# Minamiechizen, Fukui

Minamiechizen (南越前町, Minamiechizen-chō) is a town located in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 July 2018, the town had an estimated population of 10,745 in 3,470 households and a population density of 31 persons per km². The total area of the town was 343.69 square kilometres (132.70 sq mi).

## Geography

Minamiechizen is located in central Fukui Prefecture, bordered by Gifu Prefecture to the west, Shiga Prefecture to the south and the Sea of Japan to the west. Parts of the coastal area of the town are within the borders of the Echizen-Kaga Kaigan Quasi-National Park.

### Neighbouring municipalities

* Gifu Prefecture
** Ibigawa
* Fukui Prefecture
** Echizen
** Echizen (town)
** Ikeda
** Tsuruga
* Shiga Prefecture
** Nagahama

### Climate

Minamiechizen has a Humid climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm, wet summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Minamiechizen is 13.1 °C (55.6 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,608.2 mm (102.69 in) with December as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.4 °C (77.7 °F), and lowest in January, at around 1.7 °C (35.1 °F). Parts of the town are located within the extremely heavy snowfall area of Japan.
Climate data for Imajō, Minamiechizen (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 17.9 (64.2) | 18.5 (65.3) | 23.5 (74.3) | 30.3 (86.5) | 33.0 (91.4) | 33.9 (93.0) | 36.8 (98.2) | 36.9 (98.4) | 35.6 (96.1) | 30.7 (87.3) | 25.4 (77.7) | 22.5 (72.5) | 36.9 (98.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 5.4 (41.7) | 6.2 (43.2) | 10.9 (51.6) | 17.5 (63.5) | 22.5 (72.5) | 25.7 (78.3) | 29.4 (84.9) | 31.1 (88.0) | 26.6 (79.9) | 20.9 (69.6) | 15.0 (59.0) | 8.5 (47.3) | 18.3 (65.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 1.7 (35.1) | 1.9 (35.4) | 5.4 (41.7) | 11.3 (52.3) | 16.4 (61.5) | 20.4 (68.7) | 24.4 (75.9) | 25.4 (77.7) | 21.2 (70.2) | 15.3 (59.5) | 9.6 (49.3) | 4.3 (39.7) | 13.1 (55.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −1.0 (30.2) | −1.4 (29.5) | 0.7 (33.3) | 5.4 (41.7) | 10.7 (51.3) | 15.9 (60.6) | 20.5 (68.9) | 21.2 (70.2) | 17.2 (63.0) | 10.9 (51.6) | 5.2 (41.4) | 1.0 (33.8) | 8.9 (48.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −11.8 (10.8) | −12.0 (10.4) | −8.2 (17.2) | −3.3 (26.1) | 0.4 (32.7) | 6.0 (42.8) | 12.2 (54.0) | 11.5 (52.7) | 6.1 (43.0) | 0.5 (32.9) | −2.1 (28.2) | −6.7 (19.9) | −12.0 (10.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 317.9 (12.52) | 187.1 (7.37) | 177.5 (6.99) | 145.8 (5.74) | 151.8 (5.98) | 173.8 (6.84) | 254.9 (10.04) | 182.0 (7.17) | 224.5 (8.84) | 182.7 (7.19) | 229.9 (9.05) | 380.4 (14.98) | 2,608.2 (102.69) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 177 (70) | 143 (56) | 43 (17) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.4) | 79 (31) | 442 (174) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 22.1 | 17.6 | 15.7 | 13.1 | 11.6 | 12.7 | 13.5 | 10.6 | 12.5 | 12.6 | 15.7 | 21.6 | 179.3 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 3 cm) | 15.9 | 14.6 | 4.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 | 7.4 | 42.8 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 54.9 | 75.7 | 121.7 | 167.8 | 192.8 | 140.8 | 149.3 | 191.0 | 135.9 | 135.7 | 105.7 | 65.7 | 1,526.6 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Minamiechizen has declined over the past 50 years.

## History

Minamiechizen is part of ancient Echizen Province. During the Edo period, the area was mostly part of the holdings of Fukui Domain and Nishio Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. Following the Meiji restoration, and the establishment of the modern municipalities it was organised into part of Nanjō District in Fukui Prefecture. Minamiechizen was formed on 1 January 2005, by the merger of the two former towns of Imajō and Nanjō, and the former village of Kōno (all from Nanjō District).

## Economy

The economy of Minamiechizen is mixed, with agriculture and commercial fishing prominent.

## Education

Minamiechizen has four public elementary schools and there middle schools operated by the city government. The town does not have public high school.

## Transportation
### Railway

JR West surrendered ownership of the Hokuriku Main Line in Minamiechizen to third-sector company Hapi-line Fukui on 16 March 2024. Hapi-line Fukui
* Minami-Imajō, Imajō, Yunoo, Nanjō

### Highway

* National Route 8
* National Route 305
* National Route 365
* National Route 417
* National Route 476

## Local attractions

* Echizen-Kaga Kaigan Quasi-National Park
* Somayama Castle, National Historic Site