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Ajigasawa (鰺ヶ沢町, Ajigasawa-machi) is a town located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 March 2020^[update], the town had an estimated population of 9,613 in 4542 households,[1] and a population density of 28 persons per km². The total area of the town is 343.08 square kilometres (132.46 sq mi).

Ajigasawa 鰺ヶ沢町
Town
Ajigasawa Town
Flag Seal
Location of Ajigasawa in Aomori Prefecture
Ajigasawa
Coordinates: 40°46′47.7″N 140°12′31.2″E
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Prefecture	Aomori
District	Nishitsugaru
Area
• Total	343.08 km2 (132.46 sq mi)
Population  (March 2020)
• Total	9,613
• Density	28/km2 (73/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number	0173-72-2111
Address	321 Maitocho-aza-Naruto, Ajigasawa-machi, Nishitsugaru-gun, Aomori-ken 038-2792
Climate	Cfa
Website	Official website
Symbols
Bird	Japanese bush-warbler
Flower	Rosa rugosa
Tree	Keyaki

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

• Hirosaki
• Tsugaru
• Fukaura
• Nishimeya

Akita Prefecture

• Happō
• Fujisato

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,[5] the population of Ajigasawa has decreased by more than half over the past 60 years.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1950	22,741	—
1960	22,123	−2.7%
1970	18,439	−16.7%
1980	17,402	−5.6%
1990	14,899	−14.4%
2000	13,551	−9.0%
2010	11,449	−15.5%
2020	9,613	−16.0%

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 city 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 three public elementary schools and three 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

• Mutsu-Akaishi - Ajigasawa - Narusawa

Highway

• Tsugaru Expressway
• National Route 101

International relations

• – São Sebastião, São Paulo, Brazil since October 26, 1984 [6]

Local attractions

• The Kikuya squid stand on the outskirts of town is the home of Wasao, an Akita dog that garnered nationwide attention after starring in a 2011 feature film which was filmed on location in the town.
• Aomori Spring Ski Resort (formerly known as NAQUA Shirakami Ski Resort).
• Aomori Spring Golf Club
• Rockwood Hotel & Spa
• Ajigasawa Beach is about a ten-minute walk from the train station and has both grass and sand areas with a view of the Sea of Japan.
• Umi No Eki “Wando” is a collection of stores, much like a market, that sells local goods directly from the farmers and fishermen. The products sold here are all local, and very fresh.
• Shirakami-Sanchi – UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Otaka-yama park is open to the public and includes a multipurpose stadium, tennis courts, amphitheater, go-carts and an elaborate playground.
• Kurokuma Falls (くろくまの滝, Kurokuma no taki), gets its name from its appearance; it looks like a standing black bear. It is one of Japan’s Top 100 Waterfalls.
• Tanesato Castle ruins, a National Historic Site[7]*Akaishi Keiryū Anmon no Taki Prefectural Natural Park

Noted people from Ajigasawa

• Hiyori Kon, sumo wrestler
• Homarefuji Yoshiyuki, sumo wrestler
• Mainoumi Shuhei, sumo wrestler

Gallery

• 
  Formerly town office
• 
  Wasao
• 
  Kurokuma Falls
• 
  Rice fields near Minami Kanazawa
• 
  Dried Cuttlefish Curtain

References

External links

Media related to Ajigasawa, Aomori at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website (in Japanese)
• Shirakami Nature School Mountain Guide

На других языках

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- [en] Ajigasawa, Aomori

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[ru] Адзигасава

Адзига́сава[1] (яп. 鰺ヶ沢町 Адзигасава-мати) — посёлок в Японии, находящийся в уезде Нисицугару префектуры Аомори. Площадь посёлка составляет 342,99 км²[2], население — 11 094 человека (1 августа 2014)[3], плотность населения — 32,34 чел./км².

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