Rifu

Rifu 利府町
Town
1=Aeon Rifu, 2=Miyagi Athletic Park Gymnasium, Kaseinuma Park, 3=Shinkansen Maintenance Center, Rifu Station, 4=Miyagi Stadium
Flag Seal
Location of Rifu in Miyagi Prefecture
Rifu
Coordinates: 38°19′58.3″N 140°58′37.8″E
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Prefecture	Miyagi
District	Miyagi
Area
• Total	44.89 km2 (17.33 sq mi)
Population  (July 31, 2017)
• Total	36,251
• Density	807.5/km2 (2,091/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- Tree	Live oak
- Flower	Nashi pear
Phone number	022-767-2111
Address	Rifu Shinnamimatsu 4, Rifu-chō, Miyagi-gun, Miyagi-ken 981-0112
Website	http://www.town.rifu.miyagi.jp/

Rifu town hall

Rifu (利府町, Rifu-chō) is a town located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 July 2017, the town had an estimated population of 36,251, and a population density of 807.5 persons per km² in 13,168 households. The total area of the town is 44.89 square kilometres (17.33 sq mi). Rifu is known for its nashi pears. Recently, wine and candy made from nashi pears have been developed in the town.

Geography

Rifu is located in east-central Miyagi Prefecture, bordered by Sendai metropolis to the south and by Matsushima Bay to the east.

Neighboring municipalities

• Miyagi Prefecture
  • Sendai
  • Tagajō
  • Shiogama
  • Tomiya
  • Ōsato
  • Taiwa
  • Matsushima

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Rifu has increased over the past 40 years.

Census Year	Population
1970	8,031
1980	11,201
1990	16,321
2000	29,848
2010	33,944

Climate

Rifu has a humid climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Rifu is 11.9 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1237 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 0.6 °C.

History

The area of present-day Rifu was part of ancient Mutsu Province, and has been settled since at least the Jōmon period by the Emishi people. With the establishment of Tagajō in the Nara period, Rifu was part of the central Yamato colonization area in the region. During the Sengoku period, the area was contested by various samurai clans before the area came under the control of the Date clan of Sendai Domain during the Edo period, under the Tokugawa shogunate.

The village of Rifu was established on June 1, 1889 with post-Meiji restoration establishment of the modern municipalities system. It was raised to town status on October 1, 1967.

Economy

The economy of Rifu is largely based on agriculture, primarily horticulture and the cultivation of rice. East Japan Railway Company's Sendai Shinkansen maintenance depot is located in Rifu.

Education

Rifu has six public elementary schools and three public junior high schools operated by the town government. The town has one public high school operated by the Miyagi Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school.

Transportation

Railway

• East Japan Railway Company (JR East) – Tōhoku Main Line
  • Shin-Rifu – Rifu
• East Japan Railway Company (JR East) – Senseki Line
  • Rikuzen-Hamada

Highway

• Sanriku Expressway: Rifu-Shiogama, Rifu-Naka, Matsushima-Kaigan interchanges; Rifu junction
• North Sendai Expressway: Rifu junction, Rifu-Shirakashidai interchange
• National Route 45

Local attractions

• Miyagi Stadium
• Site of Rifu Castle

Sister city relations

• France – Lifou Island, New Caledonia, since September 4, 1980.

Noted people from Rifu

• Hisashi Kato – professional soccer player
• Tsukasa Fujimoto – professional wrestler and actress

External links

• Official Website Template:Ja icon