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Yonezawa, Yamagata

Coordinates: 37°55′20.1″N 140°07′0.4″E / 37.922250°N 140.116778°E / 37.922250; 140.116778
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Yonezawa
米沢市
City
Overview of downtown Yonezawa
Overview of downtown Yonezawa
Flag of Yonezawa
Flag
Official seal of Yonezawa
Seal
Location of Yonezawa in Yamagata Prefecture
Location of Yonezawa in Yamagata Prefecture
Yonezawa is located in Japan
Yonezawa
Yonezawa
 
Coordinates: 37°55′20.1″N 140°07′0.4″E / 37.922250°N 140.116778°E / 37.922250; 140.116778
CountryJapan
RegionTōhoku
PrefectureYamagata
First official recorded712 AD
City settledApril 1, 1889
Government
 • MayorYōsuke Kondō (since December 2023)
Area
 • Total
548.51 km2 (211.78 sq mi)
Population
 (February 2020)
 • Total
81,707
 • Density150/km2 (390/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number0238-22-5111
Address5-2-25 Kanaike, Yonezawa-shi, Yamagata-ken 992-8501
ClimateCfa/Dfa
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
FlowerAzumashakunage (Rhododendron metternichii Sieb. et Zucc. var. pentamerum Maxim)
TreeKometsuga (Tsuga diversifolia)
Yonezawa City Hall

Yonezawa (米沢市, Yonezawa-shi) is a city in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 February 2020, the city had an estimated population of 81,707 in 33,278 households,[1] and a population density of 150 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 548.51 square kilometres (212 sq mi). Yonezawa is most famous for its local delicacies (apples, Yonezawa beef, and carp) and for being a castle town that was once home to the Uesugi clan, including the daimyō Uesugi Yozan.

Geography

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Yonezawa is located in the southeast corner of Yamagata Prefecture. The southern and eastern portions of the city are river basins surrounded by large mountains, forming the Yonezawa Basin. The southern portion of the city has a complex terrain with several rivers and alternating ridges and valleys orientated east to west. The Mogami River flows through the city. Part of the city is within the borders of the Bandai-Asahi National Park.

Neighboring municipalities

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Climate

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Yonezawa 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 Yonezawa is 11.4 °C (52.5 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,444.6 mm (56.87 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.5 °C (76.1 °F), and lowest in January, at around −0.8 °C (30.6 °F).[2]

Climate data for Yonezawa (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 13.6
(56.5) 		16.4
(61.5) 		21.2
(70.2) 		29.9
(85.8) 		34.7
(94.5) 		34.7
(94.5) 		36.5
(97.7) 		37.7
(99.9) 		36.8
(98.2) 		29.6
(85.3) 		24.6
(76.3) 		17.8
(64.0) 		37.7
(99.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 2.6
(36.7) 		3.5
(38.3) 		7.6
(45.7) 		15.5
(59.9) 		22.0
(71.6) 		25.3
(77.5) 		28.4
(83.1) 		29.9
(85.8) 		25.4
(77.7) 		19.1
(66.4) 		12.2
(54.0) 		5.5
(41.9) 		16.4
(61.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) −0.8
(30.6) 		−0.5
(31.1) 		2.7
(36.9) 		9.3
(48.7) 		15.6
(60.1) 		19.8
(67.6) 		23.4
(74.1) 		24.5
(76.1) 		20.1
(68.2) 		13.5
(56.3) 		7.1
(44.8) 		1.7
(35.1) 		11.4
(52.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −4.4
(24.1) 		−4.6
(23.7) 		−1.7
(28.9) 		3.5
(38.3) 		9.7
(49.5) 		15.0
(59.0) 		19.4
(66.9) 		20.2
(68.4) 		15.9
(60.6) 		9.0
(48.2) 		2.7
(36.9) 		−1.7
(28.9) 		6.9
(44.4)
Record low °C (°F) −17.3
(0.9) 		−18.2
(−0.8) 		−12.6
(9.3) 		−5.3
(22.5) 		0.6
(33.1) 		6.9
(44.4) 		7.0
(44.6) 		12.3
(54.1) 		5.3
(41.5) 		−1.0
(30.2) 		−7.9
(17.8) 		−14.4
(6.1) 		−18.2
(−0.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 159.5
(6.28) 		101.8
(4.01) 		85.5
(3.37) 		67.4
(2.65) 		71.1
(2.80) 		114.0
(4.49) 		177.9
(7.00) 		151.4
(5.96) 		128.2
(5.05) 		117.7
(4.63) 		105.0
(4.13) 		158.2
(6.23) 		1,444.6
(56.87)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 267
(105) 		196
(77) 		103
(41) 		8
(3.1) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		7
(2.8) 		146
(57) 		711
(280)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 21.6 17.3 15.2 11.1 9.6 10.5 14.3 11.3 11.2 11.0 14.8 19.6 167.5
Average snowy days (≥ 3 cm) 21.8 18.3 12.4 1.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.8 11.0 65.5
Mean monthly sunshine hours 61.5 87.1 144.5 179.9 202.2 165.3 145.7 182.6 139.6 129.8 96.9 64.9 1,595.8
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3][2]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data,[4] the population of Yonezawa has recently declined after a long period of stability.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 75,039—    
1930 77,716+3.6%
1940 82,770+6.5%
1950 94,649+14.4%
1960 96,991+2.5%
1970 92,764−4.4%
1980 92,823+0.1%
1990 94,760+2.1%
2000 95,396+0.7%
2010 89,401−6.3%
2020 81,252−9.1%

History

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The area of present-day Yonezawa was part of ancient Dewa Province and was controlled in the Sengoku period by the Date clan. The famed warlord Date Masamune was born in Yonezawa. During the Edo period, the area became Yonezawa Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate, ruled by the Uesugi clan. After the start of the Meiji period, the area was organized into Minamiokitama District, Yamagata Prefecture.

The city of Yamagata was established on April 1, 1889, with the establishment of the modern municipalities system

Government

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Yonezawa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 24 members. The city contributes three members to the Yamagata Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Yamagata District 3 of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

List of mayor of Yonezawa

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Economy

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The economy of Yamagata is based on agriculture, horticulture, light manufacturing and tourism.

Education

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Colleges and universities

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Primary and secondary education

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Yonezawa has 18 public elementary schools and eight public middle schools operated by the city government and four public high schools operated by the Yamagata Prefectural Board of Education. There are also two private high schools.

Transportation

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Railway

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East Japan Railway Company - Yamagata Shinkansen

East Japan Railway Company - Ōu Main Line

East Japan Railway Company - Yonesaka Line

Highways

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Local attractions

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International relations

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See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Japan

Sister cities

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Japan

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Worldwide

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Notable people from Yonezawa

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References

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  1. ^ Yonezawa City official statistics (in Japanese)
  2. ^ a b 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  3. ^ 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  4. ^ Yonezawa population statistics
  5. ^ "International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Retrieved 21 November 2015.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yonezawa, Yamagata.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Yonezawa.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Shirabu Onsen.
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