Tendō (天童市, Tendō-shi) is a city located in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 February 2020, the city had an estimated population of 61,947 in 22392 households, and a population density of 550 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 113.01 square kilometres (43.63 square miles).[1]

Tendō
天童市
Tendō skyline
Tendō skyline
Flag of Tendō
Official seal of Tendō
Location of Tendō in Yamagata Prefecture
Location of Tendō in Yamagata Prefecture
Tendō is located in Tendo, Yamagata
Tendō
Tendō
 
Tendō is located in Tohoku, Japan
Tendō
Tendō
Tendō (Tohoku, Japan)
Tendō is located in Japan
Tendō
Tendō
Tendō (Japan)
Coordinates: 38°21′44.2″N 140°22′40.6″E / 38.362278°N 140.377944°E / 38.362278; 140.377944
CountryJapan
RegionTōhoku
PrefectureYamagata
Government
 • MayorShinji Yamamoto (from December 2008)
Area
 • Total113.01 km2 (43.63 sq mi)
Population
 (February 2020)
 • Total61,947
 • Density550/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
City symbols 
• TreeMaple
• FlowerAzalea
• BirdMeadow bunting
Phone number023-654-1111
Address1-1-1 Oinomori, Tendō-shi, Yamagata-ken 994-8510
WebsiteOfficial website
Tendō City Hall

Geography

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Tendō is located in the east-central portion of the Yamagata Basin, bordered by the Ōu Mountains to the east.

Neighboring municipalities

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Climate

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Tendō has a Humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) 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 Tendō is 11.1 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1381 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around -1.4 °C.[2]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Tendō has remained relatively stable in recent decades.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1960 44,521—    
1970 44,758+0.5%
1980 52,597+17.5%
1990 57,339+9.0%
2000 63,231+10.3%
2010 62,214−1.6%
2020 62,140−0.1%

History

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During the Edo period, the area of present-day Tendō was part of Tendō Domain, a 20,000 koku feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate controlled by the Oda clan, who ruled from 1831 to 1871.[4]

After the start of the Meiji period, the area organized as Tendō Village under Higashimurayama District, Yamagata Prefecture in 1878. It was elevated to town status on April 27, 1892 and became a city on October 1, 1958.

Government

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Tendō has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 22 members. The city contributes two members to the Yamagata Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Yamagata District 1 of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

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The economy of Tendō is based on seasonal tourism, agriculture and wood products. The city is traditionally known for its production of the wooden pieces (koma) used in Japanese chess (shogi), and games of "human shogi" have been played since 1966.[5] The city also has numerous onsen hot springs within its borders.

Education

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  • Uyō-Gakuen College
  • Tendō has twelve public elementary schools and four public middle schools operated by the city government and one public high school operated by the Yamagata Prefectural Board of Education. There is also one private high school.

Transportation

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Railway

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  East Japan Railway Company - Yamagata Shinkansen

  East Japan Railway Company - Ōu Main Line

Highways

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Sister cities

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Tendō is twinned with:[6]

Notable people

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References

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  1. ^ Official website
  2. ^ Tendō climate data
  3. ^ Tendō population statistics
  4. ^ Baedeker. (2012). Japan, p. 561; Hotta, Anne and Yoko Ishiguro. (1986). A guide to Japanese hot springs, p. 192.
  5. ^ "Tendo Ningen Shogi 2022 - April Events in Yamagata".
  6. ^ "姉妹都市交流". city.tendo.yamagata.jp (in Japanese). Tendō. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
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