.9) |
12.8 (55.0) |
21.5 (70.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 6.5 (43.7) |
7.4 (45.3) |
10.6 (51.1) |
15.1 (59.2) |
19.3 (66.7) |
22.7 (72.9) |
26.6 (79.9) |
27.5 (81.5) |
24.4 (75.9) |
19.3 (66.7) |
13.7 (56.7) |
8.6 (47.5) |
16.8 (62.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 2.3 (36.1) |
2.9 (37.2) |
5.8 (42.4) |
10.1 (50.2) |
14.6 (58.3) |
19.2 (66.6) |
23.2 (73.8) |
23.8 (74.8) |
20.7 (69.3) |
15.1 (59.2) |
9.5 (49.1) |
4.4 (39.9) |
12.6 (54.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −6.5 (20.3) |
−5.6 (21.9) |
−2.9 (26.8) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
5.5 (41.9) |
10.9 (51.6) |
16.3 (61.3) |
17.5 (63.5) |
9.2 (48.6) |
4.6 (40.3) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
−6.5 (20.3) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 70.6 (2.78) |
90.9 (3.58) |
122.8 (4.83) |
145.4 (5.72) |
158.7 (6.25) |
416.7 (16.41) |
352.7 (13.89) |
199.4 (7.85) |
177.8 (7.00) |
106.2 (4.18) |
95.6 (3.76) |
74.1 (2.92) |
2,019.9 (79.52) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 8.4 | 8.9 | 11.1 | 10.0 | 9.4 | 14.9 | 12.4 | 10.5 | 9.7 | 6.9 | 8.4 | 8.2 | 118.8 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 129.1 | 139.4 | 169.3 | 185.0 | 193.1 | 127.2 | 191.9 | 222.5 | 183.2 | 188.8 | 151.1 | 137.3 | 2,018 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3][2] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
editPer Japanese census data, the population of Kamiamakusa in 2020 is 24,563 people.[4] Kamiamakusa has been conducting censuses since 1920.
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| Kami-Amakusa population statistics[4] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
History
editThe area of Kamiamakusa was part of ancient Higo Province, During the Edo Period it was tenryō territory under direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate and administered from the office of the Nagasaki bugyō.
The city of Kamiamakusa was established on March 31, 2004, from the merger of the towns of Himedo, Matsushima, Ōyano and Ryūgatake (all from Amakusa District).
Government
editKamiamakusa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 16 members. Kamiamakusa contributes one member to the Kumamoto Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Kumamoto 4th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy
editKamiamakusa has a mixed economy dominated by agriculture, commercial fishing and light manufacturing. Tourism also plays a major role.
Education
editKamiamakusa has 11 public elementary schools and six public junior high schools operated by the city government and one public high school operated by the Kumamoto Prefectural Board of Education.
Transportation
editRailways
editKamiamakusa has no passenger railway service. The nearest train station is Misumi Station on the JR Kyushu Misumi Line in Uki City.
Highways
edit
Local attractions
editNotable people from Kamiamakusa
edit- Amakusa Shirō - The leader of the Shimabara Rebellion in 1638.
References
edit- ^ "Kamiamakusa City official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
- ^ a b 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
- ^ a b 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
- ^ a b Kami-Amakusa population statistics
External links
edit
Media related to Kamiamakusa, Kumamoto at Wikimedia Commons- Kami-Amakusa City official website (in Japanese)
