Yukimawa

Yukimawa [雪廻; ゆきまわ] is a city located in northern Heisai Prefecture, deep within the Tsuba mountain range. As of 2020, it had a population of around 28,000, making it one of the largest mountain cities in the country. The population used to be even larger, but has been declining steadily since the 1970s.
Yukimawa was famous in the 20th century for its steel production, although after the closure of the blast furnace at the Yamadachi Ironworks and the scaling down of production in 1976, the local economy suffered greatly. The city has recently made strong efforts to promote eco-tourism, improving and expanding its traditional hot spring resorts and creating scenic mountain hiking trails. The rearing of mountain goats [known as yaga in the local dialect] also contributes to the economy, alongside mineral processing.
The majority of Yukimawa's residents live in a shallow valley which runs through the centre of the northern Tsuba peaks, known as Yamabetsu Valley. This region is surrounded by tall mountains, including the famous Mount Ōsan to the south and Mount Hisada to the north. Water is diverted from the Sansha River in order to serve the needs of the population. Unfortunately, the city's proximity to this river and its low-level location make it vulnerable to floods in spring and autumn, and these have affected Yukimawa for centuries. In 2016, the Yukimawa Dam began construction, permanently diverting the waters of the Sansha to lessen this danger.