Iinan, Shimane

Iinan (飯南町, Iinan-chō) is a town located in Iishi District, Shimane Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 August 2023, the town had an estimated population of 4,502 in 2018 households and a population density of 19 persons per km².[1] The total area of the town is 242.88 square kilometres (93.78 sq mi).

Iinan
飯南町
Town
The town of Iinan.
The town of Iinan.
Flag of Iinan
Flag
Official seal of Iinan
Emblem
Location of Iinan in Shimane Prefecture
Location of Iinan
Iinan is located in Japan
Iinan
Iinan
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 35°0′0″N 132°42′50″E
CountryJapan
RegionChūgoku
San'in
PrefectureShimane
DistrictIishi
Area
 • Total242.88 km2 (93.78 sq mi)
Population
 (August 1, 2023)
 • Total4,502
 • Density19/km2 (48/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address890 Shimoakana, Iinan-machi, Shimane-ken 690-3513
ClimateCfa
Websitewww.iinan.jp
Symbols
FlowerPeony
TreeBeech
Iinan town hall
Cosmos flowers along Japan National Route 184

Geography

Iinan is located in the Chugoku Mountains on the border of Shimane Prefecture and Hiroshima Prefecture, about 90% of the town is forest and wilderness. Surrounded by mountains of around 1000 meters, the flatland is about 450 meters above sea level, and the entire town is a heavy snowfall area. The Gōno River flows to its west. Parts of the town are within the borders of the Hiba-Dogo-Taishaku Quasi-National Park.[2]

  • Mountains: Mt. Oyorogi, Mt. Kotobiki, Mt. Mengame
  • Rivers: Kando River, Tonbara River, Akana River, Ono River (Tributary of Kando River)
  • Lakes: Lake Kijima (Kijima Reservoir).

Subdivisions

Surrounding municipalities

Shimane Prefecture

Hiroshima Prefecture

Climate

Iinan has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with very warm summers and cool winters. Precipitation is abundant throughout the year. The average annual temperature in Iinan is 11.7 °C (53.1 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,044.9 mm (80.51 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 23.8 °C (74.8 °F), and lowest in January, at around 0.3 °C (32.5 °F).[3] The highest temperature ever recorded in Iinan was 35.1 °C (95.2 °F) on 16 July 2018; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −14.0 °C (6.8 °F) on 28 February 1981.[4]

Climate data for Akana, Iinan (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 14.3
(57.7)		 18.6
(65.5)		 21.5
(70.7)		 28.9
(84.0)		 30.6
(87.1)		 32.2
(90.0)		 35.1
(95.2)		 35.0
(95.0)		 33.2
(91.8)		 28.3
(82.9)		 22.8
(73.0)		 17.3
(63.1)		 35.1
(95.2)
Average high °C (°F) 3.8
(38.8)		 5.1
(41.2)		 10.0
(50.0)		 16.6
(61.9)		 21.7
(71.1)		 24.6
(76.3)		 27.8
(82.0)		 29.2
(84.6)		 24.8
(76.6)		 19.1
(66.4)		 13.0
(55.4)		 6.6
(43.9)		 16.9
(62.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) 0.3
(32.5)		 0.9
(33.6)		 4.4
(39.9)		 10.2
(50.4)		 15.4
(59.7)		 19.3
(66.7)		 23.0
(73.4)		 23.8
(74.8)		 19.4
(66.9)		 13.3
(55.9)		 7.8
(46.0)		 2.6
(36.7)		 11.7
(53.0)
Average low °C (°F) −3.2
(26.2)		 −3.3
(26.1)		 −0.8
(30.6)		 3.9
(39.0)		 9.4
(48.9)		 14.7
(58.5)		 19.4
(66.9)		 19.8
(67.6)		 15.1
(59.2)		 8.3
(46.9)		 3.0
(37.4)		 −1.1
(30.0)		 7.1
(44.8)
Record low °C (°F) −11.8
(10.8)		 −14.0
(6.8)		 −11.0
(12.2)		 −5.7
(21.7)		 −1.6
(29.1)		 5.3
(41.5)		 6.7
(44.1)		 10.9
(51.6)		 2.3
(36.1)		 −1.5
(29.3)		 −4.2
(24.4)		 −11.0
(12.2)		 −14.0
(6.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 172.5
(6.79)		 144.4
(5.69)		 152.6
(6.01)		 136.5
(5.37)		 155.8
(6.13)		 214.5
(8.44)		 297.1
(11.70)		 172.1
(6.78)		 205.3
(8.08)		 111.9
(4.41)		 106.8
(4.20)		 175.4
(6.91)		 2,044.9
(80.51)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 179
(70)		 139
(55)		 47
(19)		 1
(0.4)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 3
(1.2)		 87
(34)		 457
(180)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 18.9 15.9 15.0 11.5 10.3 12.7 13.5 10.9 11.3 9.6 11.9 17.7 159.2
Average snowy days (≥ 3 cm) 16.8 13.9 5.5 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.3 7.3 43.9
Mean monthly sunshine hours 57.7 74.9 133.7 179.5 203.4 145.4 147.8 178.9 134.9 148.9 109.3 67.9 1,576
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[4][3]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[5][6] the population of Iinan has decreased by more than half over the past 50 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1970 9,163—    
1975 8,180−10.7%
1985 7,771−5.0%
1985 7,650−1.6%
1990 7,331−4.2%
1995 6,893−6.0%
2000 6,541−5.1%
2005 5,979−8.6%
2010 5,534−7.4%
2015 5,031−9.1%
2020 4,577−9.0%
(Population of Tonbara and Akagi added together before 2005)

History

The area of Iinan was part of ancient Izumo Province. During the Edo Period, the area divided between Matsue Domain, and its sub-domain, Hirose Domain. After the Meiji restoration, villages were established within Iishi District, Shimane on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system, including the village of Tonbara. Tonbara was elevated to town status on April 29, 1949. The town of Iinan was formed on January 1, 2005 from the merger of the towns of Tonbara, and Akagi.

Government

Iinan has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of ten members. Iinan, collectively with the towns of Unnan, contributes two members to the Shimane Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Shimane 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Iinan is a very rural area, with an economy based on agriculture and forestry.

Education

Iinan has four public elementary school and two public junior high schools operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Shimane Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway

Iinan does not have any passenger railway service. The nearest train station is Miyoshi Station on the JR West Geibi Line.

Highways

Local attractions
AkanaSetoyamaCastle Distant view
  • Akana Castle
    It is an old castle located on top of a hill in the Akana area of the town.
  • Mount Mengame
    Situated on the border of Hiroshima Prefecture and Shimane Prefecture, Mount Mengame has an elevation of 830.3m. It is known for being the only place in the Chūgoku Region in which Luehdorfia are found.[7]
  • Mount Kotobiki
    Mount Kotobiki has an elevation of 1014m. Near the summit of the mountain is a small shrine and a forest of beech trees. The name "Kotobiki" comes from the traditional Japanese musical instrument, the koto.[8]
  • Akana Marshland
    The Akana Marshland is located in the Fukuda Area of the town, and is centered in Lake Nagao. It is known for having the largest forest of alders in the prefecture.[9]
  • Kotobiki Camp Area
    The Kotobiki Camp Area is located at the foot of Mount Kotobiki. It is open from late April to late October.[10]

References
  1. "Iinan Town official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. 考える社会科地図 Kangaeru Shakaika Chizu. 四谷大塚出版 Yotsuya-Ōtsuka Shuppan. 2005. p. 25.
  3. 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  4. 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  5. ja:飯南町
  6. https://www.citypopulation.de/en/japan/shimane/ Iinan population statistics
  7. (in Japanese) おかえりなさい！：島根県飯南町観光ＷＥＢ Archived 2012-08-02 at archive.today
  8. (in Japanese) おかえりなさい！：島根県飯南町観光ＷＥＢ Archived 2007-12-09 at the Wayback Machine
  9. (in Japanese) おかえりなさい！：島根県飯南町観光ＷＥＢ Archived 2007-12-09 at the Wayback Machine
  10. (in Japanese) おかえりなさい！：島根県飯南町観光ＷＥＢ Archived 2007-10-12 at the Wayback Machine
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