Tōhoku, Aomori

Tōhoku 東北町
Town
Tōhoku Town Hall
Flag Seal
Location of Tōhoku in Aomori Prefecture
Tōhoku
Coordinates: 40°43′41″N 141°15′28″E
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Prefecture	Aomori
District	Kamikita
Area
• Total	326.50 km2 (126.06 sq mi)
Population  (April 1, 2020)
• Total	17,297
• Density	53/km2 (140/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
– Tree	Red Pine
– Flower	Sakura
– Bird	Swan
Phone number	0176-56-3111
Address	4-32-484 Kamikita-Minami, Tohoku-machi, Kamikita-gun, Aomori-ken 039-2492
Website	Official website

Lake Ogawara from Tōhoku town

Tōhoku (東北町, Tōhoku-machi) is a town located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 April 2020, the town had an estimated population of 17,297, and a population density of 53 persons per km² in 7,269 households. The total area of the town is 326.50 km² (126.06 sq mi).

Geography

Tōhoku is located in north-central Aomori Prefecture, bordering on the west shore of Lake Ogawara.

Neighboring municipalities

Aomori Prefecture

• Hiranai
• Misawa
• Noheji
• Rokkasho
• Rokunohe
• Shichinohe
• Towada

Climate

The town has a cold maritime climate characterized by cool short summers and long cold winters with heavy snowfall (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Tōhoku is 9.8 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1217 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 22.5 °C, and lowest in January, at around −2.1 °C.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Tōhoku has steadily declined over the past 60 years.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1950	22,028	—
1960	25,610	+16.3%
1970	23,588	−7.9%
1980	22,587	−4.2%
1990	21,553	−4.6%
2000	20,591	−4.5%
2010	19,105	−7.2%

History

During the Edo period, the area around Tōhoku was controlled by the Nambu clan of Morioka Domain, becoming part of the territories of Shichinohe Domain in the latter half of the Edo period. In the post-Meiji Restoration establishment of the modern municipalities system on 1 April 1889, Katchi (甲地村, Katchi-mura) was created. It was elevated to town status on November 1, 1963, at which time it was renamed to its present name. The neighboring town of Kamikita merged with Tōhoku on March 31, 2005.

Government

Tōhoku has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 12 members. Tōhoku is part of Kamikita District which contributes four members to the Aomori Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Aomori 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

The economy of Tōhoku is heavily dependent on an agriculture, based primarily on production of nagaimo, daikon and carrots as well as lake fish, including smelt, icefish and shijimi.

Education

Tōhoku has three public elementary schools and two public middle schools operated by the town government. The town does not have a high school.

Transportation

Railway

Aoimori Railway Company – Aoimori Railway Line

• Kogawara, Kamikitachō, Ottomo, Chibiki

Highway

• Kamikita Expressway
• Shimokita Expressway
• National Route 4
• National Route 45 (unsigned)
• National Route 394

Noted people from Tōhoku

• Masato Shibata, jockey
• Yoshitomi Shibata, jockey
• Takemi Sasaki, jockey
• Mitsuru Fukikoshi, actor

External links

Media related to Tōhoku, Aomori at Wikimedia Commons

• Official Website (in Japanese)