Awara, Fukui

Awara あわら市
City
Awara City Hall
Flag Seal
Location of Awara in Fukui Prefecture
Awara
Coordinates: 36°12′40.7″N 136°13′44.3″E
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu (Hokuriku)
Prefecture	Fukui
Area
• Total	116.98 km2 (45.17 sq mi)
Population  (May 2018)
• Total	28,405
• Density	240/km2 (630/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
City symbols
-Tree	Prunus mume
-Flower	Iris
-Bird	Egret
Phone number	0776-73-1221
Address	2-1-1, Ichihime, Awara-shi, Fukui-ken 919-0692
Website	www.city.awara.lg.jp

Awara (あわら市, Awara-shi) is a city located in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 May 2018, the city had an estimated population of 28,405 in 10,140 households and the population density of 240 persons per km². The total area of the city was 116.98 square kilometres (45.17 sq mi). It is one of the few Hiragana cities in Japan. Awara is a city famous for its onsen resorts and natural hotwater springs.

Geography

Awara is located in far northern Fukui Prefecture, bordered by Ishikawa Prefecture to the north and the Sea of Japan to the northeast, The city of Sakai surrounds the city to the east, south and west.

Neighbouring municipalities

• Fukui Prefecture
  • Sakai
• Ishikawa Prefecture
  • Kaga

Climate

Awara has a Humid climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm, wet summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Awara is 14.2 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2481 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 2.8 °C.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Awara has remained steady over the past 40 years.

Census Year	Population
1970	29,436
1980	30,975
1990	31,743
2000	32,178
2010	29,989

History

Awara is part of ancient Echizen Province. During the Edo period, the area was divided between the holdings of Fukui Domain, Maruoka Domain and Nishio Domain. Following the Meiji restoration, it was organised into part of Sakai District in Fukui Prefecture. Awara Onsen was developed from June 1884. With the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889, the town of Kanazu and villages of Awara, Ii, Tsuboe, Hosorogi, Yoshizaki, Kitagata and Honjō were established. Awara was raised to town status in February 1935. The villages of Ii, Tsuboe, Hosoroe, and Yoshizaki merged into Kanazu in October 1954, and Kitagata and Honsho were merged into Awara in March 1955. Most of Awara Onsen burned down in a fire in April 1956. Awara and Kanazu merged to form the city of Awara on March 1, 2004.

Government

Awara has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 18 members.

Economy

The economy of Awara is mixed, with agriculture and the tourism industry centered on Awara Onsen playing prominent roles. Hitachi Zosen Fukui Corporation, a hydraulic press manufacturer, is headquartered in Awara.

Education

Awara has seven public elementary schools and two middle schools operated by the city government, and one public high school operated by the Fukui Prefectural Board of Education.

High school

• Kanazu High School (金津高校）

Junior high schools

• Awara Junior High School (芦原中学校)
• Kanazu Junior High School (金津中学校)

Elementary schools

• Awara Elementary School (芦原小学校)
• Kitagata Elementary School 北潟小学校)
• Kanazu Elementary School (金津小学校)
• Hosorogi Elementary School (細呂木小学校)
• Kanazu Higashi Elementary School (金津東小学校)
• Ii Elementary School (伊井小学校)
• Honjo Elementary School (本荘小学校)

Transportation

Railway

• JR West - Hokuriku Main Line
  • Awaraonsen, Hosorogi, Ushinoya
• Echizen Railway Mikuni Awara Line
  • Honjō - Banden - Awara-Yunomachi

Highway

• National Route 8
• National Route 305
• National Route 265

International relations

• - Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China, friendship city

Local attractions

• Echizen-Kaga Kaigan Quasi-National Park
• Awara Onsen
• site of Yoshizaki-gobō

External links

• Media related to Awara, Fukui at Wikimedia Commons
• Awara City official website (in Japanese)