:Ishinomaki

Ishinomaki is in northeastern Miyagi Prefecture. The city borders on Ishinomaki Bay to the south and Minamisanriku city to the north, with the Kitakami Mountains to the west. Its coastline forms part of the Sanriku Fukkō National Park, which stretches north to Aomori Prefecture. Ishinomaki includes Tashirojima (also known as "Cat Island"), Ajishima, and Kinkasan, three islands off the south coast of Oshika Peninsula.

Miyagi Prefecture

• Higashimatsushima
• Minamisanriku
• Misato
• Onagawa
• Tome
• Wakuya

Ishinomaki has a humid climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Ishinomaki is {{cvt|11.9|C}}. The average annual rainfall is {{cvt|1091.3|mm}} with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around {{cvt|23.6|C}}, and lowest in January, at around {{cvt|1.0|C}}. Its record high is {{cvt|36.8|C}}, reached on 15 August 2007, and its record low is {{cvt|-14.6|C}}, reached on 6 January 1919.

{{Weather box

|width=auto

|collapsed = Y

|single line = Y

|metric first = Y

|location = Ishinomaki (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1887−present)

|Jan record high C = 15.2

|Feb record high C = 19.2

|Mar record high C = 20.7

|Apr record high C = 28.4

|May record high C = 30.7

|Jun record high C = 32.0

|Jul record high C = 35.6

|Aug record high C = 36.8

|Sep record high C = 34.0

|Oct record high C = 28.5

|Nov record high C = 23.7

|Dec record high C = 21.9

|Jan record low C = -14.6

|Feb record low C = -13.1

|Mar record low C = -10.3

|Apr record low C = -5.0

|May record low C = -0.1

|Jun record low C = 5.7

|Jul record low C = 8.3

|Aug record low C = 11.5

|Sep record low C = 6.2

|Oct record low C = -0.7

|Nov record low C = -4.6

|Dec record low C = -10.5

|Jan high C = 4.8

|Feb high C = 5.6

|Mar high C = 8.9

|Apr high C = 14.1

|May high C = 18.7

|Jun high C = 21.9

|Jul high C = 25.2

|Aug high C = 27.0

|Sep high C = 24.2

|Oct high C = 19.1

|Nov high C = 13.2

|Dec high C = 7.3

|Jan mean C = 1.0

|Feb mean C = 1.6

|Mar mean C = 4.6

|Apr mean C = 9.6

|May mean C = 14.5

|Jun mean C = 18.3

|Jul mean C = 21.9

|Aug mean C = 23.6

|Sep mean C = 20.5

|Oct mean C = 15.0

|Nov mean C = 8.9

|Dec mean C = 3.4

|Jan low C = -2.2

|Feb low C = -2.0

|Mar low C = 0.5

|Apr low C = 5.4

|May low C = 11.0

|Jun low C = 15.5

|Jul low C = 19.5

|Aug low C = 21.1

|Sep low C = 17.4

|Oct low C = 10.9

|Nov low C = 4.6

|Dec low C = 0.0

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 38.8

|Feb precipitation mm = 31.0

|Mar precipitation mm = 72.4

|Apr precipitation mm = 86.1

|May precipitation mm = 96.8

|Jun precipitation mm = 110.6

|Jul precipitation mm = 145.7

|Aug precipitation mm = 115.8

|Sep precipitation mm = 151.6

|Oct precipitation mm = 137.9

|Nov precipitation mm = 61.9

|Dec precipitation mm = 42.8

|year precipitation mm = 1091.3

|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 4.6

|Feb precipitation days = 4.9

|Mar precipitation days = 7.3

|Apr precipitation days = 8.3

|May precipitation days = 9.0

|Jun precipitation days = 9.4

|Jul precipitation days = 11.8

|Aug precipitation days = 9.2

|Sep precipitation days = 9.8

|Oct precipitation days = 8.0

|Nov precipitation days = 6.1

|Dec precipitation days = 5.5

|Jan snow cm = 17

|Feb snow cm = 16

|Mar snow cm = 9

|Apr snow cm = 1

|May snow cm = 0

|Jun snow cm = 0

|Jul snow cm = 0

|Aug snow cm = 0

|Sep snow cm = 0

|Oct snow cm = 0

|Nov snow cm = 1

|Dec snow cm = 8

|year snow cm = 51

|unit snow days = 1 cm

|Jan snow days = 5.0

|Feb snow days = 4.1

|Mar snow days = 2.1

|Apr snow days = 0.2

|May snow days = 0

|Jun snow days = 0

|Jul snow days = 0

|Aug snow days = 0

|Sep snow days = 0

|Oct snow days = 0

|Nov snow days = 0.1

|Dec snow days = 2.8

|humidity colour= green

|Jan humidity = 71

|Feb humidity = 69

|Mar humidity = 67

|Apr humidity = 68

|May humidity = 74

|Jun humidity = 80

|Jul humidity = 84

|Aug humidity = 82

|Sep humidity = 80

|Oct humidity = 76

|Nov humidity = 73

|Dec humidity = 73

|Jan sun = 163.8

|Feb sun = 164.6

|Mar sun = 184.5

|Apr sun = 193.4

|May sun = 196.0

|Jun sun = 157.4

|Jul sun = 140.1

|Aug sun = 161.9

|Sep sun = 137.3

|Oct sun = 151.5

|Nov sun = 150.0

|Dec sun = 146.2

|year sun = 1946.7

|source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency{{cite web

| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_s.php?prec_no=34&block_no=47592&year=&month=&day=&view=h0

|script-title=ja:観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）

| publisher = JMA

| access-date = March 23, 2022}}{{cite web

| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=34&block_no=47592&year=&month=&day=&view=h0

|script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）

| publisher = JMA

| access-date = March 23, 2022}}}}

{{Weather box

|width=auto

|collapsed = Y

|single line = Y

|metric first = Y

|location = Monou, Ishinomaki (2011−2020 normals, extremes 2011−present)

|Jan record high C = 11.9

|Feb record high C = 17.8

|Mar record high C = 23.4

|Apr record high C = 29.6

|May record high C = 32.1

|Jun record high C = 31.9

|Jul record high C = 35.3

|Aug record high C = 37.2

|Sep record high C = 34.1

|Oct record high C = 29.1

|Nov record high C = 22.0

|Dec record high C = 17.7

|Jan record low C = -15.8

|Feb record low C = -17.2

|Mar record low C = -6.6

|Apr record low C = -3.1

|May record low C = 3.9

|Jun record low C = 8.0

|Jul record low C = 13.3

|Aug record low C = 12.9

|Sep record low C = 6.8

|Oct record low C = 0.4

|Nov record low C = -5.3

|Dec record low C = -10.6

|Jan high C = 4.7

|Feb high C = 5.7

|Mar high C = 10.8

|Apr high C = 15.8

|May high C = 21.4

|Jun high C = 23.8

|Jul high C = 27.3

|Aug high C = 29.2

|Sep high C = 25.7

|Oct high C = 19.8

|Nov high C = 13.4

|Dec high C = 6.9

|Jan mean C = 0.3

|Feb mean C = 0.9

|Mar mean C = 4.9

|Apr mean C = 9.8

|May mean C = 15.8

|Jun mean C = 19.3

|Jul mean C = 22.9

|Aug mean C = 24.4

|Sep mean C = 20.7

|Oct mean C = 14.4

|Nov mean C = 8.0

|Dec mean C = 2.4

|Jan low C = -4.3

|Feb low C = -4.1

|Mar low C = -0.8

|Apr low C = 3.7

|May low C = 11.0

|Jun low C = 15.6

|Jul low C = 19.7

|Aug low C = 21.1

|Sep low C = 16.7

|Oct low C = 9.4

|Nov low C = 2.7

|Dec low C = -1.8

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 32.1

|Feb precipitation mm = 25.7

|Mar precipitation mm = 75.1

|Apr precipitation mm = 101.0

|May precipitation mm = 88.1

|Jun precipitation mm = 92.9

|Jul precipitation mm = 128.7

|Aug precipitation mm = 114.9

|Sep precipitation mm = 147.8

|Oct precipitation mm = 141.3

|Nov precipitation mm = 48.2

|Dec precipitation mm = 42.7

|year precipitation mm = 1042.9

|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 5.1

|Feb precipitation days = 5.8

|Mar precipitation days = 6.4

|Apr precipitation days = 8.7

|May precipitation days = 9.0

|Jun precipitation days = 8.6

|Jul precipitation days = 10.4

|Aug precipitation days = 11.0

|Sep precipitation days = 10.3

|Oct precipitation days = 8.3

|Nov precipitation days = 6.3

|Dec precipitation days = 6.4

|source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency{{cite web

| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_a.php?prec_no=34&block_no=1630&year=&month=&day=&view=h0

|script-title=ja:観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）

| publisher = JMA

| access-date = March 23, 2022}}{{cite web

| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=34&block_no=1630&year=&month=&day=&view=h0

|script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）

| publisher = JMA

| access-date = March 23, 2022}}}}

Per Japanese census data,[https://www.citypopulation.de/php/japan-iwate.php Ichinomaki population statistics] the population of Ishinomaki has declined over the past 40 years.

{{Historical populations

| 1920 | 102,953

| 1930 | 122,589

| 1940 | 137,327

| 1950 | 177,015

| 1960 | 180,012

| 1970 | 177,597

| 1980 | 186,094

| 1990 | 182,911

| 2000 | 174,778

| 2010 | 160,826

| 2020 | 140,151

|align = none

| footnote =

}}

File:OgatsuBay09r.jpg

The area of present-day Ishinomaki was part of ancient Mutsu Province. During the Sengoku period, the area was contested by various samurai clans before the area came under the control of the Date clan of Sendai Domain during the Edo period. The town prospered as a major port and transshipment center for coastal shipping between Edo and northern Japan. The town of Ishinomaki was established within Oshika District on June 1, 1889 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system.

The city was founded on April 1, 1933. On April 1, 2005, Ishinomaki absorbed the neighboring towns of Kahoku, Kanan, Kitakami, Monou and Ogatsu, and the town of Oshika to more than quadruple its area and add nearly 60,000 people to its population.

The town of Ogatsu is regionally famous for its inkstones and has an annual scallop festival in the summer. Ayukawa, a town in Oshika, was formerly a base for several ships in Japan's whaling fleet.

File:US Navy 110320-N-OB360-166 An aerial view of ships washed ashore and overturned at a port near the Japan Air Self-Defense Force Matsushima Air Base.jpg

Ishinomaki was among the municipalities most seriously affected by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/13/world/asia/satellite-photos-japan-before-and-after-tsunami.html |title=Satellite Photos of Japan Before and After the Quake and Tsunami |newspaper=New York Times |date=13 March 2011}}{{cite news |author=Kyodo News |author-link=Kyodo News |url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110314a3.html |title=Death toll may surpass 10,000 in Miyagi |newspaper=The Japan Times |date=14 March 2011 |page=1}} Several tsunamis, up to about {{convert|10|m|ft}} high, traveled inland up to {{convert|5|km|mi}} from the coast. The tsunami destroyed around 80% of the 700 houses in the coastal port of Ayukawa, and the Kadonowaki neighborhood was largely leveled.{{cite news |author=Kyodo News |author-link=Kyodo News |url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110318a7.html |title=Miyagi coastal whaling port pulverized, little more than memory |newspaper=The Japan Times |date= 18 March 2011 |page=3}} {{cite news|last=Gilhooly |first=Rob |url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20110320x1.html |title='Nothing can prepare you to witness this' |newspaper=The Japan Times |date=20 March 2011 |page=7}} Approximately 46% of the city was inundated by the tsunami.NHK, "Tsunami flooded 100 square kilometers of city land", 29 March 2011. Following the tsunami, a Kamen Rider statue was found completely intact despite damage to the surrounding area; a writer for Tokyo Sports hoped that it would symbolically give hope to the survivors of the disaster.{{cite web|url=http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/tokudashi.php?sid=12702|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110321175454/http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/tokudashi.php?sid=12702|date=18 March 2011 |archive-date=21 March 2011|title=仮面ライダー無事だった|work=Tokyo Sports|access-date=22 April 2014}}

Many public schools were completely destroyed, including {{nihongo|Ishinomaki Okawa Elementary School|大川小学校}}, which lost 70 of 108 students and nine of 13 teachers and staff.{{cite news|author=Lah, Kyung |url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/23/japan.missing.children/index.html |title=In Japan, parents try to go on: 'My child should come home to me' |work=CNN |date=23 March 2011 |access-date=23 March 2011}} There is still anger among some of the parents of the dead students because the teachers had wasted precious time in debating whether to evacuate to higher ground. And when the decision was finally made, the teachers had decided to get to higher ground further away from the school which necessitated crossing a nearby river bridge. It was here while crossing the bridge that both the teachers and students were swept away by the tsunami. This decision is deemed unreasonable by many of the parents because there is a hill right behind the school, which they could have reached quickly. One of the teachers had tried to persuade the other teachers to bring the students to safety uphill soon after the earthquake; when he was unsuccessful, he evacuated himself, managing to persuade one of the students to go with him - both survived. One of the teachers who survived the tsunami at the bridge later committed suicide.{{cite news|last=Gilhooly |first=Rob |url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120311f3.html |title=Time has stopped for parents of dead and missing children |newspaper=The Japan Times |date=11 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314055441/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120311f3.html |archive-date=14 March 2012}}{{cite news |url= http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20111013f1.html|title=Parents unable to let go continue search for missing kids |first= Rob|last= Gilhooly|date= 13 October 2011|newspaper= The Japan Times|publisher= The Japan Times Ltd.|location= Japan|page= 3|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111214231410/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20111013f1.html|archive-date= 14 December 2011|access-date= 13 March 2013}}{{cite news |url= http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110419f1.html|title=Loss-staggered school reopens|date= 19 April 2011|newspaper= The Japan Times|publisher= The Japan Times Ltd.|location= Japan|page= 3|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110514084752/http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110419f1.html|archive-date= 14 May 2011|access-date= 13 March 2013}}{{cite news|author=Kyodo News |author-link=Kyodo News |url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110422a7.html |title=Loss-hit Ishinomaki school opens |newspaper=The Japan Times |date=22 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110426052206/http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110422a7.html |archive-date=26 April 2011}}

Ishinomaki is the Japanese municipality with the highest confirmed death count. {{As of|2011|06|17}}, a total of 3,097 deaths had been confirmed in Ishinomaki due to the tsunami, with 2,770 unaccounted for.{{cite news|author=Kyodo News |author-link=Kyodo News |url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110617a7.html |title=Ishinomaki can't tally March 11 missing |newspaper=The Japan Times |date=17 June 2011 |page= 2}} Approximately 29,000 city residents lost their homes.{{cite news|last=Robson |first=Seth |url=http://www.stripes.com/news/ishinomaki-residents-rebuild-their-lives-as-they-rebuild-their-town-1.153738 |title=Ishinomaki residents rebuild their lives as they rebuild their town |newspaper=Stars and Stripes |date=30 August 2011}}

Ishinomaki employs several foreigners to teach English in all of its elementary and junior high schools, as well as the two municipal high schools. American teacher Taylor Anderson was killed by the tsunami. Since her death, her family has been active in supporting the Ishinomaki school district, and has set up programs to further English education.{{cite web |url=http://www.thetaylorandersonstory.com/ |title=Live Your Dream. The Taylor Anderson Story |website=www.thetaylorandersonstory.com |access-date=29 October 2023}}

The earthquake shifted the city southeast and downward, lowering it by as much as {{convert|1.2|m|ft}} in some areas and causing it to flood twice daily at high tide. A once sandy beach in the Kadonowaki area completely disappeared and tides now reach the wall that once separated the beach from the road. Near the Mangakan Island, a walkway with benches was partially submerged in the river.{{cite news | url=http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_18026656?nclick_check=1 | title=Quake shifted Japan; towns now flood at high tide | work=Contra Costa Times/Associated Press | date=9 May 2011 | access-date=9 May 2011 | author=Alabaster, Jay | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110530133541/http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_18026656?nclick_check=1 | archive-date=30 May 2011 | url-status=dead }}

Since 2011, Ishinomaki and other municipalities have been focusing on rebuilding and attracting residents back into the area. In 2019, eight years after the tragedy, Okawa Elementary School remains in ruins, as a memorial to those that were lost in the tsunami. Numerous parents who lost children due to staff errors sued the school and won in 2019.{{Cite web|title=New principals in Miyagi meet with relatives of kids lost to tsunami|url=http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13900016|access-date=2020-12-17|website=The Asahi Shimbun|language=en}}

Ishinomaki and other neighboring cities started construction on levees and large walls along the coast to protect against future tsunamis.{{Cite web|url=https://jpbound.com/2019/08/14/the-town-that-was-washed-away-8-years-after-the-great-tohoku-earthquake-a-photo-essay/|title=The Town That Was Washed Away: 8 Years After The Great Tohoku Earthquake (a photo essay)|last=Ambalina|first=Limarc|date=2019-08-13|website=Japan Bound|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-14}}

Ishinomaki has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 30 members. Ishinomaki, together with the town of Onagawa, contributes five seats to the Miyagi Prefectural legislature. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Miyagi 5th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Ishinomaki traditionally has been a center for commercial fishing, especially for the cultivation of oysters.

• Ishinomaki Senshu University
• Ishinomaki has 36 public elementary schools, 20 public junior high schools and one public high school operated by the city government, and seven public high schools operated by the Miyagi Prefectural Board of Education. The prefectural also operates one special education school for the handicapped. A private university, the Ishinomaki Senshu University, is also located in the city.

{{main|East Japan Railway Company}}

• {{color|hotpink|■}}Ishinomaki Line
• {{STN|Maeyachi|x}} - {{STN|Kakeyama|x}} - {{STN|Kanomata|x}} - {{STN|Sobanokami|x}} - {{STN|Ishinomaki|x}} - {{STN|Rikuzen-Inai|x}} - {{STN|Watanoha|x}} - {{STN|Mangoku-Ura|x}} - {{STN|Sawada|x}}
• {{color|deepskyblue|■}}Senseki Line({{color|deepskyblue|■}}{{color|#3cb371|■}}Senseki-Tohoku Line)
• {{STN|Ishinomakiayumino|x}} - {{STN|Hebita|x}} - {{STN|Rikuzen-Yamashita|x}} - {{STN|Ishinomaki|x}}
• {{color|#3b459b|■}}Kesennuma Line
• {{STN|Maeyachi|x}} - {{STN|Wabuchi|x}}

Daily scheduled intercity buses bound for the following cities, through the Sanriku Expressway, are being served from Ishinomaki Station.

• Sendai via Aeon Ishinomaki Shopping Center (Mall), by Miyakou Bus Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Miyagi Transportation (Miyagi Kotsu) Co., Ltd.
• Shinjuku, Tokyo via Shibuya (overnight): via Sendai, operated by Miyagi Transportation (Miyagi Kotsu) Co., Ltd. and Keio Dentetsu Bus Corporation

File:Sanjuanbautista.jpg San Juan Bautista]]

• {{jct|country=JPN|Exp|E45|dab1=S}} (Ishinomaki-kanan, Kahoku, Monou-toyosato and Monou-tsuyama interchanges)
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|45}}
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|108}}
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|398}}

• Port of Ishinomaki

• Ishii lock
• Ishinomaki Saint John the Apostle Orthodox Church
• Ishinomori Manga Museum along with Manga Road celebrating Shotaro Ishinomori's manga legacy.{{Clarify|date=March 2013}}
• The reed fields at the mouth of the Kitakami River at Ishinomaki is listed as one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan by the Ministry of the Environment{{cite web |url=http://www.env.go.jp/air/life/nihon_no_oto/index.html |title=100 Soundscapes of Japan |publisher=Ministry of the Environment |access-date=8 December 2015}}
• Numazu Shell Midden, a Jōmon period National Historic Site{{cite web|url=https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/215799|title=沼津貝塚 |work=Cultural Heritage Online|publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs|language=ja|access-date=25 December 2016}}
• Saitō Garden
• {{ship|Japanese warship|San Juan Bautista||2}}, replica of a ship commissioned in 1613 by Date Masamune to transport an embassy to the Pope in Rome.

{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Japan}}

Ishinomaki is twinned with:{{cite web |title=姉妹都市・友好都市|url=https://www.city.ishinomaki.lg.jp/cont/10053500/2388/2388.html|website=city.ishinomaki.lg.jp|publisher=Ishinomaki|language=ja|access-date=2020-04-12}}

• {{flagicon|JPN}} Hitachinaka, Japan

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

• {{flagicon|ITA}} Civitavecchia, Italy
• {{flagicon|JPN}} Hagi, Japan
• {{flagicon|JPN}} Kahoku, Japan
• {{flagicon|CHN}} Wenzhou, China

{{div col end}}

• Kasugafuji Akihiro, sumo wrestler
• Jun Azumi, politician
• Tatsuji Fuse, lawyer, social activist
• Sukekiyo Kameyama, voice actor
• Isamu Kosugi, actor, movie director
• Mai Mukaida, make-up artist and businesswoman{{Cite web |title= |script-title=ja:東北の復興に向けての起業を応援する「みちのく起業」 |trans-title="Michinoku Entrepreneurship" to support entrepreneurs for the recovery of Tohoku |url=http://michinokushigoto.jp/kigyo/members/m_mukaida.html |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=Michinoku Shigoto}}
• Naoya Shiga, author
• Keiko Suzuka, actress
• Mayo Suzukaze, actress

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• [http://www.city.ishinomaki.lg.jp/ Official Website] {{in lang|ja}}

{{Miyagi}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities in Miyagi Prefecture

Category:Port settlements in Japan

Category:Populated coastal places in Japan