Kuzumaki, Iwate
Geography. Kuzumaki is located in a basin in north-central Iwate Prefecture with an average elevation of 400 meters, surrounded by the 1000 meter mountains of the Kitakami Mountains. Approximately 60% of the town area is mountains and forests. The Mabechi River flows through the town. Neighboring municipalities. Iwate Prefecture Climate. Kuzumaki has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification "Dfb") characterized by mild summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Kuzumaki is 7.0 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1434 mm with September as the wettest month and February as the driest month. The  temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 20.2 °C, and lowest in January, at around -5.1 °C. Demographics. Per Japanese census data, the population of Kuzumaki has declined over the past 60 years, and is now only half of what it was in 1970, and less than it was a century ago. History. The area of present-day Kuzumaki was part of ancient Mutsu Province. It was under the control of the Nambu clan from the Muromachi period, and was part of Hachinohe Domain under the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate. The area was noted for its  horse ranches. The villages of Kuzumaki and Ekari within Kita-Kunohe District and the village of Tabe within Iwate District were created on April 1, 1889, with the establishment of the modern municipality system. Kita-Kunohe District and Minami-Kunohe Districts merged to form Kunohe District on April 1, 1897. Kuzumaki was raised to town status on December 25, 1940. On July 1, 1948, Kuzumaki and Isashi were transferred to Iwate District. Kuzumaki annexed neighboring Ekari and Tabe on July 15, 1955. Government. Kuzumaki has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town  council of 10 members. Kuzumaki, together with the city of Hachimantai and the town of Iwate, contributes two seats to the Iwate Prefectural legislature. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Iwate 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan. Economy. The local economy is based on agriculture, including dairy products and wine production. Education. Kuzumaki has five public elementary schools and three public middle schools operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Iwate Prefectural Board of Education.