Satsuma, Kagoshima

Satsuma
さつま町
Clockwise from top: View of Central Satsuma Town from Tsuruta area, Tsuruta Dam, Miyanojyo Railroad Museum, Shibi Public Spa
Clockwise from top: View of Central Satsuma Town from Tsuruta area, Tsuruta Dam, Miyanojyo Railroad Museum, Shibi Public Spa
Flag of Satsuma
Official seal of Satsuma
Map
Location of Satsuma in Kagoshima Prefecture
Location of Satsuma
Satsuma is located in Japan
Satsuma
Satsuma
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 31°54′20″N 130°27′20″E / 31.90556°N 130.45556°E / 31.90556; 130.45556
CountryJapan
RegionKyushu
PrefectureKagoshima
DistrictSatsuma
Area
 • Total
303.90 km2 (117.34 sq mi)
Population
 (July 1, 2024)
 • Total
18,399
 • Density61/km2 (160/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address1565-2 Miyanoshiro Yachi, Satsuma-cho, Satsuma-gun, Kagoshima-ken 895-1803
ClimateCfa
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
BirdMandarin duck
FlowerOrchid
Insectfirefly
TreeMaple
Satsuma Town Office

Satsuma (さつま町, Satsuma-chō) is a town in Satsuma District, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 July 2024, the town had an estimated population of 18,399 in 8705 households, and a population density of 61 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the town is 303.90 km2 (117.34 sq mi).

Geography

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Satsuma is located in an inland region in the central-northern part of Kagoshima Prefecture.

Neighboring municipalities

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Kagoshima Prefecture

Climate

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Satsuma has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and mild winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, and is heavier in summer, especially the months of June and July. The average annual temperature in Satsuma is 16.6 °C (61.9 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,762.7 mm (108.77 in) with June as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.2 °C (81.0 °F), and lowest in January, at around 5.9 °C (42.6 °F).[2] Its record high is 37.6 °C (99.7 °F), reached on 18 August 2020, and its record low is −10.8 °C (12.6 °F), reached on 25 January 2016.[3]

Climate data for Satsuma (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 23.2
(73.8)
23.4
(74.1)
26.4
(79.5)
30.1
(86.2)
33.0
(91.4)
34.0
(93.2)
37.2
(99.0)
37.6
(99.7)
36.1
(97.0)
32.9
(91.2)
27.7
(81.9)
24.2
(75.6)
37.6
(99.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 11.6
(52.9)
13.2
(55.8)
16.7
(62.1)
21.5
(70.7)
25.7
(78.3)
27.7
(81.9)
31.6
(88.9)
32.6
(90.7)
30.0
(86.0)
25.3
(77.5)
19.6
(67.3)
13.9
(57.0)
22.5
(72.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) 5.9
(42.6)
7.2
(45.0)
10.5
(50.9)
15.1
(59.2)
19.4
(66.9)
22.9
(73.2)
26.7
(80.1)
27.2
(81.0)
24.3
(75.7)
18.8
(65.8)
13.1
(55.6)
7.8
(46.0)
16.6
(61.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 0.7
(33.3)
1.5
(34.7)
4.6
(40.3)
8.9
(48.0)
13.8
(56.8)
19.1
(66.4)
23.1
(73.6)
23.2
(73.8)
19.9
(67.8)
13.4
(56.1)
7.4
(45.3)
2.3
(36.1)
11.5
(52.7)
Record low °C (°F) −10.8
(12.6)
−7.7
(18.1)
−5.3
(22.5)
−1.9
(28.6)
2.7
(36.9)
8.2
(46.8)
16.2
(61.2)
15.4
(59.7)
8.7
(47.7)
2.0
(35.6)
−2.8
(27.0)
−6.3
(20.7)
−10.8
(12.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 83.6
(3.29)
122.5
(4.82)
175.0
(6.89)
214.4
(8.44)
238.6
(9.39)
618.6
(24.35)
463.4
(18.24)
278.9
(10.98)
255.9
(10.07)
106.4
(4.19)
108.1
(4.26)
97.3
(3.83)
2,762.7
(108.77)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 9.4 9.7 12.3 10.8 9.9 16.5 13.9 12.5 10.8 7.7 9.0 8.9 131.4
Mean monthly sunshine hours 128.3 139.1 166.0 177.6 180.0 111.2 175.2 195.6 165.3 186.6 157.0 136.6 1,919.4
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3][2]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data, the population of Satsuma in 2020 is 20,243 people.[4] The town's population has been slowly declining since Satsuma's census began in 1950, and the town's population shows no sign of picking up as of 2020.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1950 50,621—    
1955 49,437−2.3%
1960 46,010−6.9%
1965 40,343−12.3%
1970 35,005−13.2%
1975 31,589−9.8%
1980 30,650−3.0%
1985 30,284−1.2%
1990 29,063−4.0%
1995 28,141−3.2%
2000 27,331−2.9%
2005 25,688−6.0%
2010 24,120−6.1%
2015 22,400−7.1%
2020 20,243−9.6%

History

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Satsuma is part of ancient Satsuma Province. It was part of Satsuma Domain in the Edo Period. The villages of Tsuruta, Yamazaki, Sashi, Miyanojo, Nagano, and Omura were established on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. Miyanojo was raised to town status on January 1, 1919, followed by Yamazaki on November 3, 1953. The villages of Nagano Village, Gyuma, and Nakatsugawa Village merged to form Satsuma Town on December 1, 1954. On March 22, 2005 the towns of Miyanojō, Tsuruda merged with Satsuma.

Government

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Satsuma has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 16 members. Satsuma contributes one member to the Kagoshima Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Kagoshima 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

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The main economy activity of Satsuma is agriculture and light manufacturing.

Education

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Satsuma has 6 public elementary schools and one public junior high school operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Kagoshima Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

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Railways

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Since the abolition of the JNR Miyanojo Line in 1987, the town has had no passenger railway service. The nearest train station is the JR Kyushu Sendai Station.

Highways

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References

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  1. ^ "Satsuma Town official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. ^ a b 気象庁 / 平年値(年・月ごとの値). JMA. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  3. ^ a b 観測史上1~10位の値(年間を通じての値). JMA. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  4. ^ Satsuma population statistics
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