Soeda is located in the southeastern part of the Chikuhō region, in the southern part of Tagawa District, and borders Oita Prefecture in the Chikushi Mountains, which is home to a series of mountains such as Mt. Hiko. The Aburagi Dam is located in the upper reaches of the Imagawa River, and much of the town is in the mountains.
Soeda has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cfa). The average annual temperature in Soeda is 15.3 °C (59.5 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,970.5 mm (77.58 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.5 °C (79.7 °F), and lowest in January, at around 4.7 °C (40.5 °F).[2] The highest temperature ever recorded in Soeda was 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) on 14 August 2018; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −7.5 °C (18.5 °F) on 9 January 2021.[3]
Climate data for Soeda (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present)
The area of Soeda was part of ancient Buzen Province, and artifacts from as early as the late Jōmon period have bene found within town limits, including large jade stones which had been imported from distance Itoigawa, Niigata. During the Edo Period, the area was part of the holdings of Kokura Domain. The village of Soeda was established on May 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. It was raised to town status on April 1, 1912. On February 11, 1942 Soeds annexed the neighboring village Hikoyama, and on January 1 1955 the village of Tsuno. The town was severely damaged by torrential rains on On July 5, 2017.
Government
Soeda has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 11 members. Soeda, collectively with the other municipalities of Tagawa District contributes two members to the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Fukuoka 11th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy
During the Meiji period, Kawara, along with the other municipalities of the Chikuho area, developed with the Kitakyushu industrial zone through coal mining, and is still considered part of to the Greater Kitakyushu Metropolitan Area. However, as the demand for coal decreased due to the energy revolution, the coal mines that had sponsored prosperity have all closed, leading to depopulation. The main economic activity is now agriculture.
Education
Soeda has four public elementary high schools and one public junior high school operated by the town government and one public high school operated by the Fukuoka Prefectural Board of Education.
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