Watari, Miyagi
Template:Nihongo is a town located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Template:As of, the town had an estimated population of 33,459, and a population density of 450 persons per km2 in 12,643 households.<ref>Watari Town official statistics Template:Webarchive Template:In lang</ref> The total area of the town is Template:Convert.
Geography
Watari is located in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan, in the southeastern Miyagi Prefecture, bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east. The Abukuma River flows through the town, forming its western border.
Neighboring municipalities
Miyagi Prefecture
Climate
Watari has a humid climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Watari is Template:Cvt. The average annual rainfall is Template:Cvt with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around Template:Cvt, and lowest in January, at around Template:Cvt.<ref name ="normals"/> Template:Weather box
Demographics
Per Japanese census data,<ref>Watari population statistics</ref> the population of Watari has remained relatively steady since the turn of the 21st century. Template:Historical populations
History
The area of present-day Watari was part of ancient Mutsu Province, and the place name of “Watari” appears in the Shoku Nihongi chronicles dated 718 AD. It was part of the holdings of Sendai Domain under the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate.
Watari Town was established on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of the post-Meiji restoration modern municipalities system. It merged with the neighboring town of Arahama and villages of Yoshida and Õkuma on February 1, 1955.
Watari was severely damaged by a tsunami caused by an earthquake on 11 March 2011.<ref name="usa today1">Template:Cite news</ref> Hundreds of people were stranded in a school but were airlifted from the roof by Japanese military helicopters.<ref name="AFP 1">Template:Cite web</ref> The tsunami covered 47% of the town's area and 305 residents were reported killed or missing.
Government
Watari has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 18 members. Watari contributes one seat to the Miyagi Prefectural legislature. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Miyagi 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy
The economy of Watari is largely based on agriculture (strawberries) and commercial fishing and fish processing.
Education
Watari has six public elementary schools and four public middle schools operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Miyagi Prefectural Board of Education.
Transportation
Railway
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East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Jōban Line
Highway
- Template:Jct – Torinoumi Interchange and Parking Area – Watari Interchange
- Template:Jct – Watari Interchange
- Template:Jct
Local attractions
- Sanjūsangendō Kanga ruins, Heian period National Historic Site<ref name= "Bunka">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Watari Jinja (site of Watari Castle)