Minamiechizen, Fukui

Minamiechizen

南越前町
Minamiechizen 南越前町
Town
	Minamiechizen Town Hall
	Flag Seal
	Location of Minamiechizen in Fukui Prefecture
	Minamiechizen
	Coordinates: 35°50′6.3″N 136°11′40″E / 35.835083°N 136.19444°E
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu (Hokuriku)
Prefecture	Fukui
District	Nanjō
Area
• Total	343.69 km2 (132.70 sq mi)
Population (July 2018)
• Total	10,745
• Density	31/km2 (81/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number	0778-47-3000
Address	Minamiechizen-chō, Nanjō-gun, Fukui-ken 919-0292
Climate	Cfa
Website	www.town.minamiechizen.lg.jp
Symbols

Minamiechizen (南越前町, Minamiechizen-chō) is a town located in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 July 2018^[update], the town had an estimated population of 10,745 in 3,470 households and a population density of 31 persons per km².^[1] The total area of the town was 343.69 square kilometres (132.70 sq mi).

Geography

Minamiechizen is located in central Fukui Prefecture, bordered by Gifu Prefecture to the west, Shiga Prefecture to the south and the Sea of Japan to the west. Parts of the coastal area of the town are within the borders of the Echizen-Kaga Kaigan Quasi-National Park.

Neighbouring municipalities

Fukui Prefecture
- Tsuruga
- Echizen
- Ikeda
- Echizen (town)
Shiga Prefecture
- Nagahama
Gifu Prefecture
- Ibigawa

Climate

Minamiechizen has a Humid climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm, wet summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Minamiechizen is 13.1 °C (55.6 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,608.2 mm (102.69 in) with December as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.4 °C (77.7 °F), and lowest in January, at around 1.7 °C (35.1 °F).^[2] Parts of the town are located within the extremely heavy snowfall area of Japan.

Climate data for Imajō, Minamiechizen (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	17.9 (64.2)	18.5 (65.3)	23.5 (74.3)	30.3 (86.5)	33.0 (91.4)	33.9 (93.0)	36.8 (98.2)	36.9 (98.4)	35.6 (96.1)	30.7 (87.3)	25.4 (77.7)	22.5 (72.5)	36.9 (98.4)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	5.4 (41.7)	6.2 (43.2)	10.9 (51.6)	17.5 (63.5)	22.5 (72.5)	25.7 (78.3)	29.4 (84.9)	31.1 (88.0)	26.6 (79.9)	20.9 (69.6)	15.0 (59.0)	8.5 (47.3)	18.3 (65.0)
Daily mean °C (°F)	1.7 (35.1)	1.9 (35.4)	5.4 (41.7)	11.3 (52.3)	16.4 (61.5)	20.4 (68.7)	24.4 (75.9)	25.4 (77.7)	21.2 (70.2)	15.3 (59.5)	9.6 (49.3)	4.3 (39.7)	13.1 (55.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−1.0 (30.2)	−1.4 (29.5)	0.7 (33.3)	5.4 (41.7)	10.7 (51.3)	15.9 (60.6)	20.5 (68.9)	21.2 (70.2)	17.2 (63.0)	10.9 (51.6)	5.2 (41.4)	1.0 (33.8)	8.9 (48.0)
Record low °C (°F)	−11.8 (10.8)	−12.0 (10.4)	−8.2 (17.2)	−3.3 (26.1)	0.4 (32.7)	6.0 (42.8)	12.2 (54.0)	11.5 (52.7)	6.1 (43.0)	0.5 (32.9)	−2.1 (28.2)	−6.7 (19.9)	−12.0 (10.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	317.9 (12.52)	187.1 (7.37)	177.5 (6.99)	145.8 (5.74)	151.8 (5.98)	173.8 (6.84)	254.9 (10.04)	182.0 (7.17)	224.5 (8.84)	182.7 (7.19)	229.9 (9.05)	380.4 (14.98)	2,608.2 (102.69)
Average snowfall cm (inches)	177 (70)	143 (56)	43 (17)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (0.4)	79 (31)	442 (174)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	22.1	17.6	15.7	13.1	11.6	12.7	13.5	10.6	12.5	12.6	15.7	21.6	179.3
Average snowy days (≥ 3 cm)	15.9	14.6	4.8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.1	7.4	42.8
Mean monthly sunshine hours	54.9	75.7	121.7	167.8	192.8	140.8	149.3	191.0	135.9	135.7	105.7	65.7	1,526.6
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency^[3]^[2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,^[4] the population of Minamiechizen has declined over the past 50 years.

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1970	14,442	—
1980	13,820	−4.3%
1990	13,804	−0.1%
2000	13,221	−4.2%
2010	11,551	−12.6%
2020	10,002	−13.4%

History

Minamiechizen is part of ancient Echizen Province. During the Edo period, the area was mostly part of the holdings of Fukui Domain and Nishio Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. Following the Meiji restoration, and the establishment of the modern municipalities it was organised into part of Nanjō District in Fukui Prefecture. Minamiechizen was formed on 1 January 2005, by the merger of the two former towns of Imajō and Nanjō, and the former village of Kōno (all from Nanjō District).

Economy

The economy of Minamiechizen is mixed, with agriculture and commercial fishing prominent.

Education

Minamiechizen has four public elementary schools and there middle schools operated by the city government. The town does not have public high school.

Transportation

Railway

JR West surrendered ownership of the Hokuriku Main Line in Minamiechizen to third-sector company Hapi-line Fukui on 16 March 2024.^[5] Hapi-line Fukui