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  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

Nishigo, Fukushima

Nishigō (西郷村, Nishigō-mura) is a village located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 March 2020, the village had an estimated population of 20,351 in 7618 households and a population density of 110 persons per km. The total area of the village was 192.06 square kilometres (74.15 sq mi)..

Geography

Nishigō is located in the upper reaches of the Abukuma River valley in south-central Fukushima prefecture, bordered by Tochigi Prefecture to the south. It is about 185 km north of Tokyo.

  • Mountains: Sanbonyaridake (1916.9m)
  • Rivers: Abukuma River
  • Lakes: Nishigō Dam, Akasaka Dam

Neighboring municipalities

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Nishigō has increased over the past 50 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 6,500—    
1930 7,059+8.6%
1940 7,523+6.6%
1950 11,438+52.0%
1960 11,373−0.6%
1970 10,454−8.1%
1980 12,744+21.9%
1990 16,194+27.1%
2000 18,642+15.1%
2010 19,767+6.0%
2020 20,808+5.3%

Climate

Nishigō has a humid climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Nishigō is 10.0 °C (50.0 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,438 mm (56.6 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.4 °C (77.7 °F), and lowest in January, at around 0.9 °C (33.6 °F).

History

The area of present-day Nishigō was part of ancient Mutsu Province. The area was part of the holdings of Shirakawa Domain during the Edo period. After the Meiji Restoration, it was organized as part of Nishishirakawa District in the Nakadōri region of Iwaki Province. Nishigō Village was formed on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system.

Economy

Nishigō has a mixed economy of agriculture and light/precision manufacturing, and is also a bedroom community with many people using the Tohoku Shinkansen to Tokyo, which is 90 minutes away.

Education

Nishigō has five public elementary schools and three public middle schools operated by the town government. The town does not have a high school; however, the Fukushima Prefectural Board of Education does operate one special education school.

  • Middle schools
    • Kawatani Middle School
    • Nishigō First Middle School
    • Nishigō Second Middle School
  • Elementary schools
    • Habuto Elementary School
    • Kawatani Elementary School
    • Kumakura Elementary School
    • Odakura Elementary School
    • Yone Elementary School

Transportation

Railway

JR EastTōhoku Shinkansen

JR EastTōhoku Main Line

  • Shin-Shirakawa

Highway

Notable people from Nishigō

References