Yonezawa, Yamagata

Yonezawa (米沢市, Yonezawa-shi) is a city in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 February 2020, the city had an estimated population of 81,707 in 33,278 households, and a population density of 150 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 548.51 square kilometres (212 sq mi). Yonezawa is most famous for its local delicacies (apples, Yonezawa beef, and carp) and for being a castle town that was once home to the Uesugi clan, including the daimyō Uesugi Yozan. Geography Yonezawa is located in the southeast corner of Yamagata Prefecture. The southern and eastern portions of the city are river basins surrounded by large mountains, forming the Yonezawa Basin. The southern portion of the city has a complex terrain with several rivers and alternating ridges and valleys orientated east to west. The Mogami River flows through the city. Part of the city is within the borders of the Bandai-Asahi National Park. Neighboring municipalities Fukushima Prefecture Inawashiro Fukushima Kitakata Kitashiobara Yamagata Prefecture Iide Kawanishi Takahata Climate Yonezawa 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 Yonezawa is 11.4 °C (52.5 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,444.6 mm (56.87 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.5 °C (76.1 °F), and lowest in January, at around −0.8 °C (30.6 °F). Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Yonezawa has recently declined after a long period of stability. History The area of present-day Yonezawa was part of ancient Dewa Province and was controlled in the Sengoku period by the Date clan. The famed warlord Date Masamune was born in Yonezawa. During the Edo period, the area became Yonezawa Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate, ruled by the Uesugi clan. After the start of the Meiji period, the area was organized into Minamiokitama District, Yamagata Prefecture. The city of Yamagata was established on April 1, 1889, with the establishment of the modern municipalities system Government Yonezawa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 24 members. The city contributes three members to the Yamagata Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Yamagata District 3 of the lower house of the Diet of Japan. List of mayors of Yonezawa Economy The economy of Yamagata is based on agriculture, horticulture, light manufacturing and tourism. Education Colleges and universities Yamagata University Yonezawa campus Yonezawa Women's Junior College Primary and secondary education Yonezawa has 18 public elementary schools and eight public middle schools operated by the city government and four public high schools operated by the Yamagata Prefectural Board of Education. There are also two private high schools. Transportation Railway East Japan Railway Company - Yamagata Shinkansen Yonezawa East Japan Railway Company - Ōu Main Line Itaya - Tōge - Ōsawa - Sekine - Yonezawa - Oitama East Japan Railway Company - Yonesaka Line Yonezawa - Minami-Yonezawa - Nishi-Yonezawa - Narushima Highways Tōhoku-Chūō Expressway – Yonezawa IC National Route 13 National Route 121 National Route 287 National Route 399 Local attractions Namegawa Great Falls Shirabu Onsen (in gorges of Otaru River south of Yonezawa) Tateyama Castle Yonezawa Castle Yonezawa City Uesugi Museum Yonezawa Onsen International relations Sister cities Moses Lake, Washington, United States Japan Takanabe, Miyazaki, since 1981 Jōetsu, Niigata, since 1981 Okinawa, Okinawa, since 1994 Tōkai, Aichi, since 1999 Worldwide Taubaté, Brazil, since January 28, 1974 Moses Lake, Washington, USA, since May 1, 1981 Notable people from Yonezawa Junzaburo Ban, actor Itō Chūta, architect Takehiko Endo, politician Yamashita Gentarō, admiral, Imperial Japanese Navy Masami Kobayashi, admiral, Imperial Japanese Navy Hiroshi Masumura, manga artist Mutsuo Minagawa, Nippon Professional Baseball player Chūichi Nagumo, admiral, Imperial Japanese Navy Ikeda Shigeaki, politician Hirata Tosuke, Meiji period statesman References External links Official Website (in Japanese) Yonezawa Sightseeing Website Archived 2018-02-09 at the Wayback Machine