Misato, Akita
Geography. Misato is located at the far southeastern of Akita Prefecture, bordered by the Ōu Mountains and Iwate Prefecture to the east. Demographics. Per Japanese census data, the population of Misato peaked at around the year 1960 and has been in steady decline since then. Climate. Misato has a Humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification "Cfa") with large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is heaviest from August to October. The average annual temperature in Misato is 14.3 °C . The average annual rainfall is 1743 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.3 °C, and lowest in January, at around -3.8 °C. History. The area of present-day Misato was part of ancient Dewa Province, dominated by the Satake clan during the Edo period, who ruled Kubota Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. The area was organized into six villages within Semboku District, Akita with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. The village of Rokugō was raised to town status in 1891. The  town of Misato was established on November 1, 2004, from the merger of the towns of Senhata and Rokugō, with the village of Sennan. Economy. The economy of Misato is based on agriculture and forestry. Rice is the primary cash crop. Industries are centered around food processing, with sake brewing and fermented foods made from soybeans such as natto, miso, and soy sauce predominant. Education. Misato has three public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government. The town has one public high school operated by the Akita Prefectural Board of Education. Transportation. Railway. East Japan  Railway Company - Ōu Main Line