# Akune, Kagoshima

Akune (阿久根市, Akune-shi) is a city located in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. As of 29 February 2024, the city had an estimated population of 18,297 in 9698 households, and a population density of 140 persons per km$^2$. The total area of the city is 134.28 km$^2$ (51.85 sq mi).

## Geography

Akune is located in northwestern Kagoshima. The west side of the city faces the East China Sea (Amakusa Bay), and is dotted with islands such as Oshima and Kuwajima. The urban center at the mouth of the Takamatsu River is flat, but the rest of the city is made up of forests and hills. The northwest side of the city faces Nagashima Island, the southernmost of the Amakusa Islands, across the Kuronoseto Strait, and is connected by the Kuronoseto Bridge.

### Neighboring municipalities

Kagoshima Prefecture
* Izumi
* Nagashima
* Satsumasendai

### Climate

Akune has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and mild winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, and is heavier in summer, especially the months of June and July. The highest temperature ever recorded in Akune was 37.1 °C (98.8 °F) on 13 August 2018, the coldest temperature ever recorded was −4.6 °C (23.7 °F) on 26 February 1981.
Climate data for Akune (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1939−present) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 23.5 (74.3) | 24.0 (75.2) | 25.6 (78.1) | 27.8 (82.0) | 30.5 (86.9) | 33.6 (92.5) | 36.6 (97.9) | 37.1 (98.8) | 35.8 (96.4) | 32.7 (90.9) | 28.0 (82.4) | 23.7 (74.7) | 37.1 (98.8) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 18.3 (64.9) | 19.7 (67.5) | 22.3 (72.1) | 25.0 (77.0) | 28.2 (82.8) | 30.5 (86.9) | 33.3 (91.9) | 34.6 (94.3) | 32.6 (90.7) | 29.2 (84.6) | 24.5 (76.1) | 20.4 (68.7) | 34.8 (94.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 11.4 (52.5) | 12.6 (54.7) | 15.6 (60.1) | 19.8 (67.6) | 23.6 (74.5) | 26.0 (78.8) | 29.8 (85.6) | 31.2 (88.2) | 28.6 (83.5) | 24.2 (75.6) | 18.9 (66.0) | 13.7 (56.7) | 21.3 (70.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 7.9 (46.2) | 8.8 (47.8) | 11.6 (52.9) | 15.7 (60.3) | 19.5 (67.1) | 22.7 (72.9) | 26.5 (79.7) | 27.4 (81.3) | 24.6 (76.3) | 20.0 (68.0) | 15.0 (59.0) | 10.0 (50.0) | 17.5 (63.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 4.6 (40.3) | 5.1 (41.2) | 7.6 (45.7) | 11.7 (53.1) | 15.7 (60.3) | 19.9 (67.8) | 23.9 (75.0) | 24.4 (75.9) | 21.5 (70.7) | 16.5 (61.7) | 11.5 (52.7) | 6.6 (43.9) | 14.1 (57.4) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | 0.1 (32.2) | 0.4 (32.7) | 2.4 (36.3) | 5.9 (42.6) | 11.2 (52.2) | 15.7 (60.3) | 20.8 (69.4) | 21.5 (70.7) | 17.1 (62.8) | 11.2 (52.2) | 5.8 (42.4) | 1.2 (34.2) | −0.7 (30.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −4.2 (24.4) | −4.6 (23.7) | −1.6 (29.1) | 0.9 (33.6) | 6.9 (44.4) | 11.2 (52.2) | 17.1 (62.8) | 18.5 (65.3) | 12.0 (53.6) | 5.4 (41.7) | 0.3 (32.5) | −2.3 (27.9) | −4.6 (23.7) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 76.7 (3.02) | 102.7 (4.04) | 134.8 (5.31) | 161.8 (6.37) | 188.1 (7.41) | 457.4 (18.01) | 377.3 (14.85) | 222.8 (8.77) | 225.9 (8.89) | 93.7 (3.69) | 104.0 (4.09) | 91.5 (3.60) | 2,236.7 (88.06) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | trace | 1 (0.4) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.4) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 9.1 | 9.3 | 11.1 | 9.8 | 9.3 | 14.8 | 10.9 | 10.3 | 9.4 | 6.6 | 8.6 | 8.7 | 117.9 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 1 cm) | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.6 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 68 | 68 | 69 | 72 | 77 | 85 | 84 | 80 | 78 | 72 | 71 | 68 | 74 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 107.0 | 122.9 | 161.5 | 180.4 | 185.9 | 124.0 | 201.6 | 226.8 | 186.9 | 186.6 | 145.8 | 118.7 | 1,948.4 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Akune in 2020 is 19,270 people. Akune's population has been slowly declining since the census began in 1950. The population in 2020 is less than 50% of what it was in the 1950s.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1950 | 41,344 | — |
| 1955 | 41,180 | −0.4% |
| 1960 | 38,908 | −5.5% |
| 1965 | 36,026 | −7.4% |
| 1970 | 32,390 | −10.1% |
| 1975 | 30,295 | −6.5% |
| 1980 | 29,527 | −2.5% |
| 1985 | 29,185 | −1.2% |
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1990 | 27,869 | −4.5% |
| 1995 | 27,506 | −1.3% |
| 2000 | 26,270 | −4.5% |
| 2005 | 25,072 | −4.6% |
| 2010 | 23,151 | −7.7% |
| 2015 | 21,198 | −8.4% |
| 2020 | 19,270 | −9.1% |
Akune population statistics :

## History

Akune is part of ancient Satsuma Province. "The place name Akune" has existed since ancient times. "Aku" means fish or fishing, and "ne" means reef. In the Heian period it was a shōen manor called Akune-in. In the Muromachi period, it came under the control of the Shimazu clan and was part of Satsuma Domain in the Edo Period. The village of Akune was established on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. It was raised to town status on January 1, 1925 and to city status on April 1, 1952. On April 10, 1955 Akune annexed the town of Mikasa.

## Government

Akune has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 15 members. Akune, together with the town of Nagashima contributes one member to the Kagoshima Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Kagoshima 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

## Economy

The main economy activity of Akune is agriculture and commercial fishing.

## Education

Akune has eight public elementary schools and three public junior high schools by the city government, and one public high school operated by the Kagoshima Prefectural Board of Education.

## Transportation
### Railways

Hisatsu Orange Railway
* Origuchi - Akune - Ushinohama - Satsuma Ohkawa

### Highways

* Minamikyushu Expressway
* National Route 3
* National Route 389
* National Route 499

## Noted people from Akune

* Kōsaku Yamashita, movie director