Sukagawa, Fukushima
Template:Nihongo is a city located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Template:As of, the city had an estimated population of 76,251 in 38824 households,<ref>Sukagawa City official statisticsTemplate:In lang</ref> and a population density of 270 persons per km2. The total area of the city was Template:Convert.
History
The area of present-day Sukagawa was part of ancient Mutsu Province. Remains from the Japanese Paleolithic through the Nara period and Heian period indicate continuous settlement of the area for many centuries. Sukagawa developed as a castle town of the Nikaido clan during the Kamakura period. The castle was destroyed by Date Masamune after his aunt Onamihime surrendered the castle during the Sengoku period. During the Edo period the area prospered from its location as a major lodging place on Ōshū Kaidō, which is one of the Edo Five Routes, and was the commercial center in the region. The area was mostly administered as an exclave of Takada Domain under the Tokugawa Shogunate. After the Meiji restoration, it was organized as part of the Nakadōri region of Iwaki Province.
The village of Sukagawa was formed on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. However, after mid-Meiji period, the municipality was eclipsed by Kōriyama, which had succeeded in inviting the junction of West Ban'etsu Line with the Tōhoku Main Line train routes. On March 31, 1954, Sukagawa was elevated to city status after merging with the town of Hamada and villages of Nishibukuro and Inada (all from Iwase District), and the village of Oshioe (from Ishikawa District). Later, Sukagawa absorbed Niida Village (from Iwase District) on March 10, 1955, and then absorbed Ohigashi Village (from Ishikawa District) on February 1, 1967. On April 1, 2005, Sukagawa absorbed the town of Naganuma and village Iwase (both from Iwase District).
After the earthquake of 2011, the Fujinuma Dam collapsed resulting in seven fatalities. See also Radiation effects from Fukushima I nuclear accidents.
Geography
Sukagawa is located in central Fukushima prefecture.
- Rivers: Abukuma River, Shakadogawa
- Mountains: Uzumine (676.9m)
Neighboring municipalities
- Fukushima Prefecture
Climate
Sukagawa has a humid climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Sukagawa is Template:Convert. The average annual rainfall is Template:Convert with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around Template:Convert, and lowest in January, at around Template:Convert.<ref>Sukagawa climate data</ref>
Demographics
Per Japanese census data,<ref>Sukagawa population statistics</ref> the population of Sukagawa peaked around the year 2000 and has declined slightly since then.
Template:Historical populations
Economy
Sukagawa has a mixed economy, and is a major commercial center for the surrounding region.
Government
Sulagawa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 23 members. Tamura, together with Tamura District contributes three members to the Fukushima Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Fukushima 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Education
Sukagawa has 17 public elementary schools and ten public junior high schools operated by the city government. The city has five public high schools operated by the Fukushima Prefectural Board of Education.
Transportation
Railway
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Highway
- Template:Jct – Sukagawa Interchange
- Template:Jct
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Airports
Fukushima Airport is located on the border of Sukagawa City and Tamagawa Village. It is notable for an array of Ultraman displays in honor of franchise creator Eiji Tsuburaya, whose hometown was Sukagawa. The airport houses the first Ultraman store in the Tohoku region.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Local attractions
- Beizanji Sutra Mounds
- Fujinuma Dam
- Sukagawa Ichirizuka
- Sukagawa Peony Garden
- Shōnindan temple ruins
- Taimatsu Akashi Festival
- Uzumine
International relations
- Template:Flagicon Luoyang, China, friendship city since August 1983
Notable people from Sukagawa
- Dean Fujioka, Musician, actor
- Mizuno Senko (1888–1919), writer
- Nakaba Suzuki, Manga artist
- Eiji Tsuburaya, special effects director and creator of Ultraman<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Kōkichi Tsuburaya, Olympic marathon runner
- Sachiko Eto (1947-2012), cult leader and serial killer