Shiroishi, Miyagi

Shiroishi (白石市, Shiroishi-shi) is a city in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 May 2020, the city had an estimated population of 33,330 and a population density of 120 persons per km2 in 14,242 households.[1] The total area of the city is 286.48 square kilometres (110.61 sq mi).

Shiroishi

白石市
City
Shiroishi montage, Top:Zao Mount Range and Shiroishi River, Middle left:Shiroishi Castle, Middle upper right:Kamasaka Spa, Middle lower right:Yajiro Kokeshi, Bottom left:Shiroishi Hot Noodle (Umen), Bottom right:Mausoleum of the Katakura Clan.
Flag
Seal
Location of Shiroishi in Miyagi Prefecture
Shiroishi
 
Coordinates: 38°0′8.89″N 140°37′10.81″E
CountryJapan
RegionTōhoku
PrefectureMiyagi
First official recorded721 AD
City SettledApril 1, 1954
Government
 • -MayorYūichi Yamada
Area
 • Total286.48 km2 (110.61 sq mi)
Population
 (May 31, 2020)
 • Total33,330
 • Density120/km2 (300/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Symbols 
• TreeJapanese beech
• FlowerKerria
• BirdJapanese bush-warbler
Phone number0224-25-2111
Address1-1 Ōtemachi, Shiroishi-shi, Miyagi-ken 989-0292
WebsiteOfficial website
Shiroishi City Hall

Geography

Shiroishi is in southern Miyagi Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan, bordered by Fukushima Prefecture to the south. The southern peak of Mount Zaō is within the city borders.

Panorama view of Shiroishi

Neighboring municipalities

Miyagi Prefecture

Fukushima Prefecture

Climate

Shiroishi has a humid climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Shiroishi is 11.4 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1292 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.4 °C, and lowest in January, at around -0.2 °C.[2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Shiroishi peaked at around the year 1990, and has declined since.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 31,285—    
1930 34,051+8.8%
1940 34,796+2.2%
1950 44,871+29.0%
1960 43,911−2.1%
1970 40,886−6.9%
1980 41,725+2.1%
1990 42,262+1.3%
2000 40,793−3.5%
2010 37,422−8.3%

History

The area of present-day Shiroishi was part of ancient Mutsu Province and was under control of the Date clan of Sendai Domain during the Edo period, under the Tokugawa shogunate. During the Boshin War of the Meiji Restoration, Shiroishi Castle was the site of a battle between the pro-imperial and pro-Tokugawa forces of the Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei. After the end of the Boshin War, the Nambu clan of Morioka Domain was briefly relocated to a reduced domain centered on Shiroishi by the Meiji government.

The town of Shiroishi was established on June 1, 1889 with the establishment of the post-Meiji restoration modern municipalities system. The villages of Odaira, Otakasawa, Kosugo, Saikawa, Shirakawa and Fukuoka merged with Shiroishi on April 1, 1954, which was then raised to city status. The village of Obara was annexed to Shiroishi on March 31, 1957.[4]

Government

Shiroishi has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 18 members.[5] Shiroishi, collectively with the towns of Zaō and Shichikashuku, contributes two seats to the Miyagi Prefectural legislature. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Miyagi 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Shiroishi has a mixed economy, dominated by light manufacturing of electronics, automotive components and food processing. Agriculture is dominated by rice cultivation on the flatlands and horticulture in more hilly areas.

Education

Shiroishi has nine public elementary schools and five public junior high schools operated by the city government and two public high schools operated by the Miyagi Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates two special education schools.

Transportation

Railway

East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Tōhoku Shinkansen

East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Tōhoku Main Line

Highways

Local attractions

Sister city relations

Noted people from Shiroishi

References
  1. Shiroish city official statistics (in Japanese)
  2. Shiroishi climate data
  3. Shiroishi population statistics
  4. Shiroishi home page
  5. Shioishi City Council home page(in Japanese)
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-05-16. Retrieved 2010-12-17.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. Yamamura, Takayoshi (2018). "Pop culture contents and historical heritage: case of heritage revitalization through 'contents tourism' in Shiroishi city". Contemporary Japan. 30 (2): 144–163. doi:10.1080/18692729.2018.1460049.
  8. "Zao Fox Village - Miyagi - Japan Travel".
  9. "International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-02-08. Retrieved 2014-08-21.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Shiroishi home page
  11. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-02-08. Retrieved 2014-08-21.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Shiroishi home page
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