This article is about the town in Takaoka District in Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. For the city in the same prefecture with the same name, see Shimanto, Kōchi (city).
Iwamoto-ji
Iejigawa Dam
Coastline of Shimanto town

Shimanto (四万十町, Shimanto-chō) is a town located in Takaoka District, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 July 2022, the town had an estimated population of 15‚917 in 8196 households, and a population density of 25 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the town is 642.30 square kilometres (247.99 sq mi).

Geography

Shimanto Town is located in southwestern Kōchi Prefecture on the island of Shikoku. It is on the middle reaches of the Shimanto River, and faces the Pacific Ocean (Tosa Bay) to the east, and borders Ehime Prefecture across the Shikoku Mountains to the northwest.

Neighbouring municipalities

Kōchi Prefecture

Ehime Prefecture

Climate

Shimanto has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot, humid summers and cool winters. There is significant precipitation throughout the year, especially during June and July. The average annual temperature in Shimanto is 15.0 °C (59.0 °F). The average annual rainfall is 3,251.0 mm (127.99 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.9 °C (78.6 °F), and lowest in January, at around 4.2 °C (39.6 °F).[2] The highest temperature ever recorded in Shimanto was 38.8 °C (101.8 °F) on 11 August 2013; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −8.9 °C (16.0 °F) on 4 February 1999.[3]

Climate data for Kubokawa, Shimanto (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 21.2
(70.2) 		23.0
(73.4) 		27.0
(80.6) 		31.2
(88.2) 		33.0
(91.4) 		33.6
(92.5) 		38.0
(100.4) 		38.8
(101.8) 		36.4
(97.5) 		31.3
(88.3) 		26.1
(79.0) 		22.1
(71.8) 		38.8
(101.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 10.6
(51.1) 		11.9
(53.4) 		15.2
(59.4) 		19.9
(67.8) 		23.9
(75.0) 		26.1
(79.0) 		30.4
(86.7) 		31.0
(87.8) 		28.0
(82.4) 		23.6
(74.5) 		18.2
(64.8) 		12.8
(55.0) 		21.0
(69.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) 4.2
(39.6) 		5.3
(41.5) 		8.8
(47.8) 		13.6
(56.5) 		18.1
(64.6) 		21.4
(70.5) 		25.4
(77.7) 		25.9
(78.6) 		22.7
(72.9) 		17.2
(63.0) 		11.4
(52.5) 		6.1
(43.0) 		15.0
(59.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −1.1
(30.0) 		−0.3
(31.5) 		2.9
(37.2) 		7.6
(45.7) 		12.9
(55.2) 		17.7
(63.9) 		21.7
(71.1) 		22.2
(72.0) 		18.9
(66.0) 		12.4
(54.3) 		6.1
(43.0) 		0.7
(33.3) 		10.1
(50.3)
Record low °C (°F) −8.5
(16.7) 		−8.9
(16.0) 		−7.0
(19.4) 		−2.5
(27.5) 		2.5
(36.5) 		8.4
(47.1) 		14.1
(57.4) 		13.7
(56.7) 		7.3
(45.1) 		0.2
(32.4) 		−3.9
(25.0) 		−8.9
(16.0) 		−8.9
(16.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 84.7
(3.33) 		115.8
(4.56) 		207.1
(8.15) 		253.9
(10.00) 		308.7
(12.15) 		425.8
(16.76) 		377.9
(14.88) 		415.9
(16.37) 		524.8
(20.66) 		281.4
(11.08) 		158.3
(6.23) 		96.9
(3.81) 		3,251
(127.99)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 7.2 8.2 11.1 10.5 10.9 15.2 13.4 13.5 14.0 9.5 8.1 7.5 129.1
Mean monthly sunshine hours 173.8 166.1 188.6 190.4 186.8 123.8 168.6 191.5 140.2 168.9 160.9 172.4 2,035.8
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3][2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Shimanto in 2020 is 15,607 people.[4] Shimanto has been conducting censuses since 1920.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 30,170—    
1925 30,409+0.8%
1930 31,106+2.3%
1935 31,316+0.7%
1940 31,871+1.8%
1945 39,935+25.3%
1950 41,264+3.3%
1955 41,912+1.6%
1960 38,584−7.9%
1965 33,520−13.1%
1970 29,062−13.3%
1975 26,969−7.2%
1980 26,438−2.0%
1985 25,622−3.1%
1990 24,226−5.4%
1995 23,081−4.7%
2000 21,844−5.4%
2005 20,527−6.0%
2010 18,712−8.8%
2015 17,325−7.4%
2020 15,607−9.9%
Shimanto population statistics[4]

History

As with all of Kōchi Prefecture, the area of Shimanto Town was part of ancient Tosa Province. During the Edo period, the area was part of the holdings of Tosa Domain ruled by the Yamauchi clan from their seat at Kōchi Castle. Following the Meiji restoration, the village of Kubokawa was established within Takaoka District, Kōchi with the creation of the modern municipalities system on October 1, 1889 and was raised to town status on February 11, 1926. Likewise, the village of Higashi-Kamiyama (東上山村) was established within Hata District, Kōchi, was renamed Taishō village on January 1, 1914, and was raised to town status on August 1, 1947. The town of Shimanto was formed on March 20, 2006 from the merger of the towns of Kubokawa and Taishō, and the village of Towa.

Government

Shimanto has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 18 members. Shimanto, together with Nakatosa, Yusuhara and Tsuno, contributes two members to the Kōchi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Kōchi 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

The local economy is dominated by agriculture, forestry and commercial fishing, and tourism. The town is one of the largest producers of ginger in Japan.

Education

Shimanto Town has 12 public elementary schools and three public middle schools operated by the town government, and two public high schools operated by the Kōchi Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway

Shikoku Railway Company - Dosan Line

Shikoku Railway Company - Yodo Line

Tosa Kuroshio Railway - Nakamura Line

Highways

Sister city relations

Local attractions

Noted people from Shimanto Town

References

  1. ^ "Shimanto town official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. ^ a b 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  3. ^ a b 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Shimanto population statistics

External links