Kitaakita (北秋田市, Kitaakita-shi) is a city located in Akita Prefecture, Japan. As of 30 November 2019[update], the city had an estimated population of 31,504 in 14,021 households,[1] and a population density of 27 persons per km². The total area of the city is 1,152.76 square kilometres (445.08 sq mi).
Kitaakita
北秋田市 | |
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City | |
![]() Panorama view of downtown Kitaakita | |
![]() Flag ![]() Seal | |
![]() Location of Kitaakita in Akita Prefecture | |
![]() ![]() Kitaakita | |
Coordinates: 40°13′33.7″N 140°22′14.9″E | |
Country | Japan |
Region | Tōhoku |
Prefecture | Akita |
Government | |
• -Mayor | Eiko Tsuya <津谷永光> (from April 2009) |
Area | |
• Total | 1,152.76 km2 (445.08 sq mi) |
Population (November 2019) | |
• Total | 31,504 |
• Density | 27/km2 (71/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
Phone number | 0186-62-1111 |
Address | Hanazono-chō 19-1, Kitaakita-shi, Akita-ken 018-3392 |
Climate | Cfa/Dfa |
Website | Official website |
Symbols | |
Bird | Black woodpecker |
Flower | Hydrangea |
Tree | Beech |
Kitaakita is located in the mountains of northeastern Akita Prefecture, with the Ōu Mountains on the east. Part of the city is within the borders of the Towada-Hachimantai National Park. Much of the city area is covered in forest. Due to its inland location, the city is noted for its heavy snowfall in winter. It is approximately 80 kilometers northeast of Akita City, the prefectural capital.
Kitaakita 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 Kitaakita is 10.5 °C (50.9 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,704.7 mm (67.11 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 23.7 °C (74.7 °F), and lowest in January, at around −1.5 °C (29.3 °F).[2]
Climate data for Takanosu, Kitaakita (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 10.6 (51.1) |
17.6 (63.7) |
20.4 (68.7) |
30.0 (86.0) |
32.5 (90.5) |
34.0 (93.2) |
37.4 (99.3) |
38.6 (101.5) |
37.9 (100.2) |
28.6 (83.5) |
23.0 (73.4) |
16.0 (60.8) |
38.6 (101.5) |
Average high °C (°F) | 1.7 (35.1) |
2.9 (37.2) |
7.1 (44.8) |
14.3 (57.7) |
20.2 (68.4) |
24.4 (75.9) |
27.5 (81.5) |
29.0 (84.2) |
24.9 (76.8) |
18.2 (64.8) |
10.9 (51.6) |
4.2 (39.6) |
15.4 (59.8) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | −1.5 (29.3) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
2.3 (36.1) |
8.2 (46.8) |
14.2 (57.6) |
18.8 (65.8) |
22.6 (72.7) |
23.7 (74.7) |
19.1 (66.4) |
12.2 (54.0) |
6.0 (42.8) |
0.8 (33.4) |
10.5 (50.8) |
Average low °C (°F) | −4.7 (23.5) |
−4.7 (23.5) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
2.5 (36.5) |
8.7 (47.7) |
14.0 (57.2) |
18.7 (65.7) |
19.4 (66.9) |
14.6 (58.3) |
7.4 (45.3) |
1.8 (35.2) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
6.1 (43.0) |
Record low °C (°F) | −17.6 (0.3) |
−17.8 (0.0) |
−15.3 (4.5) |
−9.2 (15.4) |
−1.9 (28.6) |
4.9 (40.8) |
6.7 (44.1) |
9.8 (49.6) |
3.0 (37.4) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
−8.8 (16.2) |
−14.5 (5.9) |
−17.8 (0.0) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 116.7 (4.59) |
92.4 (3.64) |
97.0 (3.82) |
103.4 (4.07) |
116.3 (4.58) |
119.8 (4.72) |
214.7 (8.45) |
198.1 (7.80) |
164.7 (6.48) |
162.7 (6.41) |
167.8 (6.61) |
151.4 (5.96) |
1,704.7 (67.11) |
Average snowfall cm (inches) | 183 (72) |
145 (57) |
68 (27) |
1 (0.4) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
8 (3.1) |
113 (44) |
514 (202) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 21.7 | 17.7 | 15.7 | 12.5 | 12.0 | 10.3 | 13.0 | 11.4 | 12.3 | 14.9 | 17.6 | 21.6 | 180.7 |
Average snowy days (≥ 3 cm) | 19.9 | 17.0 | 9.3 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.2 | 12.6 | 60.2 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 49.1 | 74.0 | 123.6 | 171.3 | 184.1 | 176.9 | 149.4 | 180.0 | 149.9 | 132.3 | 88.9 | 47.4 | 1,528.2 |
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3][2] |
Climate data for Aniai, Kitaakita (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 11.1 (52.0) |
16.1 (61.0) |
19.0 (66.2) |
28.8 (83.8) |
32.0 (89.6) |
33.3 (91.9) |
36.3 (97.3) |
37.1 (98.8) |
34.3 (93.7) |
27.4 (81.3) |
24.3 (75.7) |
18.2 (64.8) |
37.1 (98.8) |
Average high °C (°F) | 1.0 (33.8) |
2.1 (35.8) |
6.0 (42.8) |
13.5 (56.3) |
20.2 (68.4) |
24.2 (75.6) |
27.4 (81.3) |
28.7 (83.7) |
24.3 (75.7) |
17.6 (63.7) |
10.6 (51.1) |
3.6 (38.5) |
14.9 (58.9) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | −2.0 (28.4) |
−1.6 (29.1) |
1.4 (34.5) |
7.4 (45.3) |
13.9 (57.0) |
18.3 (64.9) |
22.1 (71.8) |
23.1 (73.6) |
18.6 (65.5) |
11.8 (53.2) |
5.6 (42.1) |
0.3 (32.5) |
9.9 (49.8) |
Average low °C (°F) | −5.0 (23.0) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
1.8 (35.2) |
8.0 (46.4) |
13.1 (55.6) |
17.9 (64.2) |
18.7 (65.7) |
14.2 (57.6) |
7.3 (45.1) |
1.7 (35.1) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
5.6 (42.1) |
Record low °C (°F) | −16.4 (2.5) |
−17.2 (1.0) |
−15.8 (3.6) |
−8.5 (16.7) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
5.2 (41.4) |
9.5 (49.1) |
9.8 (49.6) |
3.2 (37.8) |
−0.7 (30.7) |
−7.8 (18.0) |
−12.6 (9.3) |
−17.2 (1.0) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 164.3 (6.47) |
125.0 (4.92) |
132.0 (5.20) |
131.8 (5.19) |
133.9 (5.27) |
136.6 (5.38) |
233.8 (9.20) |
240.0 (9.45) |
193.9 (7.63) |
191.2 (7.53) |
218.0 (8.58) |
199.3 (7.85) |
2,099.7 (82.67) |
Average snowfall cm (inches) | 259 (102) |
198 (78) |
127 (50) |
13 (5.1) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
21 (8.3) |
170 (67) |
778 (306) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 24.2 | 20.0 | 18.1 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 13.5 | 12.7 | 13.0 | 15.5 | 18.9 | 23.4 | 196.4 |
Average snowy days (≥ 3 cm) | 22.4 | 18.6 | 15.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.3 | 14.2 | 74.5 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 31.6 | 52.8 | 97.8 | 156.6 | 188.3 | 180.9 | 150.4 | 171.5 | 146.7 | 124.7 | 75.3 | 40.0 | 1,422.9 |
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[4][5] |
Climate data for Odate–Noshiro Airport, Kitaakita (2003−2020 normals, extremes 2003−present) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 9.3 (48.7) |
17.1 (62.8) |
19.2 (66.6) |
28.6 (83.5) |
31.3 (88.3) |
33.0 (91.4) |
35.6 (96.1) |
37.3 (99.1) |
35.6 (96.1) |
26.7 (80.1) |
22.7 (72.9) |
15.4 (59.7) |
37.3 (99.1) |
Average high °C (°F) | 0.9 (33.6) |
2.2 (36.0) |
6.4 (43.5) |
13.4 (56.1) |
19.8 (67.6) |
24.0 (75.2) |
26.8 (80.2) |
28.6 (83.5) |
24.3 (75.7) |
17.6 (63.7) |
10.6 (51.1) |
3.6 (38.5) |
14.9 (58.7) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | −2.0 (28.4) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
1.8 (35.2) |
7.4 (45.3) |
13.7 (56.7) |
18.3 (64.9) |
22.0 (71.6) |
23.3 (73.9) |
18.8 (65.8) |
11.7 (53.1) |
5.7 (42.3) |
0.3 (32.5) |
10.0 (49.9) |
Average low °C (°F) | −5.3 (22.5) |
−5.5 (22.1) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
1.5 (34.7) |
7.9 (46.2) |
13.1 (55.6) |
18.0 (64.4) |
19.1 (66.4) |
14.1 (57.4) |
6.5 (43.7) |
1.3 (34.3) |
−2.9 (26.8) |
5.4 (41.8) |
Record low °C (°F) | −15.8 (3.6) |
−15.8 (3.6) |
−12.6 (9.3) |
−5.2 (22.6) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
4.3 (39.7) |
9.9 (49.8) |
11.3 (52.3) |
4.6 (40.3) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
−11.5 (11.3) |
−15.8 (3.6) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 81.1 (3.19) |
72.7 (2.86) |
92.7 (3.65) |
109.5 (4.31) |
100.7 (3.96) |
112.8 (4.44) |
211.9 (8.34) |
211.5 (8.33) |
165.6 (6.52) |
160.6 (6.32) |
169.0 (6.65) |
130.2 (5.13) |
1,603.1 (63.11) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 17.9 | 13.8 | 13.9 | 12.1 | 11.4 | 9.9 | 12.3 | 11.0 | 11.6 | 13.7 | 17.4 | 20.5 | 165.5 |
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[6][7] |
Per Japanese census data,[8] the population of Kitaakita has been decreasing rapidly over the past 60 years.
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1950 | 64,607 | — |
1960 | 66,150 | +2.4% |
1970 | 55,601 | −15.9% |
1980 | 51,210 | −7.9% |
1990 | 46,660 | −8.9% |
2000 | 42,050 | −9.9% |
2010 | 36,397 | −13.4% |
2020 | 30,198 | −17.0% |
The area of present-day Kitaakita was part of ancient Dewa Province. During the Edo period, the area came under the control of the Satake clan, who ruled the northern third of the province from Kubota Domain. After the start of the Meiji period, the area became part of Kitaakita District, Akita Prefecture in 1878 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system.
The city of Kitaakita was established on March 22, 2005, from the merger of the towns of Aikawa, Ani, Moriyoshi and Takanosu (all from Kitaakita District).
Aisai has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 20 members. The city contributes two members to the Akita Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Akita District 2 of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
The economy of Kitaakita is based on agriculture, forestry and seasonal tourism.
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Akita (capital) | ||
Core city | ![]() | |
Cities | ||
Districts | ||
List of mergers in Akita Prefecture |