| Yonezawa | |||||||
| Native Name Lang: | ja | ||||||
| Settlement Type: | City | ||||||
| Pushpin Map: | Japan | ||||||
| Pushpin Map Caption: | |||||||
| Coordinates: | 37.9223°N 140.1168°W | ||||||
| Subdivision Type: | Country | ||||||
| Subdivision Name: | Japan | ||||||
| Subdivision Type1: | Region | ||||||
| Subdivision Name1: | Tōhoku | ||||||
| Subdivision Type2: | Prefecture | ||||||
| Subdivision Name2: | Yamagata | ||||||
| Established Title: | First official recorded | ||||||
| Established Date: | 712 AD | ||||||
| Established Title2: | City settled | ||||||
| Established Date2: | April 1, 1889 | ||||||
| Leader Title: | Mayor | ||||||
| Leader Name: | Yōsuke Kondō (since December 2023) | ||||||
| Area Total Km2: | 548.51 | ||||||
| Population Total: | 81707 | ||||||
| Population As Of: | February 2020 | ||||||
| Population Density Km2: | auto | ||||||
| Timezone1: | Japan Standard Time | ||||||
| Utc Offset1: | +9 | ||||||
| Blank Name Sec1: | Phone number | ||||||
| Blank Info Sec1: | 0238-22-5111 | ||||||
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | Address | ||||||
| Blank1 Info Sec1: | 5-2-25 Kanaike, Yonezawa-shi, Yamagata-ken 992-8501 | ||||||
| Blank Name Sec2: | Climate | ||||||
| Blank Info Sec2: | Cfa/Dfa | ||||||
| Module: |
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right|thumb|Yonezawa City Hall is a city in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan., the city had an estimated population of 81,707 in 33,278 households,[1] and a population density of 150 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 548.51km². Yonezawa is most famous for its local delicacies (apples, Yonezawa beef, and carp) and for being a castle town that was once home to the Uesugi clan, including the daimyō Uesugi Yozan.
Yonezawa is located in the southeast corner of Yamagata Prefecture. The southern and eastern portions of the city are river basins surrounded by large mountains, forming the Yonezawa Basin. The southern portion of the city has a complex terrain with several rivers and alternating ridges and valleys orientated east to west. The Mogami River flows through the city. Part of the city is within the borders of the Bandai-Asahi National Park.
Yonezawa has a Humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfa) with large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is heaviest from August to October. The average annual temperature in Yonezawa is . The average annual rainfall is with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around, and lowest in January, at around .
Per Japanese census data,[2] the population of Yonezawa has recently declined after a long period of stability.
The area of present-day Yonezawa was part of ancient Dewa Province and was controlled in the Sengoku period by the Date clan. The famed warlord Date Masamune was born in Yonezawa. During the Edo period, the area became Yonezawa Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate, ruled by the Uesugi clan. After the start of the Meiji period, the area was organized into Minamiokitama District, Yamagata Prefecture.
The city of Yamagata was established on April 1, 1889, with the establishment of the modern municipalities system
Yonezawa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 24 members. The city contributes three members to the Yamagata Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Yamagata District 3 of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
| Name (Japanese kanji name) | Term of Office | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryuzo Otaki | 5 July 1889 | 30 July 1899 | |
| Shinjyuro Otaki | 9 September 1899 | 18 June 1902 | |
| Komataro Hirata | 22 July 1902 | 3 February 1905 | |
| Chusei Nimura | 3 February 1905 | 20 January 1912 | |
| Kansuke Sakai | 22 July 1902 | 3 February 1905 | |
| Chuzo Fukazawa | 16 April 1914 5 March 1925 | 15 April 1918 4 March 1929 | |
| Shutaro Usami | 13 May 1918 | 25 June 1920 | |
| Hidezo Nagai | 24 November 1920 | 21 November 1924 | |
| Matazo Tosaka | 16 March 1929 | 4 March 1944 | |
| Tatsugoro Usami | 2 May 1944 | 16 November 1946 | |
| Name (Japanese Kanji name) | Term of Office | |
|---|---|---|
| Takeo Okamura | 22 July 1902 | 3 February 1905 |
| Kokichi Takahashi | 5 August 1948 | 3 December 1955 |
| Keitaro Yoshiike | 27 January 1956 | 20 December 1975 |
| Toshihide Cho | 22 December 1975 | 21 December 1983 |
| Sachio Takahashi | 22 December 1983 | 21 December 2003 |
| Sanjyuro Abe | 22 December 2003 | 21 December 2015 |
| Masaru Nakagawa | 22 December 2015 | Present |
The economy of Yamagata is based on agriculture, horticulture, light manufacturing and tourism.
Yonezawa has 18 public elementary schools and eight public middle schools operated by the city government and four public high schools operated by the Yamagata Prefectural Board of Education. There are also two private high schools.
East Japan Railway Company - Yamagata Shinkansen
East Japan Railway Company - Ōu Main Line
East Japan Railway Company - Yonesaka Line
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Japan.
Taubaté, Brazil,[3] since January 28, 1974
Moses Lake, Washington, USA, since May 1, 1981