Iijima (飯島町, Iijima-machi) is a town located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 April 2019, the town had an estimated population of 9,446 in 3599 households,[1] and a population density of 110 persons per km2. The total area of the town is 86.96 square kilometres (33.58 sq mi).

Iijima
飯島町
Iijima Town Hall
Iijima Town Hall
Flag of Iijima
Official seal of Iijima
Location of Iijima in Nagano Prefecture
Location of Iijima in Nagano Prefecture
Iijima is located in Japan
Iijima
Iijima
 
Coordinates: 35°40′36.3″N 137°55′11.2″E / 35.676750°N 137.919778°E / 35.676750; 137.919778
CountryJapan
RegionChūbu (Kōshin'etsu)
PrefectureNagano
DistrictKamiina
Area
 • Total
86.96 km2 (33.58 sq mi)
Population
 (April 2019)
 • Total
9,446
 • Density110/km2 (280/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number0265-86-3111
Address2537 Iijima, Iijima-machi, Kamiina-gun, Nagano-ken 389-0692
ClimateCfa/Dfa
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
FlowerShakunage
TreeJapanese yew
Iijima from Mount Eboshi

Geography

edit

Iijima is located in-between the Kiso Mountains and Mount Senjō of the Akaishi Mountains of south-central Nagano Prefecture. The Chikuma River flows through the town.

Surrounding municipalities

edit

Climate

edit

The town has a climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cold winters (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Iijima is 11.2 °C (52.2 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,014.1 mm (79.30 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 23.3 °C (73.9 °F), and lowest in January, at around −0.7 °C (30.7 °F).[2]

Climate data for Iijima (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 14.3
(57.7)
18.4
(65.1)
23.2
(73.8)
28.4
(83.1)
31.9
(89.4)
32.8
(91.0)
34.5
(94.1)
35.5
(95.9)
33.5
(92.3)
28.6
(83.5)
22.4
(72.3)
18.2
(64.8)
35.5
(95.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 4.5
(40.1)
5.9
(42.6)
10.3
(50.5)
16.5
(61.7)
21.6
(70.9)
24.3
(75.7)
27.9
(82.2)
29.5
(85.1)
25.0
(77.0)
18.9
(66.0)
12.9
(55.2)
7.1
(44.8)
17.0
(62.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) −0.7
(30.7)
0.2
(32.4)
4.1
(39.4)
9.8
(49.6)
14.9
(58.8)
18.6
(65.5)
22.3
(72.1)
23.3
(73.9)
19.4
(66.9)
13.3
(55.9)
7.0
(44.6)
1.8
(35.2)
11.2
(52.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −5.0
(23.0)
−4.5
(23.9)
−1.1
(30.0)
4.0
(39.2)
9.3
(48.7)
14.2
(57.6)
18.4
(65.1)
19.1
(66.4)
15.4
(59.7)
9.1
(48.4)
2.5
(36.5)
−2.4
(27.7)
6.6
(43.8)
Record low °C (°F) −13.8
(7.2)
−14.1
(6.6)
−10.4
(13.3)
−6.2
(20.8)
0.0
(32.0)
5.5
(41.9)
11.7
(53.1)
11.7
(53.1)
4.3
(39.7)
−1.7
(28.9)
−5.0
(23.0)
−11.5
(11.3)
−14.1
(6.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 74.5
(2.93)
103.8
(4.09)
180.5
(7.11)
180.7
(7.11)
200.2
(7.88)
236.6
(9.31)
266.6
(10.50)
155.2
(6.11)
219.8
(8.65)
192.6
(7.58)
123.5
(4.86)
80.2
(3.16)
2,014.1
(79.30)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 7.1 7.0 10.3 10.2 11.1 13.3 13.6 10.8 11.2 10.1 8.0 7.3 120
Mean monthly sunshine hours 165.3 162.2 177.8 196.1 208.9 152.2 159.9 199.0 155.9 160.4 158.7 158.2 2,054.5
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3][2]

Economy

edit

The local economy is agricultural, dominated by rice and horticulture.

History

edit

The area of present-day Iijima was part of ancient Shinano Province, and developed as a post station in the Sanshū Kaidō highway linking inland regions of Shinano with the Pacific Ocean. The area was tenryō territory controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate until the Meiji restoration. The modern village of Iijima established on April 1, 1889, by the establishment of the municipalities system and was elevated to town status on January 1, 1954. The town annexed the neighboring village of Nakakubō on September 30, 1956.

Demographics

edit

Per Japanese census data,[4] the population of Iijima has remained relatively steady from 1960 until 2000 but has decreased slightly in recent years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1940 9,752—    
1950 12,070+23.8%
1960 11,230−7.0%
1970 10,466−6.8%
1980 10,515+0.5%
1990 10,801+2.7%
2000 10,895+0.9%
2010 9,902−9.1%
2020 9,004−9.1%

Education

edit

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

Transportation

edit

Railway

edit

Highway

edit

International relations

edit

Local attractions

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ [Iijima Town official statistics](in Japanese)
  2. ^ a b 気象庁 / 平年値(年・月ごとの値). JMA. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  3. ^ 観測史上1~10位の値(年間を通じての値). JMA. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  4. ^ Iijima population statistics
edit