# Tome, Miyagi

Tome (登米市, Tome-shi) is a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. As of 30 April 2020, the city had an estimated population of 77,897 and a population density of 150 persons per km$^2$ in 27,298 households. The total area of the city is 536.12 square kilometres (207.00 sq mi). The area is noted for its rice production.

## Geography

Tome is in far northeastern Miyagi Prefecture, bordered by Iwate Prefecture to the north. The Kitakami River flows through the city. The city is approximately 70 kilometers north of the prefectural capital of Sendai.

### Neighboring municipalities

Iwate Prefecture
* Ichinoseki
Miyagi Prefecture
* Ishinomaki
* Kesennuma
* Kurihara
* Minamisanriku
* Ōsaki
* Wakuya

### Climate

Tome has a humid climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Tome is 11.5 °C (52.7 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,078.2 mm (42.45 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 23.8 °C (74.8 °F), and lowest in January, at around −0.1 °C (31.8 °F).
Climate data for Yoneyama, Tome (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.7 (60.3) | 17.7 (63.9) | 24.4 (75.9) | 30.4 (86.7) | 33.0 (91.4) | 33.8 (92.8) | 36.4 (97.5) | 36.3 (97.3) | 35.0 (95.0) | 30.5 (86.9) | 23.5 (74.3) | 20.3 (68.5) | 36.4 (97.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 4.6 (40.3) | 5.8 (42.4) | 10.0 (50.0) | 15.9 (60.6) | 20.6 (69.1) | 23.8 (74.8) | 27.1 (80.8) | 28.6 (83.5) | 25.1 (77.2) | 19.8 (67.6) | 13.4 (56.1) | 7.1 (44.8) | 16.8 (62.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −0.1 (31.8) | 0.6 (33.1) | 4.0 (39.2) | 9.4 (48.9) | 15.1 (59.2) | 19.0 (66.2) | 22.5 (72.5) | 23.8 (74.8) | 20.1 (68.2) | 14.0 (57.2) | 7.6 (45.7) | 2.2 (36.0) | 11.5 (52.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −4.5 (23.9) | −4.2 (24.4) | −1.6 (29.1) | 3.3 (37.9) | 10.4 (50.7) | 15.3 (59.5) | 19.3 (66.7) | 20.4 (68.7) | 15.9 (60.6) | 8.7 (47.7) | 2.2 (36.0) | −2.1 (28.2) | 6.9 (44.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −17.5 (0.5) | −18.3 (−0.9) | −13.6 (7.5) | −7.6 (18.3) | 2.2 (36.0) | 6.8 (44.2) | 11.3 (52.3) | 11.6 (52.9) | 4.6 (40.3) | −1.9 (28.6) | −6.1 (21.0) | −19.5 (−3.1) | −19.5 (−3.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 35.5 (1.40) | 29.1 (1.15) | 69.9 (2.75) | 77.3 (3.04) | 93.6 (3.69) | 111.2 (4.38) | 161.6 (6.36) | 120.1 (4.73) | 150.6 (5.93) | 129.4 (5.09) | 58.6 (2.31) | 41.4 (1.63) | 1,078.2 (42.45) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 5.8 | 5.7 | 7.9 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 9.8 | 12.7 | 10.4 | 10.8 | 8.9 | 7.3 | 6.9 | 104.2 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 149.4 | 158.7 | 177.1 | 189.6 | 195.9 | 158.1 | 141.3 | 156.3 | 131.5 | 139.8 | 137.5 | 136.5 | 1,871.6 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Tome peaked in the 1950s and has declined steadily over the past 70 years.

## History

The area of present-day Tome was part of ancient Mutsu Province, and has been settled since at least the Jōmon period by the Emishi people. During the later portion of the Heian period, the area was ruled by the Northern Fujiwara. During the Sengoku period, the area was contested by various samurai clans before the area came under the control of the Date clan of Sendai Domain during the Edo period, under the Tokugawa shogunate.
The town of Tome was established on June 1, 1889 within Tome District, Miyagi with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. The city of Tome was established on April 1, 2005, from the merger of the towns of Hasama, Ishikoshi, Minamikata, Nakada, Toyoma, Towa, Toyosato, Tsuyama, and Yoneyama (all from Tome District), and the town of Tsuyama (from Motoyoshi District). Tome District was dissolved as a result of his merger.

### 2011 earthquake and tsunami

Tome was one of several cities severely affected by an earthquake and tsunami on Friday, 11 March 2011, with as many as 6,000 people left homeless. On 15, 2011, authorities announced that German and Swiss teams with search dogs would be deployed to the city to aid in search and recovery efforts. Other search and rescue team came from Australia and New Zealand. Early reports suggest that many residents of the nearby town of Minamisanriku, which was one of the hardest hit by the tsunami, had evacuated to Tome.

## Government

Tome has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 26 members. Tome contributes two seats to the Miyagi Prefectural legislature. In terms of national politics, after the abolishment of the Miyagi 6th district in 2022, the city is part of Miyagi 5th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

## Economy

The economy of Tome is largely based on agriculture.

## Education

Tome has 21 public elementary schools, one combined public elementary/middle school, nine public junior high schools operated by the city government, and three public high schools operated by the Miyagi Prefectural Board of Education.

## Transportation
### Railway

East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Tōhoku Main Line
* Umegasawa - Nitta - Ishikoshi
East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Kesennuma Line
* Rikuzen-Toyosato - Mitakedō - Yanaizu - Rikuzen-Yokoyama

### Highway

* Tōhoku Expressway: (Tsukidate and Wakayanagi interchanges)
* Sanriku Expressway: (Monou-Toyosato, Toyoma (Tome), Towa/Mitakido, and Monou-Tsuyama interchanges)
* National Route 45
* National Route 342
* National Route 346
* National Route 398
* National Route 456

## Local attractions

* Toyoma Education Museum
* Naganuma Futopia Park

## Sister cities

Tome is twinned with:
* Nyūzen, Japan
* Southlake, United States
* Vernon, Canada

## Noted people from Tome

* Maruyama Gondazaemon, sumo
* Shotaro Ishinomori, manga artist
* Katsuhiro Otomo, manga artist
* Kouzou Sasaki, politician
* Shio Satō, manga artist
* Shinobu Sugawara, Japanese professional wrestler