| Yahaba | |
| Native Name Lang: | ja |
| Settlement Type: | Town |
| Pushpin Map: | Japan |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | |
| Coordinates: | 39.606°N 141.1429°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Japan |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Tōhoku |
| Subdivision Type2: | Prefecture |
| Subdivision Name2: | Iwate |
| Subdivision Type3: | District |
| Subdivision Name3: | Shiwa |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Area Total Km2: | 67.32 |
| Population Total: | 27227 |
| Population As Of: | April 1, 2020 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone1: | Japan Standard Time |
| Utc Offset1: | +9 |
| Blank Name Sec1: | City Symbols |
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | - Tree |
| Blank1 Info Sec1: | Pine |
| Blank2 Name Sec1: | - Flower |
| Blank2 Info Sec1: | Lily |
| Blank3 Name Sec1: | - Bird |
| Blank3 Info Sec1: | Common cuckoo |
| Blank4 Name Sec1: | - Insect |
| Blank5 Name Sec1: | - Fish |
| Blank Name Sec2: | Phone number |
| Blank Info Sec2: | 019-697-2111 |
| Blank1 Name Sec2: | Address |
| Blank1 Info Sec2: | 13-123 Minamiyahaba Yahaba-chō, Shiwa-gun, Iwate-ken 027-8501 |
is a town in Iwate Prefecture, Japan., the town had an estimated population of 27,227, and a population density of 400 persons per km2 in 10,131 households.[1] The total area of the town is 67.32sqkm.[2]
Yahaba is located in central Iwate Prefecture, bordered by Morioka city to the north, Shiwa town to the south and Shizukuishi to the west.
Iwate Prefecture
Yahaba has a humid oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Yahaba is 10.1 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1341 mm with September as the wettest month and February as the driest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 23.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around -2.6 °C.[3]
Per Japanese census data,[4] the population of Yahaba has seen a long and steady increase over the past century.
The area of present-day Yahaba was part of ancient Mutsu Province, and has been settled since at least the Jōmon period. The area was inhabited by the Emishi people, and came under the control of the imperial dynasty during the early Heian period with the construction a fortified settlement, by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro in 813 AD. During the Sengoku period, the area was dominated by various samurai clans before coming under the control of the Nambu clan during the late Sengoku period, who ruled Morioka Domain under the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate.
After the start of the Meiji period, the villages of Kemuyama, Tokuda and Fudo were established within Shiwa District by the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. The three villages merged on March 1, 1955 to form Yahaba village, which was raised to town status on May 1, 1966.
Yahaba has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 18 members. Yahaba, and the town of Shiwa collectively contribute two seats to the Iwate Prefectural legislature. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Iwate 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
The local economy of Yahaba is traditionally based on agriculture, primarily rice cultivation. However, due to its proximity to Morioka, light industries and warehousing have been increasing in importance, and the town is increasingly becoming a bedroom community for Morioka.
Yahaba has four public elementary schools and two public junior high schools operated by the town government and two public high schools operated by the Iwate Prefectural Board of Education.[5]
In addition, the College of Pharmacy of the Iwate Medical University is located in Yahaba.
East Japan Railway Company (JR East) -Tōhoku Main Line
