en Iwate, Iwate

Iwate

岩手町
Iwate 岩手町
Town
	Iwate Town Hall
	Flag Seal
	Location of Iwate in Iwate Prefecture
	Iwate
	Coordinates: 39°58′22″N 141°12′43.8″E / 39.97278°N 141.212167°E
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Prefecture	Iwate
District	Iwate
Government
• Mayor	Kōji Sasaki
Area
• Total	360.46 km2 (139.17 sq mi)
Population (February 29, 2020)
• Total	13,111
• Density	36/km2 (94/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
City symbols
• Tree	Pine
• Flower	Rindo
• Bird	Green pheasant
Phone number	0195-62-2111
Address	Itsukaichi dai-10 jiwari 44, Iwate-machi, Iwate-gun, Iwate-ken 028-4395
Website	Official website

Iwate (岩手町, Iwate-machi) is a town located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of 29 February 2020^[update], the town had an estimated population of 13,111, and a population density of 36 persons per km² in 5455 households. The total area of the town is 360.46 square kilometres (139.17 sq mi).^[1]

Geography

Iwate is located in an inland region in northwest Iwate Prefecture.

Neighboring municipalities

Iwate Prefecture

Climate

Iwate Town has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Iwate is 8.4 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1384 mm with September as the wettest month, and February as the driest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 22.0 °C, and lowest in January, at around -4.1 °C.^[2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,^[3] the population of Iwate has steadily declined over the past 60 years.

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1920	12,922	—
1930	14,592	+12.9%
1940	16,134	+10.6%
1950	20,744	+28.6%
1960	23,230	+12.0%
1970	21,725	−6.5%
1980	20,350	−6.3%
1990	19,141	−5.9%
2000	17,372	−9.2%
2010	14,988	−13.7%
2020	12,285	−18.0%

History

The area of present-day Iwate was part of ancient Mutsu Province. It was under the control of the Nambu clan during the Edo period, who ruled Morioka Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate.

Numakunai, Kawaguchi, Ikkatai and Midō villages were created within Kita-Iwate District on April 1, 1889, with the establishment of the modern municipality system. Kita-Iwate and Minami-Iwate Districts merged to form Iwate District on March 29, 1896. The four villages merged to form Iwate Town on July 21, 1955.^[4]

Government

Iwate has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 14 members. Iwate, together with the city of Hachimantai and the town of Kuzumaki, 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 local economy is based on agriculture. Iwate is famous for its blueberry production.

Education

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