Asagiri, Kumamoto

Asagiri (あさぎり町, Asagiri-chō) is a town located in Kuma District, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.

Asagiri
あさぎり町
Town
Asagiri Town
Asagiri Town
Flag of Asagiri
Official seal of Asagiri
Location of Asagiri in Kumamoto Prefecture
Location of Asagiri in Kumamoto Prefecture
Asagiri is located in Japan
Asagiri
Asagiri
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 32°14′N 130°54′E
CountryJapan
RegionKyushu
PrefectureKumamoto Prefecture
DistrictKuma
Area
  Total159.56 km2 (61.61 sq mi)
Population
 (April 1, 2017)
  Total15,796
  Density99/km2 (260/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address熊本県球磨郡あさぎり町免田東1199番地
868-0408
ClimateCfa
Website{https://www.town.asagiri.lg.jp/}
Symbols
BirdEurasian skylark
FlowerRyoukinka (Marsh marigold)
TreeBuna (Japanese beech)

As of April 2017, the town has an estimated population of 15,796.[1] The total area is 159.49 km2.

Asagiri was created by the merger of 5 smaller towns and villages on April 1, 2003. Those included the town of Menda, and the villages of Ōkaharu, Ue, Sue and Fukada, all from Kuma District. Soybeans, strawberries, melons and tobacco are also produced here.

Asagiri is in the Kuma District region where shōchū, a popular rice alcohol is produced and consumed.

The village of Sue (now part of Asagiri) was the topic of a 1939 text, Suye Mura, a Japanese Village by John Embree.

The word "asagiri" translates as "morning mist".

Geography

Mt. Shiragatake is a designated nature reserve.

  • Mountains: Shiragatake
  • Rivers: Kuma river

Adjacent municipalities

  • Kumamoto prefecture:
    • Nishiki town
    • Taragi town
    • Sagara village
  • Miyazaki prefecture
    • Ebino city

Area names

Names inside the parenthesis () are the old village names before the merger in 2003.

  • East Ue – Uehigashi (Uemura, Ueko)
  • North Ue – Uekita (Uemura, Ueotsu)
  • South Ue – Ueminami (Uemura, Uehei)
  • West Ue – Uenishi (Uemura, Uetei)
  • Minagoe (Ue village, Minagoe)
  • North Okaharu – Okaharukita (Okaharumura, Miyahara)
  • South Okaharu – Okaharuminami (Okaharumura, Okamoto)
  • Sue (Sue village)
  • North Fukada – Fukadakita (Fukadamura)
  • West Fukada (Fukadamura)
  • East Fukada (Fukadamura)
  • South Fukada (Fukadamura)
  • East Menda (Mendamachi-ko)
  • West Menda (Mendamachi-otsu)

Climate

Asagiri 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 Asagiri is 15.5 °C (59.9 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,496.8 mm (98.30 in) with June as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.4 °C (79.5 °F), and lowest in January, at around 4.1 °C (39.4 °F).[2] The highest temperature ever recorded in Asagiri was 37.4 °C (99.3 °F) on 17 August 2020; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −13.8 °C (7.2 °F) on 25 January 2016.[3]

Climate data for Ue, Asagiri (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 20.2
(68.4)
23.3
(73.9)
26.9
(80.4)
30.6
(87.1)
34.1
(93.4)
34.7
(94.5)
36.9
(98.4)
37.4
(99.3)
35.8
(96.4)
32.9
(91.2)
26.9
(80.4)
21.6
(70.9)
37.4
(99.3)
Average high °C (°F) 10.4
(50.7)
12.5
(54.5)
16.3
(61.3)
21.5
(70.7)
25.8
(78.4)
27.6
(81.7)
31.4
(88.5)
32.3
(90.1)
29.5
(85.1)
24.5
(76.1)
18.2
(64.8)
12.3
(54.1)
21.9
(71.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) 4.1
(39.4)
5.8
(42.4)
9.5
(49.1)
14.4
(57.9)
18.9
(66.0)
22.4
(72.3)
26.0
(78.8)
26.4
(79.5)
23.3
(73.9)
17.5
(63.5)
11.3
(52.3)
5.8
(42.4)
15.5
(59.8)
Average low °C (°F) −1.3
(29.7)
−0.1
(31.8)
3.4
(38.1)
7.9
(46.2)
13.0
(55.4)
18.3
(64.9)
22.1
(71.8)
22.4
(72.3)
18.9
(66.0)
12.1
(53.8)
5.9
(42.6)
0.5
(32.9)
10.3
(50.5)
Record low °C (°F) −13.8
(7.2)
−10.6
(12.9)
−7.6
(18.3)
−3.4
(25.9)
2.4
(36.3)
8.3
(46.9)
15.0
(59.0)
15.6
(60.1)
6.8
(44.2)
−1.2
(29.8)
−5.8
(21.6)
−8.5
(16.7)
−13.8
(7.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 65.5
(2.58)
98.3
(3.87)
144.5
(5.69)
154.5
(6.08)
200.0
(7.87)
558.8
(22.00)
496.5
(19.55)
256.0
(10.08)
248.8
(9.80)
104.5
(4.11)
86.7
(3.41)
73.7
(2.90)
2,496.8
(98.30)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 7.5 8.9 11.6 10.6 9.8 16.1 14.0 11.6 10.7 7.1 8.3 7.4 123.6
Mean monthly sunshine hours 134.6 140.8 164.3 176.8 175.6 110.2 160.8 180.0 148.9 164.8 128.4 128.6 1,815.4
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3][2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Asagiri in 2020 is 14,676 people.[4] Asagiri has been conducting censuses since 1920.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 15,365    
1925 15,868+3.3%
1930 16,788+5.8%
1935 17,407+3.7%
1940 16,986−2.4%
1945 22,353+31.6%
1950 23,299+4.2%
1955 24,161+3.7%
1960 23,856−1.3%
1965 21,760−8.8%
1970 19,910−8.5%
1975 19,141−3.9%
1980 19,524+2.0%
1985 19,535+0.1%
1990 18,968−2.9%
1995 18,533−2.3%
2000 17,751−4.2%
2005 17,300−2.5%
2010 16,644−3.8%
2015 15,523−6.7%
2020 14,676−5.5%
Asagiri population statistics[4]

History

Development

  • April 1, 1889: The towns and villages became designated areas.
    • Within Kuma district: Ue village, Minagoe village, Menda village, Okaharu village, Sue village, and Fukada village
  • December 7, 1895: Minagoe village was incorporated into Ue village
  • April 1, 1937: Menda village became Menda town (Menda machi)
  • April 1, 2003: The Kuma district villages of Ue, Okaharu, Sue, Fukada and town of Menda merged to create Asagiri-town. The name was chosen because for the fog that blankets the valley from fall through spring.(Asa – morning, kiri/giri – fog)

Government

Mayor

  • First mayor: Indou Takuichiro: April 27, 2003 – April 26, 2007
  • Second mayor: Aikou Kazunori: April 27, 2007 – incumbent, second term

Economy

As of 2004, the total town production was 430 billion yen.

References

  1. "Official website of Asagiri Town" (in Japanese). Japan: Asagiri Town. Archived from the original on 7 July 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  2. 気象庁 / 平年値(年・月ごとの値). JMA. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  3. 観測史上1~10位の値(年間を通じての値). JMA. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  4. Asagiri population statistics


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