Kumakōgen, Ehime

Kumakōgen (久万高原町, Kumakōgen-chō) is a town in Kamiukena District, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 September 2022, the town had an estimated population of 6,922 and a population density of 12 persons per km².[1] The total area of the town is 583.69 square kilometres (225.36 sq mi).

Kumakōgen
久万高原町
Town
Kumakogen town hall
Kumakogen town hall
Flag of Kumakōgen
Official seal of Kumakōgen
Location of Kumakōgen in Ehime Prefecture
Location of Kumakōgen
Kumakōgen is located in Japan
Kumakōgen
Kumakōgen
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 33°39′N 132°54′E
CountryJapan
RegionShikoku
PrefectureEhime
DistrictKamiukena
Government
  MayorMuneki Takano (since September 2008)
Area
  Total583.69 km2 (225.36 sq mi)
Population
 (September 1, 2022)
  Total6,922
  Density12/km2 (31/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address212 Kuma, Kumakōgen-chō, Kamiukena-gun, Ehime-ken 791-1201
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
FlowerLilium japonicum (ささゆり, Sasayuri)
TreeJapanese cedar (, Sugi)

Geography

Kumakōgen is located in south-central Ehime Prefecture, on the north side of the Shikoku Mountains, along upper reaches of the Niyodo River. It consists of many hamlets are scattered along river valleys mostly covered with forests. Mount Ishizuchi, the tallest mountain in Shikoku at 1982 meters is located on the border between Seiyo to the northeast. The climate is cool and wet in the summer and winters cold with snow.[2]

Neighbouring municipalities

Ehime Prefecture

Kōchi Prefecture

Climate

Kumakōgen has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kumakōgen is 13.2 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2014 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in January, at around 24.4 °C, and lowest in January, at around 1.9 °C.[3]

Climate data for Kuma(Kumakōgen、elevation 511m)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 17.6
(63.7)
20.1
(68.2)
23.8
(74.8)
29.1
(84.4)
31.3
(88.3)
33.5
(92.3)
35.9
(96.6)
36.5
(97.7)
34.6
(94.3)
30.5
(86.9)
23.6
(74.5)
21.6
(70.9)
36.5
(97.7)
Average high °C (°F) 6.2
(43.2)
7.7
(45.9)
11.8
(53.2)
17.9
(64.2)
22.4
(72.3)
25.5
(77.9)
29.3
(84.7)
30.0
(86.0)
26.3
(79.3)
20.6
(69.1)
14.8
(58.6)
9.0
(48.2)
18.5
(65.2)
Average low °C (°F) −2.8
(27.0)
−2.3
(27.9)
0.4
(32.7)
5.0
(41.0)
10.2
(50.4)
15.3
(59.5)
19.6
(67.3)
19.8
(67.6)
16.1
(61.0)
9.2
(48.6)
3.7
(38.7)
−1.0
(30.2)
7.8
(46.0)
Record low °C (°F) −11.3
(11.7)
−13.6
(7.5)
−12.2
(10.0)
−4.7
(23.5)
−0.6
(30.9)
5.3
(41.5)
10.5
(50.9)
12.1
(53.8)
4.2
(39.6)
−1.2
(29.8)
−4.2
(24.4)
−12.4
(9.7)
−13.6
(7.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 88.5
(3.48)
96.7
(3.81)
138.7
(5.46)
130.5
(5.14)
175.9
(6.93)
267.7
(10.54)
273.7
(10.78)
202.9
(7.99)
217.5
(8.56)
116.6
(4.59)
98.3
(3.87)
87.9
(3.46)
1,894.9
(74.61)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 12.8 11.6 14.1 11.1 10.7 13.7 12.5 10.9 11.3 8.9 9.6 11.9 139.1
Mean monthly sunshine hours 93.1 111.0 142.5 170.8 176.7 130.7 163.8 170.0 133.0 135.5 109.3 101.7 1,638.1
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency


Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[4] the population of Kumakōgen has been decreased drastically since the 1950s and is now only third of what it was a century ago.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 26,860    
1930 27,858+3.7%
1940 29,160+4.7%
1950 38,041+30.5%
1960 32,896−13.5%
1970 21,432−34.8%
1980 16,225−24.3%
1990 13,313−17.9%
2000 11,887−10.7%
2010 9,646−18.9%

History

The area of Kumakōgen was part of ancient Iyo Province. During the Edo period, the area was divided between the holdings of Matsuyama Domain or Ōzu Domain. The village of Kumachō was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on December 1, 1889. It was raised to town status on August 20, 1901 and renamed Kuma. On August 1, 2004 Kuma merged with the villages of Mikawa, Omogo and Yanadani, all from Kamiukena District to form the town of Kumakōgen.

Government

Kumakōgen has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 13 members. Kumakōgen is lumped together with the city of Matsuyama, with the combined area contributing 16 members to the Ehime Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Ehime 4th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

The key industry of Kumakōgen is agriculture and forestry. The town was known for its high-quality wood such as Cryptomeria and hinoki cypress grown in harsh natural conditions, and highland vegetables such as tomatoes, green peppers, and rice that take advantage of the cool summer weather. However, due to the influx of foreign lumber and the slump in lumber prices, the forestry industry has been in decline.

Education

Kumakōgen has nine public elementary schools and two public middle schools operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Ehime Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway

Kumakōgen has no passenger railway services. The nearest station to the town is Iyo-Tachibana Station on the Iyotetsu Yokogawara Line

Highways

Local attractions

Noted people from Kumakōgen

References

  1. "Kumakōgen 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. 113.
  3. Kumakōgen climate data
  4. Kumakōgen population statistics
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