Itayanagi (板柳町, Itayanagi-machi) is a town located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 April 2020, the town had an estimated population of 13,332 in 5450 households,[1] and a population density of 300 persons per km². The total area of the town is 41.88 square kilometres (16.17 sq mi).

Itayanagi
板柳町
Itayanagi town hall
Itayanagi town hall
Flag of Itayanagi
Official seal of Itayanagi
Map
Location of Itayanagi in Aomori Prefecture
Location of Itayanagi
Itayanagi is located in Japan
Itayanagi
Itayanagi
 
Coordinates: 40°41′45.2″N 140°27′26.1″E / 40.695889°N 140.457250°E / 40.695889; 140.457250
CountryJapan
RegionTōhoku
PrefectureAomori
DistrictKitatsugaru
Area
 • Total
41.88 km2 (16.17 sq mi)
Population
 (February 1, 2023)
 • Total
12,686
 • Density300/km2 (780/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC 9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number0172-73-2111
Address239-3 Doi, Itayanagi-machi, Kitatsugaru-gun, Aomori-ken 038-3692
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
FlowerPlatycodon grandiflorus
TreeMaple
KaidoJinja founded by Tsugaru Tamenobu

Geography

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Itayanagi is located at the base of Tsugaru Peninsula in Kitatsugaru District of Aomori Prefecture. The Iwaki River flows through the town.

Neighbouring municipalities

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Aomori Prefecture

Climate

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The town has a cold humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) characterized by warm short summers and long cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Itayanagi is 10.6 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1290 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.1 °C, and lowest in January, at around -1.7 °C.[2]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Itayanagi has decreased steadily over the past 60 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1960 21,860—    
1970 19,901−0.93%
1980 19,215−0.35%
1990 17,766−0.78%
2000 16,840−0.53%
2010 15,227−1.00%
2020 12,700−1.80%

History

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The area around Itayanagi was controlled by the Tsugaru clan of Hirosaki Domain during the Edo period, and was the location of a daikansho. After the Meiji Restoration, it was formed into a village on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. It was elevated to town status on April 1, 1920. On March 10, 1955, Itayanagi annexed the neighboring villages of Hataoka, Koami, and Arakawa.

Government

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Itayanagi has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town legislature of 12 members. Kitatsugaru District, less the town of Nakadomari, contributes one member to the Aomori Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Aomori 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

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The economy of Itayanagi is heavily dependent on horticulture, especially for apples, with rice as a secondary crop.

Education

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Itayanagi has four public elementary schools and one public junior high school operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Aomori Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

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Railway

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  East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Gonō Line

Highway

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  National Route 339

International relations

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Notable people

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References

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  1. ^ Itayanagi Town official statistics (in Japanese)
  2. ^ Itayanagi climate data
  3. ^ Itayanagi population statistics
  4. ^ "Beijing Changping official home page". Itayanagi student’s delegation from Japan visits Changping. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
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