:Inakadate, Aomori

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Inakadate

| official_name =

| native_name = {{nobold|{{lang|ja|田舎館村}}}}

| settlement_type = Village

| image_skyline = InakadateVillageOffice.jpg

| imagesize = 300px

| image_alt =

| image_caption = Inakadate Village Hall

| image_flag = Flag of Inakadate Aomori.svg

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| image_seal = Emblem of Inakadate, Aomori.svg

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| image_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|frame-width=260|plain=yes|type=shape|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#000000|zoom=9}}

| image_map1 = Inakadate in Aomori Prefecture Ja.svg

| map_alt =

| map_caption = Location of Inakadate in Aomori Prefecture

| pushpin_map = Japan

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| coordinates = {{coord|40|37|52.1|N|140|33|08|E|region:JP|display=inline,title}}

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| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = Japan

| subdivision_type1 = Region

| subdivision_name1 = Tōhoku

| subdivision_type2 = Prefecture

| subdivision_name2 = Aomori

| subdivision_type3 = District

| subdivision_name3 = Minamitsugaru

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| area_total_km2 = 22.35

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| population_total = 7,420

| population_as_of = January 31, 2023

| population_density_km2 = auto

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| timezone1 = Japan Standard Time

| utc_offset1 = +9

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| blank_name_sec2 = Phone number

| blank_info_sec2 = 0172-58-2111

| blank1_name_sec2 = Address

| blank1_info_sec2 = 1 Nakatsuji, Inakadate-mura, Minamitsugaru-gun, Aomori-ken 038-1113

| website = {{Official|1=http://www.vill.inakadate.lg.jp/}}

| footnotes =

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File:Inakadate.jpg

{{Nihongo|Inakadate|田舎館村|Inakadate-mura}} is a village in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. {{As of|2023|01|31}}, the village had an estimated population of 7,420 in 2845 households,[http://www.vill.inakadate.lg.jp Inakadate village official statistics] {{in lang|ja}} and a population density of 362 persons per km2. The total area of the village is {{convert|22.35|sqkm|sqmi}}.

Geography

Inakadate occupies the flatlands within Minamitsugaru District of south-central Aomori, east of the city of Hirosaki.

=Neighbouring municipalities=

Aomori Prefecture

=Climate=

The village has a cold humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) characterized by warm short summers and long cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Inakadate is 10.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1294 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.1 °C, and lowest in January, at around -1.9 °C.[https://en.climate-data.org/location/472557/ Inakadate climate data]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[https://www.citypopulation.de/php/japan-aomori.php Inakadate population statistics] the population of Inakadate has decreased steadily over the past 60 years.

{{Historical populations

| percentages = pagr

| align = none

| cols = 1

| graph-pos = bottom

| 1960 | 11,509

| 1970 | 10,062

| 1980 | 10,053

| 1990 | 9,370

| 2000 | 8,835

| 2010 | 8,153

| 2020 | 7,326

| footnote =

}}

History

During the Edo period, the area around Inakadate was controlled by the Tsugaru clan of Hirosaki Domain. After the Meiji Restoration, it became part of Minamitsugaru District. On April 1, 1889, Inakadate was proclaimed as a village with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. On April 1, 1955, it annexed neighboring Kodaji Village, but lost a portion of its territory to Onoe Town on October 1, 1956.

Government

Inakadate has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral village legislature of eight members. Minamitsugari District contributes one member to the Aomori Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the village is part of Aomori 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

The economy of Inakadate is heavily dependent on agriculture, notably rice and horticulture.

Education

Inakadate has one public elementary school and one public junior high school operated by the village government. The village does not have a high school.

Transportation

=Railway=

22pxEast Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Ōu Main Line, Gono Line

  • {{STN|Kawabe|x|Aomori}}

22px Kōnan Railway Company - Kōnan Railway Kōnan Line

  • {{STN|Inakadate|x}} - {{STN|Tamboāto|x}}

=Highway=

  • {{jct|country=JPN|Route|102}}

Local attractions

  • Tareyanagi Site, a Yayoi-period ruin and National Historic Site{{cite web|url=http://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/164451|title=垂柳遺跡|work=Cultural Heritage Online|publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs|language=ja|access-date=25 December 2017}}

=Art stimulus=

In 1993, as part of a revitalization effort, Inakadate began creating rice paddy art, murals of art using rice paddy fields. The people were looking for a way to revitalize their village. Archaeology showed that rice had been grown in the area for more than 2000 years. To honor this history, the villagers started a rice field behind the town hall. The villagers cultivated and used four different types of heirloom and modern strains of rice to create a giant picture in the field. To allow viewing of the whole picture, a mock castle tower 22 meters high was erected at the village office.{{cite news|url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20070826x1.html/|title=Homegrown art|last=Hani|first=Yoko|date=2007-08-26|publisher=The Japan Times|access-date=22 February 2010}} In 2006, more than 200,000 people visited the village to see the art.

To encourage visitation outside of rice growing season, the village began using the same fields for winter rice paddy art in 2016. The designs are created by compressing snow into patterns by walking on it with snowshoes.{{cite web|title=Winter Rice Paddy Art and Ground Blizzard Experience|url=https://www.en-aomori.com/20170126_snowart.html|work=Aomori Sightseeing Guide|date=26 January 2017|access-date=12 February 2019}}

Notable people from Inakadate

References

{{Reflist}}