Kawachi, Ibaraki
Geography. Located in extreme southern Ibaraki Prefecture bordering Chiba Prefecture, Kawachi is long and narrow east-west, and bordered by the Tone River and Shin-Tone River. Surrounding municipalities. Ibaraki Prefecture Chiba Prefecture Climate. Kawachi has a Humid continental climate (Köppen "Cfa") characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kawachi is 14.4 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1376 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.1 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.6 °C. Demographics . Per Japanese census data, the population of Kawachi has steadily declined over then past 30 years. History. The villages of Nagasao, Genseida, and Mamaita were created within Kawachi District, Ibaraki Prefecture the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. At the same time, the village of Kanaetsu from Katori District, Chiba and a portion of Toyosumi Village in Shimohabu District, Chiba were transferred to Ibaraki Prefecture. The border between ancient Hitachi Province and Shimōsa Province was the Tone River; however, due to shifting of the riverbed by the Meiji period, it was located on the north bank  of the river. The three villages originally from Hitachi Province were merged to form the village of Kawachi on April 1, 1955. On February 15, 1958, the neighboring village of Kanaetsu was annexed to Kawachi. Government. Kitaibaraki has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 12 members. Kawachi, together with neighboring Inashiki, contributes one member to the Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Ibaraki 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.