Katashina, Gunma

Katashina (片品村, Katashina-mura) is a village located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 October 2020, the village had an estimated population of 4,314 in 1694 households,[1] and a population density of 11 persons per km². The total area of the village is 391.76 square kilometres (151.26 sq mi). m². Much of the village is within the borders of Oze National Park.

Katashina

片品村
Village
Oze wetlands, Katashina
Flag
Seal
Location of Katashina in Gunma Prefecture
Katashina
 
Coordinates: 36°46′21″N 139°13′30.8″E
CountryJapan
RegionKantō
PrefectureGunma
DistrictTone
Area
 • Total391.76 km2 (151.26 sq mi)
Population
 (September 2020)
 • Total4,314
 • Density11/km2 (29/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
City symbols 
• TreeSilver birch
• FlowerAsian skunk-cabbage
• BirdCopper pheasant
Phone number0278-58-2111
Address3967-3 Kamata, Katashina-mura, Tone-gun, Gunma-ken 378-0498
WebsiteOfficial website
Katashina village office

Geography

Located in northern Gunma, Katashina is bordered by Tochigi Prefecture to the east and Fukushima Prefecture to the northeast. The village is very mountainous, with the highest elevation being 2578m and the lowest 640m. The temperature can reach up to 36°C in the summer, but in the winter, it can drop to -18°C. The average temperature is 11°C, the yearly precipitation is 1042 mm, and amount of snowfall is 95 cm, with the snowy period lasting for 120 days.[2]

  • Mountains: Mount Nikkō-Shirane (2578m), Mount Shibutsu (2228m), Mount Hotaka(2158m)
  • Rivers: Katashina River, Ōtaki River
  • Lakes: Marunuma (Maru Swamp), Suganuma

Surrounding municipalities

Gunma Prefecture

Tochigi Prefecture

Fukushima Prefecture

Niigata Prefecture

Climate

Katashina has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) characterized by warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. [3]

Climate data for Katashina
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average precipitation mm (inches) 55.6
(2.19)		 59.1
(2.33)		 71.6
(2.82)		 75.0
(2.95)		 96.1
(3.78)		 129.8
(5.11)		 165.7
(6.52)		 156.1
(6.15)		 175.6
(6.91)		 103.7
(4.08)		 58.8
(2.31)		 54.7
(2.15)		 1,201.7
(47.31)
Source 1: 理科年表
Source 2: Japan Meteorological Agency (Averages：1981-2010、Peaks：1888-present)[4]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[5] the population of Katashina has remained relatively steady over the past 40 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 4,363—    
1930 5,803+33.0%
1940 7,700+32.7%
1950 8,117+5.4%
1960 8,491+4.6%
1970 6,754−20.5%
1980 6,134−9.2%
1990 6,109−0.4%
2000 5,929−2.9%
2010 4,899−17.4%

History

The area of present-day Katashina was part of the tenryō holdings within Kōzuke Province administered directly by the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo period. On April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system after the Meiji Restoration, Katashina village was established within Tone District, Gunma.

Government

Katashina has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral village council of ten members. Katashina, together with the other municipalities in Tone District, contributes one member to the Gunma Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Gunma 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

The economy of Katashina is heavily dependent on seasonal tourism to ski resorts and to onsen hot springs.

Education

Katashina has one public elementary school and one public middle school operated by the town government. The town does not have a high school.

Transportation

Railways

Katashina does not have any passenger railway service.

Highways

Local attractions
  • Katashina Hot Springs
  • Hanasaku Hot Springs
  • Oze Tokura Hot Springs
  • Marunuma Hot Springs
  • Shirane Hot Springs
  • Ozegahara - Oze National Park
  • Marunuma Dam
  • Sonohara Dam
  • Konsei Mountain Pass
  • Chigira Farm
  • Marunuma Plateau Ski Resort
  • Katashina Plateau Ski Resort
  • Oze Iwakura Ski Area
  • Oze Tokura Ski Area
  • Hotaka Bokujo Ski Area
  • Oguna Hotaka Ski Area
  • Ca et la Ski Resort Oze

References
  1. "Katashina Village official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. 片品村の沿革・位置・地勢・気象
  3. Katashina climate data
  4. "平年値（年・月ごとの値）". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
  5. Katashina population statistics

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