Nishiwaki, Hyōgo

Nishiwaki (西脇市, Nishiwaki-shi) is a city in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. It was founded on April 1, 1952.

Nishiwaki
西脇市
City
Flag
Emblem
Location of Nishiwaki in Hyōgo Prefecture
Nishiwaki
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 34°59′25″N 134°58′20″E
CountryJapan
RegionKansai
PrefectureHyōgo Prefecture
Government
 • MayorJuichi Kishi (since November 2005)
Area
 • Total132.47 km2 (51.15 sq mi)
Population
 (May 1, 2017)
 • Total41,336
 • Density310/km2 (810/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall addressGonose 605, Nishiwaki City, Hyōgo Prefecture (兵庫県西脇市郷瀬町605)
677-8511
ClimateCfa
Websitewww.city.nishiwaki.lg.jp
Symbols
FlowerPhlox subulata
TreeCherry blossom

The city calls itself "The Navel of Japan (Nihon no Heso)." Located at the crossing of the 135° East meridian and the 35° North parallel, the city's Nihon no Heso Park marks the center of the nation. JR West operates Nihon Heso Station on the Kakogawa Line (in addition to other stations in Nishiwaki).

As of May 1, 2017, the city had an estimated population of 41,336, with 16,858 households,[1] and a population density of 310 persons per km². The total area is 132.47 km².

On October 1, 2005, the town of Kurodashō (from Taka District) was merged into Nishiwaki.

Geography

Climate

Nishiwaki has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and cool to cold winters. Precipitation is significantly higher in summer than in winter, though on the whole lower than most parts of Honshū, and there is no significant snowfall. The average annual temperature in Nishiwaki is 14.5 °C (58.1 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,213.5 mm (87.15 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.8 °C (80.2 °F), and lowest in January, at around 3.1 °C (37.6 °F).[2] The highest temperature ever recorded in Nishiwaki was 39.2 °C (102.6 °F) on 30 August 2020; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −8.6 °C (16.5 °F) on 3 February 2012.[3]

Climate data for Nishiwaki (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 18.7
(65.7)		 21.2
(70.2)		 24.2
(75.6)		 30.0
(86.0)		 32.3
(90.1)		 35.3
(95.5)		 37.5
(99.5)		 39.2
(102.6)		 37.9
(100.2)		 32.3
(90.1)		 25.4
(77.7)		 21.6
(70.9)		 39.2
(102.6)
Average high °C (°F) 8.8
(47.8)		 9.7
(49.5)		 13.6
(56.5)		 19.5
(67.1)		 24.3
(75.7)		 27.3
(81.1)		 30.8
(87.4)		 32.7
(90.9)		 28.2
(82.8)		 22.5
(72.5)		 16.7
(62.1)		 11.2
(52.2)		 20.4
(68.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) 3.1
(37.6)		 3.9
(39.0)		 7.3
(45.1)		 12.7
(54.9)		 17.8
(64.0)		 21.8
(71.2)		 25.7
(78.3)		 26.8
(80.2)		 22.8
(73.0)		 16.7
(62.1)		 10.5
(50.9)		 5.2
(41.4)		 14.5
(58.1)
Average low °C (°F) −1.4
(29.5)		 −1.1
(30.0)		 1.6
(34.9)		 6.4
(43.5)		 11.8
(53.2)		 17.3
(63.1)		 21.9
(71.4)		 22.7
(72.9)		 18.7
(65.7)		 12.0
(53.6)		 5.6
(42.1)		 0.6
(33.1)		 9.7
(49.4)
Record low °C (°F) −8.0
(17.6)		 −8.6
(16.5)		 −5.8
(21.6)		 −2.8
(27.0)		 0.6
(33.1)		 7.2
(45.0)		 14.8
(58.6)		 14.9
(58.8)		 8.1
(46.6)		 1.4
(34.5)		 −2.8
(27.0)		 −8.1
(17.4)		 −8.6
(16.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 47.1
(1.85)		 62.1
(2.44)		 112.2
(4.42)		 123.4
(4.86)		 151.2
(5.95)		 177.2
(6.98)		 212.2
(8.35)		 149.6
(5.89)		 190.2
(7.49)		 132.0
(5.20)		 73.8
(2.91)		 58.7
(2.31)		 1,509.3
(59.42)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 6.4 7.2 9.9 9.8 10.2 11.7 11.5 8.9 10.5 8.0 6.3 7.0 107.4
Mean monthly sunshine hours 140.9 130.4 162.3 187.9 185.4 130.1 138.0 195.7 151.5 164.6 150.2 141.4 1,872.5
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3][2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Nishiwaki in 2020 is 38,673 people.[4] Nishiwaki has been conducting censuses since 1920.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 20,987—    
1925 22,392+6.7%
1930 25,656+14.6%
1935 29,737+15.9%
1940 32,083+7.9%
1945 37,160+15.8%
1950 42,516+14.4%
1955 48,012+12.9%
1960 51,173+6.6%
1965 48,481−5.3%
1970 45,964−5.2%
1975 46,182+0.5%
1980 46,380+0.4%
1985 46,889+1.1%
1990 46,220−1.4%
1995 46,339+0.3%
2000 45,718−1.3%
2005 43,953−3.9%
2010 42,812−2.6%
2015 40,866−4.5%
2020 38,673−5.4%
Nishiwaki population statistics[4]

Culture

Mascots

Nisshi (にっしー） was made to promote the city in 2010, and she wears a blue clothes made of "Banshu-Ori", which is a kind of textile and famous in Nisiwaki city.[5]

Sakura (さくら) is Nisshi's sister and wears pink clothes.[6]

Heso-no-Kanchan (へそのかんちゃん) was made to promote a historical drama, Gunshi-Kanbe (軍師官兵衛), which had been broadcast in 2014. "Kanchan" was designed after the model of Kanbe's appearance in his childhood.[7]

Transportation

Railway

Highways

Sister city
Street sign in Renton, WA commemorating its sister city

Nishiwaki has been the sister city of Renton, Washington, U.S.A since 1969.[8] Since then there have been mutual exchanges between the cities, most notably the annual middle school exchange program which began in 1989. (The US delegation was in Japan October 3–13, 1989.) The initial delegation from the US included (future) actress Casey Strand.

References
  1. "Official website of Nishiwaki City" (in Japanese). Japan: Nishiwaki City. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  2. 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  3. 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  4. Nishiwaki population statistics
  5. "Nisshi'ｓ Profile" (PDF). Nishiwaki city. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  6. "西脇TMOオリジナルゆるキャラ「さくら」が西脇市の住民になりました！". Nishiwaki city. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  7. "イメージキャラクター「へそのかんちゃん」とロゴマークについて". Nishiwaki city. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-06-01. Retrieved 2009-12-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)


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