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Yokohama, Aomori

Coordinates: 41°04′59.3″N 141°14′52.1″E / 41.083139°N 141.247806°E / 41.083139; 141.247806
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Yokohama
横浜町
Windpower farm in Yokohama
Windpower farm in Yokohama
Flag of Yokohama
Official seal of Yokohama
Map
Location of Yokohama in Aomori Prefecture
Location of Yokohama
Yokohama is located in Japan
Yokohama
Yokohama
 
Coordinates: 41°04′59.3″N 141°14′52.1″E / 41.083139°N 141.247806°E / 41.083139; 141.247806
CountryJapan
RegionTōhoku
PrefectureAomori Prefecture
DistrictKamikita
Area
 • Total
126.38 km2 (48.80 sq mi)
Population
 (March 1, 2023)
 • Total
4,258
 • Density34/km2 (87/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number0175-78-2111
AddressTeranoshita 35, Yokohama-machi, Kitakami-gun, Aomori-ken 039-4145
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
BirdPlover
FishSea cucumber
FlowerRapeseed
TreeKeyaki
Yokohama Town Hall

Yokohama (横浜, Yokohama-machi) is a town located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 March 2023, the town had an estimated population of 4,258 in 2134 households, and a population density of 33 persons per km2, in 1,779 households.[1] The total area of the town is 126.38 square kilometres (48.80 sq mi).

Geography

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Yokohama occupies the northeastern coastline of Mutsu Bay, at the entrance to Shimokita Peninsula.

Neighbouring municipalities

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Aomori Prefecture

Climate

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The town has a cold maritime climate characterized by cool short summers and long cold winters with heavy snowfall (Köppen climate classification Cfb). The average annual temperature in Yokohama is 9.1 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1262 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 21.9 °C, and lowest in January, at around -2.6 °C.[2]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Yokohama has declined over the past 60 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 3,316—    
1930 4,173+25.8%
1940 5,016+20.2%
1950 7,068+40.9%
1960 7,742+9.5%
1970 7,144−7.7%
YearPop.±%
1980 6,590−7.8%
1990 6,126−7.0%
2000 5,508−10.1%
2010 4,881−11.4%
2020 4,229−13.4%

History

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Finds of Jōmon pottery indicate that the area of Yokohama was inhabited for many thousands of years. The place name of "Yokohama" predates its more famous namesake in Kanagawa Prefecture, and can be found in Nanboku-chō period documents. The area around Yokohama was controlled by the Nambu clan from the Kamakura period and was the site of several small fortifications in the Sengoku period. In the Edo Period, it was part of Morioka Domain and prospered through trade with the Kansai region, exporting particularly hinoki cypress and sea cucumber in exchange for cloth. However, much of the timber had been logged out by the mid-18th century. Yokohama was also a post town on the Tanabe kaidō, a highway to the north shore of the Shimokita Peninsula from where travelers could take a boat to Ezo (Hokkaido). Following the Boshin War, it was part of the territory of the briefly-established Tonami Domain, where ex-samurai from former Aizu Domain were resettled. During the post-Meiji restoration establishment of the modern municipalities system on 1 April 1889, Yokohama was proclaimed to be a village. In 1891, the Tohoku Main Line was opened, and passengers heading to Ezo could travel via Aomori on the line, and the importance of towns along the Tanabe kaidō, including Yokohama, declined sharply. Yokohama was elevated to town status on April 1, 1958.

Government

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Yokohama has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of ten members. Yokohama is part of Shimokita District which, together with the city of Mutsu, contributes three members to the Aomori Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Aomori 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

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The economy of Yokohama was traditionally heavily dependent on commercial fishing in Mutsu Bay, primarily for sea cucumber, the local specialty, as well as sea urchin roe and scallops. With regards to agriculture, rapeseed and potato farming predominates. Electrical power production via wind farms also contributes to the local economy.

Education

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Yokohama has one public elementary school and one public middle school operated by the town government. The town does not have a high school.

Transportation

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Railway

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East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Ōminato Line

  • ‹See TfM›Fukkoshi - ‹See TfM›Mutsu-Yokohama - ‹See TfM›Arihata

Highway

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Noted people from Yokohama

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References

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  1. ^ "Yokohama town official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. ^ Yokohama climate data
  3. ^ Yokohama population statistics
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Media related to Yokohama, Aomori at Wikimedia Commons