# Yuzawa, Niigata

Yuzawa (湯沢町, Yuzawa-machi) is a town located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 July 2019, the town had an estimated population of 7,926, and a population density of 22.2 persons per km$^2$. The total area of the town was 357.29 square kilometres (137.95 sq mi). The town is famous for its hot springs.

## Geography

Yuzawa is located in southwestern Niigata Prefecture, in a mountainous area bordering northern Nagano Prefecture and northern Gunma Prefecture. Due to its geographical location between the Sea of Japan and the surrounding Japanese Alps it has one of the highest annual snowfalls in Japan. There are numerous ski resorts within the region. Mount Naeba (2143 meters) is partly located within the town limits. Much of the town is within the borders of either the Jōshin'etsu-kōgen National Park or the Uonuma Renpo Prefectural Park.

### Surrounding municipalities

* Gunma Prefecture
** Minakami
** Nakanojō
* Nagano Prefecture
** Sakae
* Niigata Prefecture
** Minamiuonuma
** Tōkamachi
** Tsunan

### Climate

Yuzawa has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa) characterized by warm, wet summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Yuzawa is 11.7 °C (53.1 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,301.9 mm (90.63 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.7 °C (76.5 °F), and lowest in January, at around −0.4 °C (31.3 °F).
Climate data for Yuzawa (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.5 (59.9) | 17.8 (64.0) | 22.8 (73.0) | 28.5 (83.3) | 34.1 (93.4) | 33.7 (92.7) | 36.6 (97.9) | 37.2 (99.0) | 34.7 (94.5) | 31.0 (87.8) | 25.3 (77.5) | 21.5 (70.7) | 37.2 (99.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 2.8 (37.0) | 3.6 (38.5) | 7.7 (45.9) | 15.3 (59.5) | 21.9 (71.4) | 25.0 (77.0) | 28.5 (83.3) | 29.9 (85.8) | 25.4 (77.7) | 19.1 (66.4) | 12.8 (55.0) | 6.1 (43.0) | 16.5 (61.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −0.4 (31.3) | −0.1 (31.8) | 3.0 (37.4) | 9.2 (48.6) | 15.7 (60.3) | 19.9 (67.8) | 23.5 (74.3) | 24.7 (76.5) | 20.5 (68.9) | 14.3 (57.7) | 7.9 (46.2) | 2.3 (36.1) | 11.7 (53.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −3.2 (26.2) | −3.4 (25.9) | −0.9 (30.4) | 3.9 (39.0) | 10.1 (50.2) | 15.4 (59.7) | 19.7 (67.5) | 20.6 (69.1) | 16.6 (61.9) | 10.3 (50.5) | 3.9 (39.0) | −0.7 (30.7) | 7.7 (45.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −12.6 (9.3) | −11.5 (11.3) | −10.6 (12.9) | −5.6 (21.9) | 0.7 (33.3) | 6.2 (43.2) | 11.6 (52.9) | 13.1 (55.6) | 6.2 (43.2) | 0.1 (32.2) | −6.6 (20.1) | −9.8 (14.4) | −12.6 (9.3) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 314.9 (12.40) | 213.3 (8.40) | 165.4 (6.51) | 109.6 (4.31) | 99.7 (3.93) | 135.3 (5.33) | 214.3 (8.44) | 204.5 (8.05) | 175.5 (6.91) | 177.7 (7.00) | 194.7 (7.67) | 309.3 (12.18) | 2,301.9 (90.63) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 377 (148) | 288 (113) | 159 (63) | 20 (7.9) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 12 (4.7) | 210 (83) | 1,054 (415) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 24.0 | 20.0 | 20.0 | 13.5 | 11.9 | 13.4 | 15.7 | 13.9 | 14.4 | 14.9 | 17.3 | 21.9 | 200.9 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 3 cm) | 20.8 | 17.1 | 14.4 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.1 | 11.0 | 66.9 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 45.8 | 62.3 | 95.2 | 149.0 | 189.4 | 140.1 | 129.1 | 164.1 | 111.7 | 107.6 | 88.9 | 63.5 | 1,346.7 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Yuzawa has declined over the past 30 years.

## History

The area of present-day Yuzawa was part of ancient Echigo Province. The villages of Yuzawa, Futai (二居村, Futai-mura), Asakai (浅貝村, Asakai-mura), Kandatsu (神立村, Kandatsu-mura), Tsuchidaru (土樽村, Tsuchidaru-mura), and Mitsumata (三俣村, Mitsumata-mura) were created on 1 April 1889 as part of the modern municipalities system. On 1 November 1901, Futai and Asakai merged to become the village of Mikuni (三国村, Mikuni-mura). Yuzawa, Mikuni, Kandatsu, Tsuchidaru, and Mitsumata merged on 1 April 1955 to become the town of Yuzawa.

## Education

Yuzawa has one public elementary school and one public middle school operated by the town government. The town no longer has a high school.

## Transportation
### Railway

– Jōetsu Shinkansen
* Echigo-Yuzawa - Gala Yuzawa
JR East - Jōetsu Line
* Tsuchitaru - Echigo-Nakazato - Iwappara-Ski-jō-mae - Echigo-Yuzawa
Hokuhoku Express - Hokuhoku Line
* Echigo-Yuzawa

### Highway

* Kan-Etsu Expressway
* National Route 17
* National Route 353

## Local attractions
### Ski resorts

There are a large number of ski resorts in the area. The town is served by the Echigo-Yuzawa and Gala-Yuzawa stations on the Jōetsu Shinkansen line, making it one of the most easily accessible winter sports areas from Tokyo, and the town's economy is reliant principally on skiing and snowboarding.
Once a year, the Fuji Rock Festival, Japan's largest outdoor music event, is held at Naeba Ski Resort, located in this province.

## Cultural references

Yasunari Kawabata's classic novel Snow Country takes place in Yuzawa.