Karumai, Iwate

Karumai (軽米町, Karumai-machi) is a town located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 March 2020, the town had an estimated population of 8,895 in 3769 households,[1] and a population density of 36 persons per km². The total area of the town is 245.82 square kilometres (94.91 sq mi).

Karumai
軽米町
Karumai Town Hall
Karumai Town Hall
Park in Karumai
Park in Karumai
Flag of Karumai, Iwate
Emblem of Karumai, Iwate
  Location of Karumai in Iwate Prefecture
Karumai is located in Japan
Karumai
Karumai
Location of Karumai in Japan
Coordinates: 40°19′36.3″N 141°27′37.7″E
CountryJapan
RegionTōhoku
PrefectureIwate
DistrictKunohe
Area
  Total245.82 km2 (94.91 sq mi)
Population
 (March 1, 2020)
  Total8,895
  Density36/km2 (94/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number0195-46-2111
AddressKarumai dai-10 jiwari 85, Karumai-machi, Kunohe-gun, Iwate 028-6302
ClimateDfa
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
BirdCopper pheasant
FlowerKobushi
TreeJapanese Yew

Geography

Karumai is located in far northcentral Iwate Prefecture, bordered by Aomori Prefecture to the north.

Neighboring municipalities

Aomori Prefecture

Iwate Prefecture

Climate

Karumai has a humid oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Karumai is 9.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1209 mm with September as the wettest month and February as the driest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 22.5 °C, and lowest in January, at around -2.4 °C.[2]

Climate data for Karumai (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 14.2
(57.6)
17.2
(63.0)
21.1
(70.0)
29.1
(84.4)
33.0
(91.4)
33.8
(92.8)
34.6
(94.3)
36.2
(97.2)
33.9
(93.0)
28.3
(82.9)
23.4
(74.1)
18.4
(65.1)
36.2
(97.2)
Average high °C (°F) 1.4
(34.5)
2.4
(36.3)
6.6
(43.9)
13.7
(56.7)
19.6
(67.3)
22.6
(72.7)
25.8
(78.4)
27.0
(80.6)
23.3
(73.9)
17.4
(63.3)
11.0
(51.8)
4.2
(39.6)
14.6
(58.2)
Daily mean °C (°F) −2.6
(27.3)
−2.0
(28.4)
1.6
(34.9)
7.7
(45.9)
13.4
(56.1)
17.0
(62.6)
20.9
(69.6)
22.0
(71.6)
18.0
(64.4)
11.5
(52.7)
5.5
(41.9)
0.0
(32.0)
9.4
(48.9)
Average low °C (°F) −7.5
(18.5)
−7.3
(18.9)
−3.6
(25.5)
1.5
(34.7)
7.1
(44.8)
11.8
(53.2)
16.8
(62.2)
17.8
(64.0)
13.2
(55.8)
5.7
(42.3)
0.1
(32.2)
−4.5
(23.9)
4.3
(39.7)
Record low °C (°F) −21.7
(−7.1)
−23.0
(−9.4)
−18.8
(−1.8)
−10.0
(14.0)
−2.8
(27.0)
0.1
(32.2)
6.3
(43.3)
6.4
(43.5)
1.1
(34.0)
−4.4
(24.1)
−10.5
(13.1)
−18.6
(−1.5)
−23.0
(−9.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 40.1
(1.58)
38.1
(1.50)
54.5
(2.15)
57.9
(2.28)
80.5
(3.17)
93.3
(3.67)
150.2
(5.91)
162.6
(6.40)
151.0
(5.94)
113.0
(4.45)
60.4
(2.38)
56.3
(2.22)
1,050.9
(41.37)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 8.1 7.3 8.8 9.6 10.1 9.2 11.5 11.7 11.4 9.7 10.1 8.5 116
Mean monthly sunshine hours 113.5 112.2 156.0 178.7 196.6 163.3 136.6 156.1 142.9 148.9 125.5 109.6 1,752.1
Source: JMA[3][4]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[5] the population of Karumai peaked at around the year 1960 and has steadily declined over the past 60 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 12,147    
1930 13,561+11.6%
1940 14,716+8.5%
1950 16,842+14.4%
1960 17,672+4.9%
1970 15,462−12.5%
1980 13,768−11.0%
1990 12,646−8.1%
2000 11,863−6.2%
2010 10,212−13.9%
2020 8,895−12.9%

History

The area of present-day Karumai was part of ancient Mutsu Province, dominated by the Nambu clan from the Muromachi period, and part of Hachinohe Domain under the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate. During the early Meiji period, the village of Karumai within Kitakunohe District, Iwate Prefecture was created on April 1, 1889, with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. Kita-Kunohe District and Minami-Kunohe Districts merged to form Kunohe District on April 1, 1897. The village was raised to town status on January 1, 1925. The neighboring villages of Kogarumai and Hareyama were merged with Karumai on January 1, 1955.

Government

Karumai has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 12 members. Karumai, as part of Kunohe District, contributes two seats to the Iwate Prefectural legislature. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Iwate 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

The economy of Karumai is based on agriculture, particularly the various grains, including millet, livestock raising, and the production of charcoal. The hardy kiwi is a noted local specialty.[6]

Education

Karumai has three public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Iwate Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway

  • Karumai does not have any passenger train service.

Highway

Noted people from Karumai

References

Media related to Karumai, Iwate at Wikimedia Commons

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