Takamori is located at the easternmost point of Kumamoto Prefecture, within the caldera of Mount Aso. It touches Ōita prefecture to the northeast and Miyazaki prefecture to the east. The town is divided into four areas, called Takamori, Shikimi, Kusakabe, and Nojiri. The city hall is situated in the Takamori area, where over half of the town population resides.
Mountains: Mount Aso, Nakadake, Nekodake, Takadake, Kishimadake, Eboshidake
Takamori has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classificationCfa) with hot, humid summers and cool winters. There is significant precipitation throughout the year, especially during June and July. The average annual temperature in Takamori is 13.4 °C (56.1 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,435.1 mm (95.87 in) with June as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.3 °C (75.7 °F), and lowest in January, at around 2.2 °C (36.0 °F).[2] The highest temperature ever recorded in Takamori was 34.8 °C (94.6 °F) on 6 August 1994; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −13.2 °C (8.2 °F) on 25 January 1998.
The area of Takamori was part of ancient Higo Province, During the Edo Period it was part of the holdings of Kumamoto Domain. After the Meiji restoration, the town of Takamori was established on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system.
Government
Takamori has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of ten members. Takamori, collectively with the other municipalities in Aso District, contributes one member to the Kumamoto Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Kumamoto 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy
The main industries of Takamori are agriculture, forestry, and tourism. Agriculture has developed through field crops, rice cultivation, flower and tobacco production, livestock farming, and forestry. In recent years, the branding of highland vegetables such as radishes and cabbages has been promoted, and watermelon and melon production has also become popular.
Education
Takamori has one public elementary school and one public junior high school operated by the town government and one public high school operated by the Kumamoto Prefectural Board of Education.
