Shirakawa, Fukushima

Shirakawa is located in south-central Fukushima prefecture facing the Nasu plateau, and extending to the lowland Shirakawa Basin.

• Rivers: Abukuma River

• Fukushima Prefecture
• Asakawa
• Ishikawa
• Izumizaki
• Nakajima
• Nishigō
• Tanagura
• Ten'ei
• Yabuki
• Tochigi Prefecture
• Nasu

Shirakawa has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Shirakawa is 11.4 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1377 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.0 °C, and lowest in January, at around 0.3 °C.[https://en.climate-data.org/location/5392/ Shirakawa climate data]

{{Weather box

|width = auto

|collapsed = Y

|single line = Y

|metric first = Y

|location = Shirakawa (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1940−present)

|Jan record high C = 17.1

|Feb record high C = 19.9

|Mar record high C = 23.5

|Apr record high C = 28.9

|May record high C = 32.9

|Jun record high C = 34.1

|Jul record high C = 36.0

|Aug record high C = 36.9

|Sep record high C = 33.5

|Oct record high C = 28.7

|Nov record high C = 22.7

|Dec record high C = 20.7

|Jan record low C = -13.4

|Feb record low C = -13.6

|Mar record low C = -12.3

|Apr record low C = -6.0

|May record low C = -2.3

|Jun record low C = 5.1

|Jul record low C = 7.2

|Aug record low C = 11.1

|Sep record low C = 3.9

|Oct record low C = -2.5

|Nov record low C = -6.8

|Dec record low C = -12.4

|Jan high C = 5.0

|Feb high C = 6.0

|Mar high C = 9.8

|Apr high C = 15.9

|May high C = 21.1

|Jun high C = 24.0

|Jul high C = 27.4

|Aug high C = 28.7

|Sep high C = 24.5

|Oct high C = 18.9

|Nov high C = 13.3

|Dec high C = 7.8

|Jan mean C = 0.6

|Feb mean C = 1.2

|Mar mean C = 4.5

|Apr mean C = 10.2

|May mean C = 15.5

|Jun mean C = 19.1

|Jul mean C = 22.8

|Aug mean C = 23.7

|Sep mean C = 19.8

|Oct mean C = 14.0

|Nov mean C = 8.1

|Dec mean C = 3.1

|Jan low C = -3.3

|Feb low C = -3.0

|Mar low C = -0.3

|Apr low C = 4.7

|May low C = 10.3

|Jun low C = 15.0

|Jul low C = 19.3

|Aug low C = 20.2

|Sep low C = 16.2

|Oct low C = 9.9

|Nov low C = 3.4

|Dec low C = -1.0

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 44.1

|Feb precipitation mm = 34.8

|Mar precipitation mm = 78.9

|Apr precipitation mm = 101.7

|May precipitation mm = 122.6

|Jun precipitation mm = 149.8

|Jul precipitation mm = 233.2

|Aug precipitation mm = 206.0

|Sep precipitation mm = 211.4

|Oct precipitation mm = 166.3

|Nov precipitation mm = 66.3

|Dec precipitation mm = 41.7

|year precipitation mm = 1456.7

|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 5.3

|Feb precipitation days = 4.9

|Mar precipitation days = 8.5

|Apr precipitation days = 8.8

|May precipitation days = 10.6

|Jun precipitation days = 13.0

|Jul precipitation days = 15.5

|Aug precipitation days = 12.9

|Sep precipitation days = 12.4

|Oct precipitation days = 9.4

|Nov precipitation days = 6.3

|Dec precipitation days = 5.6

|Jan snow cm = 36

|Feb snow cm = 25

|Mar snow cm = 14

|Apr snow cm = 2

|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 = 12

|year snow cm = 90

|unit snow days = 1 cm

|Jan snow days = 8.2

|Feb snow days = 6.0

|Mar snow days = 3.6

|Apr snow days = 0.5

|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 = 0.2

|Dec snow days = 3.2

|humidity colour= green

|Jan humidity = 67

|Feb humidity = 64

|Mar humidity = 63

|Apr humidity = 64

|May humidity = 69

|Jun humidity = 78

|Jul humidity = 83

|Aug humidity = 82

|Sep humidity = 82

|Oct humidity = 78

|Nov humidity = 74

|Dec humidity = 70

|Jan sun = 151.4

|Feb sun = 156.1

|Mar sun = 179.9

|Apr sun = 182.8

|May sun = 182.0

|Jun sun = 130.5

|Jul sun = 120.9

|Aug sun = 142.1

|Sep sun = 119.3

|Oct sun = 134.0

|Nov sun = 145.7

|Dec sun = 146.8

|year sun = 1790.7

|source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency{{cite web

| url = http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_s.php?prec_no=36&block_no=47597&year=&month=&day=&view=p1

|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 3, 2022}}{{cite web

| url = http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=36&block_no=47597&year=&month=&day=&view=p1

|script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）

| publisher = JMA

| access-date = March 3, 2022}}}}

Per Japanese census data,[https://www.citypopulation.de/en/japan/fukushima/ Shirakawa population statistics] the population of Shirakawa peaked around the year 2000 and has declined since.

{{Historical populations

| 1950 | 65,543

| 1960 | 62,480

| 1970 | 58,896

| 1980 | 60,253

| 1990 | 63,839

| 2000 | 66,048

| 2010 | 64,704

| 2020 | 59,491

| align = none

}}

{{Japan prefectures population

|code=07205

|name=Shirakawa

}}

File:Shirakawa Komine Castle 20100625-01.jpg

The area of present-day Shirakawa was part of ancient Mutsu Province and was the location of a barrier gate on the Ōshū Kaidō connecting the capital at Kyoto with the northern provinces. In the Heian period, the Buddhist monk and waka poet Nōin composed the following poem about the region:

{{cquote|都をば霞とともに立ちしかど秋風ぞ吹く白河の関

Miyako wo ba kasumi to tomo ni tachishikado akikaze zo fuku Shirakawa no seki.

({{langx|en|I left the capital with the spring haze, but at the barrier of Shirakawa the autumn wind blows.}})

}}

In the Edo period the area prospered as a castle town Shirakawa Domain, and was the site of a major battle in the Boshin War during the Meiji restoration. In the Meiji period, it was organized as part of Nakadōri region of Iwaki Province.

The town of Shirakawa was formed on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. On April 1, 1949, Shirakawa was elevated to city status after merging with the neighboring village of Ōnuma. Subsequent mergers occurred in 1954 and 1955 with the inclusion of the villages of Shirasaka, Odagawa, Goka and a portion of Omotegō into the territory of Shirakawa. On November 7, 2005, the villages of Taishin, Higashi, and the remainder of Omotegō (all from Nishishirakawa District) were merged into Shirakawa, increasing its population from 48,297 to approximately 66,000 and territory from {{convert|117.67|km2|2|abbr=on}} to {{convert|305.30|km2|2|abbr=on}}.

Shirakawa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 26 members. Shirakawa, together with Nishishirakawa District contributes three members to the Fukushima Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Fukushima 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Shirakawa has a mixed economy, and is a major commercial center for the surrounding region. Principal industries include electrical appliances, construction materials and clothing.{{cite book |last1=Campbell |first1=Allen |last2=Nobel |first2=David S |title=Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia |publisher=Kodansha |date=1993 |pages=1396 |isbn=406205938X}} The D+M Group has a plant where Marantz and Denon high fidelity components are produced.

Shirakawa has fifteen public elementary schools and eight junior high schools operated by the city government and four public high schools operated by the Fukushima Prefectural Board of Education.

Shirakawa has nineteen post offices within the boundaries of the city.[http://www2.wagamachi-guide.com/japanpost/search/list.asp?fkncode=07&ctycode=07205&pn=&cd1=&cd2=&hn=&sv=&mode=4 List of Post Offices in Shirakawa] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130205184633/http://www2.wagamachi-guide.com/japanpost/search/list.asp?fkncode=07&ctycode=07205&pn=&cd1=&cd2=&hn=&sv=&mode=4 |date=2013-02-05 }} {{in lang|ja}}

• 22pxJR East - Tōhoku Main Line
• {{STN|Shirasaka|x}} – (Shin-Shirakawa) – {{STN|Shirakawa|x}} - {{STN|Kutano|x}}

• {{jct|country=JPN|Exp|E4}} – Shirakawa-chūō Interchange – Abukuma Parking Area
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|4}}
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|289}}
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|294}}

• Site of Shirakawa Barrier - National Historic Site {{cite web |url= https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/162191 |title=白河関跡 |trans-title= Aizu-Shirakawa no seki ato|language=ja |publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs }}
• Komine Castle – One of the 100 Castles of Japan{{cite web|url=https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/171511|title=小峰城跡 |work=Cultural Heritage Online|publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs|language=ja|access-date=25 December 2016}}
• Nanko Park – National Historic Site and National Scenic Site {{cite web |url= https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/137764 |title=南湖公園 |trans-title= Nanko Koen|language=ja |publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs }}
• Shirakawa Funada-Motonuma Sites – kofun period burial tumulus, National Historic Site{{cite web |url= https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/140437 |title= 白河舟田・本沼遺跡群 ん|trans-title=Shirakawa Funada-Motonuma iseki gun|language=ja |publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs }}
• Yūki-Shirakawa Castle, National Historic Site {{cite web |url= https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/273872 |title= 白川城跡 |trans-title=Shirakawa-jō ato|language=ja |publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs }}
• Festivals held in Shirakawa include "Daruma Ichi", celebrating the traditional Daruma doll, wherein the city streets are packed with stalls selling Daruma, a variety of festival foods and charms, and "Chōchin Matsuri" (Lantern Festival), which is held each summer, with a special three-day celebration held once every three years.

• {{flagicon|FRA}} Compiègne, France, since October 20, 1988
• {{flagicon|USA}} Anoka, Minnesota, United States, since October 13, 2002

• Atsushi Fujita, Olympic marathon runner
• Toshiaki Fushimi, Olympic cyclist
• Koji Igarashi, longtime Castlevania series producer and creator of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
• Hideo Madarame, Olympic cyclist
• Gishu Nakayama, writer

{{reflist}}

{{Wikivoyage|Shirakawa}}

• {{Commons category-inline}}
• {{Official|1=http://www.city.shirakawa.fukushima.jp/}} {{in lang|ja}}

{{Fukushima}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities in Fukushima Prefecture