Iide (飯豊町, Iide-machi) is a town located in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. As of 29 February 2020, the town had an estimated population of 6,970 in 2354 households, and [1] a population density of 21 persons per km². The total area of the town is 329.60 square kilometres (127 sq mi). In 2008, Iide was selected as one of The Most Beautiful Villages in Japan.[2]

Iide
飯豊町
Iide Town Hall
Iide Town Hall
Flag of Iide
Official seal of Iide
Location of Iide in Yamagata Prefecture
Location of Iide in Yamagata Prefecture
Iide is located in Japan
Iide
Iide
 
Coordinates: 38°02′45″N 139°59′15″E / 38.04583°N 139.98750°E / 38.04583; 139.98750
CountryJapan
RegionTōhoku
PrefectureYamagata
DistrictNishiokitama
Area
 • Total329.60 km2 (127.26 sq mi)
Population
 (February 2020)
 • Total6,970
 • Density21/km2 (55/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number0238-72-2111
Address2888-banchi Tsubaki, Iide-machi, Nishiokitama-gun, Yamagata-ken 999-0696
ClimateCfa/Dfa
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
FlowerLilium
TreeMaple
Nakatsugawa neighborhood of Iide and Iide Mountain Range

Geography

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Iide is located in mountainous southern Yamagata Prefecture, bordered by Fukushima Prefecture to the south. Mount Iide the 2105 meter main peak of the Iide mountain range that spans the Fukushima, Niigata and Yamagata prefectures is on the border of the town, although its peak is actually within Fukushima.

Neighboring municipalities

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Climate

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Iide has a Humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfa) with large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is heaviest from August to October. The average annual temperature in Iide is 10.3 °C (50.5 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,077.7 mm (81.80 in) with December as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 23.2 °C (73.8 °F), and lowest in January, at around −1.2 °C (29.8 °F).[3] In the winter season, snow cover may exceed 2 meters even in the center of town due to the monsoon from the Sea of Japan.

Climate data for Iide (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 13.2
(55.8)
16.8
(62.2)
19.5
(67.1)
28.9
(84.0)
33.1
(91.6)
34.6
(94.3)
35.7
(96.3)
37.9
(100.2)
35.3
(95.5)
28.7
(83.7)
24.6
(76.3)
17.2
(63.0)
37.9
(100.2)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 2.0
(35.6)
3.0
(37.4)
6.7
(44.1)
14.0
(57.2)
20.9
(69.6)
24.2
(75.6)
27.3
(81.1)
28.8
(83.8)
24.4
(75.9)
18.2
(64.8)
11.5
(52.7)
4.8
(40.6)
15.5
(59.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) −1.2
(29.8)
−0.9
(30.4)
1.8
(35.2)
7.5
(45.5)
14.2
(57.6)
18.5
(65.3)
22.3
(72.1)
23.2
(73.8)
18.9
(66.0)
12.4
(54.3)
6.2
(43.2)
1.2
(34.2)
10.3
(50.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −4.5
(23.9)
−5.0
(23.0)
−2.7
(27.1)
1.5
(34.7)
7.6
(45.7)
13.3
(55.9)
18.0
(64.4)
18.6
(65.5)
14.4
(57.9)
7.6
(45.7)
1.7
(35.1)
−2.0
(28.4)
5.7
(42.3)
Record low °C (°F) −16.6
(2.1)
−19.3
(−2.7)
−13.1
(8.4)
−7.5
(18.5)
−1.3
(29.7)
4.3
(39.7)
7.6
(45.7)
8.3
(46.9)
3.3
(37.9)
−1.9
(28.6)
−9.0
(15.8)
−16.4
(2.5)
−19.3
(−2.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 256.5
(10.10)
161.6
(6.36)
134.7
(5.30)
97.8
(3.85)
95.1
(3.74)
130.7
(5.15)
223.9
(8.81)
173.7
(6.84)
140.6
(5.54)
158.8
(6.25)
213.8
(8.42)
273.2
(10.76)
2,077.7
(81.80)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 24.7 20.8 18.7 14.1 11.2 11.5 14.4 12.2 12.8 14.5 18.6 23.2 196.7
Mean monthly sunshine hours 44.3 72.2 138.4 202.4 235.5 199.1 181.7 221.7 167.7 149.4 96.8 51.4 1,749.4
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[4][3]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data,[5] the population of Iide peaked in the 1950s, and is now considerably less than what it was a century ago.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 13,823—    
1930 14,942+8.1%
1940 14,664−1.9%
1950 16,796+14.5%
1960 15,478−7.8%
1970 12,129−21.6%
1980 10,220−15.7%
1990 9,880−3.3%
2000 9,204−6.8%
2010 7,943−13.7%
2020 6,613−16.7%

History

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The area of present-day Iide was part of ancient Dewa Province. After the start of the Meiji period, most of the area of Iide became part of Nishiokitama District, Yamagata Prefecture, with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. The village of Iide was established on October 1, 1954 by the merger of the villages of Toyohara, Sogawa and Toyokawa. It was elevated to town status on September 1, 1958 after merging with the village of Nakatsugawa from Minamiokitama District.

Economy

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The economy of Iide is based on agriculture. About half of the Yonezawa beef originates from this town. The town is also noted for the brewing of nigori sake.

Education

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Iide has four public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government. The town does not have a high school.

Transportation

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Railway

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  East Japan Railway Company - Yonesaka Line

Highway

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References

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  1. ^ iide Town official statistics (in Japanese)
  2. ^ "飯豊町 – 村の概要 | 日本で最も美しい村". www.utsukushii-mura.jp. Archived from the original on 23 February 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b 気象庁 / 平年値(年・月ごとの値). JMA. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  4. ^ 観測史上1~10位の値(年間を通じての値). JMA. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  5. ^ Iide population statistics
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