Makinohara

Makinohara (牧之原市, Makinohara-shi) is a city located in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 July 2019, the city had an estimated population of 45,813 in 16980 households [1] and a population density of 410 persons per km². The total area of the city was 111.69 square kilometres (43.12 sq mi).

Makinohara

牧之原市
City
Tea plantations in Makinohara
Flag
Seal
Location of Makinohara in Shizuoka Prefecture
Makinohara
 
Coordinates: 34°44′N 138°13′E
CountryJapan
RegionChūbu (Tōkai)
PrefectureShizuoka
Government
 • MayorShigeki Nishihara
Area
 • Total111.69 km2 (43.12 sq mi)
Population
 (July 31, 2019)
 • Total45,813
 • Density410/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- Treecamellia sinensis
- Flowerhydrangea
Phone number548-23-0001
Address447 Shizunami, Makinohara-shi, Shizuoka-ken 421-0495
WebsiteOfficial website
Makinohara City Hall

Geography

Makinohara is located in south-central Shizuoka Prefecture. It is bordered by Suruga Bay on the Pacific Ocean to the east, and rises gradually to the Makinohara Plateau in the west. The area has a temperate maritime climate, characterized by hot, humid summers and mild winters, with the warm Kuroshio Current off shore providing a moderating effect.

Surrounding municipalities

Shizuoka Prefecture

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[2] the population of Makinohara has been relatively steady over the past 50 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1940 44,565—    
1950 55,066+23.6%
1960 50,993−7.4%
1970 47,953−6.0%
1980 48,835+1.8%
1990 51,308+5.1%
2000 51,672+0.7%
2010 49,022−5.1%

Climate

The city has a climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild winters (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Makinohara is 15.9 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2083 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around 6.0 °C.[3]

History

The area of present-day Makinohara was part of former Tōtōmi Province. During the Edo period, the town of Sagara was the castle town of Sagara Domain. With the establishment of the modern municipalities system in the early Meiji period on April 1, 1889, Sagara was incorporated as a town within Haibara District.

The city of Makinohara was established on October 11, 2005, from the merger of the towns of Haibara and Sagara (both from Haibara District).

Government

Makinohara has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 16 members. The city contributes one member to the Shizuoka Prefectural Assembly.

Economy

The local economy of Makinohara is dominated by the production of green tea, and to a lesser extent by commercial fishing, and manufacturing of automobile components for Suzuki Motors (Sagara Plant).[4]

Fuji Dream Airlines has its headquarters in Makinohara.[5]

Education

Makinohara has seven public elementary schools operated by the city government and one shared between Makinohara and Kikugawa, and three shared between Makinohara and Omaezaki. The city likewise operates two public junior high schools and shares operated with one junior high school with Kikugawa and one with Omaezaki. The city has two public high schools operated by the Shizuoka Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway

Although both the Tokaido Shinkansen and the Tokaido Main Line pass through Makinohara, the city has no passenger railway services. The nearest train station is Kikugawa Station in neighboring Kikugawa or Kanaya Station in neighboring Shimada.

Highway

Airport

Shizuoka Airport, which opened in 2009, straddles the border between Makinohara and Shimada.

Local attractions
  • Sagara Oil field, Japan's only oil field on the Pacific coast. Hand-pumping began in 1873, and the following year, Nippon Oil opened the first mechanical pumping operation in the country at Sagara. Operations ceased in 1955, and in 1980 the field was made into the "Yuden no Sato" Park, operated by the Shizuoka Prefectural government.[6][7]
  • Sagara Castle ruins

Sister city relations

Notable people from Makinohara

References
  1. Makinohara City official statistics (in Japanese)
  2. Makinohara population statistics
  3. Makinohara climate data
  4. https://www.globalsuzuki.com/corporate/productionbase/headoffice/sagara.html
  5. "会社概要." Fuji Dream Airlines. Retrieved on February 21, 2010.
  6. Archived April 16, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  7. Archived October 5, 2006, at the Wayback Machine

Media related to Makinohara, Shizuoka at Wikimedia Commons

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