Higashiagatsuma, Gunma
Geography. Located in the northwestern portion of Gunma Prefecture, Higashiagatsuma is surrounded by high peaks, including Mount Iwabitsu (802.6 meters). The town hall is 619 meters above sea level. Surrounding municipalities. Gunma Prefecture Climate. Higashiagatsuma has a Humid continental climate (Köppen "Cfa") characterized by warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Higashiagatsuma is 10.8 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1213 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 23.7 °C, and lowest in January, at around -1.4 °C. Demographics . Per Japanese census data, the population of Higashiagatsuma has declined steadily over the past 70 yearsand is now only half of what it was in 1950. History. During the Edo period, the area around Higashiagatsuma was part of the "hatamoto-"administered territory within Kōzuke Province. With the creation of the modern municipalities system after the Meiji Restoration on April 1, 1889, the town of Hara and the villages of Ota, Iwasaki and Sananoue and Azuma were created within Agatsuma District of Gunma Prefecture. The first three villages merged into Hara in 1965, which was renamed Agatsuma Town in February 1956. Higashiagatsuma  was created on March 27, 2006, by the merger of the town of Agatsuma, and the village of Azuma, both from Agatsuma District. Government. Higashiagatsuma has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 14 members. Higashiagatsuma collectively with the other municipalities in Agatsuma District, contributes two members to the Gunma Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Gunma 5th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan. Economy. The economy of Higashiagatsuma is heavily dependent on agriculture and seasonal tourism. Noted local crops  include garlic and "myoga" production. Tourism from ski resorts and onsen hot springs also contribute to the local economy. Mount Ajara was a venue for the 2003 Asian Winter Games. Education. Higashiagatsuma has five public elementary schools and five public middle schools operated by the town government, and one public high schools operated by the Gunma Prefectural Board of Education. Transportation. Railway. JR East – Agatsuma Line