Yamanobe, Yamagata
Geography. Yamanobe is located in the southeast end of the Yamagata Basin in central Yamagata Prefecture, surrounded by mountains. Mount Shirataka is partially within the borders of the town. Demographics. Per Japanese census data, the population of Yamanobe has remained relatively steady over the past 40 years. Climate. Yamanobe 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 Yamanobe is 10.1  °C. The average annual rainfall is 1546 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 23.9 °C, and lowest in January, at around -2.6 °C. History. The area of present-day Yamanobe was part of ancient Dewa Province. After the start of the Meiji period, the area became part of Higashimurayama District, Yamagata Prefecture. The village of Yamanobe was established on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. It was elevated to town status in 1896. Economy. The economy of Yamanobe is based on  agriculture. Education. Yamanobe has three public elementary schools and two public middle schools operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Yamagata Prefectural Board of Education. Transportation. Railway. East Japan Railway Company - Aterazawa Line