Murakami (村上市, Murakami-shi) is a city located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 December 2020[update], the city had an estimated population of 58,300 in 22,594 households,[1] and a population density of 50 persons per km². The total area of the city was 1,174.26 square kilometres (453.38 sq mi).
Murakami
村上市 | |
|---|---|
 Murakami Taisai Festival | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Murakami in Niigata Prefecture | |
  Murakami | |
| Coordinates: 38°13′26.4″N 139°28′48″E / 38.224000°N 139.48000°E | |
| Country |  Japan |
| Region | Chūbu (Kōshin'etsu) (Hokuriku) |
| Prefecture | Niigata |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,174.26 km2 (453.38 sq mi) |
| Population (December 1, 2020) | |
| • Total | 58,300 |
| • Density | 50/km2 (130/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
| Phone number | 0254-53-2111 |
| Address | 1-1, Sannochō, Murakami-shi, Niigata-ken 958-8501 |
| Climate | Cfa |
| Website | Official website |
| Symbols | |
| Bird | Spizaetus nipalensis |
| Flower | Rosa rugosa |
| Tree | Fagus crenata |
Geography
editMurakami is northernmost and easternmost city of Niigata prefecture, and is located on the Sea of Japan coast, bordered by Yamagata Prefecture to the north and east. In terms of area, it is the largest in the prefecture.
Surrounding municipalities
editClimate
editMurakami has a humid climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm, wet summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Murakami is 12.8 °C (55.0 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,215.0 mm (87.20 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.5 °C (77.9 °F), and lowest in January, at around 1.7 °C (35.1 °F).[2]
| Climate data for Murakami (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 14.8 (58.6) |
21.5 (70.7) |
23.1 (73.6) |
30.3 (86.5) |
32.1 (89.8) |
34.6 (94.3) |
37.2 (99.0) |
39.9 (103.8) |
38.4 (101.1) |
33.7 (92.7) |
25.8 (78.4) |
20.9 (69.6) |
39.9 (103.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 4.7 (40.5) |
5.4 (41.7) |
9.4 (48.9) |
15.7 (60.3) |
21.5 (70.7) |
25.2 (77.4) |
28.5 (83.3) |
30.5 (86.9) |
26.4 (79.5) |
20.2 (68.4) |
13.8 (56.8) |
7.8 (46.0) |
17.4 (63.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 1.7 (35.1) |
1.8 (35.2) |
4.7 (40.5) |
10.2 (50.4) |
15.9 (60.6) |
20.3 (68.5) |
24.1 (75.4) |
25.5 (77.9) |
21.3 (70.3) |
15.1 (59.2) |
9.2 (48.6) |
4.2 (39.6) |
12.8 (55.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −1.0 (30.2) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
0.4 (32.7) |
4.7 (40.5) |
10.7 (51.3) |
15.8 (60.4) |
20.4 (68.7) |
21.3 (70.3) |
17.1 (62.8) |
10.6 (51.1) |
5.0 (41.0) |
1.0 (33.8) |
8.7 (47.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −9.6 (14.7) |
−11.0 (12.2) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
−5.8 (21.6) |
2.2 (36.0) |
6.6 (43.9) |
10.3 (50.5) |
12.3 (54.1) |
6.2 (43.2) |
1.6 (34.9) |
−2.3 (27.9) |
−6.9 (19.6) |
−11.0 (12.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 220.9 (8.70) |
147.4 (5.80) |
133.9 (5.27) |
115.4 (4.54) |
128.5 (5.06) |
132.1 (5.20) |
240.6 (9.47) |
180.2 (7.09) |
184.5 (7.26) |
202.4 (7.97) |
246.8 (9.72) |
255.0 (10.04) |
2,215 (87.20) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 25.8 | 21.4 | 18.5 | 13.2 | 12.2 | 10.5 | 13.6 | 11.2 | 13.8 | 15.8 | 19.6 | 24.4 | 200 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 33.2 | 55.8 | 112.7 | 165.3 | 193.0 | 179.5 | 158.2 | 201.2 | 147.2 | 131.3 | 80.8 | 41.2 | 1,499.4 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3][2] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
editPer Japanese census data,[4] the population of Murakami has declined steadily over the past 70 years.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 65,589 | — |
| 1930 | 71,714 | +9.3% |
| 1940 | 74,324 | +3.6% |
| 1950 | 92,840 | +24.9% |
| 1960 | 92,322 | −0.6% |
| 1970 | 83,107 | −10.0% |
| 1980 | 80,206 | −3.5% |
| 1990 | 76,511 | −4.6% |
| 2000 | 73,902 | −3.4% |
| 2010 | 66,427 | −10.1% |
| 2020 | 58,300 | −12.2% |
History
edit
The area of present-day Murakami was part of ancient Echigo Province. Murakami developed as a port and a castle town for the Murakami Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate in the Edo period. Even today, the downtown area shows the influence of its past existence as a residence of samurai and merchants. Following the Meiji restoration, the area was organized as part of Iwafune District, Niigata, and the town of Murakami was established with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Murakami was raised to city status on March 31, 1954. On April 1, 2008, the towns of Arakawa and Sanpoku and the villages of Asahi and Kamihayashi (all from Iwafune District) were merged into Murakami.[5][6]
Government
editMurakami has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 26 members. Murakami, collectively with the villages of Sekikawa and Awashimaura contributes two members to the Niigata Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Niigata 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Education
editMurakami has 21 public elementary schools and seven public middle schools operated by the city government. There is one public middle school and three public high schools operated by the Niigata Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school.
Transportation
editRailway
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- Sakamachi - Hirabayashi - Iwafunemachi - Murakami - Majima - Echigo-Hayakawa - Kuwagawa - Imagawa - Echigo-Kangawa - Gatsugi - Fuya
Highway
edit
Nihonkai-Tōhoku Expressway – Kamihayashi-Iwafune IC, Murakami-Senami Onsen IC, Murakami-Yamaberi IC, Asahi-Miomote IC, Asahi-Mahoroba IC
National Route 7
National Route 113
National Route 290
National Route 345
Sister cities
edit
Sabae, Fukui Prefecture, Japan
Local attractions
editFamous products of Murakami are tea (Murakami is the northernmost tea-growing spot in Japan), salmon, and Murakami beef. The city is also a tourist spot because of famous Senami Onsen and as a jumping off point to Awashima Island.
-
Salmon in Murakami -
Samurai residence -
![Sasagawa-nagare [ja]](//up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/62/Maoroshi%2C_Murakami%2C_Niigata_Prefecture_958-0001%2C_Japan_-_panoramio_%281%29.jpg/270px-Maoroshi%2C_Murakami%2C_Niigata_Prefecture_958-0001%2C_Japan_-_panoramio_%281%29.jpg)
-
![Senami Beach [ja]](//up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Senami_Beach_01.jpg/240px-Senami_Beach_01.jpg)
![Sasagawa-nagare [ja]](/wiki/File:Maoroshi,_Murakami,_Niigata_Prefecture_958-0001,_Japan_-_panoramio_(1).jpg)
![Senami Beach [ja]](/wiki/File:Senami_Beach_01.jpg)
National Historic Sites
edit- Hirabayashi Castle ruins
- Murakami Castle ruins
- Yamamoto Site
Festivals
editMurakami Taisai, a traditional regional festival, has been held in the downtown area on July 6 and 7, annually, since 1868.
References
edit- ^ Murakami City official statistics(in Japanese)
- ^ a b 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
- ^ 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
- ^ Murakami population statistics
- ^ 住民基本台帳人口移動報告年報 (in Japanese). 総務庁統計局. 2008. p. 133.
Murakami-shi, Arakawa-machi, Kamihayashi-mura, Asahi-mura and Sanpoku-machi were incorporated into a newly established Murakami-shi as of April 1, 2008.
- ^ "県内の合併状況 - 新潟県ホームページ" [The Status of the Merger Within the Prefecture - Niigata Prefecture Homepage]. Niigata Prefecture. Retrieved 2024-02-04.
External links
edit
Media related to Murakami, Niigata at Wikimedia Commons- Official Website (in Japanese)
- Murakami City Tourism Association (in English)
- Discover Uetsu (in English)
