:Motosu, Gifu

Motosu is located in western Gifu Prefecture. Mount Nōgōhaku, on the border between Motosu and Fukui Prefecture is the highest point in the city, with an elevation of {{convert|1116|m|ft}}.

The city has a climate characterized by characterized by hot and humid summers, and mild winters (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Motosu is {{cvt|12.8|C}}. The average annual rainfall is {{cvt|3247.8|mm}} with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around {{cvt|24.8|C}}, and lowest in January, at around {{cvt|1.4|C}}.

{{Weather box

|width=auto

|collapsed = Y

|single line = Y

|metric first = Y

|location = Motosu (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present)

|Jan record high C = 14.6

|Feb record high C = 17.7

|Mar record high C = 23.3

|Apr record high C = 28.6

|May record high C = 32.7

|Jun record high C = 33.6

|Jul record high C = 37.2

|Aug record high C = 37.6

|Sep record high C = 35.0

|Oct record high C = 29.6

|Nov record high C = 23.4

|Dec record high C = 20.0

|Jan record low C = -10.6

|Feb record low C = -10.2

|Mar record low C = -7.5

|Apr record low C = -2.6

|May record low C = 1.4

|Jun record low C = 6.3

|Jul record low C = 12.2

|Aug record low C = 12.7

|Sep record low C = 7.5

|Oct record low C = 0.3

|Nov record low C = -2.3

|Dec record low C = -9.6

|Jan high C = 5.4

|Feb high C = 6.5

|Mar high C = 11.1

|Apr high C = 17.4

|May high C = 22.3

|Jun high C = 25.3

|Jul high C = 28.6

|Aug high C = 30.2

|Sep high C = 26.1

|Oct high C = 20.5

|Nov high C = 14.3

|Dec high C = 7.9

|Jan mean C = 1.4

|Feb mean C = 1.8

|Mar mean C = 5.5

|Apr mean C = 11.3

|May mean C = 16.3

|Jun mean C = 20.1

|Jul mean C = 23.8

|Aug mean C = 24.8

|Sep mean C = 21.1

|Oct mean C = 15.1

|Nov mean C = 9.0

|Dec mean C = 3.7

|Jan low C = -1.7

|Feb low C = -1.9

|Mar low C = 0.8

|Apr low C = 5.7

|May low C = 10.8

|Jun low C = 15.8

|Jul low C = 20.2

|Aug low C = 21.1

|Sep low C = 17.3

|Oct low C = 11.0

|Nov low C = 4.9

|Dec low C = 0.4

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 183.4

|Feb precipitation mm = 142.1

|Mar precipitation mm = 212.0

|Apr precipitation mm = 265.5

|May precipitation mm = 294.1

|Jun precipitation mm = 343.6

|Jul precipitation mm = 502.1

|Aug precipitation mm = 312.8

|Sep precipitation mm = 405.8

|Oct precipitation mm = 222.1

|Nov precipitation mm = 160.9

|Dec precipitation mm = 203.6

|year precipitation mm = 3247.8

|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 17.6

|Feb precipitation days = 14.1

|Mar precipitation days = 14.1

|Apr precipitation days = 12.2

|May precipitation days = 11.7

|Jun precipitation days = 13.8

|Jul precipitation days = 15.4

|Aug precipitation days = 13.4

|Sep precipitation days = 13.4

|Oct precipitation days = 11.0

|Nov precipitation days = 12.1

|Dec precipitation days = 17.0

|Jan snow cm = 144

|Feb snow cm = 109

|Mar snow cm = 27

|Apr snow cm = 0

|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 = 0

|Dec snow cm = 68

|year snow cm = 346

|unit snow days = 3 cm

|Jan snow days = 11.6

|Feb snow days = 10.5

|Mar snow days = 2.7

|Apr snow days = 0

|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

|Dec snow days = 4.7

|Jan sun = 80.4

|Feb sun = 107.9

|Mar sun = 152.8

|Apr sun = 174.4

|May sun = 184.2

|Jun sun = 145.9

|Jul sun = 137.3

|Aug sun = 168.0

|Sep sun = 131.6

|Oct sun = 135.9

|Nov sun = 104.9

|Dec sun = 78.1

|year sun = 1613.7

|source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency{{cite web

| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=52&block_no=0486&year=&month=&day=&view=h0

|script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）

| publisher = JMA

| access-date = May 30, 2022}}{{cite web

| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_a.php?prec_no=52&block_no=0486&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 = May 30, 2022}}}}

• Fukui Prefecture
• Ōno
• Gifu Prefecture
• Gifu
• Ibigawa
• Kitagata
• Mizuho
• Ōno
• Seki
• Yamagata

Per Japanese census data,[https://www.citypopulation.de/php/japan-gifu.php Motosu population statistics] the population of Motosu peaked around 2010 and has declined since.

{{Historical populations

| 1970 | 24,943

| 1980 | 28,245

| 1990 | 32,828

| 2000 | 33,900

| 2010 | 35,047

| 2020 | 32,928

|align = none

| footnote =

}}

Motosu city's tree is the persimmon tree, which is found growing naturally in the mountainous areas of Motosu. As persimmons are also cultivated in Motosu, it was chosen to represent the agricultural industry in the area.[http://www.city.motosu.lg.jp/shisei/profile/chousain/ Motosu city profile]{{in lang|ja}}

The city flower is the usuzumi cherry blossom found in the recently merged Neo. This unique cherry blossom initially sprouts pale pink flowers, which become white in full bloom, and a light black colour when the flowers die. Neo is also home to one of the three largest cherry blossom trees in Japan, which is reported to be the oldest cherry blossom tree in Japan.

Ayu or sweetfish, has been chosen to be the representative fish of the city. Known as "the queen of clear streams", the fish is found in the Neo River that flows through Motosu. Highly regarded for its flavour in Japan, it is fished throughout summer in the rivers.

The Motosu city bird is the uguisu or Japanese bush warbler, found in shrub thickets throughout Motosu. The bush warbler is known for its greenish brown colouring on its back, and white belly. Female birds can also be recognised by their dash pattern on their backs. It is also known as the "flower-viewing" bird, for its appearance near the many cherry blossom trees in the area.

In order to commemorate the three-year anniversary Motosu-city's amalgamation of Itonuki, Neo, Shinsei and Motosu, the municipal government began working on a theme song that best represented their vision of the future. The lyrics of the theme song, "Habataite", are intended to convey the ideas of nature and people living harmoniously together. The song is played every afternoon on the loudspeakers to warn children to return home before nightfall. The music was written by the world-renowned ocarina player Soujirou, who was commissioned by the local city government to write the theme song.

The area around Motosu was part of traditional Mino Province. During the Edo period, much of the area was under the control of Ogaki Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. In the post-Meiji restoration cadastral reforms, Motosu District in Gifu Prefecture was created.

On October 28, 1891, the Mino–Owari earthquake, the second largest earthquake to hit Japan, struck. Its epicenter was located in Motosu.

The modern city of Motosu was established on February 1, 2004, from the merger of the former town of Motosu, absorbing the towns of Itonuki and Shinsei, and the village of Neo (all from Motosu District).

Motosu has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 16 members.

On April 29, 2006, Malera Gifu opened on Mitsuhashi, one of the main roads of Motosu. This shopping centre covers an area of 185,000 m², making it one of the largest shopping centres in Japan. It houses approximately 240 retail outlets, including a supermarket (Valor), restaurants, clothes retailers and a cinema (Toho Cinema).

• National Institute of Technology, Gifu College

Motosu has eight public elementary schools and four public middle schools operated by the city government. The city has one public high school operated by the Gifu Prefectural Board of Education, and one private high school (Gifu Daiichi High School).

• 20px Tarumi Railway Tarumi Line
• {{STN|Kitagata-Makuwa|x}} - {{STN|Morera-Gifu|x}} - {{STN|Itonuki|x}} - {{STN|Motosu|x}} - {{STN|Oribe|x}} - {{STN|Kochibora|x}} - <{{STN|Tanigumiguchi|x}}> - {{STN|Kōmi|x}} - <{{STN|Takashina|x}}> - {{STN|Nabera|x}} - {{STN|Hinata|x}} - {{STN|Takao|x|Gifu}} - {{STN|Midori|x|Gifu}} - {{STN|Tarumi|x|Gifu}}

• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|157}}
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|303}}
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|418}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• [http://www.city.motosu.lg.jp/ Motosu City official website] {{in lang|ja}}
• [http://www.malera-gifu.com/ Malera official website] {{in lang|ja}}

{{Gifu}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities in Gifu Prefecture