Makinohara

Makinohara
is a city located in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 45,813 in 16980 households and a population density of 410 persons per km². The total area of the city was .
Geography
Makinohara is located in south-central Shizuoka Prefecture. It is bordered by Suruga Bay on the Pacific Ocean to the east, and rises gradually to the Makinohara Plateau in the west. The area has a temperate maritime climate, characterized by hot, humid summers and mild winters, with the warm Kuroshio Current off shore providing a moderating effect.
Surrounding municipalities
Shizuoka Prefecture
Omaezaki
Kikugawa
Shimada
Yoshida, Haibara District
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Makinohara has been relatively steady over the past 50 years.
Climate
The city has a climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild winters (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Makinohara is . The average annual rainfall is with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around , and lowest in January, at around .
History
The area of present-day Makinohara was part of former Tōtōmi Province. During the Edo period, the town of Sagara was the castle town of Sagara Domain. With the establishment of the modern municipalities system in the early Meiji period on April 1, 1889, Sagara was incorporated as a town within Haibara District.
The city of Makinohara was established on October 11, 2005, from the merger of the towns of Haibara and Sagara (both from Haibara District).
Government
Makinohara has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 16 members. The city contributes one member to the Shizuoka Prefectural Assembly.
Economy
The local economy of Makinohara is dominated by the production of green tea, and to a lesser extent by commercial fishing, and manufacturing of automobile components for Suzuki Motors (Sagara Plant).
Fuji Dream Airlines has its headquarters in Makinohara.
Education
Makinohara has seven public elementary schools operated by the city government and one shared between Makinohara and Kikugawa, and three shared between Makinohara and Omaezaki. The city likewise operates two public junior high schools and shares operated with one junior high school with Kikugawa and one with Omaezaki. The city has two public high schools operated by the Shizuoka Prefectural Board of Education.
Transportation
Railway
Although both the Tokaido Shinkansen and the Tokaido Main Line pass through Makinohara, the city has no passenger railway services. The nearest train station is Kikugawa Station in neighboring Kikugawa or Kanaya Station in neighboring Shimada.
Highway
Tōmei Expressway - Makinohara Interchange
Airport
Shizuoka Airport, which opened in 2009, straddles the border between Makinohara and Shimada.
Local attractions
Sagara Oil field, Japan's only oil field on the Pacific coast. Hand-pumping began in 1873, and the following year, Nippon Oil opened the first mechanical pumping operation in the country at Sagara. Operations ceased in 1955, and in 1980 the field was made into the "Yuden no Sato" Park, operated by the Shizuoka Prefectural government.
Sagara Castle ruins
Sister city relations
- Kelso, Washington, USA
- Matsukawa, Nagano (Shimoina), Japan
- Sannohe, Aomori, Japan
- Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto, Japan
Notable people from Makinohara
Kazuo Ueda, economist, the 32nd Governor of the Bank of Japan
Umetaro Suzuki, scientist, pioneer in vitamin research
Takuma Edamura, professional soccer player
References
External links
Cities in Shizuoka Prefecture
Populated coastal places in Japan
Makinohara, Shizuoka