Iinan (飯南町, Iinan-chō) is a town located in Iishi District, Shimane Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 August 2023[update], the town had an estimated population of 4,502 in 2018 households and a population density of 19 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the town is 242.88 square kilometres (93.78 sq mi).
Iinan
飯南町 | |
|---|---|
 The town of Iinan. | |
 Flag  Emblem | |
 Location of Iinan in Shimane Prefecture | |
 | |
  Iinan Location in Japan | |
| Coordinates: 35°0′0″N 132°42′50″E / 35.00000°N 132.71389°E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Chūgoku San'in |
| Prefecture | Shimane |
| District | Iishi |
| Area | |
• Total | 242.88 km2 (93.78 sq mi) |
| Population (August 1, 2023) | |
• Total | 4,502 |
| • Density | 19/km2 (48/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
| City hall address | 890 Shimoakana, Iinan-machi, Shimane-ken 690-3513 |
| Climate | Cfa |
| Website | www |
| Symbols | |
| Flower | Peony |
| Tree | Beech |
Geography
editIinan is located in the Chugoku Mountains on the border of Shimane Prefecture and Hiroshima Prefecture, about 90% of the town is forest and wilderness. Surrounded by mountains of around 1000 meters, the flatland is about 450 meters above sea level, and the entire town is a heavy snowfall area. The Gōno River flows to its west. Parts of the town are within the borders of the Hiba-Dogo-Taishaku Quasi-National Park.[2]
- Mountains: Mt. Oyorogi, Mt. Kotobiki, Mt. Mengame
- Rivers: Kando River, Tonbara River, Akana River, Ono River (Tributary of Kando River)
- Lakes: Lake Kijima (Kijima Reservoir).
Subdivisions
edit- Akana
- Kijima
- Oda
- Tani
- Tonbara, formerly part of Tonbara, Shimane
Surrounding municipalities
editClimate
editIinan has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with very warm summers and cool winters. Precipitation is abundant throughout the year. The average annual temperature in Iinan is 11.7 °C (53.1 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,044.9 mm (80.51 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 23.8 °C (74.8 °F), and lowest in January, at around 0.3 °C (32.5 °F).[3] The highest temperature ever recorded in Iinan was 35.1 °C (95.2 °F) on 16 July 2018; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −14.0 °C (6.8 °F) on 28 February 1981.[4]
| Climate data for Akana, Iinan (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 14.3 (57.7) |
18.6 (65.5) |
21.5 (70.7) |
28.9 (84.0) |
30.6 (87.1) |
32.2 (90.0) |
35.1 (95.2) |
35.0 (95.0) |
33.2 (91.8) |
28.3 (82.9) |
22.8 (73.0) |
17.3 (63.1) |
35.1 (95.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 3.8 (38.8) |
5.1 (41.2) |
10.0 (50.0) |
16.6 (61.9) |
21.7 (71.1) |
24.6 (76.3) |
27.8 (82.0) |
29.2 (84.6) |
24.8 (76.6) |
19.1 (66.4) |
13.0 (55.4) |
6.6 (43.9) |
16.9 (62.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 0.3 (32.5) |
0.9 (33.6) |
4.4 (39.9) |
10.2 (50.4) |
15.4 (59.7) |
19.3 (66.7) |
23.0 (73.4) |
23.8 (74.8) |
19.4 (66.9) |
13.3 (55.9) |
7.8 (46.0) |
2.6 (36.7) |
11.7 (53.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −3.2 (26.2) |
−3.3 (26.1) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
3.9 (39.0) |
9.4 (48.9) |
14.7 (58.5) |
19.4 (66.9) |
19.8 (67.6) |
15.1 (59.2) |
8.3 (46.9) |
3.0 (37.4) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
7.1 (44.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −11.8 (10.8) |
−14.0 (6.8) |
−11.0 (12.2) |
−5.7 (21.7) |
−1.6 (29.1) |
5.3 (41.5) |
6.7 (44.1) |
10.9 (51.6) |
2.3 (36.1) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
−11.0 (12.2) |
−14.0 (6.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 172.5 (6.79) |
144.4 (5.69) |
152.6 (6.01) |
136.5 (5.37) |
155.8 (6.13) |
214.5 (8.44) |
297.1 (11.70) |
172.1 (6.78) |
205.3 (8.08) |
111.9 (4.41) |
106.8 (4.20) |
175.4 (6.91) |
2,044.9 (80.51) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 179 (70) |
139 (55) |
47 (19) |
1 (0.4) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
3 (1.2) |
87 (34) |
457 (180) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 18.9 | 15.9 | 15.0 | 11.5 | 10.3 | 12.7 | 13.5 | 10.9 | 11.3 | 9.6 | 11.9 | 17.7 | 159.2 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 3 cm) | 16.8 | 13.9 | 5.5 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 7.3 | 43.9 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 57.7 | 74.9 | 133.7 | 179.5 | 203.4 | 145.4 | 147.8 | 178.9 | 134.9 | 148.9 | 109.3 | 67.9 | 1,576 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[4][3] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
editPer Japanese census data,[5][6] the population of Iinan has decreased by more than half over the past 50 years.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 9,163 | — |
| 1975 | 8,180 | −10.7% |
| 1985 | 7,771 | −5.0% |
| 1985 | 7,650 | −1.6% |
| 1990 | 7,331 | −4.2% |
| 1995 | 6,893 | −6.0% |
| 2000 | 6,541 | −5.1% |
| 2005 | 5,979 | −8.6% |
| 2010 | 5,534 | −7.4% |
| 2015 | 5,031 | −9.1% |
| 2020 | 4,577 | −9.0% |
| (Population of Tonbara and Akagi added together before 2005) | ||
History
editThe area of Iinan was part of ancient Izumo Province. During the Edo Period, the area divided between Matsue Domain, and its sub-domain, Hirose Domain. After the Meiji restoration, villages were established within Iishi District, Shimane on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system, including the village of Tonbara. Tonbara was elevated to town status on April 29, 1949. The town of Iinan was formed on January 1, 2005 from the merger of the towns of Tonbara, and Akagi.
Government
editIinan has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of ten members. Iinan, collectively with the towns of Unnan, contributes two members to the Shimane Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Shimane 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy
editIinan is a very rural area, with an economy based on agriculture and forestry.
Education
editIinan has four public elementary school and two public junior high schools operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Shimane Prefectural Board of Education.
Transportation
editRailway
editIinan does not have any passenger railway service. The nearest train station is Miyoshi Station on the JR West Geibi Line.
Highways
editLocal attractions
edit
- Akana Castle
- It is an old castle located on top of a hill in the Akana area of the town.
- Akana Marshland
- Kotobiki Camp Area
- The Kotobiki Camp Area is located at the foot of Mount Kotobiki. It is open from late April to late October.[8]
- Mount Kotobiki
- Mount Mengame
- Situated on the border of Hiroshima Prefecture and Shimane Prefecture, Mount Mengame has an elevation of 830.3m. It is known for being the only place in the Chūgoku Region in which Luehdorfia are found.[10]
References
edit- ^ "Iinan Town official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
- ^ 考える社会科地図 Kangaeru Shakaika Chizu. 四谷大塚出版 Yotsuya-Ōtsuka Shuppan. 2005. p. 25.
- ^ a b 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
- ^ a b 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
- ^ ja:飯南町
- ^ https://www.citypopulation.de/en/japan/shimane/ Iinan population statistics
- ^ (in Japanese) おかえりなさい！：島根県飯南町観光WEB Archived 2007-12-09 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ (in Japanese) おかえりなさい！：島根県飯南町観光WEB Archived 2007-10-12 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ (in Japanese) おかえりなさい！：島根県飯南町観光WEB Archived 2007-12-09 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ (in Japanese) おかえりなさい！：島根県飯南町観光WEB Archived 2012-08-02 at archive.today
External links
edit- Media related to Iinan, Shimane at Wikimedia Commons
- Iinan official website (in Japanese)
