Nakatsu, Ōita

Nakatsu (中津市, Nakatsu-shi) is a city on the northern border of Ōita Prefecture in Kyushu, Japan. The city is on the border with Fukuoka Prefecture. Nakatsu was founded on April 20, 1929. As of March 2017, the city has an estimated population of 84,701 and a population density of 170 people per km2.[1] The total area is 491.09 km2.

Nakatsu
中津市
View of downtown Nakatsu, Nakatsu Castle
View of downtown Nakatsu, Nakatsu Castle
Flag of Nakatsu
Official seal of Nakatsu
Location of Nakatsu in Ōita Prefecture
Location of Nakatsu in Ōita Prefecture
Nakatsu is located in Japan
Nakatsu
Nakatsu
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 33°35′57″N 131°11′26″E
CountryJapan
RegionKyushu
PrefectureŌita Prefecture
First official recorded834 AD
City SettledApril 20, 1929
Government
  MayorMasakatsu Shingai
Area
  Total491.09 km2 (189.61 sq mi)
Population
 (March 31, 2017)
  Total84,701
  Density170/km2 (450/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address14-3 Toyodamachi, Nakatsu-shi, Ōita-ken
871-8501
ClimateCfa
Websitewww.city-nakatsu.jp
Symbols
FlowerChrysanthemum
TreeRound Leaf Holly (Ilex rotunda)
Nakatsu City Hall

History

  • 1587: Kuroda Yoshitaka (Josui) built Nakatsu Castle as a flatland castle near the Yamaguni River.
  • April 1925: The village of Ōe was merged with Toyoda to become the town of Nakatsu.
  • April 1919: The village of Ogusu and the town of Nakatsu were merged to become the city of Nakatsu.
  • August 1933: The villages of Tsurui, Ōhata and Josui were merged into Nakatsu.
  • April 1951: The village of Miho was merged into Nakatsu.
  • October 1954: The village of Wada was merged into Nakatsu.
  • February 1955: The village of Imazu was merged into Nakatsu.
  • March, 2005: The towns of Hon'yabakei, Yabakei and Yamakuni, and the village of Sankō (all from Shimoge District) were all merged into Nakatsu.

Geography

Nakatsu is in the northwest corner of Ōita Prefecture, Kyushu. To the east of Nakatsu is Usa and to the southwest is Hita. Nakatsu touches the border of Fukuoka Prefecture on its west. To the northeast is the Suohnada Sea. The city covers an area of 491.09 square kilometers, 80% of which is mountainous. There is a wide stretch of flat, agricultural land which begins at the mouth of Yamakuni River and extends to Mount Hiko called the Nakatsu plain. [2]

Climate

Nakatsu has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is somewhat lower in winter. The average annual temperature in Nakatsu is 16.3 °C (61.3 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,574.1 mm (61.97 in) with June as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.9 °C (82.2 °F), and lowest in January, at around 5.8 °C (42.4 °F).[3] The highest temperature ever recorded in Nakatsu was 37.9 °C (100.2 °F) on 25 July 2013; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −5.5 °C (22.1 °F) on 24 January 2016.[4]

Climate data for Nakatsu (2011−2020 normals, extremes 2011−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 19.4
(66.9)
23.8
(74.8)
24.5
(76.1)
29.7
(85.5)
31.0
(87.8)
36.1
(97.0)
37.9
(100.2)
36.8
(98.2)
34.1
(93.4)
31.7
(89.1)
27.9
(82.2)
25.7
(78.3)
37.9
(100.2)
Average high °C (°F) 9.7
(49.5)
10.2
(50.4)
14.2
(57.6)
19.0
(66.2)
24.0
(75.2)
26.1
(79.0)
30.4
(86.7)
32.0
(89.6)
27.5
(81.5)
22.6
(72.7)
17.5
(63.5)
11.5
(52.7)
20.4
(68.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) 5.8
(42.4)
6.1
(43.0)
9.7
(49.5)
14.2
(57.6)
19.2
(66.6)
22.4
(72.3)
26.7
(80.1)
27.9
(82.2)
23.7
(74.7)
18.6
(65.5)
13.2
(55.8)
7.5
(45.5)
16.2
(61.3)
Average low °C (°F) 2.0
(35.6)
2.1
(35.8)
5.2
(41.4)
9.3
(48.7)
14.4
(57.9)
19.3
(66.7)
23.7
(74.7)
24.5
(76.1)
20.5
(68.9)
14.8
(58.6)
9.0
(48.2)
3.7
(38.7)
12.4
(54.3)
Record low °C (°F) −5.5
(22.1)
−4.4
(24.1)
−1.8
(28.8)
0.6
(33.1)
6.3
(43.3)
12.8
(55.0)
17.3
(63.1)
18.0
(64.4)
13.1
(55.6)
7.3
(45.1)
0.4
(32.7)
−2.2
(28.0)
−5.5
(22.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 56.2
(2.21)
70.2
(2.76)
88.5
(3.48)
98.3
(3.87)
102.6
(4.04)
289.5
(11.40)
302.8
(11.92)
146.0
(5.75)
178.8
(7.04)
133.0
(5.24)
61.6
(2.43)
59.1
(2.33)
1,574.1
(61.97)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 5.7 8.6 8.3 9.1 7.1 12.2 10.9 8.8 9.6 7.5 7.2 7.5 102.5
Mean monthly sunshine hours 139.3 136.1 189.3 198.5 219.9 131.5 174.3 215.3 146.3 169.7 144.0 126.2 2,005
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[4][3]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Nakatsu in 2020 is 82,863 people.[5] Nakatsu has been conducting censuses since 1920.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 70,768    
1925 74,511+5.3%
1930 76,036+2.0%
1935 77,704+2.2%
1940 77,121−0.8%
1945 102,490+32.9%
1950 101,947−0.5%
1955 103,277+1.3%
1960 95,464−7.6%
1965 87,711−8.1%
1970 83,262−5.1%
1975 82,169−1.3%
1980 85,963+4.6%
1985 87,736+2.1%
1990 86,965−0.9%
1995 86,679−0.3%
2000 85,617−1.2%
2005 84,368−1.5%
2010 84,324−0.1%
2015 83,965−0.4%
2020 82,863−1.3%
Nakatsu population statistics[5]

Tourism

Nakatsu is a castle town centered on Nakatsu Castle, which is open to visitors. The modernised interior comprises a museum with samurai armor, old maps and information about Rangaku (Dutch studies), for which Nakatsu was an important center in the Edo period. There are views from the top of the castle keep.

Visitors can see the residence of the most celebrated member of the Okudaira clan of Nakatsu, Fukuzawa Yukichi, and the memorial hall there. It is close to the castle and a 15-minute walk from the station.

Nakatsu's Mt. Hachimen was home to the popular music festival, Concert on the Rock.

Notable people from Nakatsu

See also

References

  • Nakatsushi-shi kankokai (Hrsg.): Nakatsu-shi (History of Nakatsu). Nakatsu: Nakatsushi-shi kankōkai, 1965 (中津市史刊行会編『中津市史』中津市史刊行会).
  • Kuroya Naofusa: Nakatsuhan-shi (History of the Nakatsu Clan). Tōkyō: Kokusho kankōkai, 1987 (黒屋直房著『中津藩史』国書刊行会).
  1. "Official website of Nakatsu city" (in Japanese). Japan: Nakatsu City. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  2. "山国川". Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  3. 気象庁 / 平年値(年・月ごとの値). JMA. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  4. 観測史上1~10位の値(年間を通じての値). JMA. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  5. Nakatsu population statistics
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