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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Ishikawa, Fukushima
Ishikawa (石川町, Ishikawa-machi) is a town located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. As of 21 March 2018, the town had an estimated population of 15,511 in 5690 households, and a population density of 130 persons per km. The total area of the town was 115.71 square kilometres (44.7 sq mi).

Geography

Aerial view of Ishikawa

Ishikawa is located in south-central Fukushima prefecture.

Neighboring municipalities

Climate

Ishikawa has a humid climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Ishikawa is 11.4 °C (52.5 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,375 mm (54.1 in) with September being the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 23.6 °C (74.5 °F), and lowest in January, at around 0.2 °C (32.4 °F).

Climate data for Ishikawa (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 15.5
(59.9) 		20.3
(68.5) 		24.3
(75.7) 		30.5
(86.9) 		35.5
(95.9) 		35.3
(95.5) 		37.1
(98.8) 		37.7
(99.9) 		35.3
(95.5) 		29.5
(85.1) 		23.0
(73.4) 		20.7
(69.3) 		37.7
(99.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 5.3
(41.5) 		6.4
(43.5) 		10.5
(50.9) 		16.8
(62.2) 		22.2
(72.0) 		25.2
(77.4) 		28.7
(83.7) 		30.0
(86.0) 		25.6
(78.1) 		19.6
(67.3) 		13.9
(57.0) 		8.2
(46.8) 		17.7
(63.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) 0.3
(32.5) 		1.0
(33.8) 		4.5
(40.1) 		10.2
(50.4) 		15.6
(60.1) 		19.4
(66.9) 		23.2
(73.8) 		24.1
(75.4) 		20.0
(68.0) 		13.9
(57.0) 		7.9
(46.2) 		2.8
(37.0) 		11.9
(53.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −3.7
(25.3) 		−3.4
(25.9) 		−0.6
(30.9) 		4.2
(39.6) 		9.8
(49.6) 		14.9
(58.8) 		19.2
(66.6) 		20.1
(68.2) 		16.0
(60.8) 		9.5
(49.1) 		3.1
(37.6) 		−1.4
(29.5) 		7.3
(45.2)
Record low °C (°F) −13.7
(7.3) 		−13.4
(7.9) 		−14.9
(5.2) 		−5.0
(23.0) 		0.0
(32.0) 		5.6
(42.1) 		9.1
(48.4) 		10.8
(51.4) 		3.9
(39.0) 		−0.7
(30.7) 		−5.0
(23.0) 		−12.3
(9.9) 		−14.9
(5.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 46.8
(1.84) 		37.8
(1.49) 		78.8
(3.10) 		94.5
(3.72) 		101.1
(3.98) 		126.2
(4.97) 		187.5
(7.38) 		165.6
(6.52) 		185.3
(7.30) 		150.3
(5.92) 		65.4
(2.57) 		42.3
(1.67) 		1,281.5
(50.45)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 5.8 5.5 9.0 9.7 10.6 12.9 14.5 11.7 12.6 9.6 7.2 6.1 115.2
Mean monthly sunshine hours 163.5 159.2 187.3 192.7 199.0 152.8 151.2 171.2 131.2 139.4 146.3 158.1 1,952
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Ishikawa has been in decline over the past 70 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 16,625—    
1930 18,370+10.5%
1940 19,728+7.4%
1950 25,332+28.4%
1960 24,493−3.3%
1970 22,423−8.5%
1980 21,731−3.1%
1990 21,534−0.9%
2000 19,914−7.5%
2010 17,775−10.7%
2020 13,552−23.8%

History

The area of present-day Ishikawa was part of ancient Mutsu Province. During the Edo period, the area was tenryō under the direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate. After the Meiji Restoration, it was organized as part of Ishikawa District in the Nakadōri region of Iwaki Province.

The villages of Ishikawa, Sawada, Nogisawa, Bohata, Nakatani and Yamahashi were formed on April 1, 1889, with the creation of the modern municipalities system. Ishikawa was promoted to town status on March 27, 1894. During World War II, the town had a secret uranium mine for the Japanese atomic bomb project. The town expanded by annexing the neighboring villages of Sawada, Nogisawa, Bohata, Nakatani and Yamahashi on March 31, 1955.

Economy

The economy of Ishikawa is primarily based on agriculture.

Education

Ishikawa has three public elementary schools and one public junior high school operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Fukushima Prefectural Board of Education. There is also one private junior high school and one private high school.

  • Fukushima Prefectural Ishikawa High School
  • Ishikawa High School
  • Ishikawa Middle School
  • Ishikawa Sawada Middle School
  • Ishikawa Gijuku Middle School
  • Ishikawa Elementary School
  • Ishikawa Sawada Elementary School
  • Ishikawa Nogisawa Elementary School
  • Ishikawa Bobata Elementary School
  • Ishikawa Nakatani No. 1 Elementary School
  • Ishikawa Nakatani No. 2 Elementary School
  • Ishikawa Yamagata Elementary School
  • Ishikawa Minami-Yamagata Elementary School

Transportation

Railway

JR East – Suigun Line

Highway

Local attractions

  • Bobata Onsen
  • Katakura Onsen
  • Nekonaki Onsen

References

  1. ^ Ishikawa Town official statistics (in Japanese)
  2. ^ Ishikawa climate data
  3. ^ 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  4. ^ 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  5. ^ Ishikawa population statistics
  6. ^ Ishikawa journal, Martin Fackler, New York Times website Sept 5 2011
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