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Murakami, Niigata

Coordinates: 38°13′26.4″N 139°28′48″E / 38.224000°N 139.48000°E / 38.224000; 139.48000
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Murakami
村上市
Murakami Taisai Festival
Murakami Taisai Festival
Flag of Murakami
Official seal of Murakami
Location of Murakami in Niigata Prefecture
Location of Murakami in Niigata Prefecture
Murakami is located in Japan
Murakami
Murakami
 
Coordinates: 38°13′26.4″N 139°28′48″E / 38.224000°N 139.48000°E / 38.224000; 139.48000
Country Japan
RegionChūbu (Kōshin'etsu) (Hokuriku)
PrefectureNiigata
Area
 • Total1,174.26 km2 (453.38 sq mi)
Population
 (December 1, 2020)
 • Total58,300
 • Density50/km2 (130/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number0254-53-2111
Address1-1, Sannochō, Murakami-shi, Niigata-ken 958-8501
ClimateCfa
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
BirdSpizaetus nipalensis
FlowerRosa rugosa
TreeFagus crenata
Murakami City Hall

Murakami (村上市, Murakami-shi) is a city located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 December 2020, the city had an estimated population of 58,300 in 22,594 households,[1] and a population density of 50 persons per km². The total area of the city was 1,174.26 square kilometres (453.38 sq mi).

Geography

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Aerial video of Goishi Beach and Neya Fishing Port, Murakami

Murakami is northernmost and easternmost city of Niigata prefecture, and is located on the Sea of Japan coast, bordered by Yamagata Prefecture to the north and east. In terms of area, it is the largest in the prefecture.

Surrounding municipalities

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Climate

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Murakami has a humid climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm, wet summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Murakami is 12.8 °C (55.0 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,215.0 mm (87.20 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.5 °C (77.9 °F), and lowest in January, at around 1.7 °C (35.1 °F).[2]

Climate data for Murakami (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 14.8
(58.6)
21.5
(70.7)
23.1
(73.6)
30.3
(86.5)
32.1
(89.8)
34.6
(94.3)
37.2
(99.0)
39.9
(103.8)
38.4
(101.1)
33.7
(92.7)
25.8
(78.4)
20.9
(69.6)
39.9
(103.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 4.7
(40.5)
5.4
(41.7)
9.4
(48.9)
15.7
(60.3)
21.5
(70.7)
25.2
(77.4)
28.5
(83.3)
30.5
(86.9)
26.4
(79.5)
20.2
(68.4)
13.8
(56.8)
7.8
(46.0)
17.4
(63.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) 1.7
(35.1)
1.8
(35.2)
4.7
(40.5)
10.2
(50.4)
15.9
(60.6)
20.3
(68.5)
24.1
(75.4)
25.5
(77.9)
21.3
(70.3)
15.1
(59.2)
9.2
(48.6)
4.2
(39.6)
12.8
(55.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −1.0
(30.2)
−1.4
(29.5)
0.4
(32.7)
4.7
(40.5)
10.7
(51.3)
15.8
(60.4)
20.4
(68.7)
21.3
(70.3)
17.1
(62.8)
10.6
(51.1)
5.0
(41.0)
1.0
(33.8)
8.7
(47.7)
Record low °C (°F) −9.6
(14.7)
−11.0
(12.2)
−7.5
(18.5)
−5.8
(21.6)
2.2
(36.0)
6.6
(43.9)
10.3
(50.5)
12.3
(54.1)
6.2
(43.2)
1.6
(34.9)
−2.3
(27.9)
−6.9
(19.6)
−11.0
(12.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 220.9
(8.70)
147.4
(5.80)
133.9
(5.27)
115.4
(4.54)
128.5
(5.06)
132.1
(5.20)
240.6
(9.47)
180.2
(7.09)
184.5
(7.26)
202.4
(7.97)
246.8
(9.72)
255.0
(10.04)
2,215
(87.20)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 25.8 21.4 18.5 13.2 12.2 10.5 13.6 11.2 13.8 15.8 19.6 24.4 200
Mean monthly sunshine hours 33.2 55.8 112.7 165.3 193.0 179.5 158.2 201.2 147.2 131.3 80.8 41.2 1,499.4
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3][2]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data,[4] the population of Murakami has declined steadily over the past 70 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 65,589—    
1930 71,714+9.3%
1940 74,324+3.6%
1950 92,840+24.9%
1960 92,322−0.6%
1970 83,107−10.0%
1980 80,206−3.5%
1990 76,511−4.6%
2000 73,902−3.4%
2010 66,427−10.1%
2020 58,300−12.2%

History

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Municipalities merger in 2008

The area of present-day Murakami was part of ancient Echigo Province. Murakami developed as a port and a castle town for the Murakami Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate in the Edo period. Even today, the downtown area shows the influence of its past existence as a residence of samurai and merchants. Following the Meiji restoration, the area was organized as part of Iwafune District, Niigata, and the town of Murakami was established with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Murakami was raised to city status on March 31, 1954. On April 1, 2008, the towns of Arakawa and Sanpoku and the villages of Asahi and Kamihayashi (all from Iwafune District) were merged into Murakami.[5][6]

Government

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Murakami has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 26 members. Murakami, collectively with the villages of Sekikawa and Awashimaura contributes two members to the Niigata Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Niigata 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Education

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Murakami has 21 public elementary schools and seven public middle schools operated by the city government. There is one public middle school and three public high schools operated by the Niigata Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school.

Transportation

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Railway

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JR East - Uetsu Main Line

JR East - Yonesaka Line

Highway

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Sister cities

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Local attractions

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Famous products of Murakami are tea (Murakami is the northernmost tea-growing spot in Japan), salmon, and Murakami beef. The city is also a tourist spot because of famous Senami Onsen and as a jumping off point to Awashima Island.

National Historic Sites

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Festivals

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Murakami Taisai [ja], a traditional regional festival, has been held in the downtown area on July 6 and 7, annually, since 1868.

References

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  1. ^ Murakami City official statistics(in Japanese)
  2. ^ a b 気象庁 / 平年値(年・月ごとの値). JMA. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  3. ^ 観測史上1~10位の値(年間を通じての値). JMA. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  4. ^ Murakami population statistics
  5. ^ 住民基本台帳人口移動報告年報 (in Japanese). 総務庁統計局. 2008. p. 133. Murakami-shi, Arakawa-machi, Kamihayashi-mura, Asahi-mura and Sanpoku-machi were incorporated into a newly established Murakami-shi as of April 1, 2008.
  6. ^ "県内の合併状況 - 新潟県ホームページ" [The Status of the Merger Within the Prefecture - Niigata Prefecture Homepage]. Niigata Prefecture. Retrieved 2024-02-04.
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