Imabetsu (今別町, Imabetsu-machi) is a town located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan and a part of the Aomori metropolitan area.[1] As of 29 February 2020[update], the town had an estimated population of 2,562 in 1414 households,[2] and a population density of 20 persons per km2. The total area of the town is 125.27 km2 (48.37 sq mi).
Imabetsu
今別町 | |
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Town | |
Imabestu Town Hall | |
![]() Flag ![]() Seal | |
![]() Location of Imabetsu in Aomori Prefecture | |
![]() ![]() Imabetsu | |
Coordinates: 41°10′54.4″N 140°28′54″E | |
Country | Japan |
Region | Tōhoku |
Prefecture | Aomori |
District | Higashitsugaru |
Area | |
• Total | 125.27 km2 (48.37 sq mi) |
Population (February 29, 2020) | |
• Total | 2,562 |
• Density | 20/km2 (53/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
Phone number | 0174-35-2001 |
Address | 167 Imabetsu, Imabetsu-machi, Higashitsugaru-gun, Aomori-ken 030-1502 |
Climate | Cfa |
Website | Official website |
Symbols | |
Bird | Common gull |
Flower | Chrysanthemum |
Tree | Hiba |
Imabetsu is in Higashitsugaru District of Aomori Prefecture, and occupies the northern coastline of Tsugaru Peninsula, facing Tsugaru Strait. Much of the town is within the limits of the Tsugaru Quasi-National Park.
The town has a cold humid continental climate (Köppen Cfb) characterized by warm short summers and long cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Imabetsu is 10.2 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1249 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 -1.4 °C.[3]
Climate data for Imabetsu (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 11.3 (52.3) |
15.8 (60.4) |
18.3 (64.9) |
25.7 (78.3) |
29.7 (85.5) |
30.8 (87.4) |
32.9 (91.2) |
33.0 (91.4) |
33.3 (91.9) |
26.4 (79.5) |
22.3 (72.1) |
15.8 (60.4) |
33.3 (91.9) |
Average high °C (°F) | 1.6 (34.9) |
2.3 (36.1) |
6.1 (43.0) |
12.2 (54.0) |
16.9 (62.4) |
20.2 (68.4) |
24.0 (75.2) |
25.9 (78.6) |
23.2 (73.8) |
17.3 (63.1) |
10.5 (50.9) |
4.2 (39.6) |
13.7 (56.7) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | −0.8 (30.6) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
2.5 (36.5) |
7.7 (45.9) |
12.4 (54.3) |
16.0 (60.8) |
20.3 (68.5) |
22.1 (71.8) |
18.9 (66.0) |
13.0 (55.4) |
7.0 (44.6) |
1.4 (34.5) |
10.0 (50.0) |
Average low °C (°F) | −3.3 (26.1) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
3.3 (37.9) |
8.1 (46.6) |
12.4 (54.3) |
17.3 (63.1) |
19.0 (66.2) |
15.1 (59.2) |
8.8 (47.8) |
3.5 (38.3) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
6.6 (43.8) |
Record low °C (°F) | −10.7 (12.7) |
−11.2 (11.8) |
−9.0 (15.8) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−0.5 (31.1) |
3.9 (39.0) |
9.4 (48.9) |
11.0 (51.8) |
5.8 (42.4) |
1.1 (34.0) |
−6.1 (21.0) |
−10.4 (13.3) |
−11.2 (11.8) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 137.0 (5.39) |
103.1 (4.06) |
98.1 (3.86) |
98.5 (3.88) |
105.6 (4.16) |
86.6 (3.41) |
129.4 (5.09) |
191.9 (7.56) |
167.2 (6.58) |
159.0 (6.26) |
176.4 (6.94) |
167.0 (6.57) |
1,619.8 (63.77) |
Average snowfall cm (inches) | 163 (64) |
131 (52) |
87 (34) |
5 (2.0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
14 (5.5) |
103 (41) |
503 (198) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 22.7 | 18.1 | 15.6 | 11.9 | 10.8 | 9.1 | 10.2 | 10.6 | 12.1 | 14.2 | 18.3 | 22.6 | 176.2 |
Average snowy days (≥ 3 cm) | 19.4 | 16.9 | 11.7 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.6 | 13.2 | 63.4 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 27.6 | 55.5 | 126.1 | 187.2 | 198.5 | 177.6 | 157.6 | 186.4 | 170.3 | 144.9 | 68.6 | 33.9 | 1,527.1 |
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[4][5] |
Per Japanese census data,[6] the population of Imabetsu has decreased by more than two-thirds over the past 60 years and is now much less than it was a century ago.
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1920 | 5,188 | — |
1930 | 5,385 | +3.8% |
1940 | 6,121 | +13.7% |
1950 | 7,710 | +26.0% |
1960 | 8,068 | +4.6% |
1970 | 7,358 | −8.8% |
1980 | 7,113 | −3.3% |
1990 | 4,978 | −30.0% |
2000 | 4,124 | −17.2% |
2010 | 3,217 | −22.0% |
2020 | 2,334 | −27.4% |
The area around Imabetsu was controlled by the Tsugaru clan of Hirosaki Domain during the Edo period. After the Meiji Restoration Minmaya, Kanita and Tairadate villages were separated from Imabetsu, which was also organized as a village on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. On March 31, 1955, Imabetsu annexed the neighboring village of Ippongi and was elevated to town status.
Imabetsu has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town legislature of 6 members. Higashitsugaru District, contributes one member to the Aomori Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Aomori 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
The economy of Imabetsu is heavily dependent on commercial fishing and farming. Some of the locally caught seafood include sea urchin roe, sea cucumber, scallops, abalone and squid. 1Imabetsu farms are known for Imabetsu-gyu, a type of wagyu, and Shine Muscat grapes.
Imabetsu has one public elementary school and one public junior high middle school operated by the town government. The public high school operated by the Aomori Prefectural Board of Education closed in April 2022.
East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Tsugaru Line
Hokkaidō Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) - Hokkaido Shinkansen
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