Minamichita (南知多町, Minamichita-chō) is a town in Chita District, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 October 2019, the town had an estimated population of 17,393 in 7338 households,[1] and a population density of 453 persons per km2. The total area of the town was 38.37 square kilometres (14.81 sq mi).

Minamichita
南知多町
Minamichita Town Hall
Minamichita Town Hall
Flag of Minamichita
Official seal of Minamichita
Location of Minamichita in Aichi Prefecture
Location of Minamichita in Aichi Prefecture
Minamichita is located in Japan
Minamichita
Minamichita
 
Coordinates: 34°42′54.5″N 136°55′47.4″E / 34.715139°N 136.929833°E / 34.715139; 136.929833
CountryJapan
RegionChūbu region
Tōkai region
PrefectureAichi
DistrictChita
Area
 • Total
38.37 km2 (14.81 sq mi)
Population
 (October 1, 2019)
 • Total
17,393
 • Density450/km2 (1,200/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number0569-65-0711
AddressToyohama, Minamichita-chō, Chita-gun, Aichi-ken 470-3495
ClimateCfa
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
FlowerNarcissus
TreeQuercus phillyraeoides (species of Oak)

Geography

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Minamichita is located in the extreme southern tip of Chita Peninsula in southern Aichi Prefecture, including a number of islands in Mikawa Bay. The town is bordered by Mikawa Bay to the east, and Ise Bay to the west. Part of the town's area are within the borders of the Mikawa Wan Quasi-National Park.

Neighboring municipalities

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Demographics

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Per Japanese census data,[2] the population of Minamichita had been declining steadily over the past 70 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1940 22,741—    
1950 30,379+33.6%
1960 28,972−4.6%
1970 27,705−4.4%
1980 27,017−2.5%
1990 25,954−3.9%
2000 23,250−10.4%
2010 20,550−11.6%

Climate

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The town has a climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild winters (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Minamichita is 15.7 °C (60.3 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,550.1 mm (61.03 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.2 °C (81.0 °F), and lowest in January, at around 5.2 °C (41.4 °F).[3]

Climate data for Minamichita (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1979−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 17.0
(62.6)
21.0
(69.8)
24.4
(75.9)
28.9
(84.0)
32.7
(90.9)
34.8
(94.6)
37.6
(99.7)
38.3
(100.9)
36.1
(97.0)
30.4
(86.7)
25.6
(78.1)
23.1
(73.6)
38.3
(100.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 9.1
(48.4)
10.0
(50.0)
13.5
(56.3)
18.8
(65.8)
23.2
(73.8)
26.1
(79.0)
30.0
(86.0)
31.7
(89.1)
28.0
(82.4)
22.6
(72.7)
16.9
(62.4)
11.6
(52.9)
20.1
(68.2)
Daily mean °C (°F) 5.2
(41.4)
5.6
(42.1)
8.7
(47.7)
13.7
(56.7)
18.3
(64.9)
21.9
(71.4)
25.8
(78.4)
27.2
(81.0)
23.8
(74.8)
18.3
(64.9)
12.6
(54.7)
7.6
(45.7)
15.7
(60.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 1.3
(34.3)
1.4
(34.5)
4.1
(39.4)
8.9
(48.0)
13.9
(57.0)
18.5
(65.3)
22.7
(72.9)
23.8
(74.8)
20.5
(68.9)
14.6
(58.3)
8.5
(47.3)
3.6
(38.5)
11.8
(53.3)
Record low °C (°F) −6.5
(20.3)
−7.3
(18.9)
−5.2
(22.6)
−2.7
(27.1)
2.9
(37.2)
9.0
(48.2)
14.6
(58.3)
14.1
(57.4)
8.8
(47.8)
2.7
(36.9)
−2.4
(27.7)
−6.0
(21.2)
−7.3
(18.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 54.4
(2.14)
59.3
(2.33)
107.7
(4.24)
122.2
(4.81)
159.9
(6.30)
187.7
(7.39)
167.7
(6.60)
106.8
(4.20)
248.7
(9.79)
201.2
(7.92)
77.4
(3.05)
57.2
(2.25)
1,550.1
(61.03)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 5.4 6.1 9.2 9.5 10.1 12.3 10.9 7.3 10.5 10.0 6.6 5.9 103.8
Mean monthly sunshine hours 181.5 176.5 199.8 205.4 206.8 155.9 193.9 241.9 174.5 170.9 167.4 175.4 2,249.9
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[4][3]

History

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The area of Minamichita was part of Owari Province and controlled by Owari Domain under the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate. It was a major port on the coastal trade route between Edo and Osawa. After the Meiji restoration, it was organized into villages within Chita District, Aichi with the establishment of the modern municipalities system.

The modern town of Minamichita was established on June 1, 1961, through the merger of the towns of Utsumi, Mihama, and Morozaki, and the villages of Shinojima and Himakajima, all within Chita District. During March 2006, discussions were held to merge Minamichita with the town of Mihama to the north to form the new city of “Minamicentrair” after the popular nickname for Chūbu Centrair International Airport, but the merger proposal was strongly opposed by the majority of the inhabitants of Minamichita, and the merger did not take place.[5]

Economy

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Utsumi ware ceramic censer in the shape of a standing elephant, grey glaze, Yamadera kiln (1907-1914)

The primary sector dominates the economy of Minamichita, notably commercial fishing and agriculture. Secondary industries include food processing, and seasonal tourism to beach resorts.

The Yamadera kiln (山寺窯) was located in Utsumi, today part of Minamichita. The kiln was active in the years Meiji 40 (1907) - Taishō 3 (1914). It produced Utsumi ware (内海焼).[6][7]

Education

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Minamichita has six public elementary schools and five public junior high schools operated by the town government, and one high school operated by the Aichi Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

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Railway

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  MeitetsuChita New Line

Highways

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Seaports

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  • Morogizaki Port

Local attractions

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  • Himakajima - island in Mikawa Bay
  • Minamichita Onsen - hot spring resort
  • Shinojima - island in Mikawa Bay

References

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  1. ^ Minamichita Town official statistics (in Japanese)
  2. ^ Minamichita population statistics
  3. ^ a b 気象庁 / 平年値(年・月ごとの値). JMA. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  4. ^ 観測史上1~10位の値(年間を通じての値). JMA. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  5. ^ "美浜町の概要". Mihama official home page (in Japanese). Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  6. ^ "企画展「四代佐七と内海焼」 |TabiChita(タビチタ)|愛知県|知多半島観光圏協議会".
  7. ^ "No. 1939 内田家企画展 「四代佐七と内海焼」 開催中 | 教育長の窓" [No. 1939 Uchida family special exhibition “Fourth generation Sashichi and Utsumi ware” now being held | Superintendent’s window]. minamichita.ed.jp. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020.
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