Shiogama

Coordinates: 38°18′51.7″N 141°01′19.1″E / 38.314361°N 141.021972°E / 38.314361; 141.021972
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Shiogama
塩竈市
City
Urato islands Shiogama Port, Shiogama Shrine Aeon Town Shiogama, Shiogama Port Festival
Urato islands
Shiogama Port, Shiogama Shrine
Aeon Town Shiogama, Shiogama Port Festival
UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number022-364-1111
Address1-1 Asahimachi, Shiogama-shi, Miyagi-ken 985-8501
ClimateCfa
Websitehttp://www.city.shiogama.miyagi.jp/
Symbols
FlowerWhite Chrysanthemum
TreeShiogama Sakura

Shiogama (塩竈市 or 塩釜市, Shiogama-shi) is a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 June 2019, the city had an estimated population of 52,662, and a population density of 3,032 persons per km² in 23,270 households.[1] The total area of the city is 17.37 square kilometres (6.71 sq mi).

Geography

Shiogama is in north-central Miyagi Prefecture, bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east.

Neighboring municipalities

  • Miyagi Prefecture
    • Tagajō
    • Rifu
    • Shichigahama

Climate

Shiogama has a humid climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Shiogama is 11.8 °C (53.2 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,175.0 mm (46.26 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 23.5 °C (74.3 °F), and lowest in January, at around 0.9 °C (33.6 °F).[2]

Climate data for Shiogama (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 14.4
(57.9) 		20.7
(69.3) 		21.3
(70.3) 		30.0
(86.0) 		30.9
(87.6) 		34.2
(93.6) 		35.5
(95.9) 		35.8
(96.4) 		35.7
(96.3) 		28.5
(83.3) 		23.5
(74.3) 		20.7
(69.3) 		35.8
(96.4)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 4.4
(39.9) 		5.2
(41.4) 		8.9
(48.0) 		14.5
(58.1) 		19.3
(66.7) 		22.3
(72.1) 		25.7
(78.3) 		27.4
(81.3) 		24.1
(75.4) 		18.8
(65.8) 		13.0
(55.4) 		7.1
(44.8) 		15.9
(60.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) 0.9
(33.6) 		1.3
(34.3) 		4.4
(39.9) 		9.6
(49.3) 		14.6
(58.3) 		18.3
(64.9) 		22.0
(71.6) 		23.5
(74.3) 		20.3
(68.5) 		14.8
(58.6) 		8.8
(47.8) 		3.4
(38.1) 		11.8
(53.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −2.1
(28.2) 		−2.0
(28.4) 		0.5
(32.9) 		5.4
(41.7) 		10.8
(51.4) 		15.2
(59.4) 		19.3
(66.7) 		20.7
(69.3) 		17.2
(63.0) 		11.2
(52.2) 		5.0
(41.0) 		0.2
(32.4) 		8.5
(47.2)
Record low °C (°F) −9.6
(14.7) 		−9.5
(14.9) 		−6.2
(20.8) 		−2.8
(27.0) 		0.5
(32.9) 		7.9
(46.2) 		11.1
(52.0) 		12.9
(55.2) 		6.9
(44.4) 		2.2
(36.0) 		−3.1
(26.4) 		−7.8
(18.0) 		−9.6
(14.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 38.3
(1.51) 		31.8
(1.25) 		71.2
(2.80) 		87.9
(3.46) 		101.8
(4.01) 		130.0
(5.12) 		170.2
(6.70) 		130.5
(5.14) 		172.1
(6.78) 		140.2
(5.52) 		60.3
(2.37) 		40.6
(1.60) 		1,175
(46.26)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 6.0 5.8 7.5 8.4 9.4 11.0 13.8 11.1 11.2 8.5 6.5 6.5 105.7
Mean monthly sunshine hours 153.5 161.1 182.4 193.1 190.1 145.3 134.9 149.8 135.0 144.8 143.3 133.2 1,871.3
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3][2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[4] the population of Shiogama peaked around 1990 and has declined since.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1970 59,772—    
1980 61,040+2.1%
1990 62,025+1.6%
2000 61,547−0.8%
2010 56,490−8.2%
2020 52,203−7.6%

Etymology

"Shiogama" means "salt furnace" and refers to a local

stroke 釜 is often used in place of the 21-stroke 竈, such as in Shiogama Station.[5]

Shiogama Jinja uses the rendering 鹽竈, with an archaic character for salt. This third form is rarely seen outside of this context.

History

The area of present-day Shiogama was part of ancient

Yamato dynasty based at nearby Tagajō and was the most important seaport in Mutsu. The ruins of the provincial capital of Mutsu Province have been found within the city borders. During later portion of the Heian period, the area was ruled by the Northern Fujiwara. During the Sengoku period, the area was contested by various samurai clans before the area came under the control of the Date clan of Sendai Domain during the Edo period, under the Tokugawa shogunate
.

The town of Shiogama was established with the post-

Meiji restoration
creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Parts of Tagajō and Shichigahama were incorporated into Shiogama of September 1, 1938. Shiogama was raised to city status on November 23, 1941 (187th, nationally; 3rd in Miyagi). The city annexed the Gyūchi area of neighboring Tagajō on December 1, 1949 and the village of Urato on April 1, 1950.

The city was affected by the tsunami caused by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake,[6] although damage to its fishing industry turned out to be light.[7]

Government

Shiogama has a

unicameral
city legislature of 18 members.

Economy

The economy of Shiogama is largely based on commercial fishing, especially of tuna, and fish processing. The city also boasts one of the highest density of sushi restaurants in Japan.

Education

Shiogama has six public elementary schools and four middle schools operated by the city government, and one public high school operated by the Miyagi Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway

Highway

National highways

Miyagi Prefectural Highways

  • Miyagi Prefectural Route 3 (Shiogama—Yoshioka)
  • Miyagi Prefectural Route 10 (Shiogama—Watari)
  • Miyagi Prefectural Route 11 (Shiogama—Shiogama-kō)
  • Miyagi Prefectural Route 23 (Sendai—Shiogama)
  • Miyagi Prefectural Route 35 (Izumi—Shiogama)
  • Miyagi Prefectural Route 58 (Shiogama—Shichigahama—Tagajō)

Local attractions

Festivals

Specialties and crafts

Visitor attractions

Port of Shiogama

Notable people from Shiogama

References

  1. ^ Shiogama city official statistics(in Japanese)
  2. ^ a b 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
  3. ^ 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
  4. ^ Shiogama population statistics
  5. ^ "塩竈市／「竈」の字について". www.city.shiogama.miyagi.jp. Archived from the original on 2012-10-19.
  6. ^ http://themes.thestar.com/photo/0eira3V9EGfFA a tsunami wave engulfing vehicles and houses in Shiogama
  7. Japan Times
    , 9 April 2011, p. 3.
  8. ^ Entry at imdb.com
  9. ^ Official profile

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shiogama, Miyagi.
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