Ashikita
芦北町 | |
---|---|
Town | |
![]() Location of Ashikita in
Kumamoto Prefecture | |
Coordinates: 32°18′N 130°31′E / 32.300°N 130.517°E | |
Country | Japan |
Region | Kyushu |
Prefecture | Kumamoto Prefecture |
District | Ashikita |
Government | |
• Mayor | Mr. Kazunari Takezaki |
Area | |
• Total | 233.48 km2 (90.15 sq mi) |
Population (1 June 2019) | |
• Total | 16,306 |
• Density | 70/km2 (180/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+09:00 ( JST) |
City hall address | 熊本県葦北郡芦北町大字芦北2015 869-5498 |
Website |
www |
Ashikita (芦北町, Ashikita-machi) is a town located in Ashikita District (葦北郡, Ashikita-gun), Kumamoto, Japan. [1]
Ashikita is situated on the south west coast of the island of Kyushu in Southern Japan, and it is known for its attractive coastlines, beaches and its production of citrus fruit.
Ashikita is famous for its fresh local produce, in particular dekopon oranges (also known as shiranui), and amanatsu oranges. [2] It also has iconic sailboats called utasebune (打たせ船) which fish for famous cutlassfish (太刀魚 tachiuo) and red-footed shrimp (足赤海老 ashiaka ebi). [3] Other local delicacies include Ashikita beef, Otachimisaki salt, Ozeki rice and Ozeki shochu (sake).
Ashikita Town is located approximately 60 km southwest of Kumamoto City.
Historically, Ashikita was located in the Higo Domain (肥後国, Higo-kuni) of Kyushu. Modern Ashikita Town was created by merging the old towns of Tanoura and Ashikita, and the villages of Ono and Yoshio.
The town is bordered to the north by Yatsushiro City (八代市 Yatsushiro-shi). To the south lie Tsunagi Town (津奈木町 Tsunagi-machi) and Minamata City (水俣市 Minamata-shi) and to the east runs the Kuma river (球磨川 Kuma-gawa), separating Ashikita from Kuma Village (球磨村 Kuma-mura) and Hitoyoshi City (人吉市 Hitoyoshi-shi).
The municipality governs the 7th largest area within the prefecture.
Ashikita, like all regions of Kumamoto, experiences large differences in temperature, from an average high in August of 33 degrees celsius (the 3rd highest average in Japan), to an average low in January of 0 degrees. In addition, Kumamoto Prefecture as a whole sees the most rainfall on the island of Kyushu, particularly during the rainy season between June and July. Like most of Japan, Ashikita experiences all four seasons, including cherry blossoms from late March to April, and Autumn colors from November or December depending on the warmth of the weather.
Typhoon season generally occurs between August and September, and typhoons occasionally reach Ashikita, though they often make landfall over Miyazaki or Kagoshima Prefectures to the south.
Month | Average Temperature (Celsius) | Average Rainfall | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
High | Low | Days of Rain | Rainfall (ml) | |
January | 11 | 0 | 6 | 71.6 |
February | 13 | 1 | 8 | 116.3 |
March | 17 | 4 | 11 | 155.7 |
April | 22 | 9 | 10 | 191.7 |
May | 26 | 14 | 9 | 225.3 |
June | 28 | 19 | 15 | 538.2 |
July | 32 | 23 | 14 | 447.7 |
August | 33 | 23 | 10 | 196.7 |
September | 30 | 19 | 9 | 205.9 |
October | 25 | 13 | 7 | 107.4 |
November | 19 | 7 | 7 | 85.4 |
December | 13 | 2 | 7 | 74.6 |
(Data from NOAA: https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/)
Ashikita is divided into 44 areas. Communities are often spread along rivers, following the Kuma River between Yatsushiro City and Hitoyoshi City, and following the many streams that originate in Ashikita's mountains and flow out into the Yatsushiro Sea, along the town's extensive coastline. These areas include:
Mountainous region east of Tanoura
Municipal Government
During the Sengoku Period (1467-1615), the Ashikita region was located within the Higo Domain, which also contained the areas of present-day Yatsushiro and Kuma.
Sashiki Area, located in the heart of Ashikita Town, was part of the Kuma Road that connected Kuma, South Kumamoto with Edo (modern-day Tokyo) during the Edo period, and was lined with inns and rest houses, though in present day Ashikita this is no longer the case.
Highways:
National roads:
Major prefectural roads:
Highway rest areas (道の駅 michi-no-eki)
Kyushu Railway Company
Hisatsu Orange Railway
Sanko Bus (産交バス)
Fureai Tsukuru Bus (ふれあいツクールバス)
Operates Mon~Sat, except for holidays. ¥200 flat fare.
① Ashikita Town Hall to Shiraishi, Oiwa
② Michi-no-Eki Ashikita Dekopon to Furuishi
③ Michi-no-Eki Ashikita Dekopon to Hyakki and Nagasaki
④ Ashikita Town Hall to Ono Onsen Center
⑤ Ashikita Town Hall to Tagawa
⑥ Ashikita Town Hall to Tsurugiyama Swimming Beach and Ashikita Youth Center
⑦ Michi-no-Eki Ashikita Dekopon to Meshima
⑧ Uwabara to Kaiji Station
⑨ Ashikita Town Hall to Michi-no-Eki Tanoura, Otachimisaki Onsen and Yokoigi (Mon & Thurs only)
⑩ Ashikita Town Hall to Michi-no-Eki Tanoura, Otachimisaki Onsen and Kami Imuta (Tues & Fri only)
⑪ Ashikita Town Hall to Michi-no-Eki Tanoura, Otachimisaki Onsen and Sugisako (Wed, Sat only)
The Fureai Tsukuru Bus Service is run by the Ashikita Town Hall. Many routes pass through the town hall, Sashiki Station, Michi-no-Eki Dekopon and Yunoura Station. To disembark at more remote areas, passengers should inform the driver of their destination when they board, and can request that they stop when it is safe.
Aso-Kumamoto Airport can be accessed by car, using one of the airport's carparking companies. Alternatively, by taking a train to Yatsushiro Station or Shin-Yatsushiro Station, passengers can change to the Super Banpeiyu Bus service from either station, which stops in front of the airport.
Fukuoka International Airport can be accessed by bullet train from Shin-Yatsushiro Station or Shin-Minamata Station
High Schools:
Junior High Schools:
Elementary Schools:
Special needs schools:
Tourist Spots
The town was listed on Anime Tourism 88's list of anime sightseeing spots. Ashikita is the setting for the fishing anime and manga Diary of Our Days at the Breakwater. Some notable places are the Tsurugiyama Harbor (the location of the club room and titular breakwater), Tsurugiyama Beach, and the Tenguya Fishing Store.
As of April 2019:
Ashikita
芦北町 | |
---|---|
Town | |
![]() Location of Ashikita in
Kumamoto Prefecture | |
Coordinates: 32°18′N 130°31′E / 32.300°N 130.517°E | |
Country | Japan |
Region | Kyushu |
Prefecture | Kumamoto Prefecture |
District | Ashikita |
Government | |
• Mayor | Mr. Kazunari Takezaki |
Area | |
• Total | 233.48 km2 (90.15 sq mi) |
Population (1 June 2019) | |
• Total | 16,306 |
• Density | 70/km2 (180/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+09:00 ( JST) |
City hall address | 熊本県葦北郡芦北町大字芦北2015 869-5498 |
Website |
www |
Ashikita (芦北町, Ashikita-machi) is a town located in Ashikita District (葦北郡, Ashikita-gun), Kumamoto, Japan. [1]
Ashikita is situated on the south west coast of the island of Kyushu in Southern Japan, and it is known for its attractive coastlines, beaches and its production of citrus fruit.
Ashikita is famous for its fresh local produce, in particular dekopon oranges (also known as shiranui), and amanatsu oranges. [2] It also has iconic sailboats called utasebune (打たせ船) which fish for famous cutlassfish (太刀魚 tachiuo) and red-footed shrimp (足赤海老 ashiaka ebi). [3] Other local delicacies include Ashikita beef, Otachimisaki salt, Ozeki rice and Ozeki shochu (sake).
Ashikita Town is located approximately 60 km southwest of Kumamoto City.
Historically, Ashikita was located in the Higo Domain (肥後国, Higo-kuni) of Kyushu. Modern Ashikita Town was created by merging the old towns of Tanoura and Ashikita, and the villages of Ono and Yoshio.
The town is bordered to the north by Yatsushiro City (八代市 Yatsushiro-shi). To the south lie Tsunagi Town (津奈木町 Tsunagi-machi) and Minamata City (水俣市 Minamata-shi) and to the east runs the Kuma river (球磨川 Kuma-gawa), separating Ashikita from Kuma Village (球磨村 Kuma-mura) and Hitoyoshi City (人吉市 Hitoyoshi-shi).
The municipality governs the 7th largest area within the prefecture.
Ashikita, like all regions of Kumamoto, experiences large differences in temperature, from an average high in August of 33 degrees celsius (the 3rd highest average in Japan), to an average low in January of 0 degrees. In addition, Kumamoto Prefecture as a whole sees the most rainfall on the island of Kyushu, particularly during the rainy season between June and July. Like most of Japan, Ashikita experiences all four seasons, including cherry blossoms from late March to April, and Autumn colors from November or December depending on the warmth of the weather.
Typhoon season generally occurs between August and September, and typhoons occasionally reach Ashikita, though they often make landfall over Miyazaki or Kagoshima Prefectures to the south.
Month | Average Temperature (Celsius) | Average Rainfall | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
High | Low | Days of Rain | Rainfall (ml) | |
January | 11 | 0 | 6 | 71.6 |
February | 13 | 1 | 8 | 116.3 |
March | 17 | 4 | 11 | 155.7 |
April | 22 | 9 | 10 | 191.7 |
May | 26 | 14 | 9 | 225.3 |
June | 28 | 19 | 15 | 538.2 |
July | 32 | 23 | 14 | 447.7 |
August | 33 | 23 | 10 | 196.7 |
September | 30 | 19 | 9 | 205.9 |
October | 25 | 13 | 7 | 107.4 |
November | 19 | 7 | 7 | 85.4 |
December | 13 | 2 | 7 | 74.6 |
(Data from NOAA: https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/)
Ashikita is divided into 44 areas. Communities are often spread along rivers, following the Kuma River between Yatsushiro City and Hitoyoshi City, and following the many streams that originate in Ashikita's mountains and flow out into the Yatsushiro Sea, along the town's extensive coastline. These areas include:
Mountainous region east of Tanoura
Municipal Government
During the Sengoku Period (1467-1615), the Ashikita region was located within the Higo Domain, which also contained the areas of present-day Yatsushiro and Kuma.
Sashiki Area, located in the heart of Ashikita Town, was part of the Kuma Road that connected Kuma, South Kumamoto with Edo (modern-day Tokyo) during the Edo period, and was lined with inns and rest houses, though in present day Ashikita this is no longer the case.
Highways:
National roads:
Major prefectural roads:
Highway rest areas (道の駅 michi-no-eki)
Kyushu Railway Company
Hisatsu Orange Railway
Sanko Bus (産交バス)
Fureai Tsukuru Bus (ふれあいツクールバス)
Operates Mon~Sat, except for holidays. ¥200 flat fare.
① Ashikita Town Hall to Shiraishi, Oiwa
② Michi-no-Eki Ashikita Dekopon to Furuishi
③ Michi-no-Eki Ashikita Dekopon to Hyakki and Nagasaki
④ Ashikita Town Hall to Ono Onsen Center
⑤ Ashikita Town Hall to Tagawa
⑥ Ashikita Town Hall to Tsurugiyama Swimming Beach and Ashikita Youth Center
⑦ Michi-no-Eki Ashikita Dekopon to Meshima
⑧ Uwabara to Kaiji Station
⑨ Ashikita Town Hall to Michi-no-Eki Tanoura, Otachimisaki Onsen and Yokoigi (Mon & Thurs only)
⑩ Ashikita Town Hall to Michi-no-Eki Tanoura, Otachimisaki Onsen and Kami Imuta (Tues & Fri only)
⑪ Ashikita Town Hall to Michi-no-Eki Tanoura, Otachimisaki Onsen and Sugisako (Wed, Sat only)
The Fureai Tsukuru Bus Service is run by the Ashikita Town Hall. Many routes pass through the town hall, Sashiki Station, Michi-no-Eki Dekopon and Yunoura Station. To disembark at more remote areas, passengers should inform the driver of their destination when they board, and can request that they stop when it is safe.
Aso-Kumamoto Airport can be accessed by car, using one of the airport's carparking companies. Alternatively, by taking a train to Yatsushiro Station or Shin-Yatsushiro Station, passengers can change to the Super Banpeiyu Bus service from either station, which stops in front of the airport.
Fukuoka International Airport can be accessed by bullet train from Shin-Yatsushiro Station or Shin-Minamata Station
High Schools:
Junior High Schools:
Elementary Schools:
Special needs schools:
Tourist Spots
The town was listed on Anime Tourism 88's list of anime sightseeing spots. Ashikita is the setting for the fishing anime and manga Diary of Our Days at the Breakwater. Some notable places are the Tsurugiyama Harbor (the location of the club room and titular breakwater), Tsurugiyama Beach, and the Tenguya Fishing Store.
As of April 2019: