Shōdoshima, Kagawa

Shōdoshima (小豆島町, Shōdoshima-chō) is a town in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan, with a population of 13,646.[2] The town was established in 2006 and covers various ports and communities on the eastern half of Shōdoshima, the second-largest island in the Seto Inland Sea.[3] Shōdoshima is roughly halfway between the much larger islands of Shikoku to the south and Honshu to the north, and has a mild and relatively dry climate.

Shōdoshima
小豆島町
Town
Clockwise from top: Bay looking south from Olive Park, soy sauce warehouse, Kankakei Gorge
Flag of Shōdoshima
Official seal of Shōdoshima
Location of Shōdoshima in Kagawa Prefecture
Location of Shōdoshima in Kagawa Prefecture
Shōdoshima is located in Japan
Shōdoshima
Shōdoshima
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 34°29′N 134°14′E
CountryJapan
RegionShikoku
PrefectureKagawa Prefecture
DistrictShōzu
Government
  MayorMasahiko Oe
Area
  Total95.59 km2 (36.91 sq mi)
Population
 (2020)[2]
  Total13,646
  Density140/km2 (370/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address2100-4 Ikeda, Shōdoshima-chō, Shōzu-gun, Kagawa-ken
761-4388
ClimateCfa
Websitewww.town.shodoshima.lg.jp
Symbols
FlowerOlive
MascotOlive Shimachan
TreeOlive

Soy sauce production, which flourished through the early 20th century, remains a major industry.[4] Other industries include sōmen noodles, tsukudani (made with soy sauce), fishing and agriculture.[5] In Japan, olives were first successfully cultivated here in the 1910s[6] and olive oil production resurged in the late 20th century.[7]

Tourism is also economically important.[5] Shodoshima participates in the Setouchi Triennale, a regional art festival,[8] and the mountainous interior is home to Kankakei Gorge. The book and film Twenty-Four Eyes was set on the island, and a movie studio park and museum attracts visitors.[5]

Geography

Climate

Shōdoshima has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot, humid summers, and cool winters. Some rain falls throughout the year, but the months from May to September have the heaviest rain. The average annual temperature in Shōdoshima is 16.0 °C (60.8 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,161.3 mm (45.72 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.4 °C (81.3 °F), and lowest in January, at around 5.6 °C (42.1 °F).[9] The highest temperature ever recorded in Shōdoshima was 38.4 °C (101.1 °F) on 21 August 2000; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −6.6 °C (20.1 °F) on 26 February 1981.[10]

Climate data for Uchinomi, Shōdoshima (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 19.4
(66.9)
23.9
(75.0)
24.9
(76.8)
29.4
(84.9)
30.9
(87.6)
35.3
(95.5)
37.5
(99.5)
38.4
(101.1)
37.8
(100.0)
31.7
(89.1)
25.3
(77.5)
21.4
(70.5)
38.4
(101.1)
Average high °C (°F) 9.6
(49.3)
10.3
(50.5)
13.6
(56.5)
19.0
(66.2)
23.6
(74.5)
26.5
(79.7)
30.5
(86.9)
32.3
(90.1)
28.5
(83.3)
23.1
(73.6)
17.5
(63.5)
12.2
(54.0)
20.6
(69.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) 5.6
(42.1)
5.9
(42.6)
8.8
(47.8)
13.9
(57.0)
18.5
(65.3)
22.1
(71.8)
26.1
(79.0)
27.4
(81.3)
24.0
(75.2)
18.6
(65.5)
13.2
(55.8)
8.1
(46.6)
16.0
(60.8)
Average low °C (°F) 1.9
(35.4)
1.9
(35.4)
4.3
(39.7)
9.2
(48.6)
14.0
(57.2)
18.5
(65.3)
22.8
(73.0)
24.0
(75.2)
20.5
(68.9)
14.8
(58.6)
9.3
(48.7)
4.4
(39.9)
12.1
(53.8)
Record low °C (°F) −4.7
(23.5)
−6.6
(20.1)
−4.7
(23.5)
−0.6
(30.9)
5.3
(41.5)
10.8
(51.4)
15.5
(59.9)
16.6
(61.9)
11.8
(53.2)
4.9
(40.8)
1.3
(34.3)
−3.1
(26.4)
−6.6
(20.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 36.7
(1.44)
43.2
(1.70)
77.6
(3.06)
78.4
(3.09)
113.9
(4.48)
156.7
(6.17)
164.9
(6.49)
116.7
(4.59)
175.6
(6.91)
118.6
(4.67)
54.4
(2.14)
42.9
(1.69)
1,161.3
(45.72)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 5.6 6.9 9.4 9.2 8.9 10.6 9.5 6.4 8.6 7.7 6.3 5.9 95
Mean monthly sunshine hours 154.1 144.9 177.5 197.2 208.7 159.4 189.3 220.0 155.5 163.0 150.1 151.3 2,074.5
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[10][9]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Shōdoshima in 2020 is 13,870 people.[11] Shōdoshima has been conducting censuses since 1920.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 23,363    
1925 23,840+2.0%
1930 25,496+6.9%
1935 26,292+3.1%
1940 24,820−5.6%
1945 33,328+34.3%
1950 32,144−3.6%
1955 30,073−6.4%
1960 27,567−8.3%
1965 25,576−7.2%
1970 23,448−8.3%
1975 22,519−4.0%
1980 22,170−1.5%
1985 21,433−3.3%
1990 20,455−4.6%
1995 19,700−3.7%
2000 18,303−7.1%
2005 17,257−5.7%
2010 16,153−6.4%
2015 14,862−8.0%
2020 13,870−6.7%
Shōdoshima population statistics[11]

Notable locations

The town of Shōdoshima was created in 2006 by merging the former towns of Ikeda and Uchinomi, both from Shōzu District.[3] The total area is 95.59 km²,[1] and covers the entire eastern half of the island of Shōdoshima. Notable communities and locations include:

  • Kankakei Gorge
  • Sakate, a port in the southeast
  • Kusakabe, a port and community, with soy sauce production concentrated to the east
  • Olive Park/Olive Garden, olive orchards and tourist sites
  • Twenty-Four Eyes Movie Studio, a tourist site for the book and film Twenty-Four Eyes

References

  1. "Areas of Prefectures, Cities, etc. (in Japanese)". Geospatial Information Authority of Japan. January 1, 2021. p. 64. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  2. "Population Statistics, Kagawa Prefecture [in Japanese]". Kagawa Prefecture. September 1, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  3. "Outline of Shodoshima Town [in Japanese]". Shodoshima Town. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  4. "History". Shodoshima Soy Sauce. Shodoshima Shoyu Association.
  5. "導入促進基本計画 [Basic Industry Promotion Plan] (in Japanese)". Shodoshima Town. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  6. "The Oldest Olive (in Japanese)". Olive Garden. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  7. "Olives [in Japanese]". Shodoshima Town. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  8. "Shodoshima". Art Setouchi. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  9. 気象庁 / 平年値(年・月ごとの値). JMA. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  10. 観測史上1~10位の値(年間を通じての値). JMA. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  11. Shōdoshima population statistics


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