Shōbara

Shōbara (庄原市, Shōbara-shi) is a city in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 March 2023, the city had an estimated population of 32,343 in 14984 households and a population density of 26 persons per km².[2] The total area of the city is 1,246.49 square kilometres (481.27 sq mi).

Shōbara
庄原市
Taishaku Valley
Flag of Shōbara
Official seal of Shōbara
Location of Shōbara in Hiroshima Prefecture
Location of Shōbara
Shōbara is located in Japan
Shōbara
Shōbara
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 34°51′16″N 133°01′09″E
CountryJapan
RegionChūgoku (San'yō)
PrefectureHiroshima
Government
  MayorKozo Kiyama 木山 耕三 (since April 2013)[1]
Area
  Total1,246.49 km2 (481.27 sq mi)
Population
 (March 31, 2023)
  Total32,343
  Density26/km2 (67/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address1-10-1 Nakamoto-chō, Shōbara-shi, Hiroshima-ken 727-8501
ClimateCfa
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
FlowerSakura
TreeSiebold's beech
Shōbara City Hall
Bihoku-kyuryo Park
Shobara city center area aerial photograph

Geography

Shōbara is located in the Chugoku Mountains in the northeast corner of Hiroshima Prefecture.

Neighboring municipalities

Hiroshima Prefecture

Tottori Prefecture

Shimane Prefecture

Okayama Prefecture

Climate

Shōbara has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) characterized by cool to mild winters and hot, humid summers. The average annual temperature in Shōbara is 12.7 °C (54.9 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,488.8 mm (58.61 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.0 °C (77.0 °F), and lowest in January, at around 1.0 °C (33.8 °F).[3] The highest temperature ever recorded in Shōbara was 38.1 °C (100.6 °F) on 5 August 2021; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −18.5 °C (−1.3 °F) on 26 February 1991.[4]

Climate data for Shōbara (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 15.6
(60.1)
21.4
(70.5)
24.7
(76.5)
30.4
(86.7)
32.8
(91.0)
34.6
(94.3)
37.1
(98.8)
38.1
(100.6)
35.6
(96.1)
30.0
(86.0)
25.5
(77.9)
18.4
(65.1)
38.1
(100.6)
Average high °C (°F) 6.0
(42.8)
7.8
(46.0)
12.6
(54.7)
19.1
(66.4)
23.7
(74.7)
26.3
(79.3)
29.7
(85.5)
31.2
(88.2)
26.8
(80.2)
21.0
(69.8)
14.8
(58.6)
8.3
(46.9)
18.9
(66.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) 1.0
(33.8)
2.0
(35.6)
5.6
(42.1)
11.4
(52.5)
16.4
(61.5)
20.3
(68.5)
24.2
(75.6)
25.0
(77.0)
20.6
(69.1)
14.2
(57.6)
8.2
(46.8)
3.0
(37.4)
12.7
(54.8)
Average low °C (°F) −2.6
(27.3)
−2.5
(27.5)
−0.2
(31.6)
4.4
(39.9)
9.8
(49.6)
15.4
(59.7)
20.2
(68.4)
20.7
(69.3)
16.1
(61.0)
9.2
(48.6)
3.3
(37.9)
−0.8
(30.6)
7.8
(46.0)
Record low °C (°F) −11.7
(10.9)
−13.8
(7.2)
−8.5
(16.7)
−4.8
(23.4)
−1.5
(29.3)
5.1
(41.2)
9.1
(48.4)
12.4
(54.3)
3.5
(38.3)
−1.0
(30.2)
−4.2
(24.4)
−10.1
(13.8)
−13.8
(7.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 71.2
(2.80)
71.9
(2.83)
101.4
(3.99)
105.5
(4.15)
140.5
(5.53)
187.5
(7.38)
249.9
(9.84)
147.6
(5.81)
164.8
(6.49)
96.2
(3.79)
68.9
(2.71)
83.6
(3.29)
1,488.8
(58.61)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 12.5 11.2 11.6 9.9 10.0 11.7 12.5 9.9 10.1 7.9 8.9 12.7 128.9
Mean monthly sunshine hours 89.2 106.1 154.8 181.4 196.0 139.8 147.1 180.8 143.7 153.3 124.9 93.5 1,718.9
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3][4]
Climate data for Takano, Shōbara (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 13.0
(55.4)
18.4
(65.1)
22.2
(72.0)
27.8
(82.0)
30.5
(86.9)
32.2
(90.0)
34.0
(93.2)
34.3
(93.7)
31.8
(89.2)
27.7
(81.9)
23.6
(74.5)
17.6
(63.7)
34.3
(93.7)
Average high °C (°F) 3.4
(38.1)
4.7
(40.5)
9.4
(48.9)
16.3
(61.3)
21.2
(70.2)
24.0
(75.2)
27.3
(81.1)
28.6
(83.5)
24.2
(75.6)
18.7
(65.7)
12.8
(55.0)
6.3
(43.3)
16.4
(61.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) −0.5
(31.1)
−0.1
(31.8)
3.5
(38.3)
9.3
(48.7)
14.5
(58.1)
18.5
(65.3)
22.5
(72.5)
23.1
(73.6)
18.8
(65.8)
12.5
(54.5)
6.9
(44.4)
1.7
(35.1)
10.9
(51.6)
Average low °C (°F) −4.4
(24.1)
−4.7
(23.5)
−2.1
(28.2)
2.3
(36.1)
7.8
(46.0)
13.6
(56.5)
18.6
(65.5)
18.9
(66.0)
14.3
(57.7)
7.2
(45.0)
1.7
(35.1)
−2.2
(28.0)
5.9
(42.6)
Record low °C (°F) −17.0
(1.4)
−18.5
(−1.3)
−14.9
(5.2)
−8.5
(16.7)
−3.6
(25.5)
2.4
(36.3)
5.3
(41.5)
8.9
(48.0)
0.1
(32.2)
−3.2
(26.2)
−6.4
(20.5)
−15.4
(4.3)
−18.5
(−1.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 147.9
(5.82)
128.0
(5.04)
150.9
(5.94)
134.4
(5.29)
156.9
(6.18)
211.3
(8.32)
294.5
(11.59)
170.1
(6.70)
189.6
(7.46)
125.9
(4.96)
104.5
(4.11)
158.0
(6.22)
1,969.4
(77.54)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 208
(82)
163
(64)
77
(30)
3
(1.2)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
6
(2.4)
118
(46)
578
(228)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 19.0 16.1 14.8 11.5 10.6 12.6 13.5 11.3 11.6 9.7 12.3 17.9 160.9
Average snowy days (≥ 3 cm) 16.2 14.5 8.5 0.3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.5 9.1 49.1
Mean monthly sunshine hours 51.3 66.3 128.4 178.1 196.7 140.5 134.1 160.3 128.2 143.7 108.3 69.7 1,504.1
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[5][6]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Shōbara in 2020 is 33,633 people.[7] Shōbara has been conducting censuses since 1920.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1950 90,957    
1955 88,748−2.4%
1960 81,162−8.5%
1965 67,983−16.2%
1970 60,072−11.6%
1975 56,336−6.2%
1980 53,506−5.0%
1985 52,157−2.5%
1990 50,624−2.9%
1995 48,539−4.1%
2000 45,678−5.9%
2005 43,149−5.5%
2010 40,255−6.7%
2015 37,000−8.1%
2020 33,633−9.1%
Shōbara population statistics[7]

History

The Shōbara area is part of ancient Bingo Province. During the Edo Period, it was part of the holdings of Hiroshima Domain. Following the Meiji restoration, the village of Shōbara was established within Mikami District, Hiroshima with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Mikami District became part of Hiba District, Hiroshima on October 1, 1898 at which time Shōbara was raised to town status. On March 31, 1954 Shōbara merged with the villages of Takamura, Honda, Shikinobu, Yamauchi-Higashi, Yamauchi-Nishi, and Yamauchi-Kita and was raised to city status.

On March 31, 2005, the towns of Hiwa, Kuchiwa, Saijō, Takano, and Tōjō (all from Hiba District), and the town of Sōryō (from Kōnu District) were merged into Shōbara. Hiba District and Kōnu District were both dissolved as a result of this merger.

Government

Shōbara has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 20 members. Shōbara contributes one member to the Hiroshima Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Hiroshima 5th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

The main economic activities in Shōbara are agriculture, mining (kaolinite, limestone) and hydroelectric power generation.

Education

Shōbara has 18 public elementary schools, and seven public junior high schools operated by the city government, and five public high school operated by the Hiroshima Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school for the disabled and one agricultural college. The Prefectural University of Hiroshima has a campus in Shōbara.

Transportation

Railway

JR West (JR West) - Geibi Line

JR West (JR West) - Kisuki Line

Highways

Sister city relations

China - Mianyang, Sichuan, China since September 29, 1990.

Local attractions

Noted people from Shōbara

References

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