Makurazaki, Kagoshima

City in Kyushu, Japan
Makurazaki
Flag of Makurazaki
Flag
Official seal of Makurazaki
Chapter
Map
Location of Makurazaki in Kagoshima Prefecture
Symbols
FlowerChrysanthemum
TreeCamellia

Makurazaki (枕崎市, Makurazaki-shi) is a city located in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on September 1, 1949.

As of April 2017, the city has an estimated population of 21,960 and a population density of 290 persons per km2.[1] The total area is 74.88 km2.

It is famous for its katsuobushi processing plants, which produce the chief flavoring ingredient—dried fish flakes—found in Japanese miso soup. About 70 small family businesses year-round boil, cut, dry and smoke the pungent fish, often sending a unique odor of steam, smoke and fish scent across the downtown area and out to sea.

Makurazaki is the site of the terminus of the southernmost JR train line in Japan, the Ibusuki Makurazaki Line. The Japanese know the town as the Typhoon Ginza (after Ginza in Tokyo). Each summer many cyclones strike the main islands first in the area of Makurazaki.

Geography

Climate

Makurazaki has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and mild winters. Precipitation is high throughout the year, and is especially high from May to July. The highest record temperature was 36.9 °C (98.4 °F) on August 18, 2020 while the lowest recorded temperature was −4.4 °C (24.1 °F) on February 19, 1977.[2]

Climate data for Makurazaki (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1923−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 22.8
(73.0)
22.8
(73.0)
24.5
(76.1)
28.4
(83.1)
30.2
(86.4)
32.6
(90.7)
35.3
(95.5)
36.9
(98.4)
34.8
(94.6)
32.7
(90.9)
27.5
(81.5)
24.3
(75.7)
36.9
(98.4)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 12.9
(55.2)
14.0
(57.2)
16.8
(62.2)
20.6
(69.1)
24.1
(75.4)
26.4
(79.5)
30.2
(86.4)
31.4
(88.5)
29.2
(84.6)
25.2
(77.4)
20.3
(68.5)
15.2
(59.4)
22.2
(72.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) 8.9
(48.0)
9.9
(49.8)
12.6
(54.7)
16.5
(61.7)
20.1
(68.2)
23.2
(73.8)
27.0
(80.6)
27.8
(82.0)
25.3
(77.5)
20.8
(69.4)
15.8
(60.4)
10.9
(51.6)
18.2
(64.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 5.0
(41.0)
5.6
(42.1)
8.3
(46.9)
12.2
(54.0)
16.2
(61.2)
20.4
(68.7)
24.4
(75.9)
24.8
(76.6)
22.0
(71.6)
16.8
(62.2)
11.6
(52.9)
6.8
(44.2)
14.5
(58.1)
Record low °C (°F) −3.3
(26.1)
−4.4
(24.1)
−1.7
(28.9)
0.0
(32.0)
5.0
(41.0)
11.2
(52.2)
16.6
(61.9)
16.9
(62.4)
10.7
(51.3)
4.6
(40.3)
−0.5
(31.1)
−3.0
(26.6)
−4.4
(24.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 96.2
(3.79)
114.3
(4.50)
167.6
(6.60)
188.3
(7.41)
196.7
(7.74)
512.9
(20.19)
306.9
(12.08)
181.0
(7.13)
236.2
(9.30)
94.8
(3.73)
129.3
(5.09)
111.6
(4.39)
2,335.6
(91.95)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 1
(0.4)
trace 0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
1
(0.4)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 10.5 10.0 12.6 9.9 9.9 15.1 9.9 9.8 10.0 7.1 8.9 9.8 123.5
Average snowy days (≥ 1 cm) 0.3 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.5
Average relative humidity (%) 68 68 69 71 75 83 82 79 77 72 72 70 74
Mean monthly sunshine hours 109.9 121.3 153.2 173.2 176.9 109.5 203.0 222.8 186.7 181.8 149.3 125.6 1,913.1
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (records 1872–present)[2][3][4]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Makurazaki in 2020 is 20,033 people.[5] Makurazaki has been conducting a census since 1920, and the city's population peaked in the 1950s at more than 35,000 people; the population has declined slowly since then. The population of Makurazaki in 2020 is only 70% of the 1955 census.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 23,577—    
1925 24,920+5.7%
1930 27,239+9.3%
1935 28,000+2.8%
1940 29,057+3.8%
1945 32,717+12.6%
1950 34,480+5.4%
1955 35,546+3.1%
1960 33,511−5.7%
1965 31,464−6.1%
1970 30,084−4.4%
1975 29,685−1.3%
1980 30,060+1.3%
1985 30,099+0.1%
1990 28,794−4.3%
1995 27,640−4.0%
2000 26,317−4.8%
2005 25,150−4.4%
2010 23,645−6.0%
2015 22,046−6.8%
2020 20,033−9.1%
Makurazaki population statistics[5]

References

  1. ^ "Official website of Makurazaki City" (in Japanese). Japan: Makurazaki City. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  2. ^ a b 観測史上1~10位の値( 年間を通じての値) (in Japanese). Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  3. ^ 気象庁 / 平年値(年・月ごとの値) (in Japanese). Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  4. ^ 気象庁 / 平年値(年・月ごとの値) (in Japanese). Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  5. ^ a b Makurazaki population statistics

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Makurazaki, Kagoshima.
  • Makurazaki City official website (in Japanese)
  • Makurazaki Katsuobushi official website
  • Geographic data related to Makurazaki, Kagoshima at OpenStreetMap
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