Ichinohe (一戸町, Ichinohe-machi) is a town located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 April 2020[update], the town had an estimated population of 12,053, and a population density of 40 persons per km² in 5645 households.[1] The total area of the town is 300.03 square kilometres (115.84 sq mi).
Geography
Ichinohe is located in far north-central Iwate Prefecture, roughly in between the Ōu Mountains and the Kitakami Mountains. Approximately 61% of the town’s area is covered in mountains and forest.[2] The Mabechi River flows through the town.
Ichinohe has a cold humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) characterized by mild summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Ichinohe is 8.1 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1372 mm with September as the wettest month and February as the driest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 21.6 °C, and lowest in January, at around -4.3 °C.[3]
Per Japanese census data,[6] the population of Ichinohe peaked in the 1950s has declined steadily over the past 60 years.
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±%
1920
16,592
—
1930
19,095
+15.1%
1940
20,048
+5.0%
1950
25,273
+26.1%
1960
26,228
+3.8%
1970
23,176
−11.6%
1980
20,861
−10.0%
1990
18,610
−10.8%
2000
16,933
−9.0%
2010
14,189
−16.2%
2020
11,494
−19.0%
History
The area of present-day Ichinohe was part of ancient Mutsu Province, and has been settled since at least the Jōmon period. Many Jōmon and Kofun period remains have been found. Inhabited by the Emishi tribes, the Nihon Shoki describes the penetration of the area by forces of the Yamato dynasty in the Nara period; however, it was not under effective control of the central government until the mid-Heian period. The area was dominated by the Nanbu clan from the early Muromachi period, and was named for one of the nine numbered stockades, or fortified ranches, that established to secure this frontier area. During the Edo periodTokugawa shogunate, the area was under the control of Morioka Domain.
In the early Meiji period, the modern town of Ichinohe was created within Ninohe District on April 1, 1889, with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. The neighboring villages of Anetai, Kozuya, Chōkai, and Namiuchi were merged with Ichinohe on January 1, 1955.
Government
Ichinohe has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 14 members. Ichinohe, and the city of Ninohe together contribute two seats to the Iwate Prefectural legislature. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Iwate 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy
The economy of Ichinohe is based primarily on agriculture.
Education
Ichinohe has seven public elementary schools and four public middle schools operated by the town government, and two public high schools operated by the Iwate Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates two special education schools for the handicapped.
Ōshū Kaidō (奥州街道, Ōshū Kaidō) - a number of sections of the Ōshū Kaidō, an ancient highway linking Kyoto with northern Japan has been preserved within Ichinohe as a National Historic Site[10]>
Basenkyo ravine on the Mabechi River, a National Place of Scenic Beauty.[11]
