Shirosato (城里町, Shirosato-machi) is a town located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 July 2020, the town had an estimated population of 18,128 in 7214 households and a population density of 112 persons per km2. The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 37.6%.[1] The total area of the town is 161.80 square kilometres (62.47 sq mi).

Shirosato
城里町
Shirosato town hall
Shirosato town hall
Flag of Shirosato
Official seal of Shirosato
Location of Shirosato in Ibaraki Prefecture
Location of Shirosato in Ibaraki Prefecture
Shirosato is located in Japan
Shirosato
Shirosato
 
Coordinates: 36°28′45.2″N 140°22′34.4″E / 36.479222°N 140.376222°E / 36.479222; 140.376222
CountryJapan
RegionKantō
PrefectureIbaraki
DistrictHigashiibaraki
Area
 • Total161.80 km2 (62.47 sq mi)
Population
 (September 2020)
 • Total18,044
 • Density110/km2 (290/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- TreeCastanopsis sieboldii
- FlowerLilium auratum
- BirdJapanese bush warbler
Phone number029-288-3111
Address1428-25 Ishizuka, Shirosato-machi, Higashiibaraki-gun, Ibaraki-ken 311-4391
WebsiteOfficial website
Naka River

Geography

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Located in central-west Ibaraki Prefecture, Shinsato is bordered by Tochigi Prefecture to the west. The Naka River passes through the town.

Surrounding municipalities

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Ibaraki Prefecture

Tochigi Prefecture

Climate

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Shirosato has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Shirosato is 13.6 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1390 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.2 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.8 °C.[2]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Shirosato has declined in recent decades.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 19,684—    
1930 21,052+6.9%
1940 21,228+0.8%
1950 28,010+31.9%
1960 24,646−12.0%
1970 21,176−14.1%
1980 20,461−3.4%
1990 20,721+1.3%
2000 23,007+11.0%
2010 21,491−6.6%
2020 18,097−15.8%

History

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Shirosato was formed on February 1, 2005, from the merger of the town of Jōhoku, the village of Katsura, both from Higashiibaraki District, and the village of Nanakai, from Nishiibaraki District.[4]

Government

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Shirosato has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 14 members. Shirosato, together with city of Mito, contributes seven members to the Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Ibaraki 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

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The economy of Shirosato is primarily agricultural.

Education

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Shirosato has five public elementary schools and two public middle schools operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

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Railway

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  • Shirosato does not have any passenger train service.

Highway

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Noted people from Shirosato

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References

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  1. ^ "Ibaraki prefectural official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. ^ Shirosato climate data
  3. ^ Shirosato population statistics
  4. ^ 茨城県. "いばらきの市町村合併". 茨城県 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-02-09.
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  Media related to Shirosato, Ibaraki at Wikimedia Commons