Iizuna

Iizuna 飯綱町
Town
Lake Reisenji and Mount Iizuna
Flag Seal
Location of Iizuna in Nagano Prefecture
Iizuna
Coordinates: 36°45′17.2″N 138°14′7.9″E / 36.754778°N 138.235528°E / 36.754778; 138.235528Coordinates: 36°45′17.2″N 138°14′7.9″E / 36.754778°N 138.235528°E / 36.754778; 138.235528
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu (Kōshin'etsu)
Prefecture	Nagano
District	Kamiminochi
Area
• Total	75.00 km2 (28.96 sq mi)
Population  (March 2019)
• Total	11,115
• Density	150/km2 (380/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Symbols
• Tree	Sakura
• Flower	Apple
Phone number	026-253-2511
Address	2795-1 Mure, Iizuna-machi, Kamiminochi-gun, Nagano-ken 389-1293
Website	Official website

Iizuna (飯綱町, Iizuna-machi) is a town located in the Kamiminochi District of norther Nagano Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 March 2019, the town had an estimated population of 11,115 in 4187 households,^[1] and a population density of 150 persons per km². the total area of the town is 75.00 square kilometres (28.96 sq mi).

Geography[]

Iizuna is located in northern Nagano Prefecture. It is 13.9 km from east to west and 15.6 km in the south north. The Yaja River that flows from the Mount Reisenji forms the western border of the town which is located on its river terrace. The Torii River flows through the center of town. The Madarao River flows from Shinano, and flows on the north side of this town. It joins the Chikuma River via the Nakano city in the east.

Surrounding municipalities[]

• Nagano Prefecture
  • Nagano
  • Nakano
  • Shinano

Demographics[]

Per Japanese census data,^[2] the population of Iizuna has remained fairly stable over the past 60 years, although there is an overall declining trend since 1945.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1940	12,533	—
1945	15,776	+25.9%
1950	15,503	−1.7%
1955	14,780	−4.7%
1960	13,845	−6.3%
1965	13,019	−6.0%
1970	12,473	−4.2%
1975	12,032	−3.5%
1980	12,000	−0.3%
1985	12,462	+3.8%
1990	12,830	+3.0%
1995	13,292	+3.6%
2000	13,062	−1.7%
2005	12,504	−4.3%
2010	11,872	−5.1%
2015	11,063	−6.8%

Climate[]

The village has a climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cold winters (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Iizuna is 11.3 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1254 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.9 °C, and lowest in January, at around -1.5 °C.^[3]

History[]

The area of present-day Iizuna was part of ancient Shinano Province. During the Edo period, Mure developed as a post station on the Hokkoku Kaidō highway.

The modern town was created through a merger of the villages of Samizu and Mure on October 1, 2005. Its name comes from Mount Iizuna which dominates the town's western sky.

Economy[]

The economy of Iizuna is agricultural, primarily rice cultivation and horticulture.

Education[]

Iizuna has four public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government, and one high school operated the Nagano Prefectural Board of Education.

High school[]

• Nagano Prefectural Hokubu High School.^[4]

Junior high school[]

• Iizuna Junior High School

Elementary schools[]

• Iizuna Choritsu Murehigashi Elementary School
• Iizuna Choritsu Murehinishi Elementary School
• Iizuna Choritsu Samizudaiichi Elementary School
• Iizuna Choritsu Samizudaini Elementary School

Transportation[]

Railway[]

• Shinano Railway - Kita-Shinano Line
  • Mure

Highway[]

• Jōshin-etsu Expressway
• National Route 18

Local attractions[]

• Iizuna is notable for being home to The Spiral, Asia's only permanent bobsleigh, luge and skeleton track. This track was a venue for the 1998 Winter Olympic Games.

References[]

External links[]

• Media related to Iizuna, Nagano at Wikimedia Commons
• Official Website (in Japanese)