Ajigasawa, Aomori Explained

Ajigasawa
Settlement Type:Town
Image Map1:Ajigasawa in Aomori Prefecture Ja.svg
Pushpin Map:Japan
Pushpin Map Caption: 
Coordinates:40.7799°N 140.2087°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Japan
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Tōhoku
Subdivision Type2:Prefecture
Subdivision Name2:Aomori
Subdivision Type3:District
Subdivision Name3:Nishitsugaru
Leader Title:Mayor
Area Total Km2:343.08
Population Total:8,951
Population As Of:January 31, 2023
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:Japan Standard Time
Utc Offset1:+9
Blank Name Sec1:Phone number
Blank Info Sec1:0173-72-2111
Blank1 Name Sec1:Address
Blank1 Info Sec1:321 Maitocho-aza-Naruto, Ajigasawa-machi, Nishitsugaru-gun, Aomori-ken 038-2792
Blank Name Sec2:Climate
Blank Info Sec2:Cfa
Module:
Embedded:yes
Flower:Rosa rugosa

is a town located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan., the town had an estimated population of 8,951 in 4394 households,[1] and a population density of 26 persons per km2. The total area of the town is 343.08sqkm.

Geography

Ajigasawa is in Nishitsugaru District, Aomori southwestern corner of Aomori Prefecture on the border with Akita Prefecture, facing the Sea of Japan to the northwest, and the slopes of Mount Iwaki to the southeast. Part of the town is located within the borders of the Shirakami-Sanchi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and some coastal areas of the town are within the Tsugaru Quasi-National Park. The Akaishi Keiryū Anmon no Taki Prefectural Natural Park is also partly located within the borders of Ajigasawa.

Neighbouring municipalities

Aomori Prefecture

Akita Prefecture

Climate

The town has a cold humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) characterized by warm short summers and long cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Ajigasawa is 10.7 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1480 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 22.9 °C, and lowest in January, at around -3.1 °C.[2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Ajigasawa has decreased by more than half over the past 60 years.

History

Oura Mitsunobu, the founder of the Tsugaru clan, settled in Tanesato (now part of Ajigasawa) in 1491, which developed into a port for the Tsugaru region. The area around Ajigasawa was controlled by the Tsugaru clan of Hirosaki Domain during the Edo period. Ajigasawa became a village in Nishitsugaru District, Aomori with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889, and was elevated to town status on March 31, 1955 by annexing the neighboring villages of Akaishi, Nakamura, Narusawa and Maido.

Government

Ajigasawa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town legislature of 12 members. Nishitsugaru District contributes one member to the Aomori Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Aomori 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

The economy of Ajigasawa is heavily dependent on agriculture (rice and horticulture) and on commercial fishing, especially for squid. Other species commonly caught in the local waters include the Japanese flounder, Japanese horse mackerel, Atka mackerel, red snapper, cod, angler fish, octopus, sharks and salmon.

Education

Ajigasawa has two public elementary schools and one public junior high schools operated by the town government and one public high school operated by the Aomori Prefectural Board of Education.

The Shirakami Nature School is a non-profit organization that is housed in a 19th-century wooden building that was used as an elementary school until the spring of 2003. The Shirakami Nature School hosts a wide variety of environmental education including classroom activities and open-air classes to people of all ages.

Transportation

Railway

East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Gonō Line

Highway

International relations

Local attractions

Noted people from Ajigasawa

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.town.ajigasawa.lg.jp Ajigsawa Town official statistics
  2. https://en.climate-data.org/location/50719/ Ajigasawa climate data
  3. https://www.citypopulation.de/php/japan-aomori.php Ajigasawa population statistics
  4. Web site: International Exchange. List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). en. 21 November 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151122060024/http://www.clair.or.jp/cgi-bin/simai/e/03.cgi?p=02&n=Aomori%20Prefecture. 2015-11-22. dead.
  5. http://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/137777 Agency for Cultural Affairs