Oguni (小国町, Oguni-machi) is a town located in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. As of 29 February 2020[update], the town had an estimated population of 7,376 in 3020 households,[1] and a population density of 10 persons per km2. The total area of the town is 737.56 square kilometres (285 sq mi).
Geography
Oguni is located in mountainous southwestern Yamagata Prefecture, bordered by Niigata Prefecture to the west and south.
Oguni has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classificationCfa) 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 Oguni is 10.9 °C (51.6 °F). The average annual rainfall is 3,051.6 mm (120.14 in) with December as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 23.8 °C (74.8 °F), and lowest in January, at around −0.3 °C (31.5 °F).[2] In the winter season, snow cover may exceed 2 meters even in the center of town due to the monsoon from the Sea of Japan.
Climate data for Oguni (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present)
Per Japanese census data,[4] the population of Oguni peaked in the 1950s, and is now considerably less than what it was a century ago.
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±%
1920
10,158
—
1930
11,288
+11.1%
1940
15,492
+37.2%
1950
17,899
+15.5%
1960
17,787
−0.6%
1970
13,999
−21.3%
1980
12,221
−12.7%
1990
11,315
−7.4%
2000
10,262
−9.3%
2010
8,862
−13.6%
2020
7,107
−19.8%
History
The area of present-day Oguni was part of ancient Dewa Province and was ruled as part of Yonezawa Domain during the Edo period. After the start of the Meiji period, most of the area became part of Nishiokitama District, Yamagata Prefecture. The village of Ogunimoto was established on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. It was elevated to town status on November 3, 1943, becoming the town of Oguni. It absorbed the neighboring villages of Minamioguni and Kitaoguni on March 31, 1954 and the village of Tsugawa on August 1, 1960.
Economy
The economy of Oguni is based on agriculture and forestry, and hydroelectric power production from numerous dams.
Education
Oguni has two 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. There is also one private high school.
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